BIZTECH EVOLUTION

From Transactional Services to Strategic Alliances

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BizTech Evolution introduces an innovative framework for transforming how businesses and their technology service providers collaborate in an increasingly complex digital world, ultimately creating more value for both parties and the broader community.

✨ "I appreciate the way Ivan has outlined the four guiding principles as a thoughtful, balanced, and meaningful approach to this challenging topic. It should and will inspire action. I hope you choose to also be a trailblazer and lean on the community driving this change. We can and will make it better for everyone and do what we should be doing—delivering better results."

Courtney Kissler Hawkins

Senior Vice President and CIO at Expeditors

✨ "This book is a must read for both sides: clients relying on consultancies to differentiate themselves in technology-led, highly competitive markets, as well as consulting businesses competing with the emergence of AI and diminishing margins on traditional outsourced work.
It provides a much needed blueprint for consulting work, with clear guiding principles and a fundamental shift from “value execution” (do this work for us) to “value enabling” (help us upskill and deliver better results)."

Manuel Pais

Team Topologies co-author, Author of the Platform Manifesto, Fast Flow Thought Leader

✨ "I love Ivan's work, and this book articulates so many interesting ideas and principles that can help modernize how consultancies can support their client organizations more effectively and sustainably. I have been practicing the principles in the book for a few years without having the clear language defined by Ivan. I highly recommend the book to everyone exploring this topic."

Dr. Eduardo da Silva

Independent Consultant on Modernization of Organization Dynamics, Architecture and Leadership | Team Topologies Valued Practitioner (TTVP)

✨ "BizTech Evolution brings together value, strategy, flow, and relationships as a powerful combination in an accessible reference. Not just models and principles, but the why behind them. Beyond transactional deliverables, to evolved capabilities. If you aim to succeed with or as a strategic partner, this is a must read."

Steve Pereira

Visible Flow Consulting | Value Stream Management | Flow Engineering co-author

✨ "This book is a vital call to action; we used to call it 'skin in the game'! The Value Flywheel started with clarity of purpose and creating the right environment for all the reasons shared in this book — it's foundational. Ivan gets it, and I love how he has explained this approach. BizTech Evolution is an emerging concept that is very important to grasp. Ivan's insights into how consultancies should operate are game-changing. Bottom line: BizTech Evolution is a must-read. Stop thinking the old way and grab this book now."

David Anderson

Author of The Value Flywheel Effect

Is your organization wasting millions on failed technology projects and ineffective service provider relationships?

In today's service-dominated economy, broken collaborations between businesses and their technology providers result in massive financial losses, unrealized potential, and even catastrophic failures. Drawing from over twenty years of experience and real-world case studies - from Heathrow's Terminal 5 success to Deepwater Horizon's tragic failure - this practical playbook introduces the concept of BizTech consultancies — service organizations that transcend the traditional role of technical implementers to become trusted strategic partners in their clients' transformation journeys.

Discover the four guiding principles that revolutionize service delivery

1. Missionaries over mercenaries
Build value-driven partnerships that prioritize client outcomes

2. Strategic work over just "more" work
Focus on initiatives that drive meaningful business impact

3. Flow over headcount
Optimize value delivery instead of simply adding resources

4. Community over zero-sum approach
Create sustainable ecosystems where all participants thrive

Whether you're a service provider looking to evolve into a true BizTech consultancy, a business leader trying to maximize ROI from technology partnerships, or an internal department leader providing services in a large enterprise, BizTech Evolution provides actionable strategies to elevate collaboration beyond transactional engagements.

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Learn how to

Transform your service organization into a trusted BizTech consultancy

Build lasting partnerships that mitigate implementation risk

Develop a shared BizTech context that accelerates delivery

Navigate uncertainty in modern digital business environments

Transform service relationships from cost-centers to value-creators

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About the Author

Ivan Krnić

Ivan Krnić is the Director of Engineering at CROZ, host of the 0800-DEVOPS podcast, and O'Reilly author who contributed to 97 Things Every Cloud Engineer Should Know.

He has been part of the team that grew CROZ from a small group into a successful BizTech consultancy with over four hundred people, eventually expanding internationally. This journey has given him the opportunity to view the challenges of service providers from different perspectives and use this experience to identify and eliminate friction in both internal operations and client collaborations.

Particularly interested in leadership and organizational change, Ivan helps organizations align business and technology, sharpen their focus, and ultimately work smarter, not harder. Passionate about technological advancements, Ivan remains closely connected to the field. His areas of expertise include DevOps culture and the sociotechnical aspects of software delivery. As a dedicated DevOps enthusiast, he actively engages with the community by organizing meetups and delivering talks on various Agile and DevOps topics.

Table of Content

Foreword by Courtney Kissler Hawkins

Preface: The Elusive Symbiosis

How To Read This Book

Introduction: The Market Shapes Service Organizations

    Types of Service Engagements
    Defining Service Relationship Types
    The Three Profiles of Service Organizations
    Risk Mitigation
    Service Organization Personalities
    Building Long-Term Partner Relationships
    What Are BizTech Consultancies?
    Four Guiding Principles of BizTech Consultancies
    Key Takeaways

Chapter 1: Missionaries Over Mercenaries

    The Why
    Untapped Potential
    Issues in Product Development
    Issues in Product Implementation
    Enabling the BizTech Approach
    Applying a Product Mindset
    How BizTech Consultancies Create Value
    The Framework for Helping Client Organizations
    Key Takeaways from Missionaries over Mercenaries

Chapter 2: Strategic Work Over Just "More" Work

    The Why
    Strategy and Vision
    Lean Portfolio Management
    Staying Relevant
    Understanding the Client
    Understanding the Technology
    Understanding the Industry
    Key Takeaways From Strategic Work Over Just "More" Work

Chapter 3: Flow Over Headcount

    The Why
    Brooks's Law
    Lean Processes
    Flow in Consultancies
    Adaptive Organization
    Engineering Management
    Why the Body Shop Model Doesn't Work in the Long Run
    Technology as an Enabler
    Building an Internal Platform
    Improving Flow Between Consultancies and Clients
    Key Takeaways from Flow Over Headcount

Chapter 4: Community Over Zero-Sum Approach

    The Why
    Why Consultancies Hide Their Details
    Consultancies Need the Community
    Client Organizations as Part of the Community
    Abusing the Community
    Key Takeaways from Community Over Zero-Sum Approach

Chapter 5: Getting Started With BizTech Approach

Case Study: Four Guiding Principles at Toyota
What to Expect When Embracing the BizTech Mindset

Conclusion: The Attainable Symbiosis

Appendix I: Team Topologies Model as Alignment Mechanism

Appendix II: Choosing the Appropriate Interaction Mode Between Clients and Consultancies

Appendix III: Contracting for Services

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

About the Author

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