Based on Insights From Resulting IT’s SAP Success Report
This article is part of Resulting IT’s 7 Deadly SAP Delivery Sins blog series, based on insights from our SAP Success Report – research conducted with former Gartner SAP Research Director Dr Derek Prior, drawing on the experiences of 113 SAP professionals across 105 organizations.
4. No Clear SAP S/4HANA Strategy? Then You’re Just Running an IT Project
“We know we need to move to S/4HANA; we just need to get on with it.”
It’s one of the most dangerous sentences in SAP delivery.
When urgency replaces clarity, programs launch without a shared understanding of why change is happening, what success looks like, or how SAP supports the wider business strategy. Delivery teams focus on how to build instead of what they’re trying to achieve, and the result is a very expensive IT project with a vague sense of purpose.
Our research found that 50% of SAP programs were not clearly connected to business strategy.
In this fourth instalment of the 7 Deadly SAP Delivery Sins series, we look at why an unclear SAP strategy is such a foundational failure, how to spot it early, and how to turn SAP delivery into a genuinely strategic initiative.
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An unclear SAP strategy is arguably the most foundational of all the deadly delivery sins because every decision in an SAP program cascades from it.
Too many SAP programs start with urgency (“we need to upgrade!”) but no clear direction. They move into delivery without properly defining why the change is happening, what good looks like, or how success will be measured.
Lacking strategy direction also undermines sponsorship and momentum – if exec sponsors can’t articulate what the program is for, or they disagree with each other, it’s nearly impossible to:
- Defend the investment
- Rally the business
- Sustain commitment through tough phases
How to Spot an Unclear SAP S/4HANA Strategy
An unclear SAP strategy will have clear warning signs:
- There’s no agreed program vision or north star
- Different teams use different language to describe the purpose of the project
- You’re asking “how” to do things before agreeing “why”
- Workshops are happening without strategic design principles
- Sponsors can’t articulate what success looks like in business terms
How to Define and Align Your SAP S/4HANA Strategy
Without strategy, your SAP program is just a glorified IT project. And nobody celebrates those. Below are 5 tips to ensure you align your strategy before delivery.
Define a Clear Vision Statement
Ask yourself what are you trying to change in the business? How will SAP enable that change? And what will success look and feel like for users, customers and the business?
If your exec team can’t say it in a sentence, you don’t have a strategy.
Set Guiding Principles for Design
Use your strategy as a decision-making compass throughout delivery, for example, by committing to principles like “we will not replicate legacy processes unless they create competitive advantage,” “data-driven decision-making is non-negotiable,” and “we will adopt standard SAP unless there’s a clear business case for customization.”
Link Strategy to Tangible KPIs
Turn the strategy into measurable goals. Having clear KPIs help delivery teams prioritise and sponsors stay accountable.
Communicate the Strategy Relentlessly
Ensure every project stakeholder understands the why, ensuring to reference strategy in every governance pack and RAAIDD log.
Align change, training and communication plans to the strategic goals – not just functionality.
Revalidate Strategy at Key Phases
Your strategy shouldn’t be static, but it does need to be visible.
At every major milestone ask:
“Is this still the right direction?”
“Are we still on track to deliver what the business needs?”
Key Takeaways
Without strategy, your SAP program is just a big IT project with a vague sense of purpose.
A strong SAP strategy sets direction, drives decisions, and keeps people aligned when things get tough. Make it clear, make it measurable and most importantly make sure it actually gets used.
Need help turning SAP S/4HANA delivery into strategic value?
We help SAP customers define, align and embed their S/4HANA strategy so every decision drives outcomes, not just output.