Architecture · October 2026 · 5 min
Two lenses give a target architecture that is both bold and realistic
One lens alone gives either optimisation of the old or visions that never land. We rethink without bias and respect what works today.
Anders Butzbach Christensen
Plan & Proof
Only from today forward: optimisation
AI ends up as a layer on top of the old processes. You get improvements, but the work looks the same as today.
Only from the future backwards: slides that never land
Impressive visions that never land because they overlook data, systems, contracts and day-to-day operations.
Both lenses and a bridge: plan and proof
Bold where AI changes the work, and realistic where the existing works. Every decision has value, an owner and a sequence.
Clean sheet finds the redesigns
Nearly three in four AI high performers have redesigned workflows, compared with one in four among the rest. 70% of AI value comes from people, processes and change, 20% from technology and 10% from algorithms.
One decision per capability
Lay the two pictures on top of each other and decide where to improve and where to leap: keep what works, consolidate what exists in several places, replace what does not differentiate, build what is missing, and rethink the work that looks completely different with AI.
Sources: McKinsey, The state of AI, Aug 2026; BCG, Jan 2026.
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