Ready to compete in a consumption-centric future? Rethink your cloud strategy and technology risk management

What is a consumption-centric enterprise framework?

A consumption-centric enterprise framework is purpose-built to integrate, adopt and operationalise scalable, service-based technologies at speed and with strategic intent for the benefit of the enterprise.

Rather than viewing IT as a capital-heavy, build-and-own function, by adopting a consumption framework, organisations can focus on adapting to technology as a service, tailored to business need and developing business services to extract the maximum benefit from the services that they consume.

The goal? Faster experimentation. Leveraging partners. Accelerated time-to-value. Built-in agility.

Why shift now?

Because innovation is shifting, as-a-service is defining how new technology is provided and supplied, legacy technology models no longer fit the pace of change and the competitive nature of all services are available to all.

Today’s business needs flexibility. The rapid rise of AI, cloud services, globalised talent, and on-demand scalability have rendered legacy IT systems and processes and rigid infrastructure obsolete.

A consumption centric framework embraces the idea that technology is no longer a fixed asset, but a fluid resource that can be scaled, swapped or retired as business needs evolve. It enables a fundamental shift in mindset, where technology functions and their suppliers are a strategic enabler and can interconnect with the business functions they support. The framework helps organisations understand how consumption of services benefits their business and developing direct connections to services to anticipate and absorb innovation and change.

The question isn’t if a consumption model should be adopted — it’s how well the organization is positioned to do so.

What opportunities come with consumption-centricity?

Done right, a consumption-centric approach delivers several advantages:

• Innovation at speed
• Business agility
• Democratised access
• Strategic advantages

Additionally, it enables organisations to better align their technology investments with business priorities. By consuming technology as needed, enterprises avoid over-investment in technology and can pivot faster to meet shifting customer expectations, regulatory changes, or new competitive threats. It also enables co-innovation with vendors, accelerating product development and market responsiveness through business value and technology transparency.

What are the risks?

Like any transformation, there are trade-offs:

• Cost volatility
• Fear of change
• Vendor lock-in
• Cultural lag

Waiting means falling behind. Enterprises that delay the shift and acceptance of a consumption framework are often burdened by outdated processes and legacy thinking. These constraints limit innovation and reduce competitiveness. In contrast, consumption-centric enterprises can rapidly adopt emerging tools, adapt their business to changing market conditions, and seize new opportunities—making them more responsive, resilient, and future-ready.

How do you become a consumption-centric enterprise?

The path to becoming consumption-centric is orchestrating your services to create value and combining them with business process and operational model improvements. Protiviti’s Consumption-Centric Framework provides a structured approach with four key areas:

1. Embedding technology into the business value chain
2. Treating technology providers as strategic partners and leveraging their investments
3. Investing in people and processes to maximise technology ROI  
4. Designing and building specific and relevant service financial and operational controls 

What’s the end goal?

To compete in the future, enterprises must evolve from builders of technology to curators of value through service consumption. Ultimately, the goal is to create an enterprise that learns and evolves with every service consumed. By continuously refining consumption strategies, organisations can build a self-reinforcing cycle of improvement: consuming better services, delivering better outcomes and gaining better insights to guide the next iteration.

They must answer:

• Are we consuming the right services in the right way?
• Is our operating model designed to support a services-first world?
• Are our people empowered and aligned to make the most of our partners technology landscape?

Those who get this right will not only unlock efficiency, innovation, and resilience — they’ll fundamentally reshape how their enterprise grows, adapts and thrives.

Ready to begin?

Every business is already a consumption-centric organization, already consuming technology. But is the benefit being extracted from that commitment? Organisations that treat technology services as core to business strategy, adapt to better consume technology services and not just IT enablement, will be better positioned to leverage their partners investments and lead into the future. 

Using our cloud control and consumption centric frameworks, Protiviti helps organisations navigate this transformation with purpose, ensuring that the services they consume deliver sustainable, strategic value. 

To learn more about becoming a consumption-centric enterprise, contact us.