A leading energy provider in Australia set out to transform how it delivers value across the business. With significant growth initiatives on the horizon, its leaders recognized their architecture operating model was holding them back, slowing decisions, creating disconnects between strategy and execution, and making it difficult to scale with confidence.
To meet these challenges, the organization partnered with Thoughtworks to conduct a comprehensive review of its operating architecture model. The goal: simplify governance, empower teams, and embed architecture as a strategic enabler of rapid delivery.
Is your architecture holding you back?
Despite having strong technical expertise and a well-regarded architecture function, our client found that the way their architecture model operated was slowing progress and limiting meaningful involvement from the wider business. Architectural decisions were often made in silos, without input from the teams responsible for delivery or the broader business teams impacted by the outcomes. This created frustration and a sense of disconnect, with those closest to the work feeling excluded from the decisions shaping it.
The lack of visibility into business and technology strategies left teams with a limited understanding of the bigger picture. As a result, work became mechanical, driven by process rather than purpose. Governance only added complexity. Multiple approval layers and fragmented forums made it difficult to move at speed or adapt to change.
Underlying all of this was a cultural challenge. A longstanding ‘they decide, we deliver’ mindset meant teams weren’t empowered to contribute meaningfully to architectural conversations. With a major transformation program on the horizon, the organization knew it needed to shift toward a model that enabled clarity, collaboration, and speed.
The approach: How did we evolve the architecture model to drive faster, smarter decisions?
Working closely with internal stakeholders, Thoughtworks led a three-phase engagement to uncover root causes and implement targeted change:
1. Whole picture discovery
A 3-4 week deep dive included interviews with senior leaders, engineers, delivery teams and support functions. The process uncovered key ‘blind spots’ and revealed cultural dynamics that shape decision-making.
2. Blueprints for change
Drawing on the deep insights uncovered during the discovery process, we collaborated closely with the organization’s Tech leadership team to co-design a set of targeted recommendations. Using a structured “data, insight, belief, bet” framework, developed at Spotify, the team translated findings into practical actions, ensuring that each solution directly addressed the root causes and reflected both the technical context and organizational realities.
3. Insights into action
Unlike typical assessments that conclude with a set of recommendations, this phase focused on implementing those ideas. Thoughtworks worked alongside the client to actively implement the co-designed changes within the broader transformation program, ensuring they were embedded, tested, and supported through ongoing coaching and collaboration.
What changed
At the heart of the strategic engagement was a shift — from "they decide, we deliver," to "we decide and we deliver as a team." This marked a new era in how decisions were made, who was involved, and how strategy connected to execution. One of the most impactful changes was introducing the advice process — a lightweight, trust-based approach that allowed anyone in the organization to lead an architectural decision, as long as they sought input from those who would be affected and relevant experts. This change fostered a more inclusive, collaborative culture of shared ownership and accountability.
To support transparency and traceability, the organization introduced a central architecture decision register. This captured all key architectural decisions, their context, and rationale, giving teams across the business visibility into what was being decided and why.
Governance was simplified significantly. What had previously been three gated decision forums was consolidated into a single Tech Advisory Forum. This weekly advisory session was accessible to anyone in the organization, regardless of level or role, making the process both more inclusive, efficient and effective.
A standardized decision template was also introduced, ensuring that decisions were evaluated through a balanced lens. This included not just technical requirements, but commercial considerations, scalability, and alignment to broader business goals.
In parallel, the organization undertook a comprehensive overhaul of its technology strategy. The new strategy explicitly connected business objectives to the technology roadmap and organizational structure, providing much-needed clarity and a shared understanding of direction.
Throughout the process, Thoughtworks provided coaching and cultural enablement to help teams adopt new ways of working. This support was crucial in shifting long-standing behaviours to an engaged, empowered approach where teams felt actively responsible for their outcomes.
The architecture function (has) really become what it’s supposed to be - that pivot point between technology and the business, aligning everyone throughout the different layers of the business on the problem that we’re solving.
The outcomes: faster decisions, stronger engagement, better alignment
Within weeks, the new model delivered measurable impact:
30–40% faster architectural decisions
10x increase in decision throughput
3 forums reduced to 1, streamlining governance
Higher-quality decisions with broader input
Stronger business engagement in technology direction
Sustained cultural change, with teams expressing a strong desire to keep the new model in place
Looking ahead
With a reimagined operating model in place, the organization is now positioned to scale its transformation efforts with clarity and confidence. Architecture is no longer a gate — it’s a guide. By aligning decision-making with strategy and unlocking the collective intelligence of its teams, the business is now equipped for faster innovation and more sustainable outcomes.
