Professional Business Consulting

This workshop introduces you to the core concepts and principles of modern IT production. We explore digital transformation journeys and cloud strategies, enabling you to confidently collaborate with your IT department and ensure your organization makes optimal use of technology.

• Foundational Concepts: Gain a thorough understanding of modern IT production principles and digital transformation frameworks.
• Cloud Strategies: Learn best practices for integrating cloud solutions, enabling agility, cost-savings, and innovation.
• Transformation Journeys: Explore real-world case studies of successful digital transformations and identify key success factors.
• Bridging Business & Technology: Develop the skills to collaborate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

After completing the workshop, you’ll be equipped to make strategic decisions that bridge the gap between business and technology. Additionally, you’ll receive three months of access to the Opus Aris Advisory Board, serving as your sparring partner for all things IT.

This hands-on workshop equips IT professionals with the skills to develop and present compelling business cases to their CxO and executive leadership. Participants will learn how to translate technical capabilities into clear, measurable business objectives, demonstrate a solid Return on Investment (ROI), and frame IT proposals as strategic enablers for the organization. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, attendees will:

• Identify Key Stakeholders and understand their priorities to ensure alignment of technical projects with overall business objectives.
• Quantify and Communicate ROI, turning technical details into financial and operational benefits that speak to executive decision-makers.
• Create a Decision Framework that CxOs can use to evaluate, compare, and green-light IT investments.
• Bridge the Gap Between Business and Technology by using common language, metrics, and objectives to present IT projects effectively.

By the end of this workshop, participants will have a fully developed business case that resonates with executive stakeholders—paving the way for faster buy-in and successful implementation of critical IT initiatives.

This workshop guides IT leaders through the key steps to modernize and transform legacy mainframe environments, ensuring alignment with today’s business demands and technological advancements. Participants will explore best practices for optimizing MIPS usage, integrating cloud-native services, and utilizing cutting-edge mainframe capabilities—including AI workloads and seamless collaboration with open systems. By the end of the program, you’ll have a comprehensive roadmap to enhance agility, reduce costs, and future-proof your core IT infrastructure—while also uncovering new opportunities for developing products and services that meet the evolving needs of users and customers.

What You’ll Learn

• MIPS Optimization & Performance
  Understand how to measure, optimize, and manage mainframe capacity for cost efficiency and reliable performance.

• Cloud-Native Integration
  Discover best practices for connecting mainframes to modern architectures, leveraging containerization, microservices, and platform services.

• AI Workloads on Mainframe
  Learn how to tap into AI and machine learning capabilities, extending your mainframe’s power to advanced analytics and predictive modeling.

• Open Systems Collaboration
  Explore how today’s mainframes can seamlessly integrate with open-source tools and platforms, fostering innovation and flexibility across your IT landscape.

• Product & Service Innovation
  Leverage modernized mainframe capabilities to develop new offerings for users and customers, bridging business requirements with technical possibilities.

• Transformational Roadmap
  Develop a step-by-step plan to modernize your mainframe environment, ensuring alignment with business objectives and evolving technological needs.

• Cost Management & ROI
  Gain insights into budgeting, lifecycle management, and demonstrating a clear return on your modernization investments.

By participating in this workshop, you’ll be equipped to champion mainframe modernization initiatives that balance legacy stability with the agility required by modern enterprises—helping your organization remain competitive and deliver next-level value to customers.

This workshop features two specialized tracks to explore the transformative potential of AI. The technical track covers AI fundamentals, model development, hardware acceleration, and advanced techniques. The business track focuses on practical applications, guiding leaders to identify AI use cases, build ROI-driven strategies, and integrate AI into their operations. Together, these tracks equip participants with the knowledge and tools to harness AI for innovation and competitive advantage.

General Introduction (Plenary Session)

Duration: 1 Hour

• What is AI?
• Definitions and key concepts: AI, machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL).
• Differences between AI and traditional programming.
• What AI Is Not
• Debunking myths and misconceptions about AI.
• Ethical considerations and limitations of AI.
• AI in Action
• Overview of successful AI implementations across industries.

Track 1: Technical Track

Focus: Deep dive into AI development, hardware, and optimization.

Session 1: How AI Works (Technical Foundations)

Duration: 1 Hour

• Overview of machine learning types: supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning.
• Data pipelines: collection, preprocessing, and augmentation.
• Model training, evaluation, and deployment.

Session 2: Practical AI Development

Duration: 1.5 Hours

• Hands-on exercise: Building a simple AI model using Python and frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Understanding model outputs and debugging techniques.

Session 3: Hardware Acceleration

Duration: 1 Hour

• Overview of GPUs, TPUs, and other accelerators.
• Practical guide to optimizing AI performance with hardware.
• Lab: Implementing a simple AI task on a GPU-enabled environment.

Session 4: Advanced Techniques and Trends

Duration: 1 Hour

• Exploring cutting-edge methods: transfer learning, federated learning, and edge AI.
• Preparing for future AI trends and technologies.

Track 2: Business Practical Track

Focus: Applying AI for strategic business decisions and value creation.

Session 1: Identifying Business Use Cases

Duration: 1 Hour

• How to evaluate AI opportunities in your organization.
• Practical frameworks for aligning AI with business goals.
• Examples of high-impact use cases across industries.

Session 2: ROI and Strategy for AI Implementation

Duration: 1.5 Hours

• Building a business case for AI projects.
• Measuring ROI and managing risks in AI adoption.
• Case study: Successful AI strategy implementation.

Session 3: Integrating AI into Business Processes

Duration: 1 Hour

• How to effectively integrate AI into existing workflows.
• Managing organizational change and training employees for AI adoption.

Session 4: AI for Competitive Advantage

Duration: 1 Hour

• Leveraging AI to gain insights into customer behavior, operations, and market trends.
• Future trends: AI’s role in business innovation and sustainability.

Closing Plenary Session

Duration: 30 Minutes

• Key Takeaways: Summary of insights from both tracks.
• Future Outlook: AI trends for both business and technology.
• Open Q&A: Addressing final questions from both tracks.

Target Audience:

• Track 1: IT professionals, data scientists, and developers.
• Track 2: Business leaders, strategists, and decision-makers.

Duration: Full-day workshop (~7 hours including breaks).

This dual-track approach ensures relevance for both technical and business-focused participants while fostering cross-functional understanding