Large technology transformations like core banking programs often fail when readiness is judged only on system or application status. To enable effective milestone decisions, Cedar recommends the RAPID framework which is a holistic readiness assessment tool based on experience from 40+ core banking implementations. RAPID evaluates five critical dimensions: Resources, Application, Process, Infrastructure and Data.

The framework helps governing bodies assess readiness at board, steering committee and PMO levels through a three-step approach. First, strategic questions define readiness objectives for an upcoming milestone, such as User Acceptance Testing. Second, each RAPID dimension is broken into measurable operational parameters with clear criteria. Third, parameters are assessed using ownership, timelines and RAG (Red-Amber-Green) status to drive accountability.

RAPID ensures structured, transparent decision-making, improves execution discipline and reduces risk. It can be applied at any stage of a transformation, including testing, data migration, business simulation and go-live.