Minnesota IT (MNIT): Building Resilient Public Sector IT with Bizzdesign Alfabet: Cost Savings, Visibility, and Engagement

Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) is the central IT agency for the State of Minnesota’s executive branch, with 2,800 employees supporting 38 state agencies and 60 boards and commissions. Formed just over a decade ago to unify previously siloed IT functions, MNIT now provides strategy, governance, and shared services that enable agencies to deliver on their missions.

In such a highly federated environment, balancing standardization with agency-specific needs is critical. That required greater transparency across the entire application portfolio – a foundation to reduce costs, lower risks, and improve agility in delivering service. That’s where Bizzdesign Alfabet comes in.

We spoke with Chris Bucksa, Continuity of Operations Lead, and Jen Baltes, Application Portfolio Management Lead, who are driving the state’s program-first approach to application portfolio management (APM).

Challenge: Reviving an Immature APM Program in a Complex IT Landscape

When APM was first introduced at MNIT, it came through a governor’s mandate that required fast implementation. The focus on technology delivery meant the program itself did not develop fully. As a result, APM was immature, falling short of its potential, and needed a restart.

Early implementation hurdles compounded the problem. Technical issues like poorly negotiated contracts, non-functional testing environments, and lack of single sign-on created friction. The program was mandated, but without generating enthusiasm, many stakeholders saw it as a compliance checkbox.

Defining What Counts as an Application

One of the earliest hurdles was alignment on a simple but essential question: What is an application? Many organizations face this issue at the start of APM. At MNIT, a webserver or Outlook email system might’ve been mistakenly counted as an application, even though they don’t contain business logic. Without shared definitions, it was impossible to compare “apples to apples” across agencies or to make sound portfolio decisions.

Limited Visibility Across a Federated IT Landscape

Instead of portfolio insights, MNIT essentially had lists of applications. That limited transparency made it difficult to assess risks, identify redundancies, and support modernization. The challenge was especially pronounced in a highly federated environment where agencies managed anywhere from 9 to more than 500 applications each.

This fragmentation created inefficiencies and higher costs, with redundant vendor contracts and duplicative applications spread across the enterprise.

“We found cases where ten separate contracts existed for the same platform, and another where thirteen agencies each had their own contract for the same application.” – Jen Baltes, Application Portfolio Management Lead

Solution: A Program-First Approach Implemented with Bizzdesign

To move beyond lists of applications and elevate portfolio management into a continuous program, MNIT reframed APM as a strategic, ongoing discipline. The team focused on building practices that would deliver transparency, enable cost savings, and reduce risk.

MNIT chose Bizzdesign as the foundation for its renewed APM program. The team evaluated different tools but ultimately decided to continue with Bizzdesign Alfabet, citing its strong position in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant and the high level of support.

Building a Centralized, Shared View with Bizzdesign Alfabet

MNIT’s first step was to make Bizzdesign Alfabet the authoritative system for managing applications. To ensure adoption, the team implemented a simple but firm policy: If your application isn’t in Bizzdesign Alfabet, you can’t order a server. The policy was designed to ensure completeness and accountability for keeping information current.

Over 18 months, usage grew from just 25 early adopters to 200 active users, with another 150 planned for rollout. The rapid increase showed that portfolio management had moved from a compliance task to an active part of how agencies plan and deliver IT services.

Key Actions Included:

• Consolidating application and vendor data into a centralized repository
• Mapping dependencies across applications, technologies, and contracts
• Creating transparency for immediate answers to portfolio questions

This approach turned fragmented application lists into actionable insights that span all agencies.

Enabling Smarter Cloud and Modernization Strategies

APM with Bizzdesign also transformed how MNIT approaches cloud migration and modernization. Previously, the organization relied on simplistic checkboxes to ask application owners about cloud readiness. Now, using Bizzdesign Alfabet, the team can capture far richer data, such as:

• Current hosting model
• Responsive design and compatibility
• Cloud relevance and migration plans

These details make it possible to plan modernization initiatives with far greater accuracy and confidence.

“That’s part of the application portfolio management journey: finding those key stakeholders who are invested in doing the right things, modernizing what we do at the state. Bizzdesign Alfabet is a critical partner in assisting in that modernization.” – Jen Baltes, APM Lead

Governance and Accountability Through Bizzdesign Alfabet

Governance was another priority. MNIT aligned Bizzdesign Alfabet with its Enterprise Architecture Review Board, which oversees standards and build-or-buy decisions. By linking APM to this decision-making body, Bizzdesign Alfabet became central to how the state evaluates new initiatives and technology investments.

The platform also gave agencies and business leaders a way to engage directly with IT planning. Providing access to the platform, MNIT enabled business stakeholders to see existing applications, assess risks, and use reliable data to support funding requests.

“That’s when you can go to decision-makers and make the case for significant funding, because you can show exactly what you have today and the direction you need to move in.” – Chris Bucksa, Continuity of Operations Lead

Benefits: Cost Savings, Risk Reduction, and Stronger Engagement

With Bizzdesign Alfabet, MNIT turned application portfolio management into a driver of efficiency and modernization. The platform has delivered measurable savings through contract consolidation, improved accuracy in cloud and modernization planning, and greater engagement from both IT and business stakeholders. Executive leadership now has real-time visibility into the state’s IT landscape, strengthening confidence and elevating IT’s role across government.

“We promote APM with Bizzdesign Alfabet by saying: We are your best friend for research – we have the tool for that.” – Jen Baltes

Tangible Results Across Contracts and Applications

• Cloud-based software: Ten separate contracts are being consolidated into a single statewide agreement, delivering significant savings.
• Print software: Previously managed under 13 different agency contracts, now renegotiated as one managed service.
• Application data: More than 200 applications were added quickly under the new policy, building a reliable, complete portfolio.

Engaging Stakeholders Across Business and IT

Bizzdesign Alfabet broadened the role of APM, making it relevant not just for IT but also for business and policy leaders. Agencies use the platform to support funding requests, risk assessments, and modernization initiatives.

Executive leadership has also seen the value. MNIT’s Commissioner/CIO and CTIO receive regular updates and will soon have their own dashboards for enterprise-wide visibility. This allows leadership to answer questions quickly and credibly, raising the profile of IT across state government.

“This is part of the strategic roadmap. We’re now delivering dashboards and baseline reports that let those conversations take place. As outliers appear, it drives better data, which leads to better answers, and ultimately to better questions.” – Jen Baltes, APM Lead

What’s Next: Expanding Adoption and Building Benchmarks

MNIT continues to expand its use of Bizzdesign Alfabet and has ambitious plans to strengthen the program. Key priorities include:

• Broader adoption: Expanding from 200 current users to 350+, ensuring Bizzdesign Alfabet is embedded across all agencies.
• Dashboards and benchmarks: Creating meaningful benchmarks and using them to drive best practices statewide.
• Attestation process: Establishing a systematic process to keep application data current for faster, more confident decision-making.
• Upgrading to Bizzdesign Alfabet 11: Deploying the latest version for advanced portfolio analysis and improved user experience.

These steps are aligned with MNIT’s 2023–2027 Strategic Plan and Governor Walz’s “One Minnesota Plan.” Continuing to build on Bizzdesign Alfabet, MNIT aims to strengthen data-driven decision-making and deliver modern, resilient IT services for the people of Minnesota.