A leading German automotive manufacturer uses company-wide clean-up cycles, known internally as Kehrwochen, to review application data, clarify ownership and initiate concrete improvements. ITM Consulting plans and steers the process, connects business and IT teams, and makes progress measurable.
01 The challenge
Why cleaning up is primarily an organisational task
The Swabian Kehrwoche follows a simple principle: each party takes responsibility for a clearly defined area and picks up a broom when its turn comes. Our customer transferred this idea to enterprise IT. The focus is not on stairwells and pavements, but on applications, processes and data.
At a large international organisation, this is demanding. Thousands of applications need to be assessed. Technical dependencies must be considered. Decisions involve many business units, country organisations and IT owners. Day-to-day work must continue at the same time.
The main obstacle is therefore rarely the tool. Clear ownership, a shared process and active participation from the business are what matter. Without them, data gaps remain open and agreed actions lose priority in daily operations.
02 The approach
A clear route from planning to evaluation
Define the target, scope and measures
The work starts by defining the target, scope and success criteria for the clean-up cycle. This includes the applications and organisational units involved, the relevant quality criteria and clear KPIs. One shared method prevents each unit from developing its own rules.
Coordinate stakeholders and actions
ITM Consulting coordinates business units, country organisations and IT teams across organisational boundaries. Tasks, deadlines and responsibilities are assigned clearly. This creates one shared view of the work instead of many local lists.
Prepare SAP LeanIX and enable the teams
The clean-up cycle is configured in SAP LeanIX so that tasks and progress remain traceable. Role-based training prepares people for their work. Supporting Q&A sessions resolve business and technical questions before they slow the process down.
During execution, ITM Consulting provides operational support, consolidates feedback and directs open points to the right owners.
Measure progress and improve the next cycle
KPI-based reporting shows where teams are progressing and where more work is needed. ITM extensions and customer-specific reports add detail to the standard views. For large data sets, AI-supported checks can help identify anomalies and prioritise follow-up. The responsible teams review the findings and retain decision authority.
After completion, lessons are captured in a structured review. They inform the rules, training, tool configuration and reporting for the next cycle.
The decisive step is not collecting more data. It is connecting ownership, process and tooling so that data leads to concrete action.
03 The outcome
From a clean-up campaign to a management instrument
A well-run Kehrwoche leaves more than cleaner records. It creates a more reliable view of the application landscape and shows which systems, responsibilities and dependencies require closer attention.
Defined ownership and a shared process reduce coordination effort between business and IT. Decisions are easier to trace and actions can be followed through. Adoption also improves because people are involved early and prepared for their responsibilities.
The long-term value comes from repetition. A single initiative becomes an established improvement process. Data quality improves step by step, and the organisation can manage its IT landscape more reliably. This provides a stronger foundation for digitalisation, automation and the responsible use of AI.
ITM Consulting combines strategic advice with operational delivery. We define the method, coordinate the participants, configure SAP LeanIX, enable the teams and support reporting and improvement. Explore our SAP LeanIX capabilities or talk to us about your next clean-up cycle.