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The 5 Golden Rules for a Successful Identity Management Project

IGA (Identity Governance & Administration) solutions, also known as IAG (Identity & Access Governance) solutions, are implemented to manage user identities and their access rights. In other words, they establish a formal framework to ensure that the right people have access to the appropriate digital services at the right time and for only as long as necessary to perform their duties. An IGA project goes beyond just deploying a technology or product, it is a true transformation Identity Management project that requires seamless coordination across multiple departments.

Two Possible Scenarios for Implementing an IGA Project

Organizations typically encounter two scenarios when implementing an IGA solution:

  • Deploying an entirely new identity management solution from scratch.
  • Replacing an existing identity management system with a new solution.

Regardless of the scenario, several key factors must be considered, including time constraints (as an IGA project can be lengthy depending on its complexity and scope), financial constraints, product capabilities and evolution, and organizational challenges.

For new implementations, the focus is on designing a solution that aligns with business needs identified during workshops between the vendor, integrator, and client.

For replacement projects, whether transitioning from an internally developed system or a third-party solution, the priority is to bring added value. This requires a deep understanding of the existing system and leveraging all features of the new solution. The transition process involves various planning and realignment workshops.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Implementing an IGA project represents a major transformation that impacts an organization on multiple levels.

Two key pitfalls to avoid:

  • Optimism Bias – Overestimating the perceived value of the solution and the speed of execution while underestimating risks and costs. Recognizing this bias can help mitigate it.
  • Tunnel Effect – The gap between initial project expectations and the final outcome, often caused by poor communication or misunderstandings among stakeholders.

To avoid these issues, adopting best practices is essential.

5 Key Success Factors for an Identity Management Project

  • Change Management

    • IGA implementation affects not just IT but all employees. Awareness, training, and engagement are crucial.
    • In multi-site environments, all entities must be integrated into the project to ensure a unified approach.
    • HR teams play a crucial role, as identity management automates administrative processes, shifting some administrative responsibility from IT to HR.

  • Data Management

    • Identity and access rights modeling must be carefully designed, whether for a new system or a replacement.
    • Processes for onboarding, offboarding, and internal transitions must be optimized.
    • Cleaning and standardizing data sources are crucial for ensuring accurate access management.

  • Scope Definition

    • Clearly define the project scope at the outset, detailing target users, IT environments, approval workflows, and access policies.
    • A well-defined scope enhances project control and prevents uncontrolled changes, which can indicate poor requirement gathering.

  • Data Reliability

    • Identify authoritative data sources and ensure their uniqueness and availability.
    • Determine which systems will be integrated first and verify interface readiness.

  • Incremental Project Approach

    • To avoid the tunnel effect, an incremental rollout is recommended.
    • Start with a core implementation, such as integrating Active Directory and a key business application.
    • Additional features (connectors, workflows, automation rules) can be added progressively.

Project Approach for an IGA Implementation

To ensure project success, a structured approach is essential:

  • Scoping Workshops – Define project needs and align expectations between business and technical teams.
  • Project Plan Validation – Assess feasibility and resolve gaps between expectations and system capabilities.
  • Progress Monitoring – Conduct regular status meetings to track implementation.

Key workshops include:

  • Existing System Review – HR and IT discussions to refine onboarding/offboarding workflows.
  • Data Integration Strategy – Decide between manual or automated data inputs, define connectors, and manage identity conflicts.
  • Workflows & Reports – Establish notification and approval mechanisms for access requests and track system activity.
  • Provisioning Connectors – Define password policies and implement role-based access controls.

Deployment Methodology for cyberelements

After outlining the key success factors for an identity management project, we now present the methodology that will be used for deploying the cyberelements solution:

Scoping Workshop

  • Project Plan Review – Validate the alignment between the expressed needs and the proposed product/project solution. Analyze and resolve any inconsistency with consulting teams.
  • Scope Integration – Implement the project scope based on the elements defined and validated during the scoping phase.
  • Regular Progress Updates – Ensure continuous monitoring and alignment with the project.

At each stage, we conduct various scoping workshops to validate both functional and technical elements:

  • Existing System Review – A joint IT and HR workshop to assess and refine employee onboarding and offboarding processes.
  • Data Integration Strategy – Determine whether upstream data feeds will be manual or automated, identify which connectors will be used, and establish methods to handle duplicate names and multiple identities.
  • Workflows & Reports – Configure notifications based on predefined time-based triggers. These notifications function as workflows sent to designated stakeholders (IT, HR, managers, etc.). They can also be used to alert supervisors of impending employee departures or contract terminations. Reports provide insights into system access logs, assigned permissions, and the timeframe of access rights. While native reports are available in the solution, we can also customize them to meet specific client requirements.
  • Provisioning Connectors – Define password policies related to the user lifecycle, prioritizing business rules first, followed by technical attributes.
  • Technical Workshop on Attributes – Define and configure attribute handling within the identity management system.

Ensuring a Secure and Efficient Identity Management Project

Deploying an IGA (Identity Governance & Administration) solution brings about a significant transformation within an organization. However, it remains an essential initiative for secure identity and access management.

The success of an IGA project requires strong engagement from HR teams and all relevant stakeholders. They must be informed, involved, and trained to understand both the impact and the value of the new system.

cyberelements, along with its integration partners offer a simple and efficient project approach, with the primary goal of delivering added value as quickly as possible. cyberelements incorporates various scoping workshops throughout the project to validate, adjust, and refine your constraints and challenges.