What Is a Digital Platform?
To develop a digital platform, first you must understand what a digital platform is. The characteristics of digital platforms include:
- Data can be liberated from old, inflexible legacy core systems.
- Data can be owned by the business, not IT, which is critical to prioritizing and driving business use cases.
- The business side can roll out new use cases independent of IT’s decisions about how and at what pace to upgrade the core.
- New digital services can be delivered every few weeks, powered by artificial intelligence and leveraging open-source software and cloud services.
- Differentiating engineering capabilities can be re-shored and built in-house, improving time to value.
Our Approach to Data and Digital Platform
It has only recently become feasible to build the digital platform and smart business layers separately from the existing core, thanks to multiple advances in SaaS, PaaS, cloud computing, low code platforms, and the open-source community.
We bring unique capabilities and deep expertise to data and digital platform strategy and development. Our data and digital platform consultants—including IT architects, data integration and migration experts, and technology and cloud specialists—work with clients on:
- Data Strategy. Developing a structured and substantiated view of the value that data can generate for the company—and a roadmap to achieve it.
- Data Governance. Creating a target operating model for data management and analytics, tailored to the needs and culture of the organization.
- Legacy ERP. Migrating away from legacy ERP platforms—and building next-generation data and digital platforms.
Our Work with Clients on Data and Digital Platforms
We have helped many of our clients build and realize the benefits of digital platforms as part of their digital transformations. Examples include:
Our Solutions for Digital Platforms

BCG’s Digital Acceleration Index
BCG’s Digital Acceleration Index

BCG’s Data Capability Maturity Survey
BCG’s Data Capability Maturity Survey

BCG’s Rapid Assessment of Data and Digital Platform Architecture
BCG’s Rapid Assessment of Data and Digital Platform Architecture

BCG’s Data Governance Maturity Assessment
BCG’s Data Governance Maturity Assessment
Our Insights on Digital Platforms
