1
Understand the business.
How it operates, where the gaps are, what the goals are.
2
Map the process.
How work actually flows, not just how it's supposed to.
3
Identify the risks.
Where opportunities for loss, fraud, and inefficiency exist.
4
Design the system.
Controls, workflows, and accountability structures.
5
Build technology around it.
Software that supports the system, not the other way around.
This leads to solutions that are easier to use, easier to scale, and more valuable over time.