BIAN Adoption & Change eLearning
Module 01: Why BIAN is applied in organizations
Who is this course for
This BIAN Awarness and Change Agent course is intended for professionals who work in banks and that aspire to help their banks become more Agile by leveraging the Banking Industry Architecture Networks (BIAN).
This eLearning course will provide guidance on how BIAN can be applied. It’s less about the BIAN architecture or management approach, and more about how you can adopt or apply it within an organization, and what teams, structure and professionals you can best leverage.
What to expect
This eLearning course is a set of lessons that will help you to manage insights on BIAN, such as its benefits, and how to implement it and adopt it. Where to start, and how best to demonstrate success. What pitfalls can be expected and how to best overcome these.
Motivations for applying BIAN in organizations
When you explore the adoption of BIAN (Banking Industry Architecture Network), it’s important to understand that every bank follows a unique journey, as the motivations for adopting BIAN can vary significantly.
Key considerations for adoption include:
1️⃣ Understanding the bank’s priorities
2️⃣ Aligning BIAN adoption with use cases
Banks may adopt BIAN for different strategic reasons, including:
- Digital transformation – Enhancing API capabilities and open banking.
- Core modernization – Upgrading legacy systems for agility.
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) – Streamlining IT and business integration.
In this course (itinerary)
- Module 00: What is BIAN?
- Module 01: Why BIAN is applied in organizations
- Module 02: The benefits of using BIAN
- Module 03: What is the BIAN journey for organizations
- Module 04: What do you need to apply BIAN? (coming soon)
- Module 05: Who do you need to apply BIAN? (coming soon)
- Module 06: What is already there to enable BIAN adoption? (coming soon)
Why banks adopt BIAN: Key drivers and strategic reasons
Beyond digital transformation, core modernization, and mergers & acquisitions (M&A), banks have several compelling reasons to adopt the Banking Industry Architecture Network (BIAN) framework.
A common reference architecture (provided by BIAN) enables banks to evaluate where consolidation and rationalization are needed, ensuring an effective IT integration strategy.
If the focus is digital transformation, the priority may be to expose data via APIs and improve system integration before addressing information architecture.
In such cases, adopting BIAN as an integration architecture can serve as a structured approach to enhance interoperability.
Key takeaways
• Banks must adapt to rapid industry changes and evolving technologies.
• The BIAN framework provides a standardized approach that supports multiple transformation initiatives.
• Understanding the bank’s primary objectives will determine where and how BIAN should be implemented—whether in capability modeling, IT consolidation, or API-driven integration.
You are encouraged to analyze specific use cases within your organization or industry to determine how BIAN can best be leveraged.
In-depth look at the drivers for BIAN is being adopted in organizations.
1. Core Modernization
Objective: Upgrade legacy systems for scalability and efficiency.
Many banks continue to operate on outdated core banking systems, making it challenging to scale and integrate emerging technologies. BIAN provides a structured framework to break down monolithic architectures into modular components, simplifying modernization efforts.
Example: A bank transitioning from a mainframe-based core system to a cloud-native architecture can use BIAN to define a phased migration strategy while minimizing operational disruptions.
2. Digital Transformation
Objective: Enhance agility, customer experience, and technology adoption.
Banks are modernizing their operating models to improve customer engagement and service delivery. BIAN facilitates this transformation by offering standardized service domains and APIs, enabling seamless integration with fintech solutions, open banking initiatives, and AI-driven automation.
Example: A bank aiming to implement real-time payments, digital onboarding, and AI-powered customer support can leverage BIAN’s service domains and reference models to streamline integration with new digital services.
3. Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
Objective: Align business capabilities and consolidate IT infrastructures.
During mergers and acquisitions, banks require a common reference framework to assess and integrate IT landscapes. BIAN offers a capability-driven approach to compare business processes, data models, and IT systems across merging entities.
Example: Two merging banks can utilize BIAN to identify overlapping capabilities, determine which systems to retain or decommission, and establish a unified IT roadmap.
4. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
Objective: Ensure adherence to global and local financial regulations.
Financial institutions face increasing regulatory complexity, requiring standardized data models and reporting structures. BIAN provides reference models for risk, compliance, and governance, enabling banks to swiftly adapt to new regulatory requirements.
Example: A bank preparing for Basel IV, GDPR, or open banking regulations can use BIAN’s structured approach to enhance data governance and streamline reporting mechanisms.
5. IT Cost Optimization & Standardization
Objective: Reduce IT costs by eliminating redundancies and improving efficiency.
Banks often incur high operational costs due to fragmented IT landscapes with overlapping and redundant systems. BIAN’s standardized architecture eliminates inefficiencies by harmonizing services across multiple business units.
Example: A bank with multiple CRM, risk management, and loan processing systems can apply BIAN’s service-oriented approach to consolidate redundant IT functions, reducing costs and complexity.
6. Open Banking & API-Driven Innovation
Objective: Enable seamless integration with fintechs and third-party providers.
Open banking requires financial institutions to expose data and services via APIs while maintaining security and interoperability. BIAN provides predefined API structures aligned with industry standards, allowing banks to rapidly deploy and manage open banking solutions.
Example: A bank expanding its fintech partnerships can leverage BIAN’s API models to accelerate integration with third-party services such as account aggregation, embedded finance, and alternative lending platforms.
7. Data-Driven Decision Making & AI Adoption
Objective: Enhance analytics capabilities and enable AI-driven insights.
Banks increasingly rely on AI and machine learning for fraud detection, personalized banking experiences, and predictive analytics. BIAN establishes a structured data architecture that ensures consistency and accuracy in data management across service domains.
Example: A bank developing an AI-powered fraud detection system can utilize BIAN’s data governance models to ensure clean, structured, and interoperable data sources.
8. BIAN as an Operating Model
Objective: Establish a standardized, service-oriented approach to banking operations.
BIAN provides a structured framework for defining service domains, capability models, and standardized interfaces. Rather than relying on siloed, custom-built operations, banks can use BIAN to ensure consistency across all business functions. This model supports workflow optimization, operational efficiency, and seamless interdepartmental collaboration.
Example: A global bank with regional operations can use BIAN’s reference models to align processes, standardize service interactions, and reduce operational complexity.
A newly established digital bank can build its entire operating model on BIAN’s service-oriented structure, ensuring agility and scalability from inception.
Key takeaways
• BIAN is not a one-size-fits-all solution—its adoption depends on the specific challenges and priorities of each bank.
• Banks use BIAN to drive digital transformation, IT efficiency, compliance, and innovation.
• Whether a bank is modernizing legacy systems, integrating fintech solutions, or consolidating IT infrastructure, BIAN provides a structured reference framework to simplify complexity and accelerate transformation.
End of this module
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CC&C Solutions, co-author of this page
In every step of their Digital Transformation journey powered by BIAN, organizations benefit from CC&C acting as their trusted partner. CC&C stands by them throughout, offering mentorship, training, skill transfer, clarity provision, and continuous support, ensuring the sustained momentum required to achieve self-sufficiency and realize business value goals.
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