The TRANT Lifecycle
The TRANT lifecycle is a five-stage, finite sequence that moves an enterprise from a clearly defined current state to a verified future state. Each stage has specific objectives, inputs, outputs, and evidence requirements.
Overview of the Stages
TARGET → REVIEW → ANALYZE → NAVIGATE → TRANSFORM
TARGET
The TARGET stage defines where the organization wants to go. It clarifies the future-state capabilities, scope, constraints, and success criteria.
Typical outputs include a Target Profile, success metrics, and a high-level view of which systems, domains, or journeys are in scope.
What problem are we solving? What must be true in the future state? What does “good” look like for customers, operations, and regulators?
REVIEW
REVIEW focuses on understanding the current state. Using the Value Extraction Method (VEM), teams extract features, behaviors, workflows, data structures, and dependencies from legacy systems.
The goal is not to reproduce documentation for its own sake, but to capture the minimum set of knowledge needed to transform safely.
VEM provides a structured way to capture what the legacy system actually does today — even when current documentation is incomplete or missing.
ANALYZE
In ANALYZE, extracted knowledge is assembled into structured artifacts using KEA (Knowledge Extraction & Assembly). This is where evidence is organized, gaps are identified, and transformation options are compared.
Outputs often include architecture views, decision logs, impact assessments, and transformation narratives that explain what will change, why, and with what implications.
KEA ensures that the transformation has a strong knowledge backbone, so decision makers do not have to rely on assumptions or tribal memory alone.
NAVIGATE
NAVIGATE converts analysis into an actionable plan. It defines work orders, dependencies, readiness criteria, and sequencing needed to reach the target state.
This is where transformation becomes real: we understand what needs to be done, in what order, and what must be true before each step is safe to execute.
NAVIGATE establishes readiness signals, transition guardrails, and a structured set of tasks that can be executed by delivery teams with confidence.
TRANSFORM
TRANSFORM is where change is executed — but always under control. TCAP (Transformation Control & Assurance Protocol) governs how changes are deployed, validated, and accepted.
The stage ends only when the future state is verified, evidence is captured, and legacy can be safely retired. This is what makes the lifecycle finite instead of an endless program.
TCAP defines controls, checkpoints, and evidence needs at each transition, ensuring that transformation is auditable, governable, and safe.
Apply the TRANT Lifecycle to Your Programs
The Trantiate white paper provides detailed guidance and diagrams for applying the TRANT lifecycle to cloud migrations, data platform modernization, application rewrites, and more.
Download the White Paper