When Raymond Loewy introduced streamlined design to industrial products in the 1930s, he proved that simplicity could revolutionize performance. Decades later, Steve Jobs applied the same principle to technology. But in the world of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), that leap toward simplicity hasn’t yet been fully realized.
Despite significant advances in technology, many organizations still find their GRC processes cumbersome, complex, and disconnected. Users are overwhelmed by systems designed to showcase sophistication instead of usability. As a result, adoption lags, and so does impact.
At Cential, we believe there’s a better way.
The Case for Streamlined GRC
Our whitepaper, Streamline GRC, explores how the principles that transformed design and technology can transform GRC. Drawing inspiration from the streamlining philosophy of Loewy and Jobs, it challenges the notion that complexity equals capability.
We outline three guiding principles for building a GRC program that works:
- Effective: Deliver actionable insights that are accurate, timely, and meaningful.
- Intuitive: Make processes easy to use and natural to navigate, without “schmaltz, or spinach.”
- Right-Sized: Build for your organization’s real needs, not theoretical ones. The result? Programs that enhance risk visibility, strengthen decision-making, and drive engagement across all three lines of defense.
Where Organizations Go Wrong
Many organizations over-engineer GRC systems, filling them with unnecessary fields, complex workflows, and endless reporting layers. These systems create friction, not function. Streamline GRC demonstrates how to reverse this trend by focusing on people first, defining clear process objectives, and applying technology with purpose.
As the whitepaper notes, simplicity isn’t easy. It takes intention. But when done right, it creates clarity, engagement, and better outcomes across every layer of governance.
Start Streamlining Today
If your GRC program feels like more burden than benefit, it’s time to reimagine it.
Download the whitepaper to discover practical steps for designing GRC processes that are simpler, smarter, and more effective, without sacrificing rigor.