Background

Development of a holistic solution in the area of a supplier concept, tour planning,
process flow, conditioning and standardization for the optimal representation
of networking traffics.

Technique

• Oracle 10g Enterprise Edition (RAC)
• Linux Suse Enterprise 10
• J2EE Framework/Application-Server
• SOA
• ESB Technology
• Loadbalancer (BIG IP)
• HTTP Technology

Interfaces

• Financial services
• Map & Guide
• CRM integration
• Customer integration (TNT Express GmbH, Domestic Linehaul)
• Transport partnership management

Special features

• Pure business application
• High availability solution
• Decentralized utilization of consistent database

Access & Matrices

• Registered users (internal) ~2.000
• Registered users (external) ~1.000
• 24/7 application

Background

• In a previous project, an ideal process plan was developed on a macro-level, with the aim of strengthening market position.
• In order to implement these concepts, suggestions for improvement were to be elaborated regarding details of the process stage.

Tasks

• Accomplishment of a detailed inquiry and documentation of all actions, responsibilities, interfaces, help-tools and IT systems
• Action analysis with respect to optimization opportunities (in general and with the purpose of the groups market repositioning)
• Documentation of suggestions for improvement with respect to process models and decision memo
• Creation of a documentation basis for future transition into an ongoing process management
• Assurance of high acceptance amongst those concerned with project results

Solutions

• Elaboration of problem statements and opportunities with respect to client's procedures
• Evaluation of process modelling and management tools for clients
• Recommendation of tool, with support at implementation phase
• Introduction of a project group with the purpose of inventory, documentation and process redesign
• Establishment of a mixed working team composed of internal employees, supported by serie a consultants
• Coaching of employees with respect to methodology and tool application
• Complete evaluation of actual processes and process segments during workshops for process owners and experts
• Result documentation built into the process management tool
• Analysis of actual processes with respect to optimization opportunities
• Development of expedient process changes /adjustments together with process owners
• Documentation of process changes in their entirity between the process segments of coordinated reference process (incl. coordination of a conceptual IT-environment)

Further development

• Actual census and modelling of all core and support process segments
• Redesign of all recent process segments
• Construction of actual and reference process models, organizational chart, resource models, etc.
• Design of a implementation plan for changes

Achievements

• Conception of an action plan
• Preliminary tool selection
• Coaching and support of internal employees
• Areas of expertise: process management, process optimization, process design, logistics actions, IT architecture
• Process surveys, subsequent analysis and design
• Moderation
• Project management

Consulting Assignment

• 12 month
• 4 consultants

Results

• Positive decisions from board of management regarding 90% of proposed process-changes
• High acceptance of results
• Transmission of project-results into a gradual implementation phase

Background

• A current project supported by a third party consultancy ran the risk of failing
• Assignment of serie a to trouble-shoot within that current project and support the further change process

Tasks

• Assistance in analyzing and solving problems in a project aimed at realigning the business processes at macro level, and in building a process oriented organization
• Establish an environment of change for the management of the planned changes
• Implementation of the changes within the company
• Creating the conditions for a process-oriented development of the company

Solution

• Establishing a stable steering structure for the change process, based on serie a´s "theme based change management" method
• Coordination of all ongoing and ready-to-go change activities through the entire company
• Linking the change process, and constructing the organizational necessities for the consideration, and coordinated implementation, of necessary changes in future

Further development

• Design of a customized methodology
• Development of a solid change architecture
• Establishment of project management logic and tools
• Creation of a communication concept
• Construction of the change environment according to the proposed methodology
• Collection of all change issues and ongoing tasks and projects within the company
• Prioritization of change issues
• Derivation of a target project environment based on priorities
• Initiation and control of the agreed projects under the implemented change architecture

Achievements

• Development of methodology
• Mediation of methodology
• Initial moderation of steering- teams
• Coaching of steering- team's management
• Coaching the members of the steering- team
• Moderation and presentation of results to the Executive Board
• Troubleshooting
• Performance of operational tasks due to the steering- teams

Consulting assignment

• 12 month (incl. preparation)
• 1 consultant – temporary support from 2 other consultants (during conception phase)

Results

• Successful conception and implementation of change environment
• Creation of organizational and methodical structures within the company
• Future needs for change identified, prioritised and maximising all synergies, implemented, across all various areas of the business

Background:

• Due to the expiry of the publisher's support of Windows NT 4, the company IT infrastructure, which has grown on an ad-hoc basis over many years, needs to be migrated to Windows XP
• Systems to migrate: more than 10,000 work-stations with standard software and 31 custom software applications
• Extremely tight timeframe for the preparation of migration

Tasks

• Analysis of framework and conditions
• Conception and planning of migration

Solutions

• Definition of a methodology for fast investigation and analysis of the actual situation - adapted to suit the individual circumstances of the client regarding the affected systems, locations, operational departments, IT departments
• Execution of the actual investigation and analysis in order to clarify the starting point; preparation and execution of a compatibility test
• Development of a meaningful and realizable migration scenario (including cost and risk assessment)
• Creation of a migration plan

Further developement

• Definition of the project scope for XP migration through the corporation, outlining requirements from the project management team
• Concept evolution, actual situation and compatibility testing for the implemented applications and hardware-systems
• Supervision of the actual initiation of migration with particular regard to applications, hardware and documentation
• Initiation analysis and investigation of change requirements
• Supervision of compatibility testings
• Creation of a concept offering different options for implementation, including cost and risk assessment for the execution of migration
• Creation of an implementation and roll-out plan for the system changeover
• Support / coaching of project managers relevant to project coordination and project management

Achievements

• Conception of analysis scope for migration requirements
• Preparation, planning, and supervision of initiation
• Initiation analysis
• Development of migration concept including cost and risk issues
• Creation of a migration plan
• Project management
• Support / coaching of project managers

Consulting assignment

• 4 month
• 2 consultants

Results

• Execution of planned assignments within a tight timeframe and restricted project budget
• Successful conception and preparation of migration
• Successful migration based on developed planning

Background

• Alignment of organizational units
• Unification of business processes
• Alignment of IT environment and systems
• Centralization of process control as a base for possible ongoing process automation
• Further business process optimization
  

The organization's main objective was to gain strength in light of future business expansions for internal as well as for external clients

Tasks

• Development and implementation of a robust change organisation and project environment, for the accomplishment of future assignments
• Conception and implementation of necessary changes
• Development of a consistent view on business processes and integration of this view through the entire corporation
• Conception of the IT environment supporting the new process structure

Solutions

• Development of a change environment based on serie a´s method of “Task oriented change management"
• Implementation of change environment
• Promoting a change environment within the corporation through communication activities and events; encouraging collective ownership of the change process in order to increase compliance
• Development of a common process view and a common vision regarding the necessary operational changes, through a project to develop processes at macro level
• Introduction and implementation of communication activities, in order to inform the organization about outstanding tasks and to address middle management concerns over change programs
• Execution of the project in accordance with a detailed specification of operational processes across the entire organisation.
• Design of a workflow-oriented IT target architecture for the operative systems of the company
• Development of tools and systems necessary for implementation
• Introduction of tools and systems up to operational production

Further development

• Elaboration of change architecture and change management methodology with respect to customer's situation
• Execution of events and workshops for the implementation of the change environment
• Collection of all change topics, investigation to ascertain necessary interactions, define upcoming change topics
• Development of a vision for necessary changes within corporation
• Attain project environment for implementing the vision
• Supervision and support of project through a team of serie a consultants

Achievements

• Design of change environment
• Supervision and support of change environment through mediation
• Support of project leaders through coaching and methodology expertise from serie a consultants
• Presence of various serie a experts from IT design, process development, tender management for implementing various comprehensive IT systems
• Coaching of management team members

Consulting assignment

• 14 month
• 3 consultants

Results

• Successful restructuring of the organisation
• Conception of a consistent view on company´s entire portfolio
• Re-definition of all operative detail actions with the scope to support IT structures as extensively as possible
• Expertise concept and performance specifications
• Implementation of IT tools
• Transfer of processes and tools into real operation
• Successful conveyance of consultancy assignment to client´s real world