Integrity. Impact. Innovation.
MANUFACTURING
The relationship between the client and CONNECT began with a six-day assessment of the decision-support environment as they prepared for a major investment to improve information access, analysis and dissemination. It quickly became apparent that the client could benefit substantially from an investment to provide relevant, consistent, reliable and timely information to their sales and marketing staff. CONNECT
- identified the specific business value of a data warehouse
- integrated the decision support environment with other strategic corporate initiatives (including business process reengineering efforts)
- defined the incremental implementation plan
- provided implementation guidance
- mentored the client staff as they built an effective information architecture, technical architecture, communication strategy, data design and acquisition strategy
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
CONNECT conducted an assessment of a perspective data warehouse initiative.
The topics considered were: Investment, Organization, Planning, Information
Architecture, Technical Architecture and Product Architecture. The results
included an analysis of the client's strengths and weaknesses and a recommended
approach to developing a comprehensive data warehouse program. The program
helped them structure a sequence of 6-9 month projects addressing their
business goals.
Consumer Products Companies employing CONNECT’s services
include: New Hope Publishing, Michelin, Associated Wholesale Grocers.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
In order to incorporate new divisions as a result of mergers and acquisitions, CONNECT trained large groups of people on an overall approach to data warehousing, data design and data acquisition. In addition, CONNECT:
- provided training on data warehouse data design
- mentored internal resources as they developed their data model
- acquired data from source tables
- guided the client on sequencing projects, planning those projects, and expanding their information architecture.
Telecommunication Companies employing CONNECTs services include: Southwestern Bell, Level 3
DISTRIBUTION
CONNECT assessed the current situation and created a plan for developing an Information Architecture Strategy. The consultants provided guidance throughout the development of the strategy and mentored the client's staff in data modeling, process modeling, requirements gathering and data warehouse design.
On a different project, CONNECT helped to design, build and develop
the data warehousing organization. The team was initially comprised of
program-level consultants that developed the strategy, defined the architecture,
identified the infrastructure requirements, and planned multiple iterations
of the warehouse. CONNECT provided training on data warehousing methodology,
data modeling for the data warehouse, and acquisition techniques. Over
the last 5 years, CONNECT has assisted this client in staffing their
data warehousing organization with permanent employees, mentoring their
employees and supplementing their teams with specialized resources. When
demand for the data warehouse grew faster than their ability to deliver,
CONNECT successfully implemented projects with off-site resources.
Distribution Companies employing CONNECT’s services include:
Corporate Express, DHL
BANKING/FINANCIAL SERVICES
CONNECT led an organization discovery process and facilitated workshops for the data warehousing team. The team consisted of representatives from both the IT and business communities. The work resulted in the following:
- ideal and actual skills matrix for the entire team which will be used for career planning, knowledge transfer planning and resource contingency planning,
- roles and responsibilities charting,
- processes for conflict management, change and decision-making,
- a formal communications plan and
- an operating agreement (including a team vision, team mission/goals, values, behavior expectations and common terminology)
- commitment to work on highest impact team priorities.
HEALTHCARE
CONNECT facilitated a three-day team building workshop. Session participants were IT team members and the health care professionals they served. Results were:
- an operating agreement (including a team vision, team mission/goals, operationalized values, behavior expectations and common terminology),
- processes for coaching, negotiating relationships, decision-making and stress management,
- roles and responsibilities charting
- developing workshop approach
- interviewing managers
- creating organizational development materials
- providing education on the role of data warehouse in the enterprise
- gaining consensus on the future approach.
Healthcare Companies employing CONNECT’s services include: Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, FHP Healthcare, Holistic Systems.
UTILITIES
CONNECT facilitated a lessons-learned workshop for the data warehousing
program team. The session included both technical and business participants
and resulted in action plans for incorporating best practices into the
ongoing program.
Utilities Companies employing CONNECT’s services include:
Pacific Bell, Bonneville Power Administration, Wisconsin Department of
Transportation.
"Some of the large, national consulting firms throw resumes at you, switch resources and disappear once the contract is signed. That has NOT been my experience with CONNECT. CONNECT has the depth of understanding to provide guidance and to find the right people. Their screening process is excellent and they don?t just place the people, they help build a team. Throughout our project, they paid attention and made helpful suggestions on how to constantly improve our process, our team and our data warehousing initiative. Their range of services was valuable to us as we grew our program from the beginning to where we are today."
-Steve Westmoreland
Business Intelligence
Program Manager,
Bonneville Power Administration
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