Challenges
Fideltronik is a large, multi-level organization with diversified, highly specialized teams working on numerous complex projects conducted in various agile and classic methodologies. Many of those teams cooperate closely not only with each other but also with both – clients and a broad network of suppliers. This web of dependencies is broad and tightly knitted; therefore, operational excellence requires planning, execution, and flow of information to be smooth, timely, and perfectly aligned with a product vision. Following Fideltronik’s spectacular growth, its Implementation Department is workload-wise by far the busiest client-facing part of the organization.
Before selecting BigPicture, the management team of Fideltronik’s Implementation Department had been using a diversified stack of work and resource planning solutions for years, including traditional Excel spreadsheets and e-mail as key means of communication. The tools differed significantly between product and IT teams. The latter were the only ones using Jira, while the rest considered Atlassian’s best-selling app to be too complicated and counterintuitive. As a result, to track the progress of interdependent projects, efficiently allocate resources, and stick to the roadmaps agreed with clients, Project Managers were spending a lot of time on cumbersome analyses, exchange of messages, and meetings.
Requirements
To streamline processes, boost productivity, and increase operational capacity, in 2018, Fideltronik’s Implementation Department undertook a market search for a comprehensive PPM system. The desired solution was expected to:
- establish a single source of truth for all teams,
- bring more clarity and transparency to work planning,
- enable neat and informative roadmapping for teams and customers,
- reduce time spent on trivial administrative tasks,
- ease communication between teams,
- improve the accuracy of resource allocation and management, taking into account all the complex interdependencies between various implementation teams and their workflows.
Solution
In 2019, Fideltronik implemented BigPicture (v.7). The implementation process was conducted gradually, in multiple stages. A single team tested the tool first. After passing the evaluation with flying colors, BigPicture was implemented by subsequent teams, and finally, it became the core planning tool utilized by most of the Implementation Department.
Fideltronik focused primarily on two modules crucial for its operations – Gantt and Resources.
Gantt the modern way
BigPicture’s Gantt module helps the managers to keep track of all their teams and tasks in a single place by giving them a portfolio-level view of all their projects. Regardless of the framework used, Gantt can be easily tailored to meet the unique needs of any organization. At Fideltronik, clear and informative Gantt charts not only made management easier but also made it possible to provide customers with self-explanatory roadmaps that significantly improved the overall service experience and communication between all parties involved.
Next-gen resource allocation
BigPicture’s Resources module allows managers to analyze the availability of resources (teams and skills), assign and schedule tasks, and automatically update capacities. Thanks to the Resources module, project planning at Fideltronik’s Implementation Department has become smoother, more efficient, and less risky.
Jira made inclusive
Thanks to the intuitive, user-friendly interface of BigPicture, managers from non-IT teams, previously hesitant to use Jira, finally adopted it as a critical task management tool. Standardization of the management stack across departments became possible, and Jira became the ultimate source of reliable information for all teams.
Results
Single source of truth for all teams
BigPicture made it possible to popularize Jira across the Implementation Department of Fideltronik. It brought about a single source of truth, so important for efficient operations. Jira has become the sole repository of detailed, comprehensive, department-wide data. All crucial information is now stored in Jira and visualized by BigPicture, making management way easier and more user-friendly.
Managers do not need to exchange any more spreadsheets and schedule dozens of meetings or conference calls to find out what their teams are working on at the moment or plan to do in the future. All crucial information is in Jira, available both directly and via BigPicture – always right at hand and up to date.
Smoother and more efficient information flow
Thanks to BigPicture, managers communicate with each other to make strategic and tactical arrangements and to work on generating value for customers, not to discuss micro tasks and low-level execution issues.
Clarity of processes and increased engagement
BigPicture made visualization of projects easy and accessible. Thanks to informative Gantt charts, teams are always on the same page. Furthermore, complex projects can be presented to customers in a neat and easy-to-read form, which enables faster and more accurate decision making.
BigPicture allowed me to develop as a Project Manager. I’m now able to fully understand, control, and fulfill the Customer’s needs. It supports my efficiency – said Rafał Nowak, NPI Project Manager, Fideltronik.
