PTW - How PTW helped a global business integrate their processes

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How PTW helped a global business integrate their processes,to increase productivity, boost overall performance, and reduce overhead costs by 75%

PTW Engineering Case Study

A client with a rapidly growing global business asked PTW to create a comprehensive, automated system to integrate their separate processes, activities, workflows, and procedures. These had been set up at various times. Some had been introduced as the business expanded, others were more organic. As a result, there was a lack of cohesion. For example, the existing tracking system was missing many features including employee management, leave tracking, learning management, and global ticketing.

The Requirements

Our client required an integrated system to achieve business process automation, and to manage important tasks across the organization. This would boost productivity, and also dramatically reduce operating and overhead costs. Creating the integrated system would improve the company’s internal processes, and enhance the overall performance of the business.

The Challenges

The first, and most important, challenge was to identify which existing processes and systems to integrate. We believe it’s important to determine where an integrated system will enhance a process, and where it may potentially hinder the workflow of the business. To fully understand the value of each integration, assess its impact within the system, and calculate the associated costs, we organized a number of brainstorming sessions with all the relevant experts.
Secondly, each of the client’s different business processes were involved, and – as is often the case with multidimensional projects - the requirements kept evolving. The overall goal was to build a common framework which would align all the business processes, and provide problem-free integration for day-to-day operations. To achieve this, we brought together a highly self-motivated, agile and cross-functional team to drive the development and testing processes, and implement the changing requirements on time and to a high quality.
It was also important to gain a thorough understanding of the framework, and how it would apply to each business process – in terms of use, and the workflow of the system across the different processes. This helped us design the most robust integration test scenarios
Previously, when the client had explored new features and complex automated workflows, the result had been redundant work, and functional inefficiencies. To resolve this additional challenge, we provided appropriate training to all staff members in using an application, before and after its integration.
Estimating the server and network needs over an on-premise environment, or a cloud-based solution, was also challenging as any deviation can dramatically impact the overall results of the project. Our solution involved analyzing the need for high availability requirements, proper capacity planning, and requirements on load balancing. These were finalized by subjecting the application to various stages of load and stress testing.

The PTW Approach

To store business critical data for finance, human resource operations, learning management, administration, business compliance, information technology and all other core services, we built the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to integrate the core functionalities into a single system.

The integrated solution combines all business processes into one system. It is easily accessible by the organization’s users across the globe, on various platforms.

Security testing
Global access to an integrated system, with variation in the networks and operating systems, and across all devices, always poses a security threat. To overcome the security threats in the system, we conducted cross-platform security testing using a risk-based approach, and by prioritizing security assessments based on the top vulnerabilities.

Implementation
To achieve process efficiencies, a team of experts across different areas of the business decided on the methodology and approach to implement the ERP system. The team created an integrated data model to standardize the employee process across the organization, and streamline the internal processes.

Technology and tools
The technology and tools we used to build the ERP system included:

Programming Language : C# (.Net platform)
Web Server : Internet Information Services 7.5 (IIS)
Database Server : Microsoft SQL (MSSQL) server
Test Management Tool : Testlink
Defect Management Tool : JIRA
Performance Testing Tools : J-Meter, Appium Studio
Security Testing Tools : IBM AppScan, Burp Suite, Wireshark, NMap, Sqlmap, Tamper Data, Netcat

Business benefits
The resulting solution provided a vast number of benefits, and resolved the client’s issues with their current system:

The ERP system is now customized, based on the business needs.
The client now has a centrally managed single system, with minimal maintenance costs.
The ERP system is linked to the legacy systems, and integrates with other applications.
The ERP system integrates into the client’s business processes, and delivers the expected results.
There is real-time reporting for management, and tracking of set goals and objectives.
An easy access, self-service function is available for employee self-help.
Easy learning is facilitated for common tasks through document sharing and online tutorials, resulting in time and cost savings.
The ERP has resulted in an estimated reduction of 75% in the overall manual overhead.

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