Learning launch

Challenge

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Francesco and I am the ICT manager in my organization.  My native language is Spanish.

Recently, the human resources sector raised the need to automate the process of registration  of interested to a roster of consultants. Currently the procedure is done manually, registering  in an electronic spreadsheet, the information provided by each of the interested parties by  email. This project must be ready in about 20 or 30 days. To define the scope, we met with the  human resources managers (2 officials), who generally process the information that arrives by  mail in documents. Given the brief period to find a solution and proximity to its launch, we will  try to narrow the scope. We will focus on automating this process, to obtain a database with  the necessary information. This will allow searching and classifying the specialists who apply. It  will be necessary to use a corporate development tool with an agile methodology to obtain  results quickly.

Selection

In the first instance, we analyze the current process with the human resources team, through  the "Mind Mapping" tool, we identify the difficulties generated in the data processing. In  second instance, to obtain the user's vision, we conducted 20 interviews to possible  "postulants". That information was added to the previous "Mind Mapping". Then define the  problem, we delimit the minimum scope of the prototype, considering the resources and the  short term to go to production. The technique that we decided to use " learning launch", can  quickly give us a formed idea and a functional prototype in the agreed term.

Application

In our first learning launch, the web form was structured and the minimum data required by  the applicant was defined. We wanted to define the relevant data of the applicant, to speed  up the registration process to our roster of specialists / consultants and their subsequent  classification. For that, we carried out, within the first 10 days, 2 meetings of exchange of  opinions with those who interview, select and hire the applicants, experts in specific areas.

In our second "learning launch" we focus on optimizing the processing of information from the  registration forms and the CVs attached by the applicants. The automation of these processes  is essential to improve the productivity of the tool. We meet with Human Resources to clarify  roles and tasks (analysis of the CV and approval of roster registration) when processing the  information of the applicants. The clarity and agility of the procedure are consulted, depending  on the structure of the form and the relevance of the data requested. With this, it is possible  to optimize the automation of the registration process, cv request by email to the applicant,  for a later approval of both, CV and data entered on the web registration form. In this way, the  prototype will allow the search of specialists according to the defined criteria.

Today we are already planning a third stage to continue refining / improving our system and  adding necessary functionalities for future stages.

Insight

When applying the "learning launch" tool, our team identified that by automating the  registration process through WEB forms and sending the CV by Email, the possibility of  facilitating data entry and processing thereof. Because of the meetings and interviews  conducted, the process was optimized, rejecting obsolete data and establishing the minimum  data necessary for a better classification of the applicant specialists. Validating through  mandatory fields that enter all the required data, consequently obtaining a more complete  database. This allows greater efficiency and effectiveness in the validation of applications to  the Roster of specialists.

Approach

After the complete implementation of the tool, it is visualized as progress from the manual  registration of the information of the applicants (received by mail in Word format and  organized in Excel spreadsheets) to its automation by recording relevant data, previously  discussed and defined, in a web form and the CV enclosed by mail.

We believe that our team adapted to this new way of working that tries to clarify procedures,  validate or quickly dismiss the assumptions based on the information obtained. It is the main  advantage of using a tool as a "learning launch" that is complemented with agile  methodologies, approving that in our meetings important results can be obtained in a brief  time.

We managed to comply with the project time, obtaining a functional prototype developed  with corporate tools, avoiding extra costs in our budget.

Based on this experience, we believe that future designs can be improved if this methodology  continues to be applied to obtain a definitive version that satisfies all the parties involved.

