Challenge:- (Selection of a Procure to Pay Management software)

A company xxx, is Acquiring a company . And the company has a Procurement analytics cube/data store  which is complete and well used. As part of the acquisition agreement the application will be maintained by  the Seller for one year and then will be discontinued. So the functionality of the application needs to be  either migrated as is, or needs to be transformed in another solution. Currently gategroup has no consolidated Procure to Pay , platform neither consolidated material  management and Account payable reporting. So the opportunity of this acquisition can also be used to  standardize and harmonize the relevant processes across GG including the new seller

In company XXX, there are no existing process , on how to do a selection of a software of this nature. So  this needs to be put on place.

:-Current system of the seller company is designed on BW system integrated with 5 different source systems,  the system also takes user input from web forms :-Seller and Buyer are  having same line of business.  :-The size of the seller company by revenue is 1/4.5 :-The size and speed of company xxx leads to having a distributed portfolio of ERP/Procure to Pay  module/processes /software's

Selection :- (Visualization)

We selected the tool of Visualization because, we wanted to have a path to mind mapping if we needed to  go in granularity. There are many open drivers to the decision (e.g. cost, strategy, vendor. So on), and less time to take the  decision. To put all the open and moving variables in a structured matrix would have taken a lot of time. Visualization offers us an opportunity to progress with fluid definition. Also this Visualization, helped up to bring all the stakeholders ideas in one large ecosystem

Application :-

Create a base visualization Setup a workshop, invite all stakeholders to a meeting room well facilitated with drawing boards Present the base visualization draft , and let the discussion kick off Capture different version of the Visualization , as the discussion evolves Zoom in into different components of the visualization and capture the , additional appendix/supplementary  visualizations Compile all the Visualization and key discussions (in bullet points), in a PowerPoint presentation slides. Give the PPT deck , to engineers and accountants to have a deeper matrix creation.

Insight :-

The insight gained rom the exercise, was that her two topics/projects  were getting mixed up,          1. Choice of a ERP software for procure to pay module          2. Choice of a software , do analytics on the data provided by the ERP software

In terms of the process itself, the insight was that all the design thinking tools go in together in multiple  iterations , before a conclusive/material knowledge comes out of the process Like, before presenting my Visualization I had to use storytelling to engage the audience then after multiple  visualization we had to make a Mind map , to reduce /summarize the scope of information discussed, once  the idea is agreed by all stakeholders at a very high level then we have to do a POC(proof of  concept)/learning launch take the learnings and then go back to visualization many times more

Approach :-  Next time , I will also try to prep some storytelling to support my visualization bit better, and spend more  time understanding my audience/stakeholders to identify traditional managers. Spend more time , with traditional managers to prep them to the dynamic and fluid nature of design thinking  sessions.


Challenge:- ( Selection of a Procure to Pay Management software ) A company xxx , is Acquiring a company . And the company has a Procurement analytics cube / data store which is complete and well used . As part of the acquisition agreement the application will be maintained by the Seller for one year and then will be discontinued . So the functionality of the application needs to be either migrated as is , or needs to be transformed in another solution . Currently gategroup has no consolidated Procure to Pay , platform neither consolidated material management and Account payable reporting . So the opportunity of this acquisition can also be used to standardize and harmonize the relevant processes across GG including the new seller In company XXX , there are no existing process , on how to do a selection of a software of this nature . So this needs to be put on place . : -Current system of the seller company is designed on BW system integrated with 5 different source systems , the system also takes user input from web forms : -Seller and Buyer are having same line of business . : -The size of the seller company by revenue is 1/4.5 : -The size and speed of company xxx leads to having a distributed portfolio of ERP / Procure to Pay module / processes /software 's Selection : - ( Visualization ) We selected the tool of Visualization because , we wanted to have a path to mind mapping if we needed to go in granularity . There are many open drivers to the decision ( e.g. cost , strategy , vendor . So on ) , and less time to take the decision . To put all the open and moving variables in a structured matrix would have taken a lot of time . Visualization offers us an opportunity to progress with fluid definition . Also this Visualization , helped up to bring all the stakeholders ideas in one large ecosystem Application : - Create a base visualization Setup a workshop , invite all stakeholders to a meeting room well facilitated with drawing boards Present the base visualization draft , and let the discussion kick off Capture different version of the Visualization , as the discussion evolves Zoom in into different components of the visualization and capture the , additional appendix / supplementary visualizations Compile all the Visualization and key discussions ( in bullet points ) , in a PowerPoint presentation slides . Give the PPT deck , to engineers and accountants to have a deeper matrix creation . Insight : - The insight gained rom the exercise , was that her two topics / projects were getting mixed up , 1 . Choice of a ERP software for procure to pay module 2 . Choice of a software , do analytics on the data provided by the ERP software In terms of the process itself , the insight was that all the design thinking tools go in together in multiple iterations , before a conclusive / material knowledge comes out of the process Like , before presenting my Visualization I had to use storytelling to engage the audience then after multiple visualization we had to make a Mind map , to reduce /summarize the scope of information discussed , once the idea is agreed by all stakeholders at a very high level then we have to do a POC(proof of concept)/learning launch take the learnings and then go back to visualization many times more Approach : - Next time , I will also try to prep some storytelling to support my visualization bit better , and spend more time understanding my audience / stakeholders to identify traditional managers . Spend more time , with traditional managers to prep them to the dynamic and fluid nature of design thinking sessions .