DESIGN THINKING TOOL – LEARNING LAUNCH

CHALLENGE :

I was assigned in COG – Centralized Accounting Operations Division, Reports Compliance Unit. I am responsible for the timely preparation of accurate business performance, regulatory compliance, portfolio audit variances and other management reports. The product we handle are corporate and consumer loans, credit card and personal loans. Our coursework involves mainly data management and analysis, data cleaning , conversion and presentation of dashboard and summary reports for submission to internal and external users such as Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Source input files are loan extract files (in excel format) generated thru connect direct system and downloaded text files from mobious reports. Loan extract files are considered big data. It would take time to open the file and the worst thing that could happen is that your PC could hang and could interrupt and even destroy your current work. During my early years in the unit I observed that the process is very manual in nature, hence it could entail human error/inaccuracy and prolonged turnaround time. Please note that any delayed and erroneous reports submitted to BSP constitutes penalty and tarnished reputation of the bank. Way back March and June 2018 we committed a low sigma rating in the reports (Real Estate Exposure Report) submitted to BSP due to inaccuracy of tagging, sorting and filtering of data. Computed penalty for the erroneous and delayed reports is substantial. The incident was also included in internal audit findings.

SELECTION :

As a team we have decided to use the learning launch tool. We believe this will help us design a simple process improvement to attain six sigma rating (accuracy and reduced turnaround time) in the reports submitted. Use of excel macros which is readily available in our PC would be a great and immediate help to streamline the reporting process. Another powerful tool to use is SAS. It is a command-driven software package used for statistical analysis and data visualization. It could automate big data with complex conditions and formulas far more than excel macros. Learning launch tool could help us to test and decide which of these tool/software is more accurate and powerful.

APPLICATION :

During the early phase of process improvement we use excel macros to record the repetitive process of converting text files to excel files, and data management – tagging, sorting and filtering of data. We did time in motion to monitor and compare the improvement of TAT. We test the output thru comparative analysis of automated versus the manual. We obtain a more accurate output with reduced turnaround time. We decided to implement the process improvement within the unit and has used it moving forward. Internal and external users have benefited. But there are some limitations of excel macros such that you cannot have more than

64,000 of compiled code in a single procedure. You need to chop up your long macro into shorter procedures. For instance, you might divide your monster macro into, say, a dozen smaller macro hence the process would be tedious and some complex conditions and formulas could not be attained.

Several months after we launch a new method, RDA (Risk Data Architecture) division recommended a newly availed analytics software – SAS. This is a more powerful tool to automate big data with complex conditions and formulas, tagging, sorting and filtering of data. We struggle to learn this software since we do not have proper training but in collaboration with RDA division little by little we learned from them how to do simple programming. We also search for free online tutorial of Basics of SAS programming to contribute in our learning curve. After we gained enough knowledge and training we apply the basics of SAS programming in the previous report we automate by using excel macros. Aside from the additional skills we gained we also made an accurate output with shortest time possible submitted to users hence we attained the six sigma rating. We made a write-up for documentation purposes and joined the TQ Festival to present this project in our division. Last year during pandemic BSP has required all banks to submit another regulatory report in daily basis to monitor the MSME Reserve Requirements of every bank. This report only shows how much and how many MSME loans we grant to fellow Filipinos this time of pandemic. Amount reported to BSP could be use by bank as additional reserves to cover probable losses that may came up. In collaboration with RDA division and treasury we used SAS programming to generate the report in daily basis in compliance with BSP. Amount reported is 20+ Billion PHP reserves which a great help for the bank. This cross-functional project is a great success!

INSIGHTS :

By applying the learning launch tool we designed and tested our solutions. Through the learning process we got to streamline and automate our reporting process especially on regulatory reports and even during pandemic. Several tools/software could be really useful but only one could be more powerful. We just need to explore or discover it, able and willing to learn new skills that could contribute to our design thinking and process innovation towards work.

APPROACH :

Learning launch tool is the most appropriate design thinking tool to apply regarding automation of report processes which involves big data and complex conditions and formulas. It could able to determine and test which of these underlying solutions (excel macros or SAS programming) could be most useful and suited to attain our business objectives that is six sigma level of compliance in every output we made and submitted to respective users especially the BSP.


DESIGN THINKING TOOL – LEARNING LAUNCH CHALLENGE : I was assigned in COG – Centralized Accounting Operations Division , Reports Compliance Unit . I am responsible for the timely preparation of accurate business performance , regulatory compliance , portfolio audit variances and other management reports . The product we handle are corporate and consumer loans , credit card and personal loans . Our coursework involves mainly data management and analysis , data cleaning , conversion and presentation of dashboard and summary reports for submission to internal and external users such as Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas . Source input files are loan extract files ( in excel format ) generated thru connect direct system and downloaded text files from mobious reports . Loan extract files are considered big data . It would take time to open the file and the worst thing that could happen is that your PC could hang and could interrupt and even destroy your current work . During my early years in the unit I observed that the process is very manual in nature , hence it could entail human error / inaccuracy and prolonged turnaround time . Please note that any delayed and erroneous reports submitted to BSP constitutes penalty and tarnished reputation of the bank . Way back March and June 2018 we committed a low sigma rating in the reports ( Real Estate Exposure Report ) submitted to BSP due to inaccuracy of tagging , sorting and filtering of data . Computed penalty for the erroneous and delayed reports is substantial . The incident was also included in internal audit findings . SELECTION : As a team we have decided to use the learning launch tool . We believe this will help us design a simple process improvement to attain six sigma rating ( accuracy and reduced turnaround time ) in the reports submitted . Use of excel macros which is readily available in our PC would be a great and immediate help to streamline the reporting process . Another powerful tool to use is SAS . It is a command - driven software package used for statistical analysis and data visualization . It could automate big data with complex conditions and formulas far more than excel macros . Learning launch tool could help us to test and decide which of these tool / software is more accurate and powerful . APPLICATION : During the early phase of process improvement we use excel macros to record the repetitive process of converting text files to excel files , and data management – tagging , sorting and filtering of data . We did time in motion to monitor and compare the improvement of TAT . We test the output thru comparative analysis of automated versus the manual . We obtain a more accurate output with reduced turnaround time . We decided to implement the process improvement within the unit and has used it moving forward . Internal and external users have benefited . But there are some limitations of excel macros such that you can not have more than 64,000 of compiled code in a single procedure . You need to chop up your long macro into shorter procedures . For instance , you might divide your monster macro into , say , a dozen smaller macro hence the process would be tedious and some complex conditions and formulas could not be attained . Several months after we launch a new method , RDA ( Risk Data Architecture ) division recommended a newly availed analytics software – SAS . This is a more powerful tool to automate big data with complex conditions and formulas , tagging , sorting and filtering of data . We struggle to learn this software since we do not have proper training but in collaboration with RDA division little by little we learned from them how to do simple programming . We also search for free online tutorial of Basics of SAS programming to contribute in our learning curve . After we gained enough knowledge and training we apply the basics of SAS programming in the previous report we automate by using excel macros . Aside from the additional skills we gained we also made an accurate output with shortest time possible submitted to users hence we attained the six sigma rating . We made a write - up for documentation purposes and joined the TQ Festival to present this project in our division . Last year during pandemic BSP has required all banks to submit another regulatory report in daily basis to monitor the MSME Reserve Requirements of every bank . This report only shows how much and how many MSME loans we grant to fellow Filipinos this time of pandemic . Amount reported to BSP could be use by bank as additional reserves to cover probable losses that may came up . In collaboration with RDA division and treasury we used SAS programming to generate the report in daily basis in compliance with BSP . Amount reported is 20 + Billion PHP reserves which a great help for the bank . This cross - functional project is a great success ! INSIGHTS : By applying the learning launch tool we designed and tested our solutions . Through the learning process we got to streamline and automate our reporting process especially on regulatory reports and even during pandemic . Several tools / software could be really useful but only one could be more powerful . We just need to explore or discover it , able and willing to learn new skills that could contribute to our design thinking and process innovation towards work . APPROACH : Learning launch tool is the most appropriate design thinking tool to apply regarding automation of report processes which involves big data and complex conditions and formulas . It could able to determine and test which of these underlying solutions ( excel macros or SAS programming ) could be most useful and suited to attain our business objectives that is six sigma level of compliance in every output we made and submitted to respective users especially the BSP .