Challenge:    I am a member of Controller’s Shared services organization (CSSO) in a Financial Services  Company leading the Data practice. We as an organization have been through Ways of  Working, which has deep roots in Lean Management principles. One of our challenges is to  provide visibility into the data relevant to the accounting close process along with the quality of  the data. The information is quite disparate and has varying level of granularity, making it  difficult to shift through all the information to be able to provide the correct insight into the  data for our customers (Accounting Operations).     Selection:    Our team has gone through numerous iterations of prototyping using Lean Principles to provide  visualization to the customers on the accounting close process. However, the customers were  not as engaged and did not use the tools consistently, resulting in low morale and engagement.  So, the team decided to try the learning launch tool, to provide the customers a prototype at  the earliest, rather than waiting for full baked solution-set, there by embracing the learning  launch to ideate and prototype to get an early read and active engagement.    Application:    As our first learning launch, we focused on the mode of requirement gathering. In particular,  the team sat down with the customers of various levels to better understand the needs as it  relates to the transparency into the accounting close process. We chose one particular area  rather than cast a wide net across all of controllers. This helped us to hone in on the specific  need of one area. Next we built a quick prototype- a visualization using Tableau report that  could drill down to the varying levels of details. We shared the report with different levels of  the customers and received instant feedback on the likes and dislikes. The team was able to  incorporate the same and turn around within couple of days. The team did one final roadshow  and received buy-in to roll out the visualization into production. As part of the roadshow, we  included other areas of the Accounting Operations teams to solicit feedback and engage early  on to receive feedback. This led to the development of  foundational framework to engage and  respond to our customers’ needs more timely and effectively.     Our second learning launch was focused more on making data factual and tangible. To this  effect, we looked into remediating the quality of the data being received by the accounting  systems. While we have successfully built adequate data controls to identify data quality issues  prior to running the accounting processes, they are all detective controls and occur quite late in  the process. As part of the learning launch tool, we selected 25 rules that had triggered in the  last year and had caused delays in the accounting close. We then leveraged the enterprise data  lineage tool to trace all of the data hops of the data to clearly identify the failure points. We  conducted a workshop with all of the upstream data providers and the downstream data  consumers to highlight the issues and their implications. We were able to describe the need for  the quality checks upfront and get buy-in from the data providers to implement the rules at the

system of record, prior to the vend. In the process, we also were able get full support from our  stakeholders on the work being done around data lineage, getting to our mission of making  data more factual and tangible.     Insight:  By leveraging and applying the learning launch tool in 2 unique scenarios, our team was able to  clarify assumptions and create workable solutions that delighted our customers. Through the  process, we were able to demystify the need for a perfect solution, rather build out using an  iterative approach, which in turn resulted in delighted customers. The customers truly enjoyed  the level of engagement and saw the solution set as a continuous improvement process rather  than an end product. The CSSO team morale greatly improved as they received kudos from the  customers for timely response and effective communication.    Approach:  After being trained in Lean management principles, the team has found a great balance in using  the learning launch tool to connect better with the customers and provide solutions-set more  frequently and timely. The team is motivated and fully engaged to roll-out the learning launch  as a tool for all future customer facing solutions.


Challenge : I am a member of Controller ’s Shared services organization ( CSSO ) in a Financial Services Company leading the Data practice . We as an organization have been through Ways of Working , which has deep roots in Lean Management principles . One of our challenges is to provide visibility into the data relevant to the accounting close process along with the quality of the data . The information is quite disparate and has varying level of granularity , making it difficult to shift through all the information to be able to provide the correct insight into the data for our customers ( Accounting Operations ) . Selection : Our team has gone through numerous iterations of prototyping using Lean Principles to provide visualization to the customers on the accounting close process . However , the customers were not as engaged and did not use the tools consistently , resulting in low morale and engagement . So , the team decided to try the learning launch tool , to provide the customers a prototype at the earliest , rather than waiting for full baked solution - set , there by embracing the learning launch to ideate and prototype to get an early read and active engagement . Application : As our first learning launch , we focused on the mode of requirement gathering . In particular , the team sat down with the customers of various levels to better understand the needs as it relates to the transparency into the accounting close process . We chose one particular area rather than cast a wide net across all of controllers . This helped us to hone in on the specific need of one area . Next we built a quick prototype- a visualization using Tableau report that could drill down to the varying levels of details . We shared the report with different levels of the customers and received instant feedback on the likes and dislikes . The team was able to incorporate the same and turn around within couple of days . The team did one final roadshow and received buy - in to roll out the visualization into production . As part of the roadshow , we included other areas of the Accounting Operations teams to solicit feedback and engage early on to receive feedback . This led to the development of foundational framework to engage and respond to our customers ’ needs more timely and effectively . Our second learning launch was focused more on making data factual and tangible . To this effect , we looked into remediating the quality of the data being received by the accounting systems . While we have successfully built adequate data controls to identify data quality issues prior to running the accounting processes , they are all detective controls and occur quite late in the process . As part of the learning launch tool , we selected 25 rules that had triggered in the last year and had caused delays in the accounting close . We then leveraged the enterprise data lineage tool to trace all of the data hops of the data to clearly identify the failure points . We conducted a workshop with all of the upstream data providers and the downstream data consumers to highlight the issues and their implications . We were able to describe the need for the quality checks upfront and get buy - in from the data providers to implement the rules at the system of record , prior to the vend . In the process , we also were able get full support from our stakeholders on the work being done around data lineage , getting to our mission of making data more factual and tangible . Insight : By leveraging and applying the learning launch tool in 2 unique scenarios , our team was able to clarify assumptions and create workable solutions that delighted our customers . Through the process , we were able to demystify the need for a perfect solution , rather build out using an iterative approach , which in turn resulted in delighted customers . The customers truly enjoyed the level of engagement and saw the solution set as a continuous improvement process rather than an end product . The CSSO team morale greatly improved as they received kudos from the customers for timely response and effective communication . Approach : After being trained in Lean management principles , the team has found a great balance in using the learning launch tool to connect better with the customers and provide solutions - set more frequently and timely . The team is motivated and fully engaged to roll - out the learning launch as a tool for all future customer facing solutions .