Situation
In times of heightened complexity, uncertainty and change, organisations need clear, timely and reliable data and analyses upon which to base key decisions.
Legacy drag
PwC’s work with an organisation grappling with an ageing reporting system is a good case in point. The business intelligence team was continuously put under pressure to deliver quality and timely data in order to make critical decisions and their legacy system was often unable to respond in a timely manner.
Key person risk
A small team poses the risk of loss of key talent to the private sector. Sickness or unplanned absence has the potential of creating significant pressure on the remaining team members and causing bottlenecks in the data delivery process.
PwC was approached to help the organisation co-create and implement a more modern reporting system capable of delivering the insights it needs.
Solution
We don’t sell systems. We help create solutions.
The starting point for upgrading the reporting system was engaging with people from across the organisation and reporting lifecycle, to discover what kind of outputs would strengthen their decision making and what format would be most useful and usable.
With them all the way
Next, we worked with both leadership and implementation teams to co-create the solution and embed it within the organisation. We also helped to design and execute the upskilling programme.
To boost relevance and buy-in, practical training sessions were closely geared to the specific tasks being carried out by different staff. We were also on hand to help the client convert some of their old reports.
The right fit
Following exploration and trialling of a number of options, the organisation selected a suitable analytics tool to get the work done. The introduction of the new system was supported by a systematic overhaul of the depth, quality and speed of data collection, communication and evaluation.
Interrogate the data
The interactive features within the analytics tool allow for full visualisation and interrogation of the data. Users can drill down into the data feeds and carry out ‘what if’ analysis. At the same time, it’s easy to learn how to use the system, which helps maximise organisation-wide deployment while reducing reliance on key personnel.
Impact
Decision makers now have the data they need, when and how they need it, to understand performance and make the right judgements. There is not only more data at their fingertips, but it can be shared and used more easily and collaboratively.
The underlying benefit is greater confidence in the decisions being made and accountability surrounding this.
While genuinely transformational, none of this required the kind of systems re-engineering that would have been needed in the past.
And through the active involvement of management and staff, this is a solution that they can embrace and use to its full effect.
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