01 Jan 2022
Manufacturing Firm Automates and Manages their PMO and New Product Development Processes with Smartsheet

Manufacturing Firm Automates and Manages their PMO and New Product Development Processes with Smartsheet.

Optimum developed Smartsheet-based PMO, R&D, and New Product Development solutions for a Manufacturing and Consumer Goods company, enabling greater efficiency and improved visibility of measurable KPIs.

 

Business Challenge and Project Background

Prior to Optimum’s involvement, Client’s different teams and departments used various independent processes and tools to organize and manage their projects. Some teams used Microsoft Project Plans, Excel, or Jira while others didn’t have any standardized processes or work automation and project management tools. There was little consistency in the project management, R&D, and new product development processes making it difficult to track, manage, and report on projects and processes.

Also, due to the complex nature of the Client’s business, cross-departmental processes, and the lack of standardization in their processes, various departments and teams within the organization needed to align on the current state, define standard processes and procedures, and the best way to automate and report on their processes.

Optimum’s Involvement

Optimum began the engagement by leading various Client’s departments and teams through a series of in-depth requirements definition and process mapping workshops, to understand the current state and then fully define and document the requirements and user stories of a new holistic and robust automation solution. Optimum then began development in a series of sprints, meeting regularly with the Client’s teams for input and feedback. 

We utilized the Smartsheet platform as well as some of the Smartsheet’s premier apps, such as Control Center, Dynamic View and Resource Management, to design and develop an integrated and modern automation solution covering the automation of various departmental and cross-departmental processes for each team.

Our team designed and implemented two Control Center Blueprints, one for the R&D processes and one for the larger New Product Development projects. Each blueprint contained a list of templates, such as a project plan and a RAID log. The project plan templates can be customized to accommodate all project types. We also developed a portfolio dashboard for each blueprint, an executive dashboard for the Vice President to see information for both blueprints, and an innovation dashboard that captures only information from the innovative projects.

Our team also enhanced and optimized the existing Blueprints that were previously developed for the PMO team, reducing the number of blueprints from 3 to 2 that resulted in the reduction of cost of the Control Center licenses as well as the improved maintainability and scalability of the PMO solution. 

Optimum has been working Client since 2022, providing Smartsheet development and consulting services as well as annual support and maintenance of the Client’s Smartsheet platform for various teams and departments. 

New Product Development Dashboard Smartsheet

Project Outcomes

Optimum successfully completed Client’s business requirements and objectives of the project, fully meeting the Client’s process optimization and work automation goals and timelines. The outcome of this project was a scalable Smartsheet-based solution using Multi-Tier Control Center that allows Client to grow organically and create highly repeatable and reportable project assets, enabling a greater level of visibility into departmental as well as cross-departmental processes.

The Client was most excited about the various Smartsheet dashboards that were developed as part of this engagement, as visibility of their key performance indicators was critical to their leadership team. We worked closely with the Client to understand, document, and calculate their KPIs, and then had multiple meetings to work with them on the dashboard interface and user experience. This new reporting structure allowed their team members to easily get the information they need to understand the departmental goals and measure the departmental performance.

About Optimum

Optimum is a national Software Consulting firm, and a Smartsheet Platinum Partner, helping organizations accelerate efficiency and solve business challenges. We deliver robust software solutions and amazing client experiences!

As a Platinum, Certified Smartsheet Partner, our consultants define, automate, and optimize processes and implement advanced Smartsheet solutions to help clients achieve work efficiency and productivity. From development of customized templates and advanced dashboards and workflows to the full implementation and support of Smartsheet Control Center and other accelerators, our team helps clients maximize their ROI in Smartsheet and increase user adoption and productivity of their teams.

Contact us for a free discovery session to identify and discuss the best solution option for your work automation and project management needs. More information: Smartsheet Consulting Services

Contact us: info@optimumcs.com | 713.505.0300 

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