Task Management

Problem

The client's telecom business unit is responsible for network infrastructure and connection provisioning for all parts of the organisation. This includes Broadcast, Telecom, IT, Telemetry LAN/WAN, Satellite & Cellular/Smart service traffic for internal and external customer purposes. This responsibility includes a need to approve the network architectures intended for deployment, the complete scope of 'A' and 'B' site termination equipment requirements and the associated interfaces to customer platform assets.

Legacy methodologies involved approaches from business unit personnel e.g. a broadcast project team representative requiring connectivity provision between a number of in scope sites forming part of an existing broadcast network extension perhaps. Very often the representative is requesting from a project management perspective and may not be fully conversant with associated and specific technical requirements. In some cases, this could lead to incorrect or delayed provisioning with cascading implications to their project.

Another regularly encountered difficulty involved diverse communication practices between the telecom business unit (managing the provision) and the requestor (Internal Customer) business units. These could include communication via meetings, direct conversations, phone calls, and e-mails often depending on requestor business unit personnel random preferences.

The actual provisioning process was inconsistent by nature and varied depending on the individual or work-stream tasked with delivery. It was also difficult to track request volume or extract measurable data e.g. who is the requestor, what business unit is being represented, what is the most common request by type, architecture, route and site. All desirable from a strategic planning and capacity analysis perspective.

Solution

GD worked with the Telecom Business Unit to design and construct a dedicated Provisioning Gateway system based on a RESOLVE software framework and the existing Task Manager Module functionality.

The system provides a single, standardised methodology for requesting access to internal network infrastructure, and or connection provision from external network suppliers. It features a suite of multi-stage template options designed to accommodate all types of network access requests. This includes bespoke tailoring options that best suit the range of architectures deployed in appropriate business unit operational networks.

The gateway offers requestors an extensive range of service required options which include, capacity check, supplier availability (at in-scope sites), quote/cost estimation, site survey, network trail/VLAN reserve/request, network build, network repair, site access, external connection order and more. It includes project requirement alignment e.g. 'must be done by chronology', task time tracking and notification of overrun occurrences. Requestors can save standard network provisioning request types (e.g. Point to Point Ethernet capacity ordering), which can be retrieved and modified (e.g. new A/B end data) to accelerate time spent submitting subsequent requests.

The complete end to end process is mapped into the RESOLVE system, providing the requestor with easy to interpret visibility of ticket request progression.

This client also purchased these RESOLVE Modules to work alongside this module:

• Risk management
• Lessons Learned (Knowledge Module)
• Change management
• Working at Risk (Custom)
• Early Warning Notices (Custom)
• Supplier Incidents (Custom)

Benefits

• Establishment of a single methodology and process governance associated with network asset access and connection provisioning across the organisation.
• Mandatory requirement for adoption by all internal business unit requestors, standardising the expected format and processes for those tasked with delivery.
• Reduction in the number of instances associated with incorrect provisioning intention interpretation. Users are prompted step by step to define exact needs prior to ticket acceptance progression.
• Inherent system notification and approval facilities which ensure all relevant parties are fully informed through to delivery.
• Comprehensive reporting suite providing KPI analytics of the organisation's practices associated with efficient network provisioning delivery, capacity trending, supplier usage and future network development requirements.