Strategic response - Case Study

Implementing major change using legacy IT systems

The business plans for a newly-independent European cargo airline depended upon the ability of major IT systems to be quickly adapted to deliver improved operational support, customer service, and marketing throughout the global network and to agents and forwarders. Previous attempts to improve the systems had resulted in unfulfilled user expectations, cost overruns, and the fragmented management of individual projects.

We audited the current status and planned enhancements of the current systems, and then embraced the internal IT staff, external suppliers, system users, and customers in structured debates. These were designed to force choices about commercial priorities, likely risks in system development or operation, likely cost and resource implications, and the congruence of current and planned projects with the developing business strategy. From this we were able to support the internal management in recommending to the Board a revised IT strategy that was fully aligned with the business strategy.

Following this agreement we then facilitated the translation of this strategy into revised programme and project management, and supported internal and external supplier management in the achievement of challenging performance and cost goals.

Issues that were addressed during this process included reviewing the efficacy of internal and external systems development and the consistency, clarity and reality of user demands. This led us to advise on revised management disciplines for system architecture, data entry, operational management, and programme and project management that maintained the focus on the required strategic vision.

Our recommendations led to a clearer integration of the business and IT strategies, effectively recognising that these were symbiotic, and to the revision of organisational structures and individual roles in order to maintain close links between suppliers, project managers and users.