Optimising Value Chains and Dependency Management at a Leading American Bank

Introduction

This case study focuses on a prominent American bank, operating in the financial sector. The bank aimed to enhance the performance of its value chains, run planning and synchronisation events efficiently for distributed teams, and improve data extraction from their work management system.

Problem

The bank faced challenges with multiple teams heavily dependent on each other for successful project execution. However, the default reporting capabilities of their work management system did not provide adequate insights for informed decision-making. Additionally, the manual tracking of dependencies between teams led to errors and inefficiencies.

Solution

To address these challenges, the bank implemented a solution that focused on optimising value chains and improving dependency management.

Implementation

The bank deployed a Dependency Mapper tool within their work management system to visualise and track dependencies across teams. They consolidated the types of dependencies to focus on specific blockages, such as task dependencies, personnel dependencies, and knowledge dependencies. Collaboration with Delivery Managers helped create dependency dashboards to provide a clear overview of the dependencies and facilitate decision-making. Additionally, after three months of implementation, they identified the teams with the highest interdependencies and reorganised them into independent value-delivery streams.

Results

The implementation of the solution yielded significant improvements for the bank. Six teams were successfully reorganised into independent value-delivery streams, reducing interdependencies and promoting autonomy. The number of dependency management meetings decreased by 95%, saving time and resources. Moreover, the average dependency resolution time was reduced by 150%, enabling teams to work more efficiently.

In conclusion, the American bank successfully optimised its value chains and improved dependency management by implementing a solution that leveraged a Dependency Mapper tool and reorganisation strategies. This case study emphasises the importance of visualising and tracking dependencies, promoting autonomy within teams, and streamlining decision-making processes. By addressing these challenges, the bank achieved greater efficiency and effectiveness in their value delivery, leading to improved overall performance.