Following its successful merger with the Promina group of companies last year, diversified financial services group Suncorp has partnered with Infosys Technologies to successfully deliver a major desktop integration project across 50 locations and 2,200 employees across New Zealand.
Suncorp engaged Infosys Technologies to help deliver a common technology platform across the merged entity to standardise desktops across its operations in both New Zealand and Australia. The desktop component of Suncorp’s Infrastructure Integration Program went live across New Zealand in late December 2008.
“A project like this is a big, hairy beast so we wanted a partner on board who knew their craft, was prepared to make decisions and stand accountable for the outcomes” Paul Cameron, executive general manager of Business Technology Infrastructure for Suncorp explained. “We’d successfully worked with Infosys in 2006 to help create a standard operating environment for Suncorp, and felt very confident they could partner and do it again”
The project was unusual for an infrastructure initiative in deploying Agile delivery principles more commonly used in software development. The Agile methodology is an adaptive, collaborative approach which calls for IT to work in concert with business goals, and encourages multiple small iterations of work rather than one large deployment.
Using the Agile approach, Infosys helped integrate and standardise over 9,000 desktops across the Promina group to bring them in line with Suncorp’s existing desktop platform of 12,000, and to provide one technology foundation for the merged business.
“We executed the integration project in short, sharp bursts with deployment occurring over 125 consecutive days and regularly checking progress to ‘course correct’ and ensure the project remained on track,” says Cameron. “The Agile method meant the integration – comprising multiple email, calendaring, directories and storage systems was completed in just 18 months rather than the original three year estimate. “Time is money, so our executive team were overwhelmed with the speed and success of the deployments.”
The partnership with Infosys is yielding a strong return for Suncorp. Despite the complexities of the program, the design was completed in just seven weeks and delivered in a cost-efficient manner, as there was a repeatable and scalable model already in place from Suncorp’s 2006 desktop roll-out.
When it came to deployment, the plan was to execute as quickly as possible. “We leveraged Infosys’ selective offshoring model which allowed up to 70% of the deployments to happen offshore after hours,” says Cameron. “Work was generally completed by 11pm Australian time each day, minimising disruption for users.”
The project is already tracking at 98% of benefits realisation and will continue to deliver synergies and cost savings for Suncorp, with an enormous technology transformation and significant business productivity improvements.
On time and on budget delivery have never been more important, according to Infosys Australia Chief Operating Officer Vishnu Bhat. “In this economic climate, even a small variance can cause major headaches for management,” says Vishnu Bhat. “Infosys has a track record of delivery excellence and the Suncorp-Promina infrastructure integration is a good example of this.” Across the Suncorp business there’s now a feeling that technology “just works” noted Cameron. “A project such as this brings a certain level of anxiety with it, so to be receiving positive feedback from users so soon after deployment is a great outcome.”
D.C.