ALM Analytics

Case Studies

PEPSI

SAP Implemention Drives Better Project Reporting

Pepsi is in the process of implementing SAP over a 7-10 year timeframe. To manage the project, they are using Borland's StarTeam and CaliberRM, as well as Mercury Quality Center, Microsoft Project Server, and their own custom Project Tracking System.

Given the high visibility and strategic importance of this project, Pepsi's Project Management Office (PMO) is taking a very open and timely approach to status reporting on the project. This includes the publishing of weekly metrics based on objects measures for their SDLC tools.

However, the process of extracting and reporting these metrics from the various development tools was very time-consuming. After collecting and manipulating the data by hand and re-entering it into Excel, the weekly metrics reports were being run utilizing custom Excel VBA macros that manipulated and summarized the extract data and copied the metrics data to another set of spreadsheets, which they then posted for review. Modifications to the reports involved Excel VBA macro reprogramming, changes to the extracts, and potentially some Excel pivot-table modifications. The entire effort was requiring up to two full-time staff resources.

Automate without Compromise

Pepsi's PMO turned to Dunn Solutions Group to help them automate the weekly metrics reporting with ALM Analytics.

ALM Analytics provides out-of-the-box access to data from Borland's StarTeam and CaliberRM, Mercury Quality Center and Microsoft Project Server. In addition, by utilizing ALM Analytics' flexible architecture Dunn Solutions Group was able to develop a custom conduit to pull data from Pepsi's proprietary Project Tracking System, allowing all the SDLC data to be gathered and made available from a single location.

The fact that Pepsi uses several of the SDLC tools was specific to their organization, and not a major obstacle to implementing ALM Analytics in their environment. Dunn Solutions Group worked closely with Pepsi to develop a series of custom reports that reproduced the presentation and analysis in their current weekly metrics and status reports.

Immediate ROI, Faster Turn Around, and New Analysis

ALM Analytics provided Pepsi with a single source for data reporting and analysis using standard database tools and a historical archive of the data (which doesn't exist in any of the source tools).

Most important, ALM Analytics was able to duplicate their reports using standard Business Objects reporting, and was able to completely automate the collection and manipulation of the data. The weekly project metrics reports now are scheduled to run at off-hours, and quickly re-run if the source data is changed/adjusted, and include historical information to identify trends.

By implementing ALM Analytics, Pepsi was able to reduce the resources it needs to produce these reports from almost two full-time resources to the task now requiring just one to two days a week of someone's time. Given the scope of the project, the additional resource hours were easily applied to other areas of the project.

Looking ahead, Pepsi has begun to utilize ALM Analytics data and metrics beyond their initial weekly status reports, and has re-engaged with Dunn Solutions Group to provide additional data minding and reporting on both the current and historical project data that is now available.