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Catalyzing Transformation at a Fortune 500 Company: The Journey with Smartsheet and the E2E Remodel Initiative

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In this blog, Principal Consultant Alex De La Mora delves into his transformative experience with Smartsheet and the pivotal End-to-End (E2E) Remodel Process Initiative at a Fortune 500 company.

As an analytics translator, Alex emphasizes the importance of focusing on processes before tools, highlighting how this approach was crucial to our success.

What is an Analytics Translator?

An analytics translator bridges the gap between technical experts and business leaders. Think of it as being a translator in a foreign country—an analytics translator takes complex data and technical information and explains it in simple, understandable terms to decision-makers.

This role ensures that the insights from data analysis are clear, actionable, and aligned with the company’s goals.

For more information about analytics translators, head to our blog: Analytics Translators: What They Do & How They Help.

1. The Genesis of Transformation

The E2E Remodel Initiative: Tasked with remodeling over 350 stores annually without additional resources, the company needed to refine its undefined remodel (REM) process. The inception of the E2E Remodel Initiative involved identifying gaps, seizing opportunities, and proposing a future state for efficiency.

Role of Smartsheet: In the face of this daunting task, Smartsheet emerged as the tool of choice for implementing the E2E REM process. Its versatility and robust features were crucial in meeting our needs, enhancing visibility, fostering accountability, and facilitating seamless collaboration among previously isolated teams.

2. The Protagonist’s Backdrop

My Technical Foray: With a background in Civil Engineering and a recent PMP certification, I was well-equipped to tackle the complexities of the E2E process using the PMI and LEAN methodologies. My expertise shaped the approach to this project significantly.

Day One at the Company: My first day as a Project Manager for the REM Program was filled with crucial questions about process diagrams and tools, leading to unexpected answers and an introduction to Smartsheet.

3. Falling for Smartsheet

First Impressions: Discovering Smartsheet was like finding the perfect blend of Excel and MS Project, complete with innovative features like “Card View” and “Calendar.” My initial experiences and growing fondness for the tool were transformative.

The Gantt Chart Revolution: As I managed the remodeling of stores and created a Gantt chart showing the REM process and its dependencies with all departments, it began to get attention from leadership. A group of Black Belt Six Sigma team members, along with 20-25+ directors, were having daily workshops trying to figure out the REM E2E process. When a Black Belt team member saw my Gantt chart with over 350+ tasks interconnected and showing dependencies between all departments involved in the remodel program, she spoke to her Vice President. The next steps were amazing: they immediately stopped the daily workshops with all Directors and utilized my Smartsheet REM Process as the Source of Truth schedule; as a result, they removed all the stores I was managing, and assigned me to lead the E2E REM program initiative full time.

4. Leading the Charge

E2E REM Process Initiative: For the next six to eight months, my full-time job was to figure out what no one in the past was able to figure out and document—the E2E REM Process. This initiative was designed to understand the current REM process, identify gaps and opportunities, and propose a future state to handle the increased volume of store remodels efficiently.

Documenting the Process: The E2E REM Process document was a comprehensive guide capturing all aspects of the remodel process. It included detailed process diagrams, roles and responsibilities, and timelines. This meticulous documentation ensured that every team member understood their role and how their tasks interconnected with others.

Key Components of the E2E REM Process:

  • Workshops and Collaboration: We held extensive workshops with all stakeholders to map out the current process and identify pain points. These sessions involved every single department in the REM process, ensuring buy-in from all departments and gathering diverse insights into the challenges faced during remodels.
  • Gap Analysis and Opportunity Identification: Through these workshops, we conducted a thorough gap analysis to pinpoint inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Opportunities for automation and better resource allocation were identified, leveraging Smartsheet’s capabilities.
  • Future State Proposal: We developed a proposed future state for the REM process, incorporating best practices and leveraging advanced tools to reduce redundancies, improve communication, and ensure seamless project management. Because we spent all this time on the process, now we were able to implement Smartsheet successfully.
  • Implementation with Smartsheet: With the E2E REM Process documented, we turned to Smartsheet to bring this new process to life. Smartsheet’s user-friendly interface and powerful features allowed us to implement the process effectively.
    • Process Automation: Automated routine tasks and notifications ensured timely updates and actions. Real-time tracking of project status, timelines, and resource allocation became possible.
    • Collaborative Workflows: Established workflows connected all stakeholders, ensuring everyone was on the same page. Real-time communication and updates significantly reduced delays and misunderstandings.
    • Visibility and Reporting: Enhanced visibility into project progress with customizable dashboards and reports. Leadership could easily monitor the status of all ongoing remodels, making data driven decisions swiftly.

Outcome and Impact: The new E2E REM Process, powered by Smartsheet, transformed how the company managed its store remodels. We were able to handle the increased workload efficiently, meet deadlines, and consistently deliver high-quality remodels. This process not only streamlined operations but also set a new standard for project management within the company. The E2E REM process received significant attention, even becoming one of the executive vice president’s top goals for the year.

5. The Smartsheet Team Emerges

Unlikely Alliance: Forming an unofficial Smartsheet Team with colleagues from Store Planning and Architecture, we worked together to bring visibility to our respective departments and spearheaded the tool’s adoption across the organization, following the E2E REM Process.

6. The Role of an Analytics Translator

Defining the Role: An analytics translator bridges the gap between technical experts and business leaders. This role is crucial in ensuring that sophisticated analytics translate into impactful business decisions.

My Experience: With over 10 years of experience unknowingly performing the role of an analytics translator, I helped business leaders identify and prioritize problems that analytics could solve. My technical fluency and project management skills, bolstered by my PMP certification, allowed me to direct analytics initiatives from ideation through to production and adoption.

Impact on the Project: As an analytics translator, I facilitated communication and collaboration between departments, ensuring that the solutions developed were aligned with business goals and operational needs. This role was integral to our success, demonstrating the need for such roles in modern enterprises to bridge gaps and drive actionable insights.

Conclusion

A Legacy of Transformation: Reflecting on the impact of the E2E Remodel Process and Smartsheet at the Fortune 500 company, the initial time spent on clearly articulating the process provided the foundation for success to this multi-million dollar program. Once defined, the process was successfully executed leveraging a blend of technical acumen, innovative tools (Smartsheet), and a renewed collaborative spirit. The role of an analytics translator was integral to our success, demonstrating the need for such roles in modern enterprises to bridge gaps and drive actionable insight.