False Starts & Bad Ideas: The Path to

Business Innovation

May 8, 2013

http://bit.ly/crinnovation

The Business Scenario

• Genetically Engineered

Models and Services (GEMS)

House engineered animal

models at our facility prior to

entering client research

These models have human

related issues (i.e., cancer,

diabetes, high blood pressure)

GEMS provides large portfolio of

services to help clients achieve

target animals/data

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The Business Scenario

• Genetically Engineered

Models and Services

All animals are housed in a bio-

secure environment to ensure

animal health status

Each animal is tracked uniquely

Clients includes

Pharmaceutical, Bio-Tech,

Academic Institutions

3

The Business Scenario

• In 1991, The GEMS

business initiated

Projects had very little

complexity

Number of services

provided to the clients

were limited

4

The Business Scenario

• By 2011, GEMS

had expanded to 8

sites in 6 countries

Customer demands

led to an increase in

complexity

Number of services

provided by GEMS

grew exponentially

5

The Business Scenario

6

• 2500 isolators managed

through a paper process

internationally

• Project data was stored

locally in high density

filing /off-site storage

• Minimal database usage

• High profile/confidential

data

The Business Problem

• Inefficiencies/Labor Cost

Triple checking

Transcribing data 3+ times

• Errors

Transcription

Task Execution

• Competitive Disadvantage

Customer looking for real-time data

Main competitor has some automation

Decline in customer confidence due to errors

Minimal new opportunities due to lack of real-time data

7

The IT Problem

• Lack of understanding of the complexity and

inefficiencies associated to the GEMS business

• Early on, IT’s philosophy limited the possible

solutions

• New CIO was hired with a new philosophy which

expanded the possible options for a solution

8

The Process

• Building internally

Generated Requirement

Documents

Built a Project Charter

• Buy an off-the-shelf

software

Examined 20 software

options

Demo’d the 2 of the best off-

the-shelf software options

9

PRO – build the business vision

CON – takes too long to build

and lack of resources

PRO – fast to production

CON – business has to fit vision

to software

A Different Approach

• Contracting the

development of a solution

OutSystems brought more

an a great platform and

methodology

o Rapid comprehension of

business needs

o Complete investment

o Fast turnaround

o Intelligent new perspective

o Open/flexible with new ideas

o Outstanding team management

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PRO – fast to production with

the highest of quality

PRO – build the business

vision not retrofitting

PRO – willing to partner with

the business to build a solution

not just software

Agile Ways

• Typical IT waterfall projects lead to building all

requirements (critical and low priorities), which

gives the business little room to adjust/enhance

application features.

• OutSystems approach gave the business to ability

to reprioritized at any point, which allowed them to

push innovation and enhance critical components.

11

A Clean White Board

• Early in development, the business took a few risks

to push innovation.

• Taking risks inevitably led to false starts and ideas

that did not work.

Tablet interface

Voice commands

Voice prompting

Keypad interaction

RFID use

12

Vision Shift

• All “Must Haves” were not apparent from the start

• During the build, it became clear to see the true

“Must Haves” vs. the “Nice to Haves”

• OutSystems’ approach allowed the business to

refine the requirements to focus on the true “Must

Haves”

• In addition, OutSystems development helped refine

some of the business processes internationally

• This methodology led to innovation and a better

application

13

The Result

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The Result

15

The Result

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The Result

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The Benefits • Data Quality and Integrity

• Efficiencies Gained

Reduced support labor by 100%

Reduced tech labor by 10%

• Cost Savings

Gratis due to errors by 80%

Reduction of all paper related supplies/storage by 95%

• New Opportunities

Closed new business that was not otherwise available

prior to ICM

Added new sales within existing clients

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ICM Video

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False Starts & Bad Ideas: The Path to

Business Innovation

May 8, 2013

http://bit.ly/crinnovation