Replacing and Optimising an Airline’s legacy groups data warehouse analytics and reporting system

Engagement Overview

As part of an aviation client’s core Group Sales reporting, analytics and business intelligence program (GSO-A) is replacing and optimising the airline’s legacy groups data warehouse analytics and reporting systems with a modern, robust and scalable Azure cloud based platform technology. This investment in technology is central to the airline’s group sales reporting, analytics and business intelligence agenda, and will enable the business to deliver larger, quicker, easier analysis, reporting, and business intelligence data for groups of 10 or over guests, travelling domestically or internationally. Resulting in higher revenue management, better pricing, routing, seat and fare selection and revenue management optimisation, and selected targeting marketing options, through better, scalable data capturing and analytics, on all Group bookings, across all markets in the business.

This engagement involved the review of all Groups data, reporting and analytics requirements and current and future estimated requirements analysis, application development, project management and execution of a Business Support Model to underpin the implementation of the GSO-A and the roll out to the client’s internal group sales and marketing staff. The implementation commenced with an identification of the data, reporting and business intelligence requirements, information technology, architecture, and security build requirements and then followed by build and rollout.

GSO-A was the largest and first Cloud base project the client has undertaken. Combining both business and information technology architecture streams in the one project.

Scope of work                                                    

As part of the Cloud based, data capture, analytics and reporting model, a wide range of internal business, information management and infrastructure stakeholders were engaged in order to identify key implementation milestones and related business activities.   The implementation phase ensured that all users and support teams were appropriately trained in the system, and in the business intelligence applications in a timely and effective manner.  Business procedures, including those that were required to support end users were also delivered via this model.  Both User Acceptance Testing and Dress Rehearsals were planned and completed to meet all of the defined and agreed exit criteria.

As part of the implementation governance and go-live sign-off process, a total of 15 business stakeholders, 20 on-shore and offshore information technology application specialists were engaged in order to agree to defined UAT exit criteria, delivery risks (including plans to mitigate/resolve) and any outstanding defects.  This included a full list of workarounds and plans to resolve delivered defects post go-live.

A go-live ‘Command Centre’ was designed and established to support and either resolve or workaround issues that arose both pre, during and post go-live.  A daily stand-up was facilitated, which included core support teams and any parties that were needed to resolve any current or outstanding issues, defects or queries.

Outcome

The implementation and go-live of the cloud solution was very well planned, rehearsed and executed, on-time with minimal disruption to the client.  All workarounds and associated procedure changes were delivered with a quick turnaround in order to overcome any shortfalls or defects.  All delivered risks were clearly identified, articulated and mitigated to the satisfaction of the business and airline industry regulators.

The quality and increased amount of detailed data provided by this solution enabled the client to increase revenue and identify staffing and training requirements in the Groups area. Other areas of the airline is now investigating using the same Cloud solution for Business Intelligence and analytic reporting requirements.