Managing Global Projects

A practical perspectiveSamir Habet

April 28, 2016

Agenda• Speaker introduction• Challenges of Global Projects• Success Factors:• Development• Implementation• Post Implementation

• Questions

Challenges of Global Projects• Cultural differences• Different native languages• Business practices• Time zones• Working hours• Client business cycles• Multilingual applications• Interfaces with back end systems

Cultural Differences

Language Differences

Time Zone Differences

12.30 hours

4.30 hours

5.30 hours

Working HoursCountry M T W T F S SIndia

UAE

Iran

China (prior to golden weeks)

Lebanon

Western Europe

Saudi Arabia (before 2013)

Impact of client business cycles• Year end close

• December – Traditional• March – Japan• September – Tech/ Last calendar quarter impact

• Quarterly close• Public Holidays

• Islam: Eid el Fitr, Adha• China/South East Asia: Lunar New Year• Iran: Nowruz• China: Golden Weeks• India: Divali• Western Europe: Easter, Year End

Interfaces with back end systems

Client Front end

Processing Engine

Core Banking System

Cross Border

Clearing

Domestic Clearing

Low Value/High

Volume

High Value/Low

Volume

AML/ Compliance

Country A

Country B

Country C

Country D

Country E

Success factors – Development• Disciplined project planning

• Thorough assessment of the risk• Risk will vary from location to location• Actively engage all impacted locations• The front end may be global but the back end is local

• De-scope what is not necessary• Be realistic about your ability to deliver

• Plan at a very detailed level• Understand the critical path and the linkages• Focus on the key deliverables

• Test and test and test• Do as many dress rehearsals as you need and can.• Only sign off if everything has passed in dress rehearsal.• Don’t hesitate to call off the go live date.• Always conduct root cause analysis and post-mortem

• Be disciplined about team meetings at all levels:• Working Group• Steering Committees

• Ask the right questions

Success Factors – Deployment• Detailed dynamic D-Day plans

• Test plans during dress rehearsals• Clear critical path

• Clear Go/No Go milestones• Give yourself buffer time• Create a 24 hours command centre for the duration of the deployment

• Staff with at least 2 persons• Create an exhaustive list of contact details for all participants/stakeholders

• Keep rollback in mind at all times• Evaluate time backwards• Be dictatorial about updates from the execution teams.• Don’t be shy about escalating• Include all stakeholders in go/no go decisions• Post implementation support