Wireline Transformation for Telstra

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Telstra partnered with Alcatel-Lucent to complete a transformation of its voice and data networks. Certatech has been engaged in several strategic roles since June 2007 to support and drive key programs for Alcatel-Lucent.

In the midst of major national optical (DWDM) and Ethernet deployment, Alcatel-Lucent lost two key delivery leaders in South Australia. Under significant time pressure to build and integrate a large number of network elements, Certatech was engaged to rapidly assess the situation and to bring the project under control.

Certatech deployed a senior project manager to Adelaide and identified several areas that required immediate attention:

• Resourcing
• Skill levels
• Identification of dependencies
• Deployment planning, and
• Management reporting.

To address these issues, Certatech implemented a more formal project management methodology, including developing a detailed deployment plan showing all known dependencies, a resource plan to achieve the target dates and an issue tracking and management reporting tool.

Using the fast tracked planning, Certatech identified the need for additional skilled resources to achieve the project objectives, facilitating the placement of eight additional contractors from the eastern states. Certatech was also able to improve the accuracy of the daily completion reports by ensuring the local deployment teams understood the previously unidentified dependencies and were accurately forecasting completion dates.

Twice daily reporting was introduced to ensure the forecast dates were as up to date as possible, allowing the early identification of resourcing, skill and materials management issues. Ensuring there is time to implement corrective actions. After a frantic time, the project was bought back under control, key dates were met, and the deployment was back on track. Alcatel-Lucent met their contractual milestones with the South Australian team playing their part.

Project Type and Size

The telecommunications innovations project is set for completion of a transformation of voice and data networks.

The entire transformation is a multi year program of work worth hundreds of millions of dollars in services. Over the two years of Certatech’s involvement, Certatech has managed deployment projects worth up to $25M a year, and development projects worth up to $2.5M dollars.

Whilst development projects are primarily based in Melbourne and Sydney, the deployment projects cover Australia from coast to coast. In any given month, Certatech was managing teams of up to 80 people working from engineering, to supply chain, to installation and integration works.

Complex Coordination

Certatech answered the call to provide guidance and leadership on two critical development programs; One being a comprehensive performance monitoring system, and the other a suite of tools and processes for the configuration management of both network elements and documentation. As part of the wider wireline transformation, these two programs were at risk of being cancelled due to a lack of progress, milestones not being achieved and a lack of transparency in the project reporting.

A Certatech program manager was assigned to re-plan both programs, re-structure the team, improve the customer perception and provide mentoring to the project managers. Certatech re-organised the teams to align them with the company’s functional groups. New reporting and governance structures were implemented and detailed scoping and resourcing and program budgeting was completed.

After a period of eight months, many positive changes were made resulting in the achievement of some significant milestones and the drastic improvement in the relationship with the customer.

One of the key tenets of the transformation program consisted of a large scale national deployment of infrastructure. Certatech was engaged midway through the deployment, when the team was not hitting its targets, to ensure the program fulfilled its objectives.

In order to improve delivery, managing the forecasting and assigning of resources was critical to success. This stretched from regional delivery teams to the subcontractor companies as well. Working with the Alcatel-Lucent workforce planning team, and the project co-ordinators within the group, new forecasting tools were developed, trialled and implemented across the program of work. In addition to this, a series of formal engagements with regional management, and subcontractors was initiated to identify resourcing needs and issues, and to address the gaps through greater co-operation between the regions, and appropriate escalation.

Over a period of several months, the performance of the project team improved dramatically, resulting in a doubling of the monthly run rate. This was achieved by establishing a culture of planning, forecasting and focus on team commitments.

Corporate Culture

A change of culture was required to focus the team and the organization on the customer goals and targets. To achieve this, an aggressive improvement program was proposed and implemented by Certatech’s lead consultant.

Following a thorough review of program of work, Certatech identified several areas that required significant change if the customer targets were to be met. Changes were required across the board including: reporting (both internal and customer facing), resource planning, commercial/contract management, workflow, supply chain engagement and performance KPI tracking and reporting.

One of the main challenges was introducing balanced scorecard reporting into reluctant regional teams. After developing the metrics, measures and tools, it took several months to demonstrate to the various stakeholders that this reporting will help identify problem areas, and enable measurement of improvement over time. This activity bore fruit over
time, along with improvement of the relationship between the customer, the project team, and the suppliers.

In coming into the organization from outside, and being able to “sit between” the customer and the vendor, an independent view was developed, and improvement initiatives covered
both customer and vendor. Prioritisation programs, reporting, and a new engagement model was identified, approved and implemented. By collaborating with the customer, and
proving to then, and the client, that your programs were providing improvement, the nature of the relationship between the customer and vendor were dramatically improved.

To drive the organization to change, new structures were put into place, including new reporting and meeting structures. A monthly internal governance was established including all of the key stakeholders (supply chain, regional management, deployment methodology, etc). This forum was used to garner support from management, report progress and improvement, and to escalate issues. Several new streams of meetings and engagements were implemented, to help focus the team, and to drive behavioural change.

Customer Service Sensitivities

Certatech implemented new structures and processes to enable accurate tracking, reporting and prioritization of issues. The customer relationship improved dramatically as a result of more accurate and timely reporting, proactive management of high priority sites and engagement of new parts of the customer organisation. New program management tools were implemented and processes optimized.

At the conclusion of the program, Certatech had helped Alcatel-Lucent exceed expectations, generate additional revenue, and build credibility with Telstra. In each of these cases, Certatech was engaged to put in place immediate improvement programs to ensure the programs were planned, resourced and able to fulfill the customer and business objectives. Dramatic improvement was achieved, targets and milestones were met, and most importantly, the relationship between Telstra and Alcatel-Lucent was vastly improved.

Work Environment

Deployment programs within Alcatel-Lucent, as both the constructor and supplier of hardware and software involves several different teams. Each team sits within its own
functional team, and is accountable to the project manager for delivery.

Supply chain & logistics, site design, data fill management, installation, integration, commercial management, project management, vendor management, database and records management, technical support, and deployment methods management are all key parts of delivery.

OHS and Safety Sensitivity

As with any deployment work, safety systems and processes are paramount, both for your team and any subcontractors under your control. Sitting within an organisation like Alcatel-
Lucent, and performing work on Telstra owned sites, bought into consideration two OH&S systems to follow. It is the accountability of the project manager to ensure these systems
are followed and compliance is managed.

To do this, and in consultation with the OH&S experts, a project co-ordinator was tasked with managing the paperwork associated with access permissions and tracking credentials for subcontractors.

In addition to this, escalation processes were defined and distributed to the subcontractors and regional teams, to ensure adequate reporting of incidents or near misses. Each of
these was required to be reported to the customer, and included in monthly reporting.

During the project, there were regular audits by both Alcatel-Lucent and Telstra. These ranged from ensuring the project team and subcontractors knew where the documentation
was stored and what the process is for reporting incidents, to site visits to ensure safe working practices were being used. Included in safe working practices are things like correct signage, current tags on all electrical equipment, working at heights requirements, and clear and safe working environments (no cables, rubbish lying around). Other considerations are driving long distances, and working at night. Following audits, non-compliances were reported, investigated and corrective actions implemented and tracked to ensure compliance in the future.