Live Case – Project

DELIVERY: Solution Standardization

A Collaboration Between

Project Synopsis

A strategic imperative for the company is to accelerate growth in our existing markets by acquiring new customers. Traditionally, implementations were highly custom and therefore required more resources and time to complete. Given the new direction, Vitech has shifted its focus to a more standardized implementation scope and approach – trying to mimic an “assembly line” in terms of our go-to-market delivery strategy while prioritizing product-level upgrades over client-specific enhancements.

Part of the challenge will be to confirm and implement standards which new projects will be founded on, and which existing teams will need to conform to. How can we effectively implement standard processes without interrupting the teams that rely on non-standard processes today?

Project Topics

Growth Strategy

Company Information

CompanyVitech Systems Group
HQNew York, NY
RevenueN/A
Employees500-2500
StageLarge Enterprise
Hiring PotentialN/A
Websitehttps://www.vitechinc.com/

Company Overview

At Vitech we believe technology is best when it is used to simplify complex business processes and are on a mission to bring better software solutions to market to address the complexities of the insurance, retirement and investment industries. We are committed to innovation and continuously building better user experiences for our customers by pairing our deep domain expertise with the latest advancements in technology.

Experiential Learning Program Details

SchoolFordham University
Engagement FormatLive Case - Think "Hackathon" or Case Competition with a whole class of students! This learning format allows educators to deliver experiential learning to students at scale. Students are often split into groups to work on a live case (or a series of cases) from a real host company that directly relates to key learning objectives.
CourseMBA On the Spot Consulting, Fall 2021
Level
  • All Graduate
Students Enrolled80-100
Meeting Day & Time2 Sessions on Wednesday 10/27 & 11/3 from 3:30 - 5:30 PM ET
Student Time Commitment4-7 Hours Per Week
Company Time Commitment2 Hours
Duration1 Weeks

Program Timeline

Touchpoints & Assignments Due Date Type
STUDENT ON-BOARDING BEGINS!

STUDENT ON-BOARDING BEGINS!

October 13th, 2021 Event na
REMINDER OF CONFIDENTIALITY

REMINDER OF CONFIDENTIALITY

During this program, you'll be working on a real project posed by a real industry partner. By registering for the CapSource system and participating in this Program, you are bound by the Rules of Engagement, including strict confidentiality of information shared with you. Please be respectful and professional.
October 14th, 2021 Event na
Upload Résumé Upload Résumé
 
October 17th, 2021 Submission Required submission-required
SUBMIT PROJECT PREFERENCES

SUBMIT PROJECT PREFERENCES

October 17th, 2021 Evaluation evaluation
Teams Finalized

Teams Finalized

Students Ramp-up for Assigned Project
October 20th, 2021 Event na
Kickoff Evaluation Due

Kickoff Evaluation Due

October 26th, 2021 Evaluation evaluation
Presentation - Overview of Vitech

Presentation - Overview of Vitech

3:30 - 4:00 PM ET - Vitech Overview
October 27th, 2021 Event na
Project Breakout Sessions

Project Breakout Sessions

4:00 - 4:30 PM ET: Overview of Project 4:30 - 5:30 PM ET: Working Session + Office Hours with Vitech Contact
October 27th, 2021 Event na
Temp Check Due

Temp Check Due

October 28th, 2021 Evaluation evaluation
Submit Final Presentation Submit Final Presentation
Upload your Presentation in PDF Form
October 31st, 2021 Submission Required submission-required
Submit Link to 5-Minute Video Pitch Submit Link to 5-Minute Video Pitch
Please submit a link to your 5-minute recorded video pitch introducing yourselves and summarizing your creative approach to solving the challenge presented by Vitech. We recommend recording and uploading your video using one of the following tools: YouTube, Vimeo, Zoom, Loom, DropBox, and/or Google Drive.
October 31st, 2021 Submission Required submission-required
Debrief Session with Vitech

Debrief Session with Vitech

Each of the four projects will be debriefed in this order. Included in the debrief is an opportunity for Vitech to provide their feedback on deliverables and students to share reflections based on what they learned. 3:30 - 4:00 PM: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: Data and Analytics New Offering Analysis 4:00 - 4:30 PM: TALENT MANAGEMENT: How to Win the Competition for Technology Talent 4:30 - 5:00 PM: DELIVERY: Solutions Standardization 5:00 - 5:30 PM: MARKETING: The Changing Customer Buyer Journey – Winning Strategies for B2B Marketing
November 3rd, 2021 Event na
Final Peer Evaluation Due

Final Peer Evaluation Due

November 6th, 2021 Evaluation evaluation
Final Self Evaluation Due

Final Self Evaluation Due

November 6th, 2021 Evaluation evaluation

Key Project Milestones

  • October 27, 2021 - Deep Dive on the Challenges and Impediments to Solution Standardization at Vitech

    What is the history of Vitech’s product development?

    How has Vitech’s product development changed over time?

    How has the market changed over time (timeline and cost)?

    How does that market change influence Vitech’s decision making process?

    How has the diversification of the insurance industry and related products affected Vitech’s ability to serve its clients?

    How has the acquisition of Vitech (now primarily owned by investors) impacted the company’s ability to do business or serve its clients?

    What are the impacts of operating under the SaaS model?

    How does positioning Vitech as a software company rather than a software and service company affect our service model?

    How does this shift in model affect the talent management, recruitment, nurturing, and cultivation of human resources for Vitech?

    How do you recommend effectively using limited current knowledge talent resources within Vitech to scale delivery and meet client demand? (i.e, leveraging a finite set of knowledge and expert resources within the company to manage a growing portfolio of projects).

    How can Vitech effectively utilize and implement standardization to improve quality and satisfaction of product and reduce resource utilization?


    Suggested Deliverable:

    Overview of key things you heard and understood about this problem: Describe your understanding of the history of Vitech and the problems Vitech faces with standardization and the goals for standardization.

  • October 31, 2021 - Recommendations and resources to address challenges and barriers to Solution Standardization at Vitech

    What ideas do you have for solutions to the problems presented by standardization?

    What type of organizational structure might you suggest to help the limited knowledge/talent resources have a greater impact across the company?

    What suggestions do you have for a standardized product which will still be able to respond to the unique needs to each client?  (I.e., How can Vitech remain agile, nimble, and fungible while utilizing  standardized solutions?)

    How are competitors in the larger software space/industry solving this problem?

    What are the leading resources and who are the thought leaders influencing software standardization challenges?

    What suggestions do you have for gaining internal buy-in on standardization at Vitech?

    What are the blockages and pain points within Vitech that are barriers to the adoption of standardization?

    How do the ideas and solutions you are presenting address the pain point of resistance to culture change within Vitech?

     

     


    Suggested Deliverable:

    Proposal for addressing barriers and challenges to the implementation of Solution Standardization at Vitech

    NOTE: All content items do not need to be addressed and the team is free to address items they feel most comfortable.  Looking for fresh ideas or perspective.

Project Resources

Industry Mentors

Company Admin

William Klein 

[email protected]

Company Admin

Jared Shaw

[email protected]

Academic Mentors

Instructor

Robert Gach

[email protected]

Instructor

Rocco Totino

[email protected]

Instructor

Janez Koprivec

[email protected]

Instructor

Linda Agnew

[email protected]

Instructor

Julita Haber

[email protected]

Instructor

Alex Markle 

[email protected]

Instructor

Lonnie Kussin 

[email protected]

Instructor

Ally Callaghan 

[email protected]

Instructor

Elizabeth Ostler 

[email protected]

Assigned Students

Student

John Paliogiannis 

[email protected]

Student

jin zhang 

[email protected]

Student

Jacqueline 

[email protected]

Student

Shubham Trivedi

[email protected]

Student

Sergey Chursin 

[email protected]

Student

Michelle Scheblein

[email protected]

Student

Karan Kumar 

[email protected]

Student

Sean Lee 

[email protected]

Student

Uday Singh

[email protected]

Student

Seung-Hwan (Ryan) Kim

[email protected]

Student

Leonard Mazzone 

[email protected]

Student

Lydia Filosa 

[email protected]

Student

Taiba Quraishi 

[email protected]

Student

Sakshi Tekriwal 

[email protected]