Last Updated on 6 September 2023 at 05:08
Table of Contents
Program data
The design, creation, and implementation of a corporate knowledge base facilitate the customer’s speed-to-market delivery.
For this Project and Case Study, the view is at the tactical and strategic level, both from the organizational perspective and customer experience. The agile flow of information involves a reliable, functional technology analysis and end-user analysis to implement the general operational framework.
Project initial deployment: 2000.
Request for global implementation and improvements: 2019 – 2020.
The number of people impacted: approx. 5’000 people per total, approx. 200 (two hundred) power-users, and 7 (seven) business units.
Context
Problem: before 2010, the business only had a rudimentary download section for customers.
This solution was inadequate to meet the client’s needs, besides the fact that the user experience was confusing.
Solution
A new project started in 2010 to provide a better customer journey.
Using SAAS provider ServiceNow, previous managers set up a knowledge base inside the customer support portal, where logged customers can download updated software consult specialist articles and product release notes.
Previous technical consultants split up the Knowledge Base (KB) into two sections: a “Fix” section and a “News” section.
The Fix section contains all the software patches that the customer can download. The “News” section contains all the news, alerts, documents, and other essential information such as security reports.
Each publication within KB has the following main operational attributes:
- unique KB number
- publication & validity date
- active flag; light workflow (draft/review/published/retired)
- company visibility (public/restricted/internal)
- navigation with product line>software product>software version>exact version
- attachments.
Other attributes include business data such as status holder, point of contact, and other references and sources.
Authoring roles are more straightforward by creating two major groups: “downloadable software” and “support news”.
The software patches to download are stored on the ServiceNow cloud servers, therefore actively assisting any customer from any place. This feature was handy for onsite consultants.
Project Implementation
The project took only a couple of months to be in production.
The first reactions were very favourable because each customer had access to the “Support Portal” via their web browser. The customer can easily download software files and search or read articles.
Long-term viability
This project was a success: rapid implementation, accurate and error-free, and minimal budget. The Knowledge Base answered all customer needs with an easy-to-use format.
Phase two of this project is in progress and has the objective of re-designing the dashboard and adding more search options. As the business grows and products become more complex and diverse, re-designing will facilitate navigation by separating the software from the central family product.
Incident management with ServiceNow
To remain relevant in the rapid and ever-changing technological landscape, businesses must embrace and perfect modern agile methods, as well as operational processes. By doing so, business organizations can effectively manage the delivery of IT services to customers. Two critical notions have to be mastered to meet growing demands:
- ITSM (Information Technology Service Management)
- and ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library)
Service Management in the IT field is known as ITSM for “Information Technology Service Management” and is one of the ITIL framework and project management bases. ITSM provides a framework for implementing a process-based approach to management. The focus is primarily on customer needs and services, not IT systems.
The ServiceNow cloud-based services platform helps businesses of all sizes and various industries automate business processes. The ServiceNow offering is transforming many organizations with innovative service delivery solutions. ServiceNow and IT Service Management (ITSM) has become the industry standard for cloud-based IT service management, not only in the DevOps for Fintech companies. ServiceNow ITSM is the first choice to extend the service delivery.
Technology Partner Management within Fintech
ServiceNow makes the world of work better for both process management and business efficiency. Within the Fintech industry, this solid cloud-based platform and solutions are delivering efficient digital workflows that deliver great experiences and unleash business and development teams productivity.
During my work experience with top banking companies, I have connected ServiceNow with a myriad of automation solutions. Those turnkey implementations help reduce the risk associated with process management, increase development team satisfaction and accelerate IT service delivery. The automation aspect places the “task” at the centre of business processes, linking the workflow and automation capabilities of the “Now Platform” into a centralized workspace where the Finance teams can manage and follow all related activities. This aspect is very important from a business point of view.
Reducing financial and operational reporting risks
The ServiceNow solution allows software development teams to centralize tasks and automatically post journal entries. This process is minimizing operational and delivery risks. Connecting the ServiceNow platform to different in-house solutions allows Fintech businesses to have an overview from both financial view and operational views. This connection allows the C-level management team and operational teams on-site to know at all times the exact status of the closed tickets, projects, or processes. This connectivity helps teams streamline workflows, reduce risk and operating costs, and stay confident that numbers to reports are in concordance with on-site reality.
Rather than chasing development team members asking for updates, Fintech DevOps teams can integrate task status and communication in workflows. This process makes this follow-up job much easier. DevOps teams can, at any moment, disconnect from ServiceNow tasks and connect directly to live documents within custom or another in-house platform. The end result is faster, easier month-end reporting. No tedious, repetitive steps are in the process if the workflow is correctly conceived from a strategic, business, and daily operations point of view.
ServiceNow contains a huge amount of data. Linking the operational data and analytics to strategic output is a great implementation, even if the complexity of such implementation is higher than average, standard implementations. A good technology and operational solution combined with realistic implementation can bring this information to life by creating in-depth reports.
Those reports can present not only comments but also an appealing visualization. The C-level management is, indeed, always keen to receive useful insights and analysis on financial operations.
FinTech Wealth Management expert with 30 years of successful track record, from Unicible/BCV to Odyssey and Temenos, plus hundreds of important banks across EMEA, APAC, and NAM.
► Background — from C-language code to C-suite in 30 years
• WealthSuite Triple’A Temenos TAP Plus expert
• crisis & change management
• complex multi-level project – program – portfolio management
• process architecture & governance, process optimization, BPO
• financial services software engineering FS FinTech
Career start as an innovative software engineer in startups ► to strategic advisory & turnaround for Tier1 & Tier2 Banks at senior C-level.
• T-shaped mastery of the latest key technologies, business, and operational practices in retail banking, asset management, core banking, PMS.
• Keen focus on improving productivity, client retention, and revenues through expertise in Program Management, Process Governance, and Optimized Delivery, augmented by know-how in complex issue resolution and value-driven E2E end-to-end implementations.
Temenos Practitioner accredited across WealthSuite and FrontOffice domains (FO, PM, TTI). Certified modules include Scripts & Formats, Implementation Methodology (T3TIM), Channels PM, APA Attribution, Constraint Management, Order Management, Data Security, WealthSuite Portfolio Management, and T24 Triple’A Interface. The Practitioner status anchors Didier’s capacity to operate as a Transformation Director, bridging certified product mastery with execution governance and program recovery.
Disclaimer —
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author, Didier Debbaut, and do not represent the views, positions, or policies of Temenos AG, its affiliates, clients, or partners. All information is shared in good faith and in the spirit of professional exchange, as part of an open, constructive contribution to the FinTech and WealthTech community.
Any technical references, opinions, or analyses are based solely on publicly available information and the author’s independent field expertise. They are offered for general informational and educational purposes only.
No confidential, proprietary, or non-public information related to Temenos products, clients, or business operations is disclosed or implied.
© Didier Debbaut — All rights reserved.
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The debate between Agile and Waterfall is not a zero-sum game. Each methodology has its merits and drawbacks, and the choice between the two is often dictated by the specific requirements and constraints of a project or program. However, for projects that demand both structure and flexibility, a hybrid approach can offer a balanced solution.
In practice, it is not about choosing between Waterfall and Agile; it’s about knowing when to use each. Structure and flexibility are complementary and not mutually exclusive. So, the next time someone tries to sell you on the “one true methodology”, remember: the most innovative solutions often come from combining the best of multiple worlds. It’s not about only waterfall or agile, but a lot of other methodologies, too.
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