Customer success
United Bank Limited
"iServer is a lower cost and fit for purpose EA solution for any organization that wishes to realize value from EA. We evaluated various EA tools on a scale of 1 to 5 based on our defined features criteria that would meet the objective of the EA project being implemented at the bank, and iServer came out on top.”
VP/Senior Manager
Samina Rizwan
AT A GLANCE
Industry
Financial Services
Region
EMEA
Use Case
Reporting Services
The Challenge
UBL needed an Architecture Repository supporting global standards to document their growing number of applications demanded by the natural growth in business strategies and products. A collaborative environment that required a low learning curve and was familiar to the Business, as well as the Architects, was identified as essential. Orbus Software’s iServer Enterprise Architect with a TOGAF® 9 ‘out-of-the-box’ accelerator was identified as the best solution after evaluating and researching multiple EA tools and scoring them based on UBL’s own criteria.
UBL was not going to jump on the EA ‘bandwagon’ just because they wanted to implement EA. The need for implementing EA at UBL evolved from a sequence of events that have been occurring in the past few years:
- Support requirement for the introduction and implementation of IT Governance at UBL IT and for the chosen EA framework; TOGAF® 9.
- Need to plan and communicate transformation of legacy systems and implementation of new platforms and technologies.
- Migration of Core Banking System.
- Documenting blueprint for the natural growth of applications supported by multiple business units as a result of the growth in business strategies and products.
- Increasing customer demands for quality services and products especially online products.
- Need to generate a complete Architectural landscape for Business and Enterprise Architects to play their role efficiently, effectively and collaboratively to meet the organizational goals.
The Result
UBL Architects had a good understanding and experience with various EA tools. UBL also identified the purpose of EA in the bank was to understand, identify, optimize and deliver consistent extendible solutions. This was to be implemented across an enterprise that had operated in a previously fragmented fashion.
The initial focus was on legacy business processes that required integration in an agile IT environment that is responsive to change and supportive of the delivery of the business strategy. The goal was to establish ‘good EA practice’ that would enable UBL to achieve the right balance between IT efficiency and business innovation.
Orbus Software’s iServer tool facilitated the following as part of the solution for UBL
Shared Central Repository based on TOGAF® 9 to facilitate collaboration; greater data sharing and integrated process standards.
Visibility to Senior Management and Business Unit Management using iServer Portal to share ‘live’ repository information with business stakeholders.
Ability to Identify Strategic Business Impact using iServer’s Impact Analysis Visualization to enhance: operational excellence, customer intimacy, product leadership and strategic agility.
Traceability of Information and visibility of common processes and application for business units to make decisions in a more predictable environment.
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Why iServer?
Framework and Standard Support. UBL had chosen TOGAF® 9 as the bank’s overarching framework. Orbus Software’s TOGAF® 9 ‘out-of-the-box’ accelerator (with support for the extended Content Meta Model) meant a quicker deployment for UBL.
Modeling Standard. iServer flexibility and ease in managing the tool means that it can support commonly used modeling notation standards such as BPMN 2.0 for process modeling, ArchiMate 2.0 for EA, UML and any other custom notation that UBL wanted to define as a standard.
Central Repository. Some EA information and models already existed (largely as MS Office / Visio documents) that could be imported in iServer easily. The central storage repository in iServer solved another challenge which was; hard to find (held on local machines, in file shares), organize (latest versions), disseminate and analyze information in order to make informed business decisions at UBL.
Ease of Use and Implementation. Organizations beginning to engage in Enterprise Architecture often have limited tool choice and Microsoft Office with Microsoft Visio is normally seen as the only suitable solution. The iServer tool leverages this by keeping users in their familiar environment making it easy to adopt and requiring minimal investment in training in order to produce a return.
Vendor Support. Orbus Software has a central global support website and provides email as well as telephone support direct from the London Head Office; with direct access to support staff, consultants and developers. Orbus Software also has offices in Australasia, USA and a virtual office in South Africa with strategically partnered local consultancies.
Cost Effectiveness. iServer’s competitive market pricing, minimal deployment time and use of existing Microsoft Technologies within UBL was evaluated as having a lower risk and TCO that had the potential for a much quicker ROI realization.
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