Project
March 8, 2024
Successful IT organization development
Mobility Cooperative further develops its IT organization and strengthens its competitiveness in the digital landscape
The Mobility Cooperative provides its 245'000 customers with 2'950 vehicles at 1'540 locations in Switzerland in various vehicle categories around the clock. Mobility has seen a continuous increase in the number of locations, vehicles and customers in recent years.
Administrative processing is highly digitized and relies on a large number of IT systems developed in-house. In order to optimally support future company growth, an urgent modernization and harmonization of the product, process and IT landscape is necessary. This required a fundamental adjustment of the structure and processes within Mobility's IT organization.
As a first step, a thorough analysis of the need for action within the IT organization was carried out, also looking at cooperation with other areas of the company. Weaknesses in the definition of existing roles within the IT organization and a lack of interfaces to other areas of the company were identified. This situation is a consequence of a transformation to an agile organization that was carried out some time ago, but has only been partially implemented.
In close cooperation with the IT management team, atrete has introduced the following key principles for the redesign of the organization:
- The new organizational structure should be based on agile principles, but in a simplified form and appropriate to the size of the company ("right-sized").
- Agility should not only be integrated or at least taken into account in the IT organization, but also in the interfaces to the non-IT organizations.
- The roles were to be defined in a participatory manner, with the employees concerned being actively involved.
When implementing these goals, particular attention was paid to preserving the existing corporate culture and strengths, while weaknesses were addressed using proven approaches from SAFe®. Due to the size of the company, the most important roles and activities were taken from the SAFe® framework and adapted to the specific needs of Mobility. The tasks, responsibilities and competencies were defined in close cooperation with the newly appointed role owners in a participatory process.
A key element was the creation of a role that covers all aspects of operations as well as operational and strategic development. These combined elements of the Product Owner, Product Manager, Scrum Master and Release Train Engineer. This led to a comprehensive focus on a product and lean, agile implementation, particularly in the efficient handling of small projects to optimize products. In the Mobility business, this activity very often has a significant impact on customer satisfaction and operational stability.
The entire process was managed and controlled by atrete. After the theoretical foundations had been presented and deepened, the employees directly affected were able to actively and participatively help shape their new roles. Although this approach required a longer lead time compared to a "top-down" approach, the training was already largely integrated and the employees identified much more strongly with the changes. Within a few months, the new framework was successfully defined and established in the organization.
The chosen approach, based on the involvement of employees and the integration of existing strengths, was decisive for the implementation of this successful organizational development. Mobility is now well equipped to continue growing successfully in a constantly changing digital landscape.
"atrete did not simply impose a theoretical framework on us, but helped us to transform our experience and existing strengths into a new, powerful organization. In doing so, atrete held up a mirror to us again and again, with a great deal of sensitivity, so that we could take the right steps ourselves."
ALEX GREUTER, CIO