Transforming information into insight

Focus on six organizational elements to build a world-class data and insights capability.

- Anil Khurana, Roger Wery, and Amy Peirce

As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, one leading global engineering and technology services company found itself well-positioned to meet unprecedented challenges. The firm had kicked off a digital transformation project in 2019, including investing in a data and analytics program equipped with advanced tools. For example, it enhanced digital collaboration among engineers using next-generation design software, it automated resource allocation based on skill sets, and it offered business reporting on executives’ mobile devices.

A few weeks into the crisis, it became clear that in several major countries in which the company operated, engineering and construction were likely to be considered essential services. The chief information officer began scenario planning. He determined that supporting remote work would be critical in the weeks and months that followed and asked regional leadership and IT teams to accelerate training programs for remote working and the recently launched digital tools. He also asked for a cybersecurity assessment to highlight vulnerabilities and risks and had his procurement and telecommunications teams contract for additional bandwidth. As a result of these moves, employees were able to seamlessly deliver sophisticated infrastructure and architectural designs to their customers.