Collaborative Enterprise Planning
Collaborative Enterprise Planning
Overview
Overview
JG Summit is one of the largest Filipino conglomerates involved in diverse businesses such as food, airline, real estate, chemicals, and banking. The holdings and subsidiary company faced challenges in integrating production and sales data, hindering critical business decisions aligned with their upcoming years’ plan. My team took on the task of transforming their business into a digital enterprise. I served as a senior UX designer from exploration to user research to design development.
JG Summit is one of the largest Filipino conglomerates involved in diverse businesses such as food, airline, real estate, chemicals, and banking. The holdings and subsidiary company faced challenges in integrating production and sales data, hindering critical business decisions aligned with their upcoming years’ plan. My team took on the task of transforming their business into a digital enterprise. I served as a senior UX designer from exploration to user research to design development.
Role
Role
User Research
Workshop Facilitation
Data Visualization
User Research
Workshop Facilitation
Data Visualization
Team
Team
Program Manager
Project Manager
Finance Expert
Software Engineer
2 UX designers
Program Manager
Project Manager
Finance Expert
Software Engineer
2 UX designers
Tools & Methods
Tools & Methods
SAP Analytics Cloud
(SAC)
SAP Analytics Cloud
(SAC)
Client
Client
JS Summit Holdings, INC.(JGSHI) is the parent company, and Universal Robina Corporation(URC) is its subsidiary.
-Branded Consumer Food Group (BCFG) and URC Packaging Division (BOPP) are business units of URC.
JS Summit Holdings, INC.(JGSHI) is the parent company, and Universal Robina Corporation(URC) is its subsidiary.
-Branded Consumer Food Group (BCFG) and URC Packaging Division (BOPP) are business units of URC.
Challenge
Challenge
The manual Excel work for budget planning and forecasting led to human errors, data inaccuracy, and a time-consuming reporting process, restricting finance professionals to operational tasks. Executively, timely decisions with better visibility are necessary to respond to business challenges.
The manual Excel work for budget planning and forecasting led to human errors, data inaccuracy, and a time-consuming reporting process, restricting finance professionals to operational tasks. Executively, timely decisions with better visibility are necessary to respond to business challenges.
Planning across organization to increase engagement and accuracy
Planning across organization to increase engagement and accuracy
Link operational planning and financial planning to improve alignment and performance
Link operational planning and financial planning to improve alignment and performance
Embedded within enterprise application for one source of truth
Integrated supply chains planning and integrated budget planning and reporting
Embedded within enterprise application for one source of truth
Integrated supply chains planning and integrated budget planning and reporting
Benefits
Benefits
Enhanced Financial Forecasting
Automated processes enhance forecast accuracy, minimizing errors for more reliable financial predictions.
Enhanced Financial Forecasting
Automated processes enhance forecast accuracy, minimizing errors for more reliable financial predictions.
Heightened Productivity through Automation
Automation boosts overall efficiency, allowing finance professionals to focus on strategic tasks.
Heightened Productivity through Automation
Automation boosts overall efficiency, allowing finance professionals to focus on strategic tasks.
Swift Reporting for Strategic Focus
Streamlined reporting ensures faster access to vital financial information, redirecting efforts to strategic priorities.
Swift Reporting for Strategic Focus
Streamlined reporting ensures faster access to vital financial information, redirecting efforts to strategic priorities.
Timelier Decision-Making with Enhanced Visibility
Enhanced visibility through quick reporting empowers swift and informed executive decisions.
Timelier Decision-Making with Enhanced Visibility
Enhanced visibility through quick reporting empowers swift and informed executive decisions.
EXPLORE PHASE
EXPLORE PHASE
Explore Workshop
Explore Workshop
With the initial engagement missions, I facilitated two Explore Workshops for each business unit—URC BCFG & URC BOPP—to pinpoint high-value planning use cases and establish the project scope of work. In these participatory workshops, the outcomes we aimed for included identifying top use cases and outlining the high-level direction of the planning roadmap. I invited various financial-related stakeholders from the customer side and industry & solution experts from the SAP side. The secondary objectives of the workshops were to comprehend key user pain points and clarify priorities by considering urgency and value.
With the initial engagement missions, I facilitated two Explore Workshops for each business unit—URC BCFG & URC BOPP—to pinpoint high-value planning use cases and establish the project scope of work. In these participatory workshops, the outcomes we aimed for included identifying top use cases and outlining the high-level direction of the planning roadmap. I invited various financial-related stakeholders from the customer side and industry & solution experts from the SAP side. The secondary objectives of the workshops were to comprehend key user pain points and clarify priorities by considering urgency and value.
Workshop for URC BOPP (Packaging Division and URC Flexible Packaging Division)
Workshop for URC BOPP (Packaging Division and URC Flexible Packaging Division)
Participants: UFLEX(8), JGS IT(3)
Participants: UFLEX(8), JGS IT(3)
Workshop for URC BCFG (Branded Consumer Food Group)
Workshop for URC BCFG (Branded Consumer Food Group)
Participants: URC BCFG(12), JGS IT(3)
Participants: URC BCFG(12), JGS IT(3)
User Journey Map
User Journey Map
In the two workshops with two different divisions over two days, I facilitated participatory sessions to create user journey maps for each persona, highlighting process problems and stakeholders' needs. In the end, I moderated the session to prioritize problems and clarify the definition of the selected top problems.
In the two workshops with two different divisions over two days, I facilitated participatory sessions to create user journey maps for each persona, highlighting process problems and stakeholders' needs. In the end, I moderated the session to prioritize problems and clarify the definition of the selected top problems.
Personas
Personas
I helped with defining personas who are primarily at the core of the process. Each unit identified four personas.
I helped with defining personas who are primarily at the core of the process. Each unit identified four personas.
Workshop for URC BOPP: Sales & Finance, Production Planning, Production Control
Workshop for URC BOPP: Sales & Finance, Production Planning, Production Control
Workshop for URC BCFG: URC CEO, Category Planner, Supply Planner, Deployment Planner, Material Planner
Workshop for URC BCFG: URC CEO, Category Planner, Supply Planner, Deployment Planner, Material Planner
Stakeholder Map
Stakeholder Map
Through identifying stakeholder relations within the process, I observed that production control managers are burdened with numerous time-consuming tasks related to reporting.
Through identifying stakeholder relations within the process, I observed that production control managers are burdened with numerous time-consuming tasks related to reporting.
Prioritized Use Cases to Consider
Prioritized Use Cases to Consider
By synthesizing all the pains and needs identified in the user empathy session, I enable for users to votecriticalr the prioritization of critical areas for improvement.
By synthesizing all the pains and needs identified in the user empathy session, I enable for users to votecriticalr the prioritization of critical areas for improvement.
Focused Pain points
Focused Pain points
The desire for a 3-month demand plan for BCFG, but the current practice is monthly.
Delays, frequent changes, and inaccuracies in forecasting across Lines of Business (LoBs).
Bill of Materials (BoM) for new products/changes not available on time, leading to no process orders for production.
Planned shutdowns are not noticed properly and unplanned shutdowns occur frequently.
The desire for a 3-month demand plan for BCFG, but the current practice is monthly.
Delays, frequent changes, and inaccuracies in forecasting across Lines of Business (LoBs).
Bill of Materials (BoM) for new products/changes not available on time, leading to no process orders for production.
Planned shutdowns are not noticed properly and unplanned shutdowns occur frequently.
Unmet Needs
Unmet Needs
A unified planning and reporting platform with forecasting capabilities to establish a single source of truth and visibility between BCFG & BOPP.
Simplification of master data management and process innovation across LoBs such as sales, finance, and production.
Systems integration (Machine & Machine) and a real-time predictive plant maintenance platform.
A unified planning and reporting platform with forecasting capabilities to establish a single source of truth and visibility between BCFG & BOPP.
Simplification of master data management and process innovation across LoBs such as sales, finance, and production.
Systems integration (Machine & Machine) and a real-time predictive plant maintenance platform.
EXPLORE PHASE
EXPLORE PHASE
Explore Workshop
Explore Workshop
With the initial engagement missions, I facilitated two Explore Workshops for each business unit—URC BCFG & URC BOPP—to pinpoint high-value planning use cases and establish the project scope of work. In these participatory workshops, the outcomes we aimed for included identifying top use cases and outlining the high-level direction of the planning roadmap. I invited various financial-related stakeholders from the customer side and industry & solution experts from the SAP side. The secondary objectives of the workshops were to comprehend key user pain points and clarify priorities by considering urgency and value.
With the initial engagement missions, I facilitated two Explore Workshops for each business unit—URC BCFG & URC BOPP—to pinpoint high-value planning use cases and establish the project scope of work. In these participatory workshops, the outcomes we aimed for included identifying top use cases and outlining the high-level direction of the planning roadmap. I invited various financial-related stakeholders from the customer side and industry & solution experts from the SAP side. The secondary objectives of the workshops were to comprehend key user pain points and clarify priorities by considering urgency and value.
Workshop for URC BOPP (Packaging Division and URC Flexible Packaging Division)
Workshop for URC BOPP (Packaging Division and URC Flexible Packaging Division)
Participants: UFLEX(8), JGS IT(3)
Participants: UFLEX(8), JGS IT(3)
Workshop for URC BCFG (Branded Consumer Food Group)
Workshop for URC BCFG (Branded Consumer Food Group)
Participants: URC BCFG(12), JGS IT(3)
Participants: URC BCFG(12), JGS IT(3)
User Journey Map
User Journey Map
In the two workshops with two different divisions over two days, I facilitated participatory sessions to create user journey maps for each persona, highlighting process problems and stakeholders' needs. In the end, I moderated the session to prioritize problems and clarify the definition of the selected top problems.
In the two workshops with two different divisions over two days, I facilitated participatory sessions to create user journey maps for each persona, highlighting process problems and stakeholders' needs. In the end, I moderated the session to prioritize problems and clarify the definition of the selected top problems.
Personas
Personas
I helped with defining personas who are primarily at the core of the process. Each unit identified four personas.
I helped with defining personas who are primarily at the core of the process. Each unit identified four personas.
Workshop for URC BOPP: Sales & Finance, Production Planning, Production Control
Workshop for URC BOPP: Sales & Finance, Production Planning, Production Control
Workshop for URC BCFG: URC CEO, Category Planner, Supply Planner, Deployment Planner, Material Planner
Workshop for URC BCFG: URC CEO, Category Planner, Supply Planner, Deployment Planner, Material Planner
Stakeholder Map
Stakeholder Map
Through identifying stakeholder relations within the process, I observed that production control managers are burdened with numerous time-consuming tasks related to reporting.
Through identifying stakeholder relations within the process, I observed that production control managers are burdened with numerous time-consuming tasks related to reporting.
Prioritized Use Cases to Consider
Prioritized Use Cases to Consider
By synthesizing all the pains and needs identified in the user empathy session, I enable for users to votecriticalr the prioritization of critical areas for improvement.
By synthesizing all the pains and needs identified in the user empathy session, I enable for users to votecriticalr the prioritization of critical areas for improvement.
Focused Pain points
Focused Pain points
The desire for a 3-month demand plan for BCFG, but the current practice is monthly.
Delays, frequent changes, and inaccuracies in forecasting across Lines of Business (LoBs).
Bill of Materials (BoM) for new products/changes not available on time, leading to no process orders for production.
Planned shutdowns are not noticed properly and unplanned shutdowns occur frequently.
The desire for a 3-month demand plan for BCFG, but the current practice is monthly.
Delays, frequent changes, and inaccuracies in forecasting across Lines of Business (LoBs).
Bill of Materials (BoM) for new products/changes not available on time, leading to no process orders for production.
Planned shutdowns are not noticed properly and unplanned shutdowns occur frequently.
Unmet Needs
Unmet Needs
A unified planning and reporting platform with forecasting capabilities to establish a single source of truth and visibility between BCFG & BOPP.
Simplification of master data management and process innovation across LoBs such as sales, finance, and production.
Systems integration (Machine & Machine) and a real-time predictive plant maintenance platform.
A unified planning and reporting platform with forecasting capabilities to establish a single source of truth and visibility between BCFG & BOPP.
Simplification of master data management and process innovation across LoBs such as sales, finance, and production.
Systems integration (Machine & Machine) and a real-time predictive plant maintenance platform.
DISCOVER PHASE
DISCOVER PHASE
Discover - User Interviews
Discover - User Interviews
Before conducting a Discover Workshop, I conducted interviews with all stakeholders to empathize with each individual involved in financial planning and analysis. I prepared customized interview questionnaires based on each interviewee’s role and responsibilities. The interviewees from the holdings company and the two divisions:
Before conducting a Discover Workshop, I conducted interviews with all stakeholders to empathize with each individual involved in financial planning and analysis. I prepared customized interview questionnaires based on each interviewee’s role and responsibilities. The interviewees from the holdings company and the two divisions:
Interviewees
Interviewees
JGSHI - Financial planning and analysis (2)
URC Planning Reporting and Consolidation (1)
URC Flour, Sugar, AIG, BOPP Commercial Finance (4)
JGSHI - Financial planning and analysis (2)
URC Planning Reporting and Consolidation (1)
URC Flour, Sugar, AIG, BOPP Commercial Finance (4)
Questionnaires Preparation
Questionnaires Preparation
Interview Summary
Interview Summary
Interview Findings Summary
Interview Findings Summary
I synthesized all the findings from user interviews and summarized them into several point from the business, division, and individual perspectives.
I synthesized all the findings from user interviews and summarized them into several point from the business, division, and individual perspectives.
All business units share common pain points and requirements:
Holdings Inc. seeks a unified view for enhanced budget consolidation.
Planning and analytic processes need standardization and improvement across business units.
Improved support for forecasting and What-if simulations is essential.
Current reporting and dashboard preparation, done exclusively in Excel, is time-consuming, exceeding three weeks, with unmet data requirements and varying data levels.
All business units share common pain points and requirements:
Holdings Inc. seeks a unified view for enhanced budget consolidation.
Planning and analytic processes need standardization and improvement across business units.
Improved support for forecasting and What-if simulations is essential.
Current reporting and dashboard preparation, done exclusively in Excel, is time-consuming, exceeding three weeks, with unmet data requirements and varying data levels.
DISCOVER PHASE
DISCOVER PHASE
Discover Workshop
Discover Workshop
The Discover Workshop aimed to achieve consensus among stakeholders, including decision-makers and end-users, while creating future financial scenarios at both corporate and worker levels. I designed the workshop and facilitated participatory sessions, guiding the process from identifying current issues and unmet needs to ideation and prototyping.
The Discover Workshop aimed to achieve consensus among stakeholders, including decision-makers and end-users, while creating future financial scenarios at both corporate and worker levels. I designed the workshop and facilitated participatory sessions, guiding the process from identifying current issues and unmet needs to ideation and prototyping.
JGSHI Corporate Information Technology (4)
JGSHI Financial Planning and Analysis (3)
URC Deputy Chief Finance Officer (1)
URC Planning Reporting and Consolidation (2)
URC Flour, Sugar, AIG, BOPP Commercial Finance (5)
Workshop for URC BOPP (Packaging Division and URC Flexible Packaging Division)
Workshop for URC BOPP (Packaging Division and URC Flexible Packaging Division)
Participants with URC(8), JGS IT(3)
Participants with URC(8), JGS IT(3)
User Journey Map & Prioritization
User Journey Map & Prioritization
During co-creation sessions to develop user journey maps showcasing current processes and ideal future processes, all stakeholders identified pain points within each division. The collaborative effort generated initial ideas to transform these challenges into newly digitalized planning experiences.
During co-creation sessions to develop user journey maps showcasing current processes and ideal future processes, all stakeholders identified pain points within each division. The collaborative effort generated initial ideas to transform these challenges into newly digitalized planning experiences.
JG Summit Holding Inc.
As-Is
To-Be
URC BOPP, UCFG, SUGAR, AIG, FLOUR
As-Is
To-Be
End Users’ Pain Points & Prioritization
End Users’ Pain Points & Prioritization
I analyzed the key challenges of users based on the business process by creating user journey maps with participants. The prominent issues were the difficulty in data management in the current system, leading to its underutilization, and the fact that most data management tasks are carried out offline in Excel, resulting in reduced accuracy and errors.
I analyzed the key challenges of users based on the business process by creating user journey maps with participants. The prominent issues were the difficulty in data management in the current system, leading to its underutilization, and the fact that most data management tasks are carried out offline in Excel, resulting in reduced accuracy and errors.
JG Summit Holding Inc.
JG Summit Holding Inc.
Outdated data base – HR, CTSD
Non-standard budgeting process between CCUs
Delayed BPC uploads
Lack of coordination between input providers
Inaccurate postings in SAP, ECC, affecting forecasts and actuals of CCUs.
Delayed ABP submission feedback
Some CCUs seeking separate approvals for certain items. Excluded from budget
Incomplete information (monthly schedules, supporting schedules, variance explanations)
Outdated data base – HR, CTSD
Non-standard budgeting process between CCUs
Delayed BPC uploads
Lack of coordination between input providers
Inaccurate postings in SAP, ECC, affecting forecasts and actuals of CCUs.
Delayed ABP submission feedback
Some CCUs seeking separate approvals for certain items. Excluded from budget
Incomplete information (monthly schedules, supporting schedules, variance explanations)
URC
URC
Current system capabilities are underutilized
Difficulty in maintaining or updating data
Delayed cascade of assumptions or timeline
Lack of management for multiple sources of files (Versions of forecast/budget/assumption, Based/YTD actual)
BPC is not user-friendly and has performance issues
Manual consolidation is prone to linking or format errors
No standard templates
Outdated assumptions
Limited submission of information from departments
Too many Excel files and versions of the same data
Manual source of cost
Current system capabilities are underutilized
Difficulty in maintaining or updating data
Delayed cascade of assumptions or timeline
Lack of management for multiple sources of files (Versions of forecast/budget/assumption, Based/YTD actual)
BPC is not user-friendly and has performance issues
Manual consolidation is prone to linking or format errors
No standard templates
Outdated assumptions
Limited submission of information from departments
Too many Excel files and versions of the same data
Manual source of cost
Top Use Cases Identification
Top Use Cases Identification
I conducted a comprehensive voting session to prioritize the most impactful and urgent ideas and opportunities, focusing on key areas such as Profit & Loss planning, Consolidation, and enhancing the Reporting Process & Dashboards. This session aimed not only to identify immediate priorities but also to streamline our financial planning and reporting strategies.
I conducted a comprehensive voting session to prioritize the most impactful and urgent ideas and opportunities, focusing on key areas such as Profit & Loss planning, Consolidation, and enhancing the Reporting Process & Dashboards. This session aimed not only to identify immediate priorities but also to streamline our financial planning and reporting strategies.
Profit & Loss Planning
Consolidation
Reporting Process & Dashboards
Prototyping & Iterations
Prototyping & Iterations
Following the prioritization of initial ideas, I facilitated the prototyping session with end users to gather insights on screen-level concepts for three key areas: 1) profit & loss planning, 2) consolidation, and 3) reporting processes & dashboards. Then, I started directly developing design prototyping on the screen of the SAC tool.
Following the prioritization of initial ideas, I facilitated the prototyping session with end users to gather insights on screen-level concepts for three key areas: 1) profit & loss planning, 2) consolidation, and 3) reporting processes & dashboards. Then, I started directly developing design prototyping on the screen of the SAC tool.
Area 1 - Profit & Loss Planning
Area 1 - Profit & Loss Planning
Area 2 - Consolidation
Area 2 - Consolidation
Area 3 - Reporting & Dashboards
Area 3 - Reporting & Dashboards
Design phase
Design phase
The Design Solution
The Design Solution
After multiple iterations with end users conducted via Zoom due to the pandemic situation, I implemented the dashboard design for the Flour and BCFG sales overview and report using sales data.
The Entire Planning Application Architecture
The entire process is designed to start with data input. Users start with inputting data on the financial planning input page and proceed to create plans for the next five years. In the final reporting stage, data visualizations in the form of dashboards are automatically shared with decision-makers without the need for additional report creation.
Level 0
Financial Planner
General Manager
CEO & CFO
Level 1
Level 2
Landing Page
Input
Data Controlling
Planning Function
Final Report
Data Page
Input Page
Planning Page
Report Page
The Page Structure of Dashboard & Report
I focused on data visualization design for the dashboard and report sections. Using sales data, I first created a sales overview from the perspective of the URC company and then structured sales overviews and detailed pages for each business unit. In this project, I created dashboards for BCFG and FLOUR division to demonstrate how various data is interconnected to show meaningful data to users. Financial planners, general managers, CEOs, and CFOs can open the application at any time to view current sales-related data and take necessary actions.
URC Overview
BCFG Sales Detail
FLOUR Sales Detail
Title
Title
Company-level Sales Dashboard Overview
Company-level Sales Dashboard Overview
I organized the necessary data that had been outlined in the workshop during the prototyping evaluation process and structured it into dashboards. From an enterprise perspective, financial elements for each business unit can be compared. Each chart is interactive, allowing users to drill down and view detailed information related to the chart without navigating to another page.
I organized the necessary data that had been outlined in the workshop during the prototyping evaluation process and structured it into dashboards. From an enterprise perspective, financial elements for each business unit can be compared. Each chart is interactive, allowing users to drill down and view detailed information related to the chart without navigating to another page.
Title
Title
Division-Level Sales Overview Dashboard
Division-Level Sales Overview Dashboard
The Sales Overview dashboard for Flour, one of the various business units, is designed to compare sales data for detailed divisions such as Flour, Pasta, and Bread between the previous and current years.
The Sales Overview dashboard for Flour, one of the various business units, is designed to compare sales data for detailed divisions such as Flour, Pasta, and Bread between the previous and current years.
Title
Title
Division-Level Sales Report
Division-Level Sales Report
The BCFG Report Dashboard is designed to view data by period, detailed division, customer, and region. The charts are specifically designed to compare budget and actual costs.
The BCFG Report Dashboard is designed to view data by period, detailed division, customer, and region. The charts are specifically designed to compare budget and actual costs.
What I learned
What I learned
I learned how various data types, including production, sales, and budget, are interconnected and function within an enterprise. Additionally, I gained insight into the importance of data accuracy and timeliness.
I learned how various data types, including production, sales, and budget, are interconnected and function within an enterprise. Additionally, I gained insight into the importance of data accuracy and timeliness.
I gained experience in manipulating various financial data, repurposing it into formats suitable for users, and employing it in decision-making processes. Additionally, this experience led me to contemplate the influence of specific financial terms, like Gross Profit and EBITDA, on UI design.
I gained experience in manipulating various financial data, repurposing it into formats suitable for users, and employing it in decision-making processes. Additionally, this experience led me to contemplate the influence of specific financial terms, like Gross Profit and EBITDA, on UI design.
“This is exactly what we have expected. I want to see PoC outcome realized as soon as possible to cover more tasks in our financial planning process.”
“This is exactly what we have expected. I want to see PoC outcome realized as soon as possible to cover more tasks in our financial planning process.”
Kerwin Tan
Deputy CFO of Robinsons Land Corporate, JG Summit
Kerwin Tan
Deputy CFO of Robinsons Land Corporate, JG Summit