Twins Inc. —
Manufacturers of Environmental Systems
to the Aerospace Market
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| Contact: |
Harmon
Killebrew, VP Marketing |
| Applications: |
Proposal
Tracking System |
| Requirement: |
Twins,
Inc. is a leader in the aerospace industry, specializing in
environmental control systems for airplanes. The main task of
the Sales and Marketing department is to prepare proposals for
new systems, a daunting task considering the complexity of the
products and services Twins offers. In order to accurately prepare
a proposal, input is required from various departments in the
company, each estimating the cost of its contribution to the
proposed system. The estimates are then compiled and presented
in the form of a proposal. Requests for modifications of existing
systems are also handled in a similar way, but generally on
a smaller scale.
This process was handled with a paper form called a Proposal
Authorization and/or Quotation Request, or PAQR for short. The
paper PAQR form had existed for over thirty years, and could
not adequately manage the resources involved or communicate
requirements quickly or in enough detail. A computerized PAQR
system was the answer, but Twins's own systems department was
overworked and lacked the expertise to get the job done to everyone's
satisfaction. |
| Solution: |
Cherniak
Software performed a detailed requirements analysis. Representatives
of each department were interviewed, and a Prototype System
Specification was prepared. Cherniak Software then developed
a system prototype to match the specification. |
| Result: |
The system
prototype was completed. A detailed PAQR on the computer screen
allows proposal managers to schedule tasks to allow target dates
to be met. Extended comment files, integrated within the application
itself, permit users to describe in detail the focus of the
PAQR, the customer's needs, and other information required `to
complete the big picture'. Ad hoc enquiries quickly put important
information in the hands of the people who need it. Electronic
mail prompts users when their input is required, and daily status
reports help managers meet target dates.
The system prototype was completed in just over one month, and
once again each department was asked to comment. According to
Twins staff, the prototype handled every aspect of the PAQR
process. In particular, the system was seen as something that
could help each of them sort through the huge amounts of information
that confronted them daily, and allow them to focus in on what
required their attention, and when. Tony Olive, Vice President
of Sales and Marketing, described the system as "an order of
magnitude beyond what they had expected" in its ability to streamline
the PAQR process. |
| Update: |
Following
the preparation of a detailed Specification, the system was
implemented and is currently in use by the Sales and Marketing
department. A connection to the company's enterprise-wide network
is scheduled, so that all departments will have direct access
to the PAQR System. Interfaces to other Twins systems have been
developed, and will become automatic when the system goes online
to the network.
Cherniak Software's high degree of professionalism, along with
its ability to design and implement customized software quickly
and economically, makes the project an ongoing success. |
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Last
Updated: Tuesday, August 7, 2007
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