Client background

Founded in 2018, the client is a shared services company that provides services to the Wisconsin Education Association Trust and its subsidiaries. In addition, they provide medical management and administrative services to other healthcare companies.

The business challenge

The client recently launched a new employer group plan that required the company to develop significant new capabilities to provide the level of digital engagement, streamlined processes and reduced operational costs necessary to deliver this new, simplified, cost-conscious plan for its employer groups. Seeing an increasing need to solidify its development and launch of new solutions in the market, the client sought an independent assessment of its product life cycle management (PLM) capabilities and proactive recommendations on necessary improvements.

Strategy and solution

Our client current state understanding: Baker Tilly reviewed existing PLM methods, product development and launch project documentation and interviewed product management staff to understand current priorities, processes and tools. Baker Tilly then interviewed 20 individuals at all levels throughout the company to understand the current landscape, business priorities and perspectives on product development and launch effectiveness.

Current state assessment: The client’s PLM methods were mapped against the Baker Tilly PLM Maturity Model, which highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the competencies necessary to ideate, plan, design, develop, launch and operate products in the market. 31 competencies across major life cycle stages were evaluated and benchmarked at their corresponding maturity level.

Future state recommendations: After completion of the PLM assessment, Baker Tilly established improvement themes and collaboratively defined the desired future state PLM maturity areas with the client’s leadership. Throughout this process, Baker Tilly helped the client define future state goals and specific recommendations to achieve the desired maturity levels across each of the 31 PLM competencies.

By engaging Baker Tilly for their PLM assessment, the client was able to obtain a transparent, third-party assessment of current PLM practices. Identifying, prioritizing and launching new offerings, along with an appropriate understanding of operational support requirements at launch and the forecasted stabilization period, is integral to the client’s business growth in today’s digital landscape. Baker Tilly delivered a clear, future state PLM road map along with a sequenced action plan to help the client achieve their goals. The assessment recommendations were structured to:

• Anchor the business on a common understanding of all product life cycle investments
• Articulate the expected multi-disciplinary team necessary to deliver a product that meets the value expectations of both the market and of the business
• Clearly define the criteria for an item to progress predictably through the life cycle process
• Establish formal product/delivery team validation of business cases and vetting of related solutions and services