Harmonizing Management Efforts to Optimize the Enterprise

Introduction

This Executive Report proposes personalized dashboards for all managers in an enterprise as well as an active business model based on the Value Delivery Modeling Language (VDML). The report describes the VDML concepts and facilities that model the operation of the enterprise, the mechanisms for integrating the model with operational business systems, and, finally, the implications of the shared VDML model and modeling facilities to the future evolution of the enterprise.

Conventional approach

A conventional executive dashboard provides a window on key measurements of the operation of the enterprise. Implementation of the dashboard generally offers a particular viewpoint with access to current operating data to support that view. When the executive observes a change of concern, or the dashboard raises an alarm based on monitoring certain variables, the executive will likely turn to a staff member to look into the situation further since the dashboard does not contain the detail of related variables or more specific business operations.

Challenge

Unfortunately, the data and exceptions of interest are not always the same, and top executives cannot address everything that deserves attention. To manage an enterprise most effectively, managers across the organization require data and awareness of exceptions within their own sphere of influence. Thus, a management dashboard system should be a tool to support enterprise management at all levels. It should provide data about current operations and highlight exceptions that require attention. Furthermore, to avoid working at cross-purposes, managers need a common understanding of the current state of the enterprise and how it works.

Value Management approach

This Executive Report proposes the development of a model-based dashboard capability. While managers throughout the enterprise have their own domains of interest, a shared enterprise model — defined using the Value Delivery Modeling Language (VDML) — can align their individual views.

For the proposed dashboard, the model is linked to sources of actual operating data, providing each manager with the data and alerts of interest to them. The dashboard interface enables managers to define those interests and, as required, to probe deeper into the operation of the enterprise in order to understand the source of variances, anticipate the consequences, collaborate across the enterprise, and explore remedial action.

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