“Turning Users into Partners”

1. “Turning Users into Partners” Sandia Laboratory FCU Passageways powWOW 2008 Miscellaneous Award Entry Presented by: Lee Derks

2. Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union ($1B) • Albuquerque, NM and Livermore, CA • MEMBERS Financial Services CUSO $230 million in assets under management • Shared Branching and Business Lending/Services • Approximately 60,000 total membership • Eight physical branches and one electronic branch • 244 staff members • Passageways client since April of 2005 • Development Environment • Intranet is managed from the Technology Services Department • 1 FTE (Application/Module Development, Portal Content Development, and Training) SLFCU Background

3. At SLFCU, Portal modules are developed in-house for employees (end-users) by the Technology Services Department. Each module undergoes a formal design process that includes the creation of an agreed-upon design and specifications document, project scope, and ConnectionsOnline project entry. The above design methodology has resulted in: • significant bug reduction in modules as deployed; • a better understanding of technical, operational, and user requirements for each module reducing version iterations; and • more effective project management reducing software development lifecycle time. Introduction

4. To fully understand the end-user’s needs • Incorporate the end-user as a partner throughout the project so that we are developing with the user and not for the user • Develop and deliver a product with mutually agreed-upon specifications reducing scope creep • Roadmap creating a clear path to goals and objectives of project • Maintain the project’s management through ConnectionsOnline Objectives

5. Technology Services Department successfully applied a design process which is typically only seen between large software development firms and their clients modified to meet our CU’s needs and culture • Utilization of Scope Agreement Documents for Portal projects (large and small) creates a common understanding of technical and operational requirements • Managing projects with ConnectionsOnline allows team members be engaged in the process throughout the project from initial project conceptualization through the development phase to final delivery and review • The engagement of project requestors, end users, and a diversified project team with the Technology Services Department creates a dynamic and synergetic project that is not easily duplicated Originality and Innovation

6. Due to the success of the this process improvement, it is applied to the development of all modules • Modules developed using design methodology have not only shown better end-results over earlier modules that did not follow this process, but even over small Portal requests such as page and form development • Significant reduction in module/project modification, coding changes, reworking of module functionality, major bug identification, and scope creep Significance of Practice

7. Aided in establishment of common ground and explanation of complex technical requirements • Minimized and even eliminated multiple project meetings • Project team knows what to expect from the final product at the start • Project team gained understanding and appreciation of the technicalnature of each module • Module is designed to agreed-upon specifications to avoid any confusion, misinterpretation, or misunderstanding Improvements in Collaboration

8. Significant reduction in time spent coding, modifying code, project design, and project redesign • This Best Practice reduces costs without incurring any additional costs and the methodology can be implemented by any Passageways Customer • Reduction in project staff hours due to reduction in meetings • Successfully utilized across many module projects including Boomerang, Referral Tracker, Team Apparel, Forms Retriever, and the Mortgage Application Management System • ConnectionsOnline • Effective management of timeline, deadlines and communicating status to customer and management • Aided in deliverable, task, and internal resource management • Provided overall project framework Significance of Practice to ROI

9. More than five successfully completed large scale modules developed using this design approach • Each module built around the “turn users into partners” process resulted in positive reception by the staff and quick adoption • Scope creep was eliminated from each project where a design specification document and ConnectionsOnline were implemented √ Quality of the Implementation

10. Thank you for considering SLFCU for the 2008 Passageways Miscellaneous Award Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union 3707 Juan Tabo Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505) 293-0500 www.slfcu.org