Description
Business Intelligence Strategy At The Hanover Insurance Group
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Project Number: SZD MH11
Business Intelligence Strategy
At The Hanover Insurance Group
A Major Qualifying Project Report
Submitted to the Faculty
Of the
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Science
By
Sean Burke, MIS
Wenxuan Guo, MIS
Luis Quiroga, MIS
Date: December 14
th
, 2011
Sponsored by:
The Hanover Insurance Group
Professor Soussan Djamasbi,
Project Advisor
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Abstract
This Major Qualifying Project, prepared for The Hanover Insurance Group, describes the
prototype of a newly developed system designed to collaborate with the efforts of the Business
Intelligence Strategy at Hanover. The requirements and necessary business process flows
included in the system were gathered through interviews with Hanover employees and from
report creation documentation kept by the Management Information Systems (MIS) team at
Hanover. The newly developed system provides information for the MIS team at Hanover on
commonalities on data manipulation to facilitate the transition to automated reporting
procedures, mitigating the risk from high-touch processing and human errors. The system also
provides the Hanover employees with simplified procedures to extract the necessary data for
their reports. A prototype of the system was built in Microsoft Access supplemented by wiki
pages for demonstration purposes.
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Executive Summary
This MQP project was completed in cooperation with the Hanover Technology Group
(HTG) at The Hanover Insurance Group, in Worcester, MA. Through this project, we created a
prototype for the Process Documentation Repository (PDR) system and its supporting wiki-
pages to help Hanover with the implementation of its Business Intelligence (BI) initiative that is
currently being enforced by documenting and centralizing current reporting procedures.
Through the BI initiative, Hanover hopes to identify high impact, value added
investments that clearly align and support business priorities, and identify and quantify current
business opportunities that have clear efficiency payback. With the budgeting season for the
fiscal year 2012-2013 approaching, HTG is hoping to demonstrate the need for resources they
currently have. By using our system, HTG will be able to portray the business value of
simplifying and automating reports creation procedures. Our prototype will assist them in these
goals through the consolidation of process documentation and a searchable collection of data in
order to obtain key business information. Before building the prototype, we completed a cost-
benefit analysis of our system to portray the value that our system will add to the company.
We developed the prototype to serve two types of users. The first type is the employees
of the MIS team at Hanover, who will access the raw data, the database schema, and the code
and queries behind the PDR. The reports produced by the MIS team at Hanover will be used to
establish the feasibility and priority of future projects that the company may wish to take on
during the course of the BI initiative. The second type of user is the employees that work directly
with insurance policies. This type of user will only be able to see what is on the wiki-pages,
which are on the intranet of Hanover’s network and display high-level information for both
processes and data sources. The second type of users will become aware of any change in the
reporting procedures via this central site, maintained by the MIS team at Hanover.
In summary, this project was completed in two terms for the Hanover Insurance Group to
further progress their efforts in a BI initiative. It was developed for two types of users to ensure
proper communication and efficient reporting procedures, while preserving data integrity across
Hanover. The overall business value of this project is the documentation and centralization of
reporting procedures, facilitating the analysis for business intelligence changes moving forward.
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Authorship Statement
Abstract – Luis
Executive Summary – ALL
Acknowledgements – ALL
Introduction – Sean
Literature Review – Wenxuan
Methodology – Sean
Analysis and Design – Luis
Implementation – Luis
User Manual – Sean
Technical Manual – Sean
Documentation Documents – ALL
Process Flows – ALL
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Acknowledgements
The project team would like to acknowledge the project sponsors, Karen Winsky, Cilsy
Harris, Lisa Voellings, and Kim Killeen, for allowing the WPI team to collaborate with the
Business Intelligence Strategy at The Hanover Insurance Group. We would like to thank Kim
Killen, Linda Brench, and David Doe for their continued guidance and feedback throughout the
project, and for providing a wealth of knowledge on technology applications in the Insurance
industry. Finally, we would also like to thank our project advisor, Professor Soussan Djamasbi,
for her support, feedback and guidance from an academic point of view throughout the project.
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Letter from Project Sponsor
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Table of Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Authorship Statement ................................................................................................................................... 4
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Letter from Project Sponsor ......................................................................................................................... 6
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Table of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 13
The Hanover Insurance Group ................................................................................................................ 13
Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Problem Statement ................................................................................................................................. 14
Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Chapter 2: Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 16
Industry review ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Type of Insurance ................................................................................................................................ 16
History of Insurance Companies ......................................................................................................... 16
Regulation ........................................................................................................................................... 17
The Hanover Insurance Group ................................................................................................................ 18
History ................................................................................................................................................. 18
Goals ................................................................................................................................................... 20
External Ratings .................................................................................................................................. 20
Personal & Commercial Lines ................................................................................................................. 21
Personal Lines ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Commercial Lines ................................................................................................................................ 22
The Hanover Technology Group (HTG) ................................................................................................... 24
Business Process Re-engineering ............................................................................................................ 25
Identify Business Processes ................................................................................................................ 25
Document the Process ........................................................................................................................ 25
Measure and Analyze the process ...................................................................................................... 25
Business Process Reengineering ......................................................................................................... 25
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Process Documentation Repository & Datapedia .................................................................................. 26
Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 28
Project Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 28
Scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 29
Planning and Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 29
Development ....................................................................................................................................... 30
Deliverables and Timeline ....................................................................................................................... 32
Work Plan ................................................................................................................................................ 32
Timeline................................................................................................................................................... 33
Staffing Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 34
Sean Burke .......................................................................................................................................... 34
Wenxuan Guo ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Luis Quiroga ........................................................................................................................................ 34
Stakeholder List and Roles ...................................................................................................................... 35
Feasibility Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 37
Technical Feasibility ............................................................................................................................ 37
Economic Feasibility ............................................................................................................................ 38
Organizational Feasibility .................................................................................................................... 42
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 42
Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................................................... 42
Risk Mitigation .................................................................................................................................... 43
Chapter 4: Analysis and Design ................................................................................................................... 45
Analysis Strategy ..................................................................................................................................... 46
Requirements Analysis Techniques .................................................................................................... 46
Requirements Gathering Techniques ................................................................................................. 47
Requirements Definition ......................................................................................................................... 47
Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 47
Target Audience .................................................................................................................................. 47
Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... 48
Use Cases and Systems Models .............................................................................................................. 49
Use Cases ............................................................................................................................................ 49
Use Scenarios ...................................................................................................................................... 55
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Data Flow Diagrams ............................................................................................................................ 56
Chapter 5: Prototype Specification & Implementation .............................................................................. 59
Prototype Specification ........................................................................................................................... 59
Software .............................................................................................................................................. 59
Design Approach ................................................................................................................................. 59
Prototype Design .................................................................................................................................... 60
Entity Relationship Diagram................................................................................................................ 60
Entity Relationship Diagram Data Dictionary...................................................................................... 61
Storyboards ......................................................................................................................................... 62
User Interface Structure Diagram ....................................................................................................... 66
Prototype Implementation ..................................................................................................................... 68
Testing ................................................................................................................................................. 68
Documentation & Training.................................................................................................................. 70
Migration Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 71
Contingency Plan ................................................................................................................................ 71
Chapter 6: Recommendations & Conclusions ............................................................................................ 72
Recommendations .................................................................................................................................. 72
System Specification ........................................................................................................................... 72
Migration Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 73
Visual Process search engine .............................................................................................................. 74
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 75
Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 77
Appendix A - Meeting Minutes ............................................................................................................... 77
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/13/2011 ........................................................................................................ 77
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/20/2011 ........................................................................................................ 78
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/27/2011 ........................................................................................................ 79
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/4/2011 ........................................................................................................ 80
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/11/2011 ...................................................................................................... 81
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/24/2011 ...................................................................................................... 82
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/31/2011 ...................................................................................................... 83
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/7/2011 ........................................................................................................ 84
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/14/2011 ...................................................................................................... 85
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/21/2011 ...................................................................................................... 86
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/28/2011 ...................................................................................................... 87
MQP Meeting Notes: 12/05/2011 ...................................................................................................... 88
MQP Meeting Notes: 12/12/2011 ...................................................................................................... 89
Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form ......................................................................... 90
Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template ............................................................................. 91
Appendix D - Report Documentation ..................................................................................................... 93
Appendix E - User Manual....................................................................................................................... 96
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 97
Key Terms ............................................................................................................................................ 97
Main Switchboard ............................................................................................................................... 98
Processes Form ................................................................................................................................... 99
Choose Source Type .......................................................................................................................... 100
Company Sources Form .................................................................................................................... 101
Home Grown Sources Form .............................................................................................................. 102
Data Summary Form ......................................................................................................................... 104
Search and Report Documentation .................................................................................................. 106
Reports .............................................................................................................................................. 107
Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................................................. 109
Appendix F – Technical Documentation for PDR .................................................................................. 110
Entities and Attributes ...................................................................................................................... 110
VBA for Forms ................................................................................................................................... 112
SQL Queries ...................................................................................................................................... 140
Appendix G - Test Plans ........................................................................................................................ 143
Appendix H – Business Intelligence Initiative Background ................................................................... 152
References ................................................................................................................................................ 157
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Table of Tables
Table 1 - Insurance Types, (Investopedia ULC, 2011) ................................................................................. 16
Table 2 - Personal Lines............................................................................................................................... 21
Table 3 - Small Business Insurance ............................................................................................................. 22
Table 4 - Midsized Business ........................................................................................................................ 23
Table 5 - Business Process Reengineering .................................................................................................. 26
Table 6 - Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 28
Table 7- Deliverables and Timeline ............................................................................................................. 32
Table 8 - Stakeholders ................................................................................................................................. 35
Table 9 - Cost benefit calculations .............................................................................................................. 38
Table 10 - Risk Assessment ......................................................................................................................... 42
Table 11 - Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 48
Table 12 - Entity Relationship Diagram Data Summary .............................................................................. 61
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Table of Figures
Figure 1 - Financial Strengths Ratings (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011) ................................... 21
Figure 2- Timeline ....................................................................................................................................... 33
Figure 3 - Context Level .............................................................................................................................. 56
Figure 4 - Level 0 ......................................................................................................................................... 57
Figure 5 - Level 1 Document Process .......................................................................................................... 57
Figure 6 –Level 1 Reengineer Report Creation ........................................................................................... 58
Figure 7 - Level 1 Publish in Datapedia ....................................................................................................... 58
Figure 8 - Entity Relationship Diagram ....................................................................................................... 60
Figure 9 - Main Storyboard ......................................................................................................................... 62
Figure 10 - Process Storyboard ................................................................................................................... 63
Figure 11 - Sources Storyboard ................................................................................................................... 64
Figure 12 - Data Summary Storyboard........................................................................................................ 65
Figure 13 - User Interface Structure Diagram ............................................................................................. 67
Figure 14 - PivotViewer Screenshot Overview ............................................................................................ 74
Figure 15 - PivotViewer Screenshot Search Results based on a specific word ........................................... 75
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Chapter 1: Introduction
The Hanover Insurance Group
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company
for a group of insurers including The Hanover Insurance Company, Citizens Insurance Company
of America, and Chaucer Holdings PLC. The Hanover serves businesses, individuals, and
families, offering its products through a select group of independent agents across the U.S. (The
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
To better accommodate the needs of their clients, Hanover offers a wide range of
Personal Line and Commercial Line products. Hanover defines their commitment with their
clients as “an intense focus on doing what we propose to, doing it well and doing it with speed”
(The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011). In order to achieve this, the company considers that
quality has to be constantly underwritten, products need to be innovative, applied technology
needs to be powerful and service has to be quick in delivery.
In an effort to strengthen the commitment with clients and as part of the overall
development of a comprehensive, enterprise wide Business Intelligence Strategy, it is critical to
understand the manner in which Hanover’s business partners are fulfilling their business
intelligence needs today. In order for Hanover to be better informed and mold the strategy
accordingly, creating a complete set of business process documentation is critical.
Project Overview
The project sponsors and main contacts at Hanover were Karen Winsky (Program
Director of IP Quality Assurance) Cilsy Harris (Vice-President, Hanover Technology Group),
Kim Killeen (Director, Management Information Systems), and Lisa Voellings (Vice-President,
Financial Systems).
Hanover was implementing a Business Intelligence Initiative to reduce risk by making
reporting tasks more efficient. The vision of the initiative is, “To Provide accurate, timely and
pertinent information, in an efficient manner, to improve analysis and inform decision making of
business leaders.” (Harris, 2011) The main objectives of the Business Intelligence Initiative were
(1) to create enterprise alignment and clarity, (2) institutionalize a collaborative, cross-functional
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Business Intelligence Community, (3) identify high impact, value added investments that clearly
align and support business priorities, and (4) identify and quantify current business opportunities
that have clear efficiency payback. For more detail on the background and implications of the
Business Intelligence Initiative, please see Appendix H – Business Intelligence Initiative
Background.
Problem Statement
In the 21st century, it is a necessity to be able to manage and process the never-ending
flow of data and information. However, common issues that plague most companies are data
redundancy, poor data control, non-intuitive user interfaces, and poor data integration. The
situation at Hanover is no different.
Hanover employees are utilizing various data stores to extract the data they need in order
to produce various reports across the organization. Most of the data that is currently being used
is being extracted by various employees in different areas, creating data redundancy. Hanover
employees utilize multiple data sources because the information they find in one of the sources is
incomplete, inaccurate, or some of the systems are not updated regularly enough for their reports.
Most of the data necessary for reports in a certain business area is extracted from the
systems maintained by the Hanover Technology Group (HTG), and placed in Microsoft Access
databases or Excel spreadsheets maintained by employees that work closer to the business and
are not part of HTG.
The databases and spreadsheets mentioned above are kept in individual desktops and are
not maintained by HTG. HTG has no easy way to verify that these local databases have the
proper infrastructure to support key business processes to produce accurate reports. The data in
those systems is updated as often as the user that owns it refreshes the data, rather than HTG
updating it automatically. In many cases, the local databases and spreadsheets are shared with
other Hanover employees. Thus, if the data is inaccurate in the databases and spreadsheets
because it is outdated or imprecise, it will be inaccurate in the reports that are produced with it.
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Due to the complexity of the process, many of the business reports require a high-touch
process to create them. Some of the reports take days or weeks to be crated, and there is a big
change for human error or data inaccuracies because of all the data manipulation that each report
involves.
Objectives
The first objective of the project was to document various business processes throughout
multiple departments at Hanover. These business processes were mostly ones that produce
reports and were pulling data from data stores and using that data in a meaningful way. To obtain
this information we met with different department heads (or other delegated employees).
The documentation consists of a preparation form that contains certain requirements for
each meeting Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form. This form guided the
discussion so that we could gather the important steps in the process flow in order to diagram
afterwards.
Once the process documentation was completed, we then designed a system that achieves
multiple functionalities. First, it is be able to hold the numerous pieces of data from the
documentation and organizes the information on the data sources such that the information has
the capability to be searched in a variety of ways. In addition to making the data available to the
Business Intelligence and MIS teams at Hanover for querying and editing, we also made certain
aspects of the data available to the various employees at Hanover. The employees need to know
if any aspect of their process changes.
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Chapter 2: Literature Review
Industry review
Insurance, in a simpler term, is a method for risk mitigation. For example, a family will
try to reduce the financial risks produced by a death through a life insurance company.
Businesses and Corporations try to mitigate risks through commercial insurance companies.
Each policy is a contract in which the insurance company agrees to compensate or indemnify the
policyholder or beneficiary for the possible loss or damage that a specific object can incur from
certain perils or risks, in exchange of monthly payments for the services described (Oxford
University Press, 2011).
Type of Insurance
There are several types of insurance policies; some of the most common ones are listed in Table
1, below.
Table 1 - Insurance Types, (Investopedia ULC, 2011)
Insurance Type Description
Life Insurance Insurance against expenses incurred due to the death of the insured. A
premium is given to the insured if he or she lives beyond a certain age.
Health Insurance Insurance against expenses incurred through illness of the insured.
Liability
Insurance
Insurance against expenses incurred by damages to property such as
automobiles, real estate and professional/business mishaps.
There additional insurance categories to the ones listed above, such as Supplemental Insurance,
Travel insurance, and workers’ compensation amongst others.
History of Insurance Companies
The first insurance company established in the United State was the Philadelphia
Contributionship. It was formed in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1752 and underwrote fire
insurance. Prior to insuring a building the company would send surveyors to inspect the building
and then the directors would determine the rate. In some cases the company refused to insure
certain buildings where the risk of fire was too great, such as all wooden houses. Nowadays, the
Philadelphia Contributionship continues to issue policies under the name of The Philadelphia
Contributionship Mutual Holding Company (The Philadelphia Contributionship, 2010).
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The first joint-stock insurance company formed in the United Sates was, as it is yet, the
Insurance Company of North America in 1792. The Insurance Company of North America
introduced the concept of “protection against fire and marine hazards which was to revolutionize
crude underwriting and provide the very cornerstone of modern commercial progress as the basis
of business credit” (Insurance Company of North America, 1916).
Regulation
There are two major categories of Regulation: the State Based Insurance Regulatory
System and the Federal Regulation of Insurance (Kofman & Pollitz, 2006). The history of
insurance regulation, however, has been marked by federal-state tensions and accommodations,
and, after more than a century of state dominance, by periodic proposals for federal intervention
(Randall, 1999).
State Based Insurance Regulatory System
Historically, the insurance industry in the Unites States has been regulated by the
individual state governments. The first state commissioner of insurance was appointed in New
Hampshire in 1851 (National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2011).
The goals of insurance regulation articulated by most states include fair pricing of
insurance, protecting insurance company solvency, preventing unfair practices by insurance
companies, and ensuring availability of insurance coverage. Each state has a department within
the executive branch to regulate insurance. The head of the department is usually called the
commissioner or director of insurance. A handful of states elect their insurance commissioner. In
the remaining states, the insurance commissioner is appointed by the governor and serves at the
governor’s pleasure.
The insurance department typically has broad, legislatively delegated powers to enforce
state insurance laws, promulgate rules and regulations, and conduct hearings to resolve disputed
matters. In practice, this power is exercised sparingly, partly because state insurance departments
are often significantly underfunded and partly because of political preferences for less regulation
(Randall, 1999).
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Federal Regulation of Insurance
As mentioned before, Federal Regulation of Insurance vs. State-regulated insurance is an
on-going debate. Some insurers — joined by some banks with insurance affiliates — believe
that current state insurance regulation hinders their effective competition with other financial
intermediaries. They want a more uniform system and many have called for the option of
obtaining a federal charter and subjecting themselves to a single, federal regulator (Webel &
Cobb, 2005). The federal government now has the infrastructure and the resources to protect
consumers (Baker, 2007).
The Hanover Insurance Group
This section of the Literature review discusses the Hanover Insurance Group specifically.
It talks about the company’s history, the various goals and objectives of the company, as well as
external rating in the insurance industry.
History
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. was formed in 1852 in New York City to protect
businesses and homeowners facing the common 19th Century hazard of fire. By the early 20th
Century, The Hanover began to expand its business to include automobile and marine insurance
policies and by 1916, auto insurance was a significant business. (The Hanover Insurance Group,
Inc., 2011). At the time of the 1929 stock market crash, Hanover’s holdings were largely liquid,
so the impact from this event was minimal. In fact, Hanover was one of only five large U.S. fire
insurance companies that had a larger book of business in 1935 than it did in 1930.
Following World War II, vast changes occurred in American business and Hanover
would be part of that change. In 1964, the highly successful Citizens Insurance of Michigan
joined Worcester, Massachusetts-based State Mutual Life Insurance Company to expand beyond
its Midwestern markets. In 1969 Hanover became affiliated with State Mutual and gained access
to new resources for product development, underwriting, data processing, investment and claim,
policyholder and Agent services. It was also at this time that Hanover moved to Worcester to
reduce the operating costs associated with its location in New York City. (The Hanover
Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
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By 1979 Hanover was consistently outperforming the industry and becoming a
recognized and trusted name in local markets. The company began introducing numerous new
products and services, along with new data processing systems that enhanced productivity and
service.
In 1995, State Mutual became a publicly-traded company, renaming itself Allmerica
Financial Corporation. Throughout the 1990s, Hanover worked even more closely with its
Allmerica affiliates, leveraging the considerable resources of the group to improve its products
and services such as electronic funds transfer and computer links with Agents. At the same time,
Hanover continued to emphasize its traditional strengths—its regional focus and local market
knowledge, established relationships with high-quality, service-minded Agents, and underwriting
discipline. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
From 2003 to 2004, the company restructured to significantly improve its financial
position, organization and operating model. Under CEO Fred Eppinger’s direction, the company
also refocused on becoming a world-class property and casualty company that provided the “best
of both”—the financial strength and products of a national company with the local market
knowledge and service of a regional insurer. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
In 2004 and 2005, the company demonstrated its financial strength by weathering an
unprecedented string of major hurricanes. Despite these challenges, the company strengthened its
reserves and delivered record net earnings. In 2005, the company made the strategic decision to
sell its life insurance affiliates. With this sale, and after making tremendous progress in all areas
of its property and casualty business, the company changed its name from Allmerica Financial
Corporation to The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.
The Hanover, as it is known today, is the holding company for The Hanover Insurance
Company, Citizens Insurance Company of America and their affiliates. As a stronger, more
focused company, Our policy is performance.™ (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
The Hanover Insurance Group offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services
to businesses, individuals, and families through agents across the U.S., The company is ranked
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among the top 25 property and casualty insurers in the country and maintains excellent ratings
from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
Goals
To better understand the industry, the position of The Hanover in the marketplace, and its
vision, we need to be congruent with their goals for a successful completion of our project. A
brief description of each of The Hanover’s goals as listed in their web page is provided below.
(The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
Attracting, Retaining and Developing the Best People
The Hanover relies on dynamic leadership to set the course and exemplary service by our
employees to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack. Hanover is committed to invest
substantial resources in the people, building the best leadership, home office and front-line staff
possible.
Maintaining a Financially Strong Company
The Insurance business is all about delivering on promises. The Hanover affiliates will
continue to provide the dependability and stability that our Agents and their customers need.
Partnering with Winning Agents
Creating an effective and mutually beneficial relationship with the Agents is a top
priority for Hanover, having as the objective to know the needs of Hanover’s Agents and their
clients far better than the competition and to align their capabilities with important and timely
opportunities.
Building a World Class Underwriting and Product Capability
Hanover will focus on the business they have an expertise at and our customers need
most - small to mid-size commercial and personal lines. Continue to know the markets better
than their competitors - maintaining well-informed underwriting practices and innovative
products that meet the clients’ needs.
External Ratings
The Hanover has obtained very high ratings on its financial strengths, as it can be seen in
Figure 1. With these ratings, The Hanover proves to be a reliable company with a strong
financial position in the market.
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Figure 1 - Financial Strengths Ratings (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011)
Personal & Commercial Lines
Personal Lines
Hanover offers a “Total Personal Insurance Solution”. As a property and casualty
insurance company, Hanover insures intangibles such as “the comforts of home, the convenience
of daily transportation, the joy of recreation, the beauty of heirlooms and important memories”
(The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2010). It offers four flexible packages of homeowner’s
insurance coverage with options for single family homes, condominiums, apartments, and
renters. It also offers auto coverage that can be customized to suit individual needs.
Table 2 - Personal Lines
Coverage Type Details
Home Insurance ? Single family homes
? Condominiums
? Apartments
? renters
Auto Insurance ? Roadside Assistance
? Ultimate Service
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Coverage Type Details
? Drive Smart Advantage
? Extended non-owned coverage
? Reassurance Plus Endorsement
? Travel Right
? Rental Coverage Upgrade
Toys ? Recreational Vehicle insurance
? Watercraft insurance
? Account Extras
Umbrella & Identity Theft ? Umbrella Insurance
? Identity Integrity Program
Valuables ? Valuable Items Plus Blanket Property
? Scheduled Personal Property
Commercial Lines
Commercial Line products are categorized by the business size, industry, land/ocean, and
financial products.
Small Business Insurance
The Hanover Insurance Group has a very established package for small business. As
Hanover knows it’s hard to run a business, it makes insuring it easier with a complete portfolio
of affordable small business insurance coverage. Table 3 below shows the different types of
coverage available and the breakdown of each. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
Table 3 - Small Business Insurance
Coverage Type Details
Standard Small Business ? Business Owner’s Policy
? Commercial Package Policy
? Workers’ Compensation
? Commercial Automobile
? Commercial Umbrella
Specialty/Value-Added ? Property & Liability Broadening Endorsements
? Industry-specific Broadening Endorsements
? Miscellaneous Professional Liability Insurance for
consultants and 30+ other classes
? Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Technology Company
(Specialty)
? Technology Specific Broadening Endorsement
? Special Liability Endorsement
? Technology and Telecommunications Products and
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Coverage Type Details
Professional Services Coverage Endorsement
? Worldwide Coverage Endorsement
? Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)
? Workers' Compensation
? Commercial Umbrella
? Commercial Auto
? Employment Practices Liability
? …And Many More
Business Owner’s Policy –
Midsize Business
? Packages Property & Liability Programs
? Commercial Auto
? Commercial Umbrella Liability
? Inland Marine
? Workers’ Compensation
Midsized businesses
Hanover allocates underwriters and agents to better understand the uniqueness of each
midsize business, its marketplace and the challenges. The coverage for midsized businesses is
outlined below.
Table 4 - Midsized Business
Coverage Type Details
Business Owner’s
Policy
? Proprietors
? Growing enterprises
? Larger smaller business
Packaged Property &
Liability Programs
? Buildings and other assets
? Crime
? Equipment breakdown
Commercial Auto ? Company-owned cars, trucks, garages and service operations
Commercial Umbrella
Liability
? Increases the coverage provided by your primary liability
policy
Inland Marine ? Accounts receivable
? Valuable papers records
? Items and goods in transport
? Computer equipment and electronic data
Worker’s
compensation
? Funding options
? Managed care
? Claims handling
? Loss control
? Return-to-work capabilities
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Inland and Ocean Marine
Hanover provides custom-tailored insurance protection, taking advantage of Marine
Specialists, a Marine Underwriting Center, Ocean Cargo Mangers, Marine Specialists and Loss
Control experts. Regardless the complexity of the situation, Hanover is able to provide a unique
solution that will satisfy the needs.
Performance and Surety Bonds
Hanover uses its experience obtained over more than 150 years to provide insurance for
products such as Contract Surety, Commercial Surety, and Commercial Crime, implementing
technology that allows clients to transact many Commercial Surety Bonds online in real time.
This allows Hanover’s clients to provide Bond protection, extraordinary service, and a quick
turnaround for their own clients.
Institutional Investments
Opus Investment Management provides investment management services to insurance
companies, pension plans and other institutional investors. Services are offered to traditional and
alternative insurance entities, corporate retirement funds and benefit programs, public retirement
funds, foundations and endowments, mutual funds
The Hanover Technology Group (HTG)
The Hanover Technology Group (HTG) provides information services for The Hanover.
Michael Clifton, the Chief Technology Officer of The Hanover, manages HTG. HTG provides
The Hanover with the necessary tools to run its business. This includes services such as
networking, telecommunications and technical support. This is called the baseline section of
HTG as it is just the essentials of what the Hanover needs. David Trigo, Sue Trombley, and Cilsy
Harris are the Business Delivery Vice Presidents of the Corporate, Commercial Lines and
Personal Lines, respectively. In order for them to make accurate and precise decisions, they need
to be able to obtain reports on current performance across many divisions. Our group will be
focusing on providing a tool that will help document current reporting practicing, allowing the
MIS team at Hanover to simplify them and increase accuracy by reducing manual procedures.
25
Business Process Re-engineering
Business process reengineering is changing the fundamental way in which the
organization operates. Based on the research on the old mythology, technology and activity,
business Process Reengineering focus on the new solution for the problems.
One of the purposes for this project is to gather data to support the request for funding for
the MIS team at Hanover in next year. Through the interviews with Hanover employees and the
documentation of business processes, the common data sources and sub-processes can be
tracked, setting the stage so the To-Be system can be introduced.
Identify Business Processes
This was the first step of the process, in which pain-points were noted when producing
various reports. The main objective was to identify the reports that needed to be addressed first
based on its importance for the business and its rating on how “painful” it was to produce it.
Document the Process
The next step was to document the processes with the highest relevance and pain-points
score. Based on the documentation provided on how data is extracted and manipulated, a
dataflow was created for each of the processes to better understand the data overlap and
commonality across the processes.
Measure and Analyze the process
After documenting the process, the next step was to measure and analyze the process. It
was very important to understand each process from an MIS perspective. This step allowed the
MQP team to better understand the Hanover business users’ needs and requirements when
extracting data for their reports.
In this step, the MQP team was able to quantify data overlaps, and procedures
commonalities that helped prioritize and address the most important concerns for Hanover
employees by deploying a technological solution.
Business Process Reengineering
In this step, we focused on the new data architecture to centralize the data and improve
the data quality in order to provide the users with partially or fully automated processes. The
26
following chart shows the Business Process Reengineering (BPR) activities for the MIS team
and business users at Hanover.
Table 5 - Business Process Reengineering
Process Documentation Repository & Datapedia
At the very core of this project, as in the entire field of business intelligence; is data.
Without data, we as a society would not be able to function. However, data can be defined as
raw, un-summarized, and unanalyzed facts. It is up to the user to turn this data into information
in order to make a decision. Information can simply be thought of as data that has been put into a
meaningful form that conveys significance to a user. An integrated tool that can query the
various aspects of the processes within the company is big help with data normalization and data
integrity.
As such, we have designed a database that manages process documentation, company
source information, home-grown source information, and the summary data that connects the
processes and source. (To clarify, a ‘home-grown’ data source is any source that lives on only
one person’s computer or one group’s server. It is inaccessible to the entirety of the company or
department.) This ‘Process Documentation Repository’, as we have so-accurately named it will
act as a guide for the MIS team at Hanover to continue the documentation and also help the
Business Intelligence team move forward with potential projects in the near future.
Audience BPR
Activities
Focus Purpose
MIS team at
Hanover
Outcome
Analysis
Automated Reports Centralize the data the Hanover
employees utilize on a regular
basis
Technology
Analysis
Minimize data
redundancy
More straight-through
processing and prevent human
error
Activity
Elimination
Eliminate home-
grown databases
Reduce the number of
databases containing key
business information that are
not maintained by HTG
Hanover
business users
Outcome
Analysis
Accurate Business
Information
Produce reports with higher
accuracy in less time
Activity
Elimination
Expedite the process
of creating the
reports
Reduce unnecessary steps
when producing a report
27
The tool we provided is expected to take data and organize it into information. The
executives at Hanover will be able to sift through the various business processes and, for
example, pick out which areas are most important or possibly which areas need to be updated.
Once they obtain this information, they will possess the knowledge to make intelligent business
decisions. Without this capacity to use the information, the processes simply appear as a jumbled
mess on various pieces of paper.
As a complement to the tool, we have also utilized an existing collection of wiki-pages on
a SharePoint site at Hanover called ‘Datapedia’. Datapedia contains information about most key
company data sources and the main reports related to them. David Doe, who is the administrator
of this SharePoint site, is strongly pushing for documentation of as many sources and as many
processes as possible. Since our project documented processes anyway, this provided us a perfect
avenue so that we could display the results of our work for the general public. Not everyone will
have access to the tool we built, but everyone at the company does have access to Datapedia so
that they can keep up with any changes made during the BI Initiative.
All in all, through the use of our tool and documentation Hanover will be able to
consolidate the processes data into usable information. And thus, it allows upper management to
gain understanding on the topic in order to make further vital decisions in their Business
Intelligence Initiative based on the original data.
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Chapter 3: Methodology
Project Plan
Following best practices, any project that involves the development of a system must be
put through the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The SDLC is used in many areas of
business, including systems engineering, information systems, software engineering, and many
more. Its purpose is to product a high quality system that will meet or exceed the expectations of
the customer (Dennis, Wixom, & Roth, 2009). The four phases of the SDLC are planning,
analysis, design, and implementation. Each phase requires a different level of emphasis, but all
must be carefully considered in order to produce the desired result.
For this project, we followed the SDLC it to guide ourselves through the development of
a tool that to help The Hanover Insurance Group organize their business processes, and use this
data to obtain meaningful information. Table 6, displayed below, outlines the four phases of the
SDLC, as well as each step within that phase, the technique used by the team, and the deliverable
produced.
Table 6 - Methodology
Phase Step Technique Deliverable
(for both Hanover and MQP)
PLANNING
Identify the
problem
Speak to BI team for
requirements
Introduction
Gather background
information
Research Hanover:
history, business type,
etc.
Literature Review
Examine feasibility Three types: technical,
economic, organizational
Feasibility Analysis
Create a timeline Identify all tasks,
estimate time needed per
task
Timeline (Gantt
Chart)
Staff the project WPI Student Team Staffing Plan
Manage and
execute project
Clarify project scope and
recognize potential risks
Project Scope, Risks
and Constraints
ANALYSIS
Collect business /
system
requirements
Interview employees,
document business
processes
System
Requirements,
System Definition
Create various use
cases
Develop use case
analyses
Use Cases
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Phase Step Technique Deliverable
(for both Hanover and MQP)
Model system
processes
Diagram data flows for
processes
Process Models
Model data /
information
Create entity relationship
model, normalize data
Data Models
DESIGN
Design system
architecture
Select hardware and
software, select database
format
System,
Architecture Report
Design user
interface
Consider use scenarios,
then structure interface
Interface Design
Build initial
prototype
Develop prototype
structure and data
contents
Alpha Prototype
Test user
interactions
Usability testing,
evaluate with heuristics
Prototype
improvements
Build final
prototype
Apply prototype
improvements
Final Prototype
IMPLEMENTATION
Generate training
materials
User processes, data
definitions, etc.
User Training
Manual
Project hand-off Set up for addition of
new processes, etc.
All compiled system
information
documents
Scope
As mentioned before, the Hanover Insurance Group was pursuing a Business Intelligence
Strategy in order to centralize extraneous data to improve various business processes by straight-
through-processing. This initiative was a very large undertaking, and given our time frame, it
was impossible to take on the entire project. Therefore, the scope below defines the deliverables
and the limitations of the project for the WPI Student Consulting team.
Planning and Analysis
We documented approximately fifteen business processes to analyze the high-level
requirements. This involved scheduling meetings/interviews with a total of seven department
heads (or their designated employees) to better understand process and data flows. Also, we
requested that a pre-requisite form Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form be
filled out prior to each meeting, so that our team could guide topics of conversation in the
30
appropriate direction. In these meetings, we met with various company personnel to inquire
about process inputs and outputs, as well as the various data sources utilized. Once the meetings
were finished, we documented these processes using the pre-requisite form as well as a process
flow diagram in Visio.
In order to understand the business processes within the company, we identified various
sources of data within the company and all related attributes to fully understand all business
processes. Then, we researched all company terminology so that all terminology and acronyms
are recorded appropriately within the tool. Once familiarized, we examined and familiarized
ourselves with the aspects of similar systems at Hanover. Finally, we created consistency among
all documents and process flows so that the eventual tool contains good data.
From the meetings with the departments we were able to gather and understand the
requirements from the business perspective on what information they use currently, and how
they would prefer the system to be displayed. On the technical aspect of the project, we met on a
weekly basis with Kim Killeen, Director of MIS at Hanover, to discuss the technical
requirements and feasibility of the project.
Development
The first step in development was to design the tool. We used information gained from
documentation to create an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for a database to house the data.
Once our first draft was complete, we met with Kim Killeen to confirm entities and attributes
were accurate, and revised the ERD as necessary. Upon completion of the ERD we created
sample interfaces using sketched screenshots to display the intended functionality of the database
and the linked SharePoint site. Before building the prototype, we completed a cost-benefit
analysis of our linked system to portray the value that our system will add to the company.
After each of the above steps was completed, we then created the prototype. The
prototype encompasses various use cases and handles a few use scenarios to clearly demonstrate
how a user can navigate through the system and acquire the necessary information desired. The
interface shows important high-level information on the front-most level for simplest use.
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In summary, we documented fifteen business processes. Then, we created a database that
includes data elements from the process documentation. This database has an intuitive interface
to be used by Kim Killeen and other members of the MIS team at Hanover. They will use it to
generate basic statistics as well as add/edit/delete information as the Business Intelligence
Initiative moves further. Some statistics include: number of data sources used in each process,
common data elements used in multiple systems, etc. Also, we linked the database to Datapedia,
a SharePoint site of wiki pages which already exists at Hanover, in order to allow employees to
follow the progress of the Business Intelligence initiative as it relates to their business processes.
Users can track the sourcing of data and all impacts to their processes using our additions to the
Datapedia wiki page at Hanover. Unlike the MIS team at Hanover, however, the business users
cannot manipulate the data in the database; they can only generate and view reports.
System Prototyping was used to develop the prototype of the tool. System Prototyping
methodology smoothens the transition from the prototype to the tool itself. With system
prototyping users were able to evaluate a simplified version of the tool and give us feedback on
how to tailor it for Hanover needs. The phases of analysis, design, and implementation were
performed concurrently to produce simple versions. Based on the feedback obtained from the
users, a more complete and less faulty versions of the tool were developed and then submitted
for feedback once again.
In order to ease the transition and ensure full utilization of the tool, the MQP team
provided training to the MIS staff and potential users for the new tool. Documentation of the
prototype was provided to the MIS staff. This documentation includes the prototype training
manual, as well as SQL code in case they wish to implement the prototype in another SQL
environment other than the one of the prototype we built. Both the findings from interviews,
process documentation, and the tool were presented to the sponsors of the Business Intelligence
Strategy on December 14.
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Deliverables and Timeline
Table 7 lists each core deliverable for the project and the deadline by which it was due.
Table 7- Deliverables and Timeline
Deliverable
(for both Hanover and MQP)
Deadline
Proposal Presentation October 5
th
Process Documentation and Flows
? I nterview various employees about their processes
? Create process flow diagrams and review with aforementioned
employees
? Compile pre-requisite form and process flows onto the project
SharePoint site
November 2
nd
(November 9
th
if any
meetings need to be
rescheduled)
Prototype of Tool
? Exhibit a few use scenarios
? Ensure all sections of the database and SharePoint site are
intuitive to use
? Conduct user-testing to gain feedback on potential bugs or
problem areas
? Revise tool based on user comments
November 16
th
(This will allow time for user
testing and feedback, then
possible revision of the tool
for November 23
rd
-30
th
User and Technical Manuals
? Will include: step-by-step guide for previously discussed use
scenarios,
? SQL/VBA code for easy transition to other universe if desired,
? Screenshots to aid visually in execution of various tasks
November 30
th
Final Draft (MQP Paper) December 7
th
Final Presentation to sponsor December 14
th
Work Plan
Figure 2 shows the general work plan for both the project at Hanover (top), as well as the
academic portion for WPI (bottom). Each major task in the project plan had numerous steps.
Even if each student was not involved in each step, the overall task as a whole was completed by
all students. For example, during the “gathering requirements” stage, each student may not have
attended every meeting, but the task itself was completed through input of all three students.
33
Timeline
Figure 2- Timeline
34
Staffing Plan
The following section reviews the project-related skills and experience that each team
member has amassed through years of hard work and dedication, to the date of this report. The
section also provides the project sponsors with confidence that the project will be completed (at
the very least) to their expectations.
Sean Burke
Sean Burke is majoring in Management Information Systems and is minoring in
Computer Science. Courses such as Business Data Management, Achieving Strategic
Effectiveness, and Human Computer Interaction have all given him unique skills that will assist
in creating a user-friendly interface during the development of the tool. In addition to his
coursework, Sean is employed by Communispace; a market insight and research firm located in
Boston, MA. His projects there have put the concepts he has learned in the classroom into real-
world situations which has prepared him for the business environment at Hanover.
Wenxuan Guo
Wenxuan Guo is Management Information Systems major and she seeks to obtain her
minor in Actuarial Mathematics. She is taking on her MQP in only her third year at WPI, which
is a great example of her study and work habits. In addition to her dedication to the project,
classes such as Information Systems Management and Systems Analysis and Design will provide
the knowledge and skills necessary to produce a great end-product.
Luis Quiroga
Luis Quiroga is double-majoring in Management Information Systems and Industrial
Engineering. This is a great combination because he can understand both the flow of business
processes and the technology and data that go into each part of each process. His coursework in
Systems Analysis and Design, Business Data Management, and Information Systems
Management will all assist him is getting this project done. In addition, he interned for Goldman
Sachs in New York City for two consecutive summers. This job gave him the experience to work
in a fast-paced environment, and also work with Visual Basic for Application and other tools to
enhance business processes.
35
Stakeholder List and Roles
A successful project is not only measured by the project sponsors and grade from the
faculty advisor, but it also needs to meet the expectations and needs of the stakeholders for the
project. Each individual who contributes to the project or will be affected by the project is a
stakeholder. The most notable stakeholders are the project sponsors, the WPI student team, the
faculty advisor, users of the future tool, and the various points of contact within the project. The
pertinent information about each stakeholder is listed in Table 8.
Table 8 - Stakeholders
Name(s) Title, Department Project Role Responsibilities
Karen Winsky Program Director of
IP Quality Assurance
Project Sponsor ? Project reporting
? Provide high-level
requirements
? Review status throughout
Cilsy Harris VP Hanover
Technology
Project Sponsor ? Project reporting
? Provide high-level
requirements
? Review status throughout
Kim Killeen Director of MIS at
Hanover
Project Sponsor,
Student Consultant
Manager
? Project guidance
? Assist students will any
difficulties
? Review deliverables at
certain stages
Lisa Voellings AVP Financial
Systems
Project Sponsor ? Project reporting
? Provide high-level
requirements
Sean Burke
Wenxuan Guo
Luis Quiroga
WPI MQP Team Project Managers,
Project Team
? Documentation of
various business
processes
? Create process flow
diagrams
? Create a database with
interface to contain and
manage data
? Develop user-friendly
tool for employees to
access information
Professor
Djamasbi
WPI MQP Team
Advisor
Faculty Advisor to
project team
? Keep track of team
progress
? Provide guidance
throughout the process
? Review all deliverables
36
Name(s) Title, Department Project Role Responsibilities
Jillian McMillen Business Analyst,
HTG
Worked on project
prior to WPI team
? May take over project
when our portion is
complete
? Sit in on some meetings
to provide guidance
David Doe Mgr. Business
Solutions, DBA’s and
Architects
Manages Datapedia
(the SharePoint site
where employees
can see results of
project)
? Give recommendations
on how to incorporate
project with Datapedia
? Provide other general
project guidance
Linda Brench Business Analyst,
HTG (Contractor
from Keane)
User, WPI team
consultant
? Sit in on documentation
meeting to clarify the
terminology used in the
company
? Provide general project
guidance
Robert LaChance VP Field Finance &
Analytics
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Eric Naglieri Mgr. Data and
Analysis, CL
Actuarial
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Susan Gildea VP Lead Actuary,
Actuarial Emerging
Business
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Jeremy Jump VP Lead Actuary, PL
Actuarial
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Pamela Hardina Lead Financial
Analyst, P&C
Finance
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Aaron Bender Mgr. Data and
Analysis, PL State
Mgmt. – Core
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Catherine Eska VP Lead Actuary,
Corporate Actuarial
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Assorted
Employees
Various Users ? use the system put in
place by WPI student
team
37
Feasibility Analysis
The following section analyzes the overall feasibility of the project. The three criteria
taken into consideration were technical feasibility, economic feasibility, and organizational
feasibility. The detailed descriptions and analyses are discusses below.
Technical Feasibility
The technical feasibility is split into multiple parts. Each of these parts answers the
question “Can we build it?” (Dennis et al., 2009). The five sub-sections of technical feasibility
include technological capability, application capability, technological familiarity, compatibility,
and project size. Each sub-section is outlined below.
Technological Capability
The Hanover Insurance Group uses numerous pieces of software on a daily basis to carry
out business processes. In relation to our project, they use a variety of tools to source, query, and
report data. Tools like MS Access and Oracle databases are used to house data in various
warehouses and universes, while applications such as SQL Server and Hyperion can be used to
query the data to acquire the necessary data within a process. Finally, Microsoft Excel and
Microsoft SharePoint are often used as reporting tools across various lines of business.
Application Familiarity
The employees within the Hanover Insurance Group all work with these various tools and
applications every day. In some cases, an employee must carry out multiple business processes
that could all involve more than one of the applications mentioned in the previous paragraph.
The MIS team at Hanover is more than capable of handling any tool we may create, provided
that we can supply proper documentation.
Technological Familiarity
The MIS team at Hanover consists of the go-to experts for any technology and data
source used in Hanover. As the consultants for the project, it is our job to make the adaptation to
the tool simple and seamless. We shall provide an intuitive interface, detailed documentation,
and helpful, in-depth training to all necessary employees so that the organization is able to
progress further with their Business Intelligence Initiative using the technology we have supplied
to them.
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Compatibility
The system will be definitely compatible with technologies that already exist in The
Hanover. The information that will be included in the tool is already available at The Hanover,
and so it is the infrastructure to display it. Considering we will only be producing a prototype of
the tool, the aspects that will require the most attention are the technical documentation and user
training.
Project Size
Given the time frame and scope of the project, the three WPI team members are sufficient
to implement the solution for the problem at hand. Once we hand-off the project, David Doe the
Manager of Business Solutions DBA’s and Architects, will be responsible for the Datapedia
portion of the system. Kim Killeen and delegated members of her team can manage the system.
Lastly, either Linda Brench or Jillian McMillen (or both) can carry on with the documentation
meetings. All in all, the hand-off of the project was seamless with very little effort from
Hanover.
Economic Feasibility
The following section outlines what Hanover should expect in terms of monetary value of
our project. Based on best practices, we chose to analyze the project on a 5-year time table
(Dennis, Wixom, & Roth, 2009). The costs, benefits, and other important economic feasibility
metrics are shown below in Table 9.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Table 9 - Cost benefit calculations
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Development Costs
Software developer salaries 0.00 15384.62 15384.62 0.00 0.00 30769.23
WPI MQP Project fee 10000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10000.00
Training 540.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 540.87
Hardware and Software 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Data Conversion 0.00 192.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 192.31
Operational Costs
Hardware and Software 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Software developer
salaries
0.00 1884.62 1884.62 923.08 923.08 5615.38
Communication 0.00 1081.73 1081.73 1081.73 1081.73 4326.92
39
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
User Training 0.00 925.48 925.48 925.48 925.48 3701.92
TOTAL COSTS $10,541 $19,469 $19,276 $2,930 $2,930 $55,147
Reduction in IT costs 1153.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1153.85
Identify reporting
improvement opportunities
680.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 680.77
Improve quality and
consistency of data impact
analysis
283.65 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 283.65
Reduction in labor from
manual work in reporting
0.00 46153.85 69230.77 69230.77 69230.77 253846.15
TOTAL BENEFITS $2,118 $46,154 $69,231 $69,231 $69,231 $255,964
Total Benefits - Total Costs -$8,423 $26,685 $49,954 $66,300 $66,300 $200,818
Cumulative Net Cash Flow -$8,423 $18,263 $68,217 $134,517 $200,818
Break Even Point
4 months
Return on Investment
364.15%
Net Present Value
$174,120.25
Assumptions
The following section addresses the assumptions made by the MQP team to generate all
the figures in the cost-benefit analysis. The assumptions are listed (for the most part) in the same
order as their respective monetary values in the table. Also worth noting, the estimated salaries
of employees that will eventually work on the new system are taken from GlassDoor.com.
In 2011 there will be no development costs since the MIS team at Hanover will not be
implementing the system until the following year. In 2012 and 2013 they will begin development
of a system based on our prototype. It costs the development team time to create new resources
and we must account for this in our analysis.
Based on information obtained from GlassDoor.com, the average business operations
employee makes about $80,000 per year. This would translate to about $38.46 per hour. These
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employees should expect the total hours to allocate to development per year would be about 400.
This figure is based largely on personal experience. Through summer internships, we gained
experience in certain aspects of software development, including the timeline. Due to the amount
of current data stores, and the amount of expected time for development, 400 hours of work
seems logical. Therefore the monetary value is 400 * 38.46 = 15384.62.
In order to pass the system off, we were required to train at least one user on the
prototype. This training would take approximately 10 hours and we are assuming a salary of
about $112,500 per year (approximately $59.09 per hour) for a Director-level position at
Hanover (GlassDoor.com). Finally for development, we assumed it would take only 5 hours for
an employee to do the data conversion from our prototype to whatever the final system happens
to be. Again, this data analyst / business operations employee is assumed to have a salary of
about $80,000 per year ($38.46 per hour).
For operational costs; maintenance of the system will begin in 2012. We are assuming
that general maintenance of the system should only consist of 24 hours per year. This assumes an
employee at Hanover will spend about 2 hours at the end of each month updating the system and
performing general maintenance if necessary. In addition, during 2012 and 2013 Hanover still
needs to feed in the rest of the process documentation information. Based on personal experience
and the amount of processes remaining, it should take an employee at Hanover about 50 hours to
complete the documentation process. This number will be split over 2 years assuming they wish
to take their time in completing the documentation. Again, we are assuming the aforementioned
tasks will be executed by an employee making a salary of $80,000 per year ($38.46 per hour).
In terms of communication to the average business user, we assume it will take the
administrator of Datapedia approximately 20 hours per year to manage the upkeep of the site
specifically in regards to our portion of the site. This is based on the amount of time it took us to
edit a wiki-page that already exists on the site. Finally for operational costs, we assumed there
would be one trainer and about five people being trained on the new system. We estimated the
trainer (Director-level) would have a salary of about $112,500 per year ($54.09 per hour) and the
trainees again would be at about $80,000 per year ($38.46 per hour). This assumes that the
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trainees would be data analysts / business operations employees. We assumed there would be
approximately 10 hours’ worth of training sessions to be fully competent with the new system.
Now switching over to benefits, one key benefit is the overall reduction in IT costs that
Hanover will save using our system. If they had to attempt to do this project from scratch, we
assumed it would take approximately the same amount of time it took us to design the system
and build it into a working database. In total this was about 30 hours and we assumed the
employee at Hanover who would take on this task would again be a data analyst / business
operations employee. Another benefit to consider is the fact that we are saving them time from
doing the documentation and we are helping to identify reporting improvement opportunities. If
they had done these themselves, we assumed that they would utilize a data analyst with less than
three years’ experience. This way, the employee becomes acclimated with the company
processes faster and also Hanover completes the documentation efficiently. Again using
Glassdoor.com, we are assuming the documentation employees earn approximately $59,000 per
year ($28.37 per hour). Our team took 24 hours to complete this portion of the project.
Another benefit for Hanover is that we are improving the quality and consistency of their
documentation for future use and its impact of data analysis. We spent approximately 10 hours
going through all the documentation and process flows to ensure consistency and data integrity
for all information within the PDR. If Hanover was to do this using their resources, they would
again assign the new data analyst to the task with an approximate salary of $59,000 per year
($28.37 per hour).
The final and most important benefit of our system is improving the reporting processes
through reduction of overall manual labor. Once the BI initiative finds opportunities for
improvement in the various areas of the company, each of the business processes documented
have the potential for extreme time differences in manual labor. Time to complete a process can
take anywhere from one day to two weeks. The frequency in which processes are executed varies
as well. After taking those facts into consideration and analyzing our sample size (approx. 20-25
processes), we determined that each process could realize an average of 24 hours saved per year.
In 2012, we assumed Hanover will complete half of the remaining processes on the list and
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therefore would see a savings based only on 50 total processes. In 2013 and beyond, they will
see a savings from a total of 75 processes assuming that the process documentation is complete
and the BI initiative continues to run at its optimal potential. The employees completing these
processes would range from associate actuaries to business analysts to lead financial analysts.
After reviewing the salaries on GlassDoor.com, we averaged a few different salaries and the
average came out to $79,000. We rounded this to $80,000 (again $38.46 per hour).
Organizational Feasibility
The following section answers the question: “If we build it, will they come?” (Dennis et
al., 2009). We analyzed if the system will be adopted by the potential users. Also, we needed to
be sure the design will be approved by the leaders of the Business Intelligence Team. These two
groups were very important to the success of the newly developed system.
The goal of the Business Intelligence Initiative at Hanover is to reengineer business
processes throughout the organization through the use of technology. The Business Intelligence
Strategy is being sponsored by the Chief Financial Officer at Hanover, thus, implementing the
initiative through a top-to-bottom approach. The Hence, the system developed by the MQP team
is planned to be utilized after our departure.
Conclusion
Taking the recent sections into consideration, we determined that the development of this
system was feasible. The Hanover Insurance Group may not benefit financially from the project
in the short-term; but in the long-run, this project will provide numerous benefits that will assist
the organization in its business operations for years to come.
Risk Assessment
Table 10 - Risk Assessment
Risk Risk Level Impact Description
Professor Review Delay High High Professor Djamasbi must review
our deliverables throughout the
course of the project. She has
many other responsibilities at WPI
and therefore a delay should
always be anticipated.
Presentation Scheduling
Conflicts
High Low Kim Killeen, Lisa Voellings, and
Cilsy Harris each need to be
present for our presentation. They
43
Risk Risk Level Impact Description
all have busy work schedules on a
daily basis and a delay may arise if
they cannot attend a scheduled
presentation time.
Employee unavailability Medium High Meeting with various employees is
how we will document the various
business processes. If any of the
meetings need to be rescheduled
for any reason, the documentation
will take even longer than
expected.
Prior document
consistency
Medium High Before we took on this project,
approximately nine business
processes were already
documented. In order for our tool
to be effective, this documentation
will need to be consistent with our
documentation to ensure data
integrity.
Technology availability
for presentation
Low Medium If no projector or other technology
source is available for the final
presentation, it could hinder the
quality if the student team is ill-
prepared.
Risk Mitigation
The risks listed above have all been recognized and the following section describes the
way(s) in which the risks can be avoided or counteracted.
Professor Review Delay
In order to decrease the level of risk, we informed Professor Djamasbi of the status of
each of the deliverables related to the project. The agenda and meeting minutes for each of the
weekly meetings outlined any review of deliverables if it applies. This way, Professor Djamasbi
had ample warning each time she needed to review any piece of the project and allocate her time
appropriately.
Presentation Scheduling Conflicts
The best way to avoid scheduling conflicts was to provide significant warning ahead of
the determined presentation date. On the original proposal, we outlined a tentative presentation
44
date, and therefore the project sponsors had that time free. However, as we learned during our
proposal presentations, other business meetings ran late which required the WPI team to be
prepared for a condensed presentation if necessary.
Technology Unavailability for Final Presentation
During the proposal presentation, our team went into an unknown meeting room and
assumed that there would be a computer for us to use. These assumptions were wrong, and we
were luckily able to improvise a solution that made for a great presentation. For the final
presentation, we attempted to avoid that risk by choosing our own meeting room and then
assessing the room for the necessary materials on our part for presentation day.
Employee Unavailability
As with any interview or business meeting, a time had to be arranged that worked for
several different groups of people. If, for any reason, a meeting was cancelled or delayed then we
were set back at least one week in the documentation process. To reduce this risk, we scheduled
meetings during a time frame in which Linda Brench and the designated employee have no
adjacent meetings, if possible. This way there was less of a chance a prior engagement will run
late and interfere with our project.
Prior Document Consistency
Since some processes were already documented before we took on the project, we needed
to ensure that the way things were done were the same as the way they were being done
previously. In order to assure this is the case, we went through the prior completed documents
and process flows, and analyzed the terminology used within each one. In this way, we
maximized data integrity within the database.
45
Chapter 4: Analysis and Design
The Hanover Insurance Group has processes established to create reports for the different
business areas. However, the data about insurance policies is scattered across various data
sources. These data sources contain different pieces of information regarding insurance. For
example one data source contains policy level information another data source contains quote-
level information. In order for the different groups at Hanover to produce the reports they need,
they combine the different metrics from the different systems into an Access database or a
spreadsheet they constructed themselves.
The current system has a high operational risk for Hanover. The “home-grown”
databases and macros constructed by the individual groups are stored on the individual desktops
rather than in a centralize location on the network. The MIS team at Hanover has no control
over the “home-grown” tools, which means that they cannot ensure it has the proper architecture
and manipulation of the data, and they cannot provide the proper maintenance either.
Most of the reports are complex to produce, thus very complex to duplicate. It is not
uncommon that a very selective number of employees know the steps to produce a specific
report. The processes to produce each report require a lot of manual work, making them high-
touch rather than straight through processing. Due to the nature of the processes, mistakes are
prone to happen. These mistakes can delay the production of the report since it has to be revised
to ensure the report is accurate and error-free.
The MIS team at Hanover is trying to analyze which data is extracted from each data
source, and how it is manipulated to produce the reports in each business area. The data overlap
will be found in the process flow for each of the reports. Once commonalities are found between
data that the different business areas are currently extracting from various systems, then the MIS
team at Hanover will be able to centralize the data storage and reduce the number of data sources
needed to produce various reports.
The two main advantages from centralizing the data are reducing the number of data
sources overall, and reducing the number of home-grown databases. First, by reducing the
46
number of data sources, all the data will be found in one place which facilities data mining and
maintenance of the data stores overall. Second, by centralizing the data the business areas will
only need to download the data once and produce the report from that data; the number of home-
grown databases and macros should decrease since data does not need to be combined from
different data sources.
Analysis Strategy
This section discusses the how we gathered and analyzed the requirements necessary to
create a proper prototype for the future system. It mainly addresses the best practices we utilized
through the analysis and design phase of this project.
Requirements Analysis Techniques
Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions were held with senior management from
each business area. Linda Brench was extremely helpful in guiding the JAD sessions since we,
the WPI students, were not familiarized with the processes and business terminology at Hanover.
A maximum of three JAD sessions were held on a weekly basis, and an average of two business
processes were documented in each session.
After each JAD session, the Visio flow charts were sent back to senior management for
accuracy verification and final approval. Any unclear segments of the flow would also be
verified once the Visio chart was produced. Senior management was also asked to produce a
spreadsheet highlighting all the individual fields that were extracted from each of the data
sources to be able to further understand what data each business area needs to produce their
reports.
Weekly JAD sessions were also held with Kim Killeen, the director of MIS at Hanover.
During each session we would demonstrate our advancement on the tool to store the
documentation for each process, in a way that a specific process or data store could be searched,
and the data elements pertinent to that system would be shown.
47
Requirements Gathering Techniques
The JAD sessions helped identify the “pain-points” for each process when producing the
reports. By creating consistency in the processes documentation during all the JAD sessions, the
overlap of necessary data for various reports was easier to identify.
For each process the data sources would be identified during the JAD session. The
process documentation consisted of the flow chart for each of the processes showing the data
sources, how the data is manipulated, and the necessary steps that each business area does in
order to produce the report. After collecting this information during the JAD sessions, the MQP
team designed their respective flow charts in Microsoft Visio.
Questionnaires also proved very effective to gather the requirements. Before every JAD
session the interviewees were asked to fill the form that can be found in Appendix B – Business
Process Flow Preparation Form, which highlights the audience each report is intended to, it lists
all the data sources needed to produce the given report, and it also lists all the data elements and
general information that is extracted from each data source. By asking senior management to fill
the form previous to the meeting, it allowed the WPI students to better understand the process
before mapping it out in the meeting, and it also served as the guide for senior management when
describing the flow.
Requirements Definition
Purpose
The purpose of the Requirements Definition is to understand and record the various types
of requirements for the development of a tool that will provide with statistics on the data
extracted by the different business areas at Hanover, and to provide information on systems and
users that will be impacted if another system use is discontinued.
Target Audience
This requirements definition is intended for the following audience at Hanover:
? Project Sponsors
? Business Intelligence Strategy team
? HTG Management information systems team
? Users of data sources which use will be discontinued
48
Requirements
The requirements necessary for the system are listed in Table 11.
Table 11 - Requirements
Type Requirement Details
Functional
Process-oriented ? The system must allow employees in the
business area find the new data stores
were the necessary data can be found
? Inputs and outputs of said processes and
their reports
Information-oriented ? The system must store the previous data
sources for a specific report
? The system must store the new data
sources were the necessary data for a
specific report can be found
Non-functional
Operational ? The system has to have the search
feasibility for the new data sources used
in a specific report
? The system has to have the search
feasibility for the reports and home-
grown databases that are impacted, if a
non-home-grown database is removed
from the system
? The system needs to be able to report
basic statistics about the data overlap
across various business areas
Performance ? The prototype should be tested with data
from at least 25 documented processes
Security ? Business users outside of the MIS team at
Hanover should not have access to the
database
Cultural and Political ? The system, built in MS Access, should
be easy to translate to other environments
if necessary
49
Use Cases and Systems Models
Use Cases
Process 1
Use case name: View/ Add/ modify process information to the database
Process ID: 1 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to store the business process in the database in
order to maximize the efficiency and enable other Business Intelligence decision making
functionality
Trigger: MIS team inputs new process to the database
Type: External
Major Inputs: Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Process list Business Intelligence
SharePoint Site
Stored Information System
Business process data source and
detail information
Business Process
Sessions
Form
Data flow Information Data flow diagram
Information address System
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Input process to the database ? Process list
1.1 Find the list of the documented
process on the BI SharePoint document
? Business Process data source
and detail information
1.2 If the process is already there,
then modify the process information
1.3 If the process is not on the list in
the database, then add that process
into the database according to the
process Sessions form
? Data flow information
2 View the process ? Information address
Database with detail
Information
50
Process 2
Use case Name: View/ Modify/Add Data source
Process ID: 2 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to store the data source information in the
database in order to maximize the efficiency and enable other Business Intelligence decision
making functionality
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover inputs data source to the database according to the data source
information from data flow diagram
Type: External
Major Inputs: Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Business Process information Business Process Stored information System
Data flow information Data flow diagram
data address System
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Input data source to the database
1.1 determine if it is master data source
or home grown data source
? Business Process information
1.2 Add the data source for to the database ? Database address
1.3 check mark for final report if it's the
final output from this process
1.4 continues add the other data source
for specific process
? Business Process
1.5 Exit if complete ? Stored information
2 View the data source
51
Process 3
Use case Name: View/ Modify/Add Data summary
Process ID: 3 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to store the data source information in the
database in order to maximize the efficiency and enable other BI decision making functionality
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover inputs data source to the database according to the data source
information from data flow diagram
Type: External
Major Inputs: Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Process list MIS team at
Hanover
Database with detail
information
MIS team at
Hanover
Business Process Sessions Form MIS team at
Hanover
Data flow diagram
Database
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Input process to the database
1.1 Find the list of the documented process on the BI
SharePoint document
? List of documented processes
1.2 If the process is already there, then modify the
process information
1.3 If the process is not on the list in the database,
then add that process into the database according to
the process Sessions form
? Business Process Sessions Form
Database with detailed information
52
Process 4
Use case Name: Search or view the report
Process ID: 4 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how search or view the report sorts by different
criteria.
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover needs to view the information for data source purpose or need to
publish the report on the Datapedia site
Type: External
Major Inputs Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Stored information System list of sorted information by
different criteria
System
Switchboard with different sort
criteria
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Click on the sub form by purpose and
criteria
? Switchboard with different sort criteria
1.1Click the report wanted the view
2 Print out the report if needed
53
Process 5
Use case: Create Wiki page
Process ID: 5 Importance Level: high
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to publish the report
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover update the report according to the changes of the process or data
source
Type: External
Major Inputs Major Output
Description Source Description Source
SharePoint address David Doe process and data source report SharePoint Site
Reports System
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Generate report ? Database
1.1 System generate report according to all
the criteria
2 Publish report
2.1 Create the link from the Datapedia page ? SharePoint
Process and Data source report
54
Process 6
Use Case Name: Publish report
Process ID: 6 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to public the process information on the
SharePoint site and how to linked them together
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover inputs process information on the SharePoint site
Type: External
Major Inputs Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Business Process Sessions
Form
MIS team
at Hanover
SharePoint Datapedia report MIS team at
Hanover
Data flow diagram MIS team
at Hanover
SharePoint site MIS team at
Hanover
Database information MIS team
at Hanover
SharePoint Datapedia report
prepare form
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Get information
1.1 prepare report from business process
sessions form
? Business Process Sessions Form
1.2 prepare report from data
flow diagram
? Data flow diagram
2 Input information into SharePoint
Datapedia report
? SharePoint Datapedia report prepare form
3 Linked the report page to the existing
report title
? SharePoint Datapedia report
4 If the report doesn't exist on the
department page, create one more row for
that report
? SharePoint site
5 Link the data source for that report to the
Datapedia
55
Use Scenarios
This section describes the use scenarios that were created to further understand the uses
of the system.
Use Scenario 1 - Add documentation for a process
The MIS team at Hanover has held a new meeting with business users to understand their
reporting procedures, and they would like to add the process information into the database. Add
documentation for a process can be done in two ways: directly from the switchboard, or when
adding a data summary. The MIS team at Hanover has the option to click the button in the
switchboard to add a process, input the information, and then come back to the switchboard. The
process information can also be registered from the data summary form were a button will bring
the process form up, if the desired process is not listed in the database.
Use Scenario 2 – Add a source
Following up from a new meeting, the MIS team at Hanover realizes that a group in
Hanover utilizes a data source that is not entered in our database yet. Same as with the
documentation for a process, adding a source can be done from the switchboard directly or from
the data summary form. After the user of the tool decides he/she wants to add a new source, they
are prompted to decide whether the new source is homegrown or not. Depending on the user
selection, they will be guided to the different forms for types of sources; the information in both
is very similar overall, where the main difference is that the user is asked to provide more detail
for a homegrown source.
Use Scenario 3 – Add a data summary
When documenting the procedure to create a new report, the MIS team at Hanover will
want to understand the data that is pulled from both types of data sources and for what purpose.
The switchboard gives the user the possibility of clicking the button to enter a new data
summary, which brings up the form where the user can select the process and data source for
which him/ her is entering all the information. In case the desired process or source is not listed
in the database, as described in the previous use scenarios, there are buttons that will take the
user to the pertinent form where they can add the process or source to the database.
Use Scenario 4 – Produce reports
When the MIS team at Hanover desires to understand how the sources are being used
they can utilize the switchboard to navigate to the form where they can see different reports
56
displaying different information. They will be able to compare sources utilization for a specific
process, or the different processes that involve a data source. Other reports the user has available
describe different aspects and information on the complexity of the processes or the data that is
being retrieved from the sources.
Data Flow Diagrams
Below is a graphical representation of inputs and outputs for our system. As the level
increases the procedures outlined are more detailed for a better comprehension of the data flows
in our system.
Context Level
Hanover
business users
0
Process
Documentation
Repository
MIS team at
Hanover
Existing processes
Wiki page
Process documentation
Data source
Figure 3 - Context Level
57
Level 0
Hanover
business users
MIS team at
Hanover
Existing processes
Wiki page
Process documentation
Data source information
1
Document
process
2
Reengineer
report creation
3
Publish in
Datapedia
D2 Datapedia
SharePoint
D1 Process
Documentation
Repository
Automated process information
Structured process flow
Process Information
Report Procedures
Report Information
Updated processes information
Figure 4 - Level 0
Level 1 – Document Process
Hanover
business user
MIS team at
Hanover
Existing processes
Pre-session
Preparation form
1.1
Document
process
1.2
Create the
dataflow
Process
documentation
Data source Information
To Process 2:
Reengineer report
creation
Figure 5 - Level 1 Document Process
58
Level 1 – Reengineer Report Creation
MIS team at
Hanover
Process documentation
Data source
information
2.1
Update
Database
D1 Process
Documentation
Repository
Automated process
information
Structured
process flow
Process Information
From Process1:
Document
process
2.2
Modify Business
processes
2.3
Update
Datasources
Process and data
source information
Process data
source modification
To Process3:
Publish in Datapedia
Report information
Figure 6 –Level 1 Reengineer Report Creation
Level 1 – Publish in Datapedia
Wiki page
3.1
Create Wiki pages
D2 Datapedia
SharePoint
Wiki page of report
Report from Repository
Hanover
business user
Report information
From Process 2:
Reengineer report
creation
3.2
Update Datapedia
Figure 7 - Level 1 Publish in Datapedia
59
Chapter 5: Prototype Specification & Implementation
Prototype Specification
This section describes how the WPI student team built the prototype for demonstration
purposes, in order to provide the Business Intelligence team with an idea of the To-Be system on
how it will look, and the MIS team at Hanover on the capabilities and limitations of the system.
Software
The team built the prototype of the database in Microsoft Access and provided the users
with a switchboard for easier navigation when interacting with the system. All the process
documentation was uploaded into Microsoft SharePoint, and wiki pages were created to display
the information for the users on the business side. As stated in the feasibility analysis, Microsoft
Access and SharePoint are commonly used by Hanover employees. In order to demonstrate the
full functionality of our system, the prototype of the database was built in MS Access combined
with the Datapedia SharePoint.
Design Approach
In order to design the system, the team first analyzed all the data that would need to be
included in the tool based on the information obtained in the business processes documentations.
To start the construction of the database, the team designed an Entity Relationship Diagram that
captures all the necessary data to be able to extract information on all the different systems at
Hanover. The Data Flow Diagrams served to understand possible use case scenarios and best
identify outcomes of the system and how it should be displayed.
The combination of the Entity Relationship Diagram and the Data Flow Diagrams were
very helpful to better implement the database for data storage, and the wiki pages to display
information for business users. The screenshots of the database can be found in Appendix E -
User Manual Templates of the wiki pages in Datapedia can be found in Sample Process Flow
that would be the result from Prep Form and documentation meetings
60
Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template and Appendix D - Report
Documentation. Through the entire process, Kim Killeen (Director of MIS team) served as the
main contact and gave us useful feedback when designing the system, and Linda Brench
(Business analyst at HTG helped us better understand Hanover’s business processes and
terminology for a more effective documentation.
Prototype Design
In this section, the Entity Relationship Diagram, the Storyboards, and the User Interface
Structure Diagram are described. The Entity Relationship Diagram provided a description of the
relationships between the tables of our database. The Storyboards narrated the concepts
throughout the different interfaces of our database, and provided guidance on possible
interactions the user may have with the system. The User Interface Structure Diagram described
how the interfaces of our database are related to provide an efficient design for the system and a
user friendly database.
Entity Relationship Diagram
The Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for the prototype was based on the information
obtain from the form distributed before interviews with Hanover employees, the requirements
gathered throughout all the phases of the project, and the feedback received by Kim Killeen since
she will take ownership of the system once the system is completed by the MQP team. The ERD
is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8 - Entity Relationship Diagram
Processes
PK ProcessName
Department
InformationProduced
TimeToComplete
Frequency
ReceiversBusArea
EnvisionSelfService
AdditionalSpecifications
PainPointsComments
DataSummary
PK,FK1 Process
PK,FK2,FK3 DataSource
Purpose
FK4 DataDestination
Comments
CompanySources
PK SourceName
Description
Format
Comments
HomeGrownSources
PK HomeGrownName
Description
Format
FinalReport
Comments
61
Entity Relationship Diagram Data Dictionary
Table 12 - Entity Relationship Diagram Data Summary
Terminology Definition
Process Information on the process for creating a report created by Hanover
employees
Information Produced The output of the process. A brief description of the information
that is being reported at the end of the process
Envision Self-service A yes/no field to quickly evaluate whether this process can be
automated or not
Receivers Business Area The business are that will be using the report produced
Company Sources
Data sources such as IMART, EDW, etc. that are maintained by
the MIS team at Hanover
Format The format identify the type of the data source such as Access,
SQL server, SAS, etc.
Homegrown Source Data sources such as Access databases and Excel spreadsheets that
were created by Hanover employees and are not supervised by the
MIS team at Hanover.
Final Report Whether the output produced by the combination of a data source
and a process leads to the report containing all the data after it was
manipulated
Pain Points Comments A quick description of the most strenuous steps when creating a
specific report
62
Storyboards
Figure 9 - Main Storyboard
63
Process Storyboard
Figure 10 - Process Storyboard
64
Sources Storyboard
Figure 11 - Sources Storyboard
65
Data Summary Storyboard
Figure 12 - Data Summary Storyboard
66
User Interface Structure Diagram
The interface structure design defines the basic components of the interface and how they
work together to provide functionality to users. An interface structure diagram (ISD) is used to
show how all the screens, forms, and reports used by the system are related and how the user
moves from one to another.
The following interface structure diagram, Figure 13, shows how the user can add data
sources and processes to create the data summaries that contain more detail information on the
interaction of data sources and processes.
67
Figure 13 - User Interface Structure Diagram
0
Switchboard
3
Process Information
1
1
Data Sources
Information
1
2
Data Summary
Information
2
4
Report
Documentation
3
3.1
Processes
1.1
1.1
Homegrown
pop-up
1.1.1
Company Data
sources
1.2
1.1.2
Homegrown Data
sources
1.2
5
Help Page
2.1
Data Summary
2.1
4.1
Sources for a
Process
2.1, 3.1
4.2
Processes that use
a source
2.1, 3.1
4.3
Additional Reports
2.3, 3.1
68
Prototype Implementation
To facilitate the Business Intelligence initiative at Hanover, our system not only needed
to be fully functional but it also needed to be properly handed off to the MIS team at Hanover
once our project at Hanover is finalized.
In order to ensure that our project is fully functional, we tested the database to identify
technical limitations and correct them. We also provided all the documentation of the SQL code
and procedures for entering data in the database and uploading wiki pages on Datapedia. To
provide a successful transition we have outlined a migration plan, which facilitates the ownership
transition of the system.
Testing
Three different types of tests were executed on the system: Integration & Unit, System,
and acceptance tests.
We conducted Integration and Unit tests as one, through a combination of black-box
testing and user interface testing. With this combination we tested the functionality of all the
different interfaces, while supervising that the processes documentation was well captured in the
database.
System tests allowed us to verify the feasibility of maintaining the information in the
prototype database in Access, while linking the information with Datapedia. Through meetings
with David Doe we learned that policies on documenting procedures and posting them in
Datapedia are currently being revised. If we were able to establish the baseline for the
interaction of the prototype and Datapedia, it would be very simple to translate those concepts
into the actual system in a manner that complies with the policies to come.
Acceptance testing was very limited due to time constraints. Kim Killeen was our main
user since we were expecting her to be the one to take ownership and be the main user of the
database. Lisa Voellings and Cilsy Harris were users for acceptance testing since they were the
sponsors of the project and were heavily involved with the activities related to the business users.
A complete listing of the test plans can be found in Appendix G - Test Plans.
69
To ensure that the information found in the reports created from the database is useful
and reliable for the business users, the templates for data source documentation and report
documentation found in Sample Process Flow that would be the result from Prep Form and
documentation meetings
70
Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template and Appendix D - Report
Documentation were utilized to maintain for format and consistency with the rest of Datapedia.
The templates provide specific information regarding a specific process or source.
Both the database report and the data source documentation template for Datapedia
contain a description for a specific source, the background of the source and line of business that
utilizes the source. Business users are able to find how often the data of a source is updated, a
summary of its data elements, the location of the source and a brief description on how to access
the source. For the report documentation, the MIS and the business users can find the report
name, its producers, and the objective in the database and Datapedia respectively. The frequency
at which the report is created and the necessary data sources are both described in the reports of
the database and the wiki-pages too.
The main challenge, in terms of systems testing, is maintaining the information displayed
in wiki-pages up to date. Since the information displayed in the reports of the database is what is
utilized in the template for Datapedia, it is important that the content in the wiki-pages is revised
periodically. Once the Access prototype has been migrated to a platform maintained by HTG,
the process of updating wiki-pages may be partially or fully automated, which would save the
manual labor of extracting the information that is relevant to the business users from the reports
utilized by the MIS team.
Documentation & Training
Since we were developing the prototype and then handing it off to the MIS team at Hanover, it
was beneficial to provide them with descriptions in the Procedures Manual on how to perform
business tasks with the system. We were expecting each item in the Procedures Manual to guide
the user through tasks that will require several function or steps that are uniquely to our system.
Reference Documents and Tutorials were not included based on the fact that the MIS is
knowledgeable of relational databases environments.
The MQP team provided training for Kim Killeen (Director of MIS team), David Doe
(Manger of Business Solutions), and Linda Brench (Business Analyst in HTG). As mentioned
before, Kim Killeen took ownership of the project, thus it was essential that she is aware of all
71
capabilities and limitations of our system. David Doe was our person of contact for Datapedia,
and training him on how to extract the information from the database to create wiki pages proved
useful to keep Datapedia up to date. Linda Brench will be able to understand how the
information from the process documentation was encompassed and manipulated throughout the
system.
Migration Plan
The migration plan outlines the conversion strategy that was used to successfully hand-
off and introduce the system at Hanover. The conversion strategy was mainly focused on the
conversion style, conversion location, and the conversion modules, having risk, cost, and time as
the deciding factors.
We recommended that the conversion style is direct. Even though the risk is high, the
cost is low and the time is short; we relied on technical expertise of the MIS team at Hanover to
minimize the risk of introducing this new system. The location should be done through pilots of
super users from the business sections when first interacting with the system and inputting data;
we wanted to reduce the risk of inconsistencies in the data and minimizing issues that may arise
with the interfaces, allocating time for a successful introduction of the system. The module
conversion should be whole-system since it will be introduced to Hanover as an innovative
system, relying once again in the Hanover MIS team’s expertise to mitigate the risk.
Contingency Plan
Unfortunately, we will not be able to collaborate with any system maintenance after the
project is finalized. We expect the documentation, training and migration plan to be resources
where the MIS team at Hanover can find answers for frequently asked questions or solve
possible questions that may arise after our departure. We strongly believe that the MIS team at
Hanover has the skillset in-house to be able to solve any problem with the system, either
technical or usability, that they may encounter.
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Chapter 6: Recommendations & Conclusions
In this final section, we discuss our recommendations for the final system based on our
discussion and analysis throughout this report. We also discuss some conclusions that we have drawn
from the project experience as a whole.
Recommendations
The following recommendations will provide the MIS team at Hanover with guidelines
on the system specifications to implement the actual system based on the prototype the MQP
team built, the migration plan to ease the transition from the prototype to the system, and an
additional option to facilitate the comparison of the process flows.
System Specification
The software and hardware specifications for a successful implementation of the
prototype the MQP team developed are described in this section. This section will complement
the non-functional requirements gathered in Chapter 3 by linking the prototype of the Process
Documentation Repository to the existing system architecture at Hanover.
Architecture Report
After analyzing the system requirements for the prototype, the MQP team believes that a
client-server based architecture is the most practical for the future system since it is broadly
utilized at Hanover and it can be easily implemented.
We suggest that the server should host the data storage and the data access logic. We
envision the system as a tool that can be used by many users, and having the data stored in a
server facilitates that concept. The security of the data can be ensured through permissions to the
server for selected users. The data should only be accessed by employees of the MIS team at
Hanover. Any other users will be able to see the information pertinent to them on Datapedia.
The database should allow multiple users to search for data simultaneously, however only one
user should be editing a certain instance of an entity at once.
On the other hand, the client hosts the application and presentation logic. It makes the
most sense to have the client computer be the one performing the searches and communicating to
the server to extract the relevant data for the user. By hosting the presentation logic in the client
73
computer we are complementing the application logic, since it should be the client computer the
one to display to information on the users monitor.
Hardware and Software Specification
SQL servers are broadly utilized across Hanover. From our conversations with Kim
Killeen, it is our understanding that the conversion of our prototype into the actual system should
be fairly easy as long as we provide the proper documentation for it. From our conversations
with David Doe, inputting the process documentation to Datapedia is feasible right now;
technical documentation will be added later on, once the policies on business process
documentation start to be enforced.
No other hardware of software is needed to implement the system. Developers at
Hanover will only need to follow the documentation and implement the system in their desired
environment. Additionally, the client PCs for the MIS team at Hanover will require access to the
server. General PCs of the business users will only need access to Hanover’s intranet as that is
the location of Datapedia. This resource for business users will be invaluable during times of
change.
Migration Plan
When migrating from the prototype to the system, we recommend a direct conversion
from the prototype to the system since the prototype has been tested by the MQP team and will
also be tested by the MIS team at Hanover before it goes live. Not doing a direct conversion
would imply that the MIS team at Hanover would utilize portions of the system and the
prototype simultaneously; since Hanover is looking for a solution that will allow HTG to analyze
current systems with the objective of simplifying reporting while minimizing data redundancy
utilizing both the prototype and the future system would be contrary to the BI efforts. The SQL
environment should be the same, facilitating the tasks the MIS team at Hanover will have to do
to ensure full conversion from the prototype.
The conversion should occur simultaneously on all machines using this system because
this will reduce the amount of inconsistencies in the conversion process. Users interacting with
the data should have the technical knowledge to interact in any SQL environment regardless of
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the application. The database schemas as well as recommended queries are located in the
Technical Documentation attached in Appendix F – Technical Documentation for PDR. Due to
the fact that we input 24 processes-worth of data into our prototype, the developer will simply
have to export the data from our prototype database into the newly developed system once it is
ready. Importing and exporting data is an everyday part of general business processes at
Hanover, especially in the MIS team. Users that do not have the technical knowledge should
only have access to the information posted in Datapedia which will remain the same.
We foresee a smooth transition from the prototype designed by the MQP team to a
system maintained by the MIS team at Hanover since the concepts used in Access can be quickly
and easily transferred to any new SQL environment. We expect the future system to provide
more data storage and reliability while preserving the main structure of the prototype.
Visual Process search engine
One way to facilitate the process flows analysis is by providing graphical user interfaces.
Thus, to facilitate a less cognitive demanding comparison of the different data flows we
recommend an application framework such as Microsoft Silverlight. For example, Microsoft
Silverlight can convert the information in an Excel spreadsheet into graphical interface allowing
the user to compare various data flows in a graphical manner through enhanced guided user
interfaces, and it refines the information shown to the user based on the user needs. Figure 14
and Figure 15 demonstrate the ease of use of comparing multiple data flows via such an
application framework.
Figure 14 - PivotViewer Screenshot Overview
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Figure 15 - PivotViewer Screenshot Search Results based on a specific word
Conclusions
Business Intelligence is very important in the corporate world today. The MQP team was
given the opportunity to take on a challenging project related to Business Intelligence at the Hanover
Insurance Group. In the 21st century, it is a necessity to be able to manage and process the never-
ending flow of data and information to remain competitive in any industry.
The MQP team was tasked with assisting the Business Intelligence (BI) team and the
MIS team at Hanover in their efforts to identify high impact, value added investments that
clearly align and support business priorities, and identify and quantify current business
opportunities that have clear efficiency payback, by documenting reporting processes
consistently and designing a tool that facilitated searching for data overlap and redundancies.
During our initial research for the feasibility analysis, the MQP team learned of many tools used
for data storage and analytics and of their core functionalities. Also, through extensive usage of
the systems analysis and design guidelines, we have become more familiar with the necessary
steps to take when introducing a new system to a company.
Not only did we, as students, learn about the value of information and technology in the
business world but we also were able to learn about the corporate culture as well. Through
interviews and simple daily interactions, we met many employees from varying departments.
Aside from asking them questions regarding our project, we were able to get an insight on what
working in the insurance industry represents.
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In its entirety, the MQP project experience was a great learning experience. Although
stressful at times, it was a chance to gain invaluable experience at a remarkable company, work
in-depth applying theoretical concepts into practical applications in a corporate environment, and
also expand our network with corporate professionals. Whether we wish to continue our
academic career, move on to the corporate world, or possibly both; this project has reinforced
everything we have learned at WPI and will definitely contribute to our overall success in the
future.
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Appendices
Appendix A - Meeting Minutes
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/13/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review specifications of project
a. Clarify any confusing/questionable aspects
2. Discuss project scope
a. Is it possible?
b. How can we adjust? (if necessary)
c. Draft sample proposal for Hanover?
3. Outline a rough draft for a project plan/dates
a. Estimates for possible deadlines/deliverables
b. Be aware of any dates where we need to adjust meetings with Hanover (i.e. –
Career Fair on 9/21)
Minutes:
? Initial meeting with client, received ID badges
? Discussed overall project, received general outline of scope – our basic responsibilities
and capabilities
? Cilsy Harris, Kim Killeen, Jillian McMillen, Lisa Voellings, Karin Winsky are our main
contacts
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 9/20)
? Introduction – problem statement (this will look like an extended system request.)
? Literature review – start by describing the organizational context, including both a broad
overview of the company and the specific business processes being affected. Then examine the
technological alternatives that might be considered, including a thorough review of the pros and
cons of each.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 9/20/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review the introduction, Literature Review and Tool Analysis
a. Clarify any confusing/questionable aspects
b. Suggestion for the improvement
2. Discuss about the timeline
a. The project and MQP Paper sections & scope
b. Specific time for each section
3. Discuss about the proposal
a. The date for proposal is Sept 28
th
b. Suggestion for the improvement and presentation
Minutes:
? Second meeting with Lisa Voellings, went over the Enterprise Alignment, Cross-
functional Business Intelligence Community and Business Information Strategy.
? Discussed more detail, low level project, went over all the detail documents.
? Discussed about the detail process with Jillian McMillen, gathering the basic
requirement and discussing about the allocation in order to come up with timeline.
? Went over the basic structure of PMS terminology, in order to help us understand about
the tools and technical processes.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 9/27)
? Project Proposal: including detail Timeline, Business Requirement, Feasibility
Analysis and Proposed Methodology.
? Modify Introduction, Literature Review and Toll Analysis based on more detail
requirement and Instructor’s comment.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 9/27/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. No interviews with any departments at Hanover
a. Tough to estimate dates for timeline
b. Also, this means we have not gathered any new system requirements either
c. Hopefully can get meetings for tomorrow
d. Will continue to work on prototype of tool which we started on 9/21
2. Currently working on certain sections of MQP paper
a. Business needs
b. Business requirements
c. Business value
d. Special issues/constraints
3. Draft of proposal
a. Have members of leadership team review and critique it
b. Cilsy should be included in this meeting to have input before we present on 10/5
c. Professor thoughts?
Minutes:
? Got our work stations – including computers, Outlook email accounts, and LAN access
? Spoke with David Doe, gave insight to certain resources we can use throughout the data
collection, analysis, and tool building (Datapedia)
? Starting creating the “prototype of the prototype” as a visual brainstorming tool to get
started
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/4)
? Complete proposal to present on 10/5, including detailed timeline and
methodology
? System requirements –from meetings with individuals of various departments at
Hanover
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/4/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Will be making our own meetings (copy Lisa and Kim on all invites)
a. Plan on doing a total of 15 processes
b. Approx. 3 per week from Oct 5 – Nov 2 (or Nov 9)
c. Will continue to work on prototype of tool in tandem
2. Review revised proposal
a. Word document and PowerPoint
b. Any grammar/content errors or inconsistencies?
c. Suggestions for improvements?
3. Recommendations for next week?
Minutes:
? Clarified details of what Hanover wants for documentation and tool
o Feasible amount of documentation ~ 15-18
o Tool can be whatever we deem fit (must defend choices in proposal)
? Reviewed inventory of all processes that have been scored
o Only 9 have been fully documented
o Also must check for consistency among these already documented processes
? Continued to develop “prototype of the prototype”
o Inputting the data we have in order to better understand relationships amongst
data points
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/11)
? Rough draft for ‘Planning’ and ‘Analysis’ phases of systems analysis and design
for MQP paper?
? System requirements –from meetings with individuals of various departments at
Hanover
? Sample of meeting notes, flowcharts, etc.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/11/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Discuss about the proposal presentation
a. Suggestions for final presentation
b. Suggestions for next step
2. Discuss the MQP report
a. If we should include feasibility for cost.
b. Suggestions for improvement
3. Discuss about the schedule during break
a. Which day we are going to the company
b. Deliverables for the break
4. Update about the first meeting with BI team last week.
Minutes:
? Had the proposal presentation to project sponsors.
o They were all agreed on the proposal.
o Get proposal agreement signed off by key project sponsors
? Had meeting with Robert LaChance, discussing the Hi Yield Reports process.
o Went through the process and pinpoints for the project.
o Sent the preparation form to Robert.
? Discussed about integration of SharePoint site and existing Datapedia site with David
Doe
o Discussed the suggestion regarding the proposal.
o Got suggestions about the integrations of SharePoint site and existing Datapedia
o Get user information methodology for IMart tool.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/24)
? MQP Report: continues write up MQP Report.
? Modify Introduction, Literature Review, Tool Analysis and planning parts.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/24/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review actions taken over the break
a. Two days spent at Hanover
b. Extensive work on academic portion of project
2. Discuss timing of project and progress thus far
a. What portions should be done now?
b. In the very near future?
3. Possibly bring in sample of paper in for next time?
a. How much to have done?
b. Will it affect end grade?
Minutes:
? Have met with 3 of 7 employee contacts so far
o Completed approx. 7-9 process flows and documentation
o Have 3 more meetings next week, and two the week after
? Received feedback on initial ER-diagram design for database
o Made appropriate edits and starting to put into Access
o Acquired detailed business area breakdown from Linda Brench
? Worked extensively on MQP paper over the break, have completed or nearly completed
the following portions
o Literature Review
o Methodology
o Analysis and Design
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/31/11)
? Continuing work on the MQP paper, possibly review some work for next time
? Extended system requirements –from meetings with individuals of various
departments at Hanover
? Additional samples of meeting notes, flowcharts, etc.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/31/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review the MQP Report
a. Four chapters in total including introduction, literature review, methodology and
Analysis and Design
b. Will implement as gathering more requirements.
2. Possibly bring in the first draft of the database?
3. Update about our schedule
a. Schedule about the meetings with employees
b. Schedule about the database
c. Schedule about the SharePoint site
Minutes:
? Have met with one more employee contacts last week
o Had the interview and went through two more processes
? Received feedback on initial ER-diagram design for database
o Made appropriate edits and starting to put into Access
o Acquired detailed business area breakdown from Linda Brench
? Worked extensively on MQP paper, have completed the first draft of chapter one to
four.
o Literature Review
o Methodology
o Analysis and Design
? Continue the meeting with Hanover Employments
o Have two meeting this week and two more meeting the week after
o Have the meeting with David Doe to discuss the feasibility of the integration of
Datapedia
o The deadline for interview is in two weeks.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/07/11)
? Continuing work on the MQP paper
? Sample of the data flow and diagrams
? The ERD and same sample database
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/7/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Update on scheduled interviews
? Have approximately 12 processes done
? This week is our proposed deadline for completion of process documentation
2. Feedback on second draft ERD
? Awaiting Kim’s reply
? Can begin development soon after feedback
3. Update on Datapedia
? Technical Documentation, etc.
4. Next steps once documentation is completed
a. Focus heavily on tool development
Minutes:
? Have met with 5 of 7 employee contacts so far
o Completed approximately 12 process flows and documentation
o Have 2 more meetings next week, and it’s our last week for interview.
? Met with David Doe to discuss how to implement our project within the Datapedia
environment
? Continue work on the MQP paper
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/14/11)
? MQP paper with more details
? All the documents for interviews
? Prototype for the database
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/14/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review Chapter one
a. Completed chapter one and two are fully done.
b. Chapter three and four have been edited but need to be revised for proper
referencing.
c. Currently working on chapter 5.
2. 3
rd
version ERD.
a. Hopefully this will be the final one.
3. Update about our schedule
a. One more meeting needs to be scheduled.
b. Finalize ERD this upcoming Wednesday
Minutes:
? Received feedback on second ER-diagram design for database
? Finishing references for Chapter 1-4.
? We asked for the letter from the sponsor
? Start inputting data into Datapedia
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/21/11)
? Revised sections of MQP paper
? The ERD and first prototype of database
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/21/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Quick demo of prototype so far
a. How to do training?
b. Proper documentation okay?
2. Review edited portions of paper
a. Is HTG section okay? How to source?
b. Key changes to structure of the report
i. Moved system specification to Ch6
ii. Included storyboards and interface structure in Ch5
3. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 are complete
a. Ch4 is being worked on
b. Ch5 is being worked on
c. Ch6 will be written later (conclusions)
4. Update about our schedule
a. When to show first draft by?
b. Okay without Ch6 to show?
Minutes:
? Finalized ERD
? Began development of interfaces
o Reports and queries still pending
? Acquired the Letter from Project Sponsor
? Start inputting data into Datapedia and into the database
? Started to write testing and documentation
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/28/11)
? All chapters (except Ch6) written, but not revised, for MQP paper
? Prototype of the database with working macros, forms, reports, etc.
? Samples of Datapedia pages (if acquire template from David Doe)
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/28/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
4. Demo of prototype with test data (not actual data)
a. Questions or comments?
b. Will be putting in actual data Wednesday
c. Also changing design to fit Hanover theme
5. Review edited portions of paper
a. Advice on locations of appendices
i. User and technical manual
ii. Meeting minutes
iii. Process documentation forms
iv. Process flows
v. Etc.
b. Key changes in overall report
i. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are done
ii. Need to peer review and revise some portions still
6. Update about our schedule
a. Will drop off first draft on Thursday, December 5
th
b. Set to contain Chapters 1-5 complete, all appendices in correct order
Minutes:
? Did not work at Hanover this past week
? Worked individually on various pieces of the MQP report and prototype
? Plan to finalize prototype theme details and other loose ends at Hanover this
Wednesday
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 12/5/11)
? All chapters (except Chapter 6) written and revised with appendices, table of contents,
etc.
? Prototype of the database with Hanover theme and data input
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MQP Meeting Notes: 12/05/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
7. Review MQP paper
a. Adjust the MQP paper according to Professor Djamasbi’ s comment.
8. Update about the schedule and final presentation
9. Discuss any suggestion for final presentation.
Minutes:
? Worked on the MQP paper for the first review
? Got Datapedia preparation from David Doe
? Edited the MQP paper according to Professor’s comment
? Worked on the implement of pivot viewer.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/12/11)
? The complete MQP paper with citation page, chapter 6 and changes after the first
review.
? The complete system demo which is ready to present for the final presentation.
? The PPT for the final presentation
? The poster for MQP
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MQP Meeting Notes: 12/12/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
? Practice the presentation
o Any comment or suggestion
? Any suggestion before the final presentation
? Already put all required documentation, repository and appendixes in the drop box.
? eCDR form
Minutes:
? Worked on the MQP paper according to Professor Djamasbi’s comment
? Got signature from Kim and Lisa for letter of acknowledgement
? Continues worked on the repository and Datapedia for final presentation
? Prepared the PowerPoint and poster for the final presentation
Deliverables:
? MQP paper and related material on Dropbox.
? Final PowerPoint
? Final Poster
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Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form
Business Intelligence Working Group – Business Process Sessions
Pre-Session Preparation
Business Process Name:
What’s produced/output:
?
?
Consumers (number and area(s)):
?
?
Envision self-service? (Y/N):
Players/actors:
Data Sources / Elements:
Data Source “Home-
Grown”? (Y/N)
Data Element(s)
Sample Process Flow that would be the result from Prep Form and documentation meetings
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Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template
Data Source Documentation Template
Description/Purpose
Basic description of the source, its content and business value, and why it was created.
Background Information
(Optional) Information that helps the user apply this source appropriately, including LOB
and other context-informing descriptions.
Lines of Business
List of CL and PL Drive Lines of Business included in the source.
Source Update Frequency
How frequently the source is updated with new or revised data.
Experience Type
Accident, Calendar, Inforce, Issued, Policy, Reported, etc.
History Available
The number of periods maintained in the source.
Version Control
Whether or not the source is versioned, with links to explanation of this term.
Originating Source
Cite the original data source from which this source is populated, e.g., POS, PMS, etc.
Subsidiaries/Platforms Included
List of which subsidiaries and processing platforms are included, given that most sources do
not include all data.
Data Model
Links to available data models.
Data Elements Summary
Describe the types of data included (aka subject areas) and links to a data element list or to
MetaCenter (where user can get many things).
Granularity
Check box listing (ideally) from a handful of categories about how granular the data is in
this source.
Common Uses
Description of how the source is used in reporting or applications.
Source Location
List the technical location of the source: Platform, database, and instance.
How To Access The Source
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List of the available means to access the source. Descriptions should be provided in
separate files to which the site links.
Related/Supplemental Sources
Brief explanation of when this source relates to others tangibly.
System Stewards
Business owner(s) and caretakers, people who rely upon this source and have responsibility
for maintaining its integrity.
FAQ's
TBD - Link to a discussion board for this source.
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Appendix D - Report Documentation
Report Documentation
Required Documentation
Report Name
The report title should in some way describe the basic objective of the report or its content.
Report Producer(s)
List the functional area(s) responsible for producing the report. Contact information should
be provided.
Report Ownership
List the department and position(s) responsible for the content of this report. Names are
optional.
Objective / Description
Describe why the report was created and provide a basic description of its content.
(Optional) Explain any significant report breaks.
Background Information
Describe non-intuitive information about the report, integration efforts made to create the
report, and other helpful information.
Conditions & Caveats
Describe all qualifications of the report content:
? Exclusions: Explain any type of data excluded, e.g., involuntary, catastrophes, etc.
? Report Qualifier: Direct/Assumed/Ceded/Net
? Report Basis: (Optional) GAAP/Statutory
? Subsidiaries/Platforms: List of which subsidiaries and processing platforms are
included.
? Line of Business and how it is defined
Report Frequency
How frequently the report is produced with new or revised data.
Experience Type
Accident, Calendar, Inforce, Issued, Policy, Reported, etc. If there are multiple experience
types, explain how they are presented, e.g., by section, rows, columns, etc.
Reporting Period(s)
List the period represented on the report, number of periods, evaluation dates of each
period, and how these items interact with each other.
Data Source(s)
Cite all data sources from which the report is produced, e.g., IMart, PCA, etc. Include user-
defined transformations if source data is not listed, e.g., “used Group Code to derive
Specialty Program Code”. Be sure to attribute any copyrighted material used to produce or
listed in the report.
Distribution Information
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Describe to whom the report is accessible in general terms, e.g., role, location, dept., name.
List any security restrictions required and how to gain access to it, including contact
information/links. Describe the process used to deliver the report to the user (steps users
take to receive it) and/or the format in which it is presented (PDF, Excel, Business Objects,
Hyperion, etc.).
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Optional Documentation
Sample Report/Screen Shots
(Optional) Provide a separate page to display or link to a sample report.
Control Sources
(Optional) Information regarding how the report was balanced or system to which it is tied.
Data Elements Summary
(Optional) Provide a separate page to list the Business Names and Business Definitions of
data listed in the report (or link to Data Dictionary).
User Guide and/or Training Material
(Optional) Provide a separate page or link to material describing how to produce or
interpret this report.
Related Reports
(Optional) Brief explanation of similar or related reports. (Provide hyperlinks to each.)
Attributions
(Optional)
FAQ's
(Optional) Link to a discussion board for this source (if available)
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Appendix E - User Manual
Hanover Insurance Group
Process Documentation Repository
Prototype User Manual
By Sean Burke, Luis Quiroga, Wenxuan Guo
97
Introduction
Welcome to the Process Documentation Repository Prototype User Manual. This manual is
meant for users who wish to update process, source, and summary information; and also for the
users who wish to search and/or report that information in a variety of ways. For the users who
wish to edit the database schema or the underlying programming, there is also an attached
technical manual for reference.
Key Terms
Process – There are a total of approximately 75 business processes that need to be documented by
Hanover during the Business Intelligence Initiative. A ‘process’ refers to a business process that is
normally identified by the content of its output.
Sources – There are two types of sources identified in this manual: Company and Home Grown. A
company source is one that is managed by the MIS team or HTG at Hanover. Whereas a Home Grown
source is one that lives on a single user’s (or small group of users’) machine(s) that is managed by the
user(s) and not Hanover. It is also worth noting that a home grown source can end up as a final report,
since it will only live on a small group of computers and is not managed by the company.
Data Summary – This is the information that relates to a process-data source pair. For example, the
purpose of pulling certain information from a database to produce a specific report is something that
belongs to a pair and not a single process or source alone.
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Main Switchboard
This is the first screen that you will see when opening the Process Documentation Repository. There
are four core options to choose from on this first page. Each button has text immediately to the right
that explains clearly its action. These core options are:
1. Adding and editing process-related information: This can include its name, department it
belongs to, frequency, etc. We will get into more depth later in the manual.
2. Adding and editing data source information: This can refer to either Company Sources or Home
Grown Sources. Another form will confirm the selection of the type of process after you initially
click the button. The information includes the high-level description of the data source, what
format it is in, and any other pertinent comments relevant to each data source.
3. Adding and editing data summary lines: This refers to the attributes of the documentation that
do not belong to simply a process or a source, but a pair of them. The information includes the
purpose to why certain data is pulled from a data source for a certain process, where the
destination of the data is, and any other pertinent comments relevant to the data summary line.
4. Searching and reporting: Click this button, and you will be directed to a second navigation page
in which you will be presented with various options to search, filter, and report the various
information in the tool as a whole.
99
One last button on the form is to launch the help page. If you click this button, a ‘Help Page’ will pop up.
This ‘Help Page’ is essentially an abridged version of this user manual for use within the tool.
Processes Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit process information. To navigate this form, there is a
drop-down menu that contains all processes organized by department. Once navigated to the desired
process, you can then view or edit the information for that process. This form almost mirrors the
process documentation form used in the Business Intelligence meetings. If you want to add a new
process, click the ‘Add New Process’ button. The table below describes how to fill out this form
regardless of if you are adding or editing process information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Process Name Name of the process, usually identified by the contents of the
output.
Department Department to which the process belongs to. It is a drop-down list
because all processes must fall under a department.
Information Produced Outlines the output of the process or report. This is the details of
the output such as number of files, type of files, etc.
Time to Complete Includes the hours to be completed and the number of people who
work on it.
Frequency How often the process is executed, it part of a finite drop down list
since all processes will fall under those categories.
Receivers Business Area(s) The area of business in which the users of the output work. Many
100
people/business areas could potentially view the output.
Envision Self Service? Checked ‘yes’ if the user believes the process can be helped using
Business Intelligence Initiative.
Additional Specifications Any pertinent additional information not covered in the previous
fields.
Pain Points and Other Comments Addresses the key pain points of the process and comments on
them.
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Process’ button in order to save your progress. Be sure all fields marked with an ‘*’ is filled in, as it is
required. If you made some changes, but want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset Changes’ button.
This button will undo any changes to the current process on the form. If you would like to remove a
process (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Process’ button. If you accidentally click this
button, there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. Each process has
an associated data summary, and this data summary can be accessed using the button to the right of the
drop-down menu at the top of the form. If no data summary exists for this process yet, you can navigate
to the form to add one using the associated button. Once clicking this button, you should select the
process in which you want to full the complete data summary. To return to the main switchboard, click
‘Go Back / Exit’.
Choose Source Type
This is a very simple form and is largely self-explanatory. After clicking the button to get to this
page, click the ‘Company’ button to view the company sources and the ‘Home Grown’ button to view
the home grown sources.
101
Company Sources Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit company source information. To navigate this form,
there is a drop-down menu that contains all sources sorted alphabetically. Once navigated to the
desired source, you can then view or edit the information for that source. This form is a high-level
overview of what can be found on the source’s Datapedia page. If you want to add a new source to the
repository, click the ‘Add New Source’ button. The table below describes how to fill out this form
regardless of if you are adding or editing process information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Source Name The name of the data source.
Description High-level description that encompasses what is contained in the
data source. For example: premiums, quote-level information, etc.
Format Identifies the type of source, i.e. – Hyperion, Oracle DB, etc. It is on
a finite drop-down list because all sources are one of the listed
types.
Comments Any other pertinent information not mentioned in the previous
102
fields related specifically to the source.
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Source’ button in order to save your progress. Be sure all fields marked with an ‘*’ is filled in, as it is
required. If you made some changes, but want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset Changes’ button.
This button will undo any changes to the current source on the form. If you would like to remove a
source (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Source’ button. If you accidentally click this button,
there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. To return to the main
switchboard, click ‘Go Back / Exit’.
Home Grown Sources Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit home grown source information. To navigate this
form, there is a drop-down menu that contains all sources sorted alphabetically. Once navigated to the
103
desired source, you can then view or edit the information for that source. This form is a high-level
overview of what information was given during Business Intelligence meetings with the owner of that
particular source. If you want to add a new source to the repository, click the ‘Add New Source’ button.
The table below describes how to fill out this form regardless of if you are adding or editing process
information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Source Name The name of the data source.
Description High-level description that encompasses what is contained in the
data source. For example: premiums, quote-level information, etc.
Format Identifies the type of source, i.e. – Access DB, Excel Spreadsheet,
etc. It is on a finite drop-down list because all sources are one of the
listed types.
Is it a final report? As mentioned in the Key Terms section, this is needed to identify if
the ‘source’ is the final report for any given process.
Comments Any other pertinent information not mentioned in the previous
fields related specifically to the source.
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Source’ button in order to save your progress. Be sure all fields marked with an ‘*’ is filled in, as it is
required. If you made some changes, but want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset Changes’ button.
This button will undo any changes to the current source on the form. If you would like to remove a
source (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Source’ button. If you accidentally click this button,
there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. To return to the main
switchboard, click ‘Go Back / Exit’.
104
Data Summary Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit the data summary line information. To navigate this
form, there is a drop-down menu that contains all processes sorted alphabetically. Once navigated to
the desired process, the drop down menu below it is populated with the sources used. This allows you
to further navigate through the summary. You can either use this second drop down menu, or you can
use the ‘Next’ and ‘Previous’ buttons to go through the different lines for each process.
This form is a detailed description of what is documented in the process flow diagrams. The
process flow diagrams were created through interviews with the individuals who execute these
processes. If you want to add a new summary line to the repository, click the ‘Add New Summary Line’
105
button. The table below describes how to fill out this form regardless of if you are adding or editing
process information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Process The name of the process using a data source, part of the composite
primary key (a drop down list from the values in process name from
processes)
Data Source The name of the data source used by the process in the field above,
the second part of the composite primary key (a drop down list
from the values of source name and home grown name from
company and home grown sources
Purpose Explains at a high-level what information is pulled or extracted from
each process / data source combination – Formatted as a multi-
valued attribute for data integrity
Data Destination After any queries, data dumps, etc. are run… this is where the data
flows into (a drop down list from the values of home grown name
from home grown sources)
Comments Any other pertinent information not mentioned in the previous
fields
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Summary Line’ button in order to save your progress. This will prompt you with a pop-up box that will
ask if you would like to add another line
for the current process. If you click ‘yes’,
then you will be directed back to the form.
If you click ‘no’, then you will return to the
main switchboard. Be sure all fields
marked with an ‘*’ are filled in, as they are
required. If you made some changes, but
want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset
Changes’ button. This button will undo any changes to the form. If you would like to remove a summary
line (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Summary Line’ button. If you accidentally click this
button, there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. To return to the
main switchboard, click ‘Go Back / Exit’.
106
Search and Report Documentation
107
On this form, the user has the ability to select from various searching and reporting methods. As
you may notice, there are two different types of buttons. The first set, with the clipboards on them, will
produce a pop-up form that requires the user
to specify a variable before producing the full
report. An example of this pop-up is shown to
the right. You can either choose to select a
variable to limit the report, or you can just
click the ‘View All’ option to produce a non-
limited set of results.
The second set of buttons, with the MS Access Reports on them, will produce a report with no
further information necessary to be input. Each button on the page correlates directly to the label text
to its right. The reports produced by these buttons will have dynamic filtering within the forms
themselves. This will be discussed later in the manual. Since this is again a navigation page and you may
need more clarification on the form information, we included another button to link to a ‘Help Page’ on
the bottom-right. And lastly, to go back to the main switchboard, simply click ‘Go Back’.
Reports
There are a couple different types of reports that you can generate using this tool. As discussed
in the previous section, if you select a report using one of the buttons with the clipboard, then one of
the reports will look like the figure below.
108
This form will display all the results in an organized manner, as well as provide you with the means to go
back to both the search, and the original reports home page using their respective buttons.
The second type of report uses dynamic filtering right on the report itself. Instead of pre-
selecting an option using a combo box, the user will have filter buttons on the report as shown in the
figures below. This first one shows a filtering method that will prompt the user to again select the
criteria, but this time it will update on the report right away.
The bottom figure of the two above shows a method in which the report only has two options to
filter, and therefore no pop-up box will occur. This method of filtering will only occur on the ‘Purposes
for All Sources’ report.
109
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the main benefit of using this tool?
A: There are actually several benefits. But to summarize, this tool is meant to consolidate all
the documentation data into one central location so that it can be searched and reported
simply and efficiently. Instead of keeping all the records on some SharePoint site, all the
necessary information for the Business Intelligence team can be accessed right here in the
Process Documentation Repository.
Q: Who has access to the data?
A: It depends what you mean when defining ‘data’. We have split this project into two parts.
This tool belongs to the MIS team and will be managed mostly by Kim Killeen’s team (or
whomever she delegates it to). They will be the ones with direct access to the underlying
database schema and the technical information. However, the high-level documentation
can be found on ‘Datapedia’ right on Hanover’s intranet. This way, there is a separation
of the different types of users (general vs. technical) and the information cannot be
tampered with if it is not meant to be.
Q: Why can’t I add a data summary line before adding both the process and source
information into the database first?
A: It may seem like a pain, but in order to maintain data integrity this is a necessary step.
Think of it this way: Without the process there would be no data summary, and without
the sources the process would have nowhere to get information. The data summary lines
cannot exist without the presence of both integral pieces first.
110
Appendix F – Technical Documentation for PDR
The following information is to allow potential future developers to continue working
based on the foundations we provide in our prototype. It includes the entity and attributes
descriptions, documentation (with comments) for our code, and also the SQL queries used to
assist in reporting for the final system.
Entities and Attributes
Entity Name Field/Attribute Name Data Type Description
Processes
ProcessName Text (varchar) Name of the process, used
as the primary key
Department Text (varchar) Department to which the
process belongs to, part of
a finite drop down list to
increase integrity
InformationProduced Memo (long) Outlines the output of the
process or report
TimeToComplete Text (varchar) Includes the hours to be
completed and the
number of people who
work on it
Frequency Text (varchar) How often the process is
executed, it part of a finite
drop down list
ReceiversBusArea Text (varchar) The area of business in
which the users of the
output work, can be many
areas
EnvisionSelfService Yes/No (boolean) Checked ‘yes’ if the user
believes the process can
be helped using Business
Intelligence
AdditionalSpecifications Memo (long) Any pertinent additional
information not covered in
the previous fields
PainPointsComments Memo (long) Addresses the key pain
points of the process and
comments on them
CompanySources
SourceName Text (varchar) The name of the data
source, used as the
primary key
Description Memo (long) High-level description that
encompasses what it
contains
Format Text (varchar) Identifies the type of
111
Entity Name Field/Attribute Name Data Type Description
source, i.e. – Hyperion,
Oracle DB, etc. (on a finite
drop down list)
Comments Memo (long) Any other pertinent
information not
mentioned in the previous
fields
HomeGrownSources
HomeGrownName Text (varchar) The name of the source,
used as the primary key
Description Memo (long) High-level description that
encompasses what the
data source is, what it
contains, etc
Format Text (varchar) Identifies the type of
source, i.e. – Hyperion
query, SAS server, etc. (on
a finite drop down list)
FinalReport Yes/No (boolean) Identifies if the ‘source’ is
the final report for any
given process
Comments Memo (long) Any other pertinent
information not
mentioned in the previous
fields
DataSummary
Process Text (varchar) The name of the process
using a data source, part
of the composite primary
key (a drop down list from
the values in process
name from processes)
DataSource Text (varchar) The name of the data
source used by the
process in the field above,
the second part of the
composite primary key (a
drop down list from the
values of source name and
home grown name from
company and home grown
sources
Purpose Memo (long) Explains at a high-level
what information is pulled
or extracted from each
112
Entity Name Field/Attribute Name Data Type Description
process / data source
combination – Formatted
as a multi-valued attribute
for data integrity
DataDestination Text (varchar After any queries, data
dumps, etc. are run… this
is where the data flows
into (a drop down list from
the values of home grown
name from home grown
sources)
Comments Memo (long) Any other pertinent
information not
mentioned in the previous
fields
VBA for Forms
Menu Forms
Switchboard
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToProcesses_Click
' Brings the user to the Processes form to add/edit the data
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToProcesses_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToProcesses_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmProcesses", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoToProcesses_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToProcesses_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToProcesses_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToSources_Click
' Brings up a the pop-up box for the user to choose which type of source they would like to view the info
for
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToSources_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToSources_Click_Err
113
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up_SourceType", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoToSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToDataSummary_Click
' Brings the user to the Data Summary section to add/edit the various lines of summary data
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToDataSummary_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmDataSummary", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoToDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SearchAndReport_Click
' Brings the user to a second menu screen that navigatates the various options for reporting
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SearchAndReport_Click()
On Error GoTo SearchAndReport_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmReportHome", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
SearchAndReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SearchAndReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SearchAndReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenHelp_Click
' Brings the user to the help page to view the terminology and the general rules for using the tool
'------------------------------------------------------------
114
Private Sub OpenHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "HelpPage", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
Report Generation Home Page
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewDataSummaries_Click
' Opens a pop-up box that asks the user which process they would like to view the summary for.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewDataSummaries_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewDataSummaries_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessSummaries", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewDataSummaries_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewDataSummaries_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewDataSummaries_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Processes with 3CS'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingCS", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Exit
End Sub
115
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesBySource_Click
' Opens a pop-up box which asks the user which source they would like to view the processes for.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesBySource_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessesBySource", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesByDept_Click
' Opens a pop-up box which asks the user which department they would like to view the processes for.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesByDept_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessesByDept", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Processes with 2HG'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingHG", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
116
Resume ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewFinalAsSources_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Final Reports Used Elsewhere'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewFinalAsSources_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptFinalReportsUsedAsSources", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenHelp_Click
' Brings the user to the help page that explains terminology and general usage for the tool.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub OpenHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "HelpPage_Reports", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewPurposesForSources_Click
' opens the report to view all the purposes for each source
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewPurposesForSources_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptPurposesForSources", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
117
ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoBack_Click
' brings the user back to the switchboard and closes the current form
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoBack_Click()
On Error GoTo GoBack_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acForm, "frmReportHome"
DoCmd.OpenForm "Switchboard", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoBack_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoBack_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoBack_Click_Exit
Entry Forms
Company Sources Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SelectSource_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form. Once selected, the form updates the data to be based
on the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SelectSource_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[SourceName] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveCompanySource_Click
118
' Simply saves the record entered by the user. Will allow most input, but only if the primary key is entered
correctly.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
SaveCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SaveCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetCompanySource_Click
' Will undo all changes to the record since the user opened the form to that record. It will throw an error if
no changes can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseCompanySource_Click
' Closes the current form. Will prompt the user to save if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseCompanySource_Click()
119
On Error GoTo CloseCompanySource_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddCompanySource_Click
' Creates a new (blank) record for the user to be able to enter in new information on a Company Source.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo AddCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteCompanySource_Click
' Will remove the current record from the database. Will prompt the user to be sure they actually want to
delete a record.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
120
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
Data Summary Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' combo_Process_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form for process. Once selected, the form updates the data
to be based on the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub combo_process_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[Process] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
DoCmd.Requery "combo_Source"
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' combo_Source_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form for sources. Once selected, the form updates the data
to based on the key selected in the box.
' It is populated using the sources that belong to the process from the combo box above.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub combo_Source_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[DataSource] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
121
combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' NextLine_Click
' Moves the focus of the form to the next line entry of the data summary.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub NextLine_Click()
On Error GoTo NextLine_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNext
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
NextLine_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
NextLine_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume NextLine_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' PrevLine_Click
' Moves the focus of the form to the previous line entry of the data summary.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub PrevLine_Click()
On Error GoTo PrevLine_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acPrevious
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
PrevLine_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
PrevLine_Click_Err:
122
MsgBox Error$
Resume PrevLine_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenProcesses_Click
' Brings the user to the processes form to enter a new process if they don't see it in the drop down list.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub OpenProcesses_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenProcesses_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmProcesses", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenProcesses_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenProcesses_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenProcesses_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenSource_Click
' Brings the user to the pop-up form that prompts them to choose the type of source in which they want to
view/add/edit
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub OpenSource_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenSource_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up_SourceType", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveDataSummary_Click
' Saves all changes to the current form. Will allow the user to exit the form without any error dialogue.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
123
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up-AddSource", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
SaveDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SaveDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetDataSummary_Click
' Will reset any changes made since the user opened the form and is on the same record. An error will be
thrown if no changes can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseCompanySource_Click
' Closes the current form and prompts the user to save if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseCompanySource_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
124
CloseCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddDataSummary_Click
' Creates a new (blank) summary line for the user to enter in the appropriate information.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo AddDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteDataSummary_Click
' Simply deletes the current record and its information from the database. Will prompt the user to be sure
he/she wants to delete the record.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
125
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
Home Grown Sources Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SelectSource_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form. Once selected, the form updates the data to based on
the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SelectSource_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[HomeGrownName] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveHomeSource_Click
' Simply saves the source information currently entered in the form.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
SaveHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
126
SaveHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetHomeSource_Click
' Will reset all changes made since the user has had the form open on the particular record. Will throw and
error if no changes can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseHomeSource_Click
' Closes the current window. Will prompt the user to save the data if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseHomeSource_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddHomeSource_Click
127
' Adds a new (blank) record to the form. Allows the user to input information as long as the primary key
is correct.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo AddHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteHomeSource_Click
' Removes the current record from the database. Will prompt the user before deleting to be sure it is what
the user wants.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteHomeSource_Click_Err:
128
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
Processes Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' combo_process_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form for process. Once selected, the form updates the data
to based on the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub combo_process_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[ProcessName] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewDataSummary_Click
' Opens the pop-up box which prompts the user to select the appropriate process to view the data
summary report.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewDataSummary_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessSummaries", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveProcess_Click
' Simply saves the current record on the form.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveProcess_Click_Err
129
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
SaveProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SaveProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetProcess_Click
' Will reset all changes made to the form since the user first navigated to it. Will throw error if no changes
can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetProcess_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseProcesses_Click
' Closes the current form. Will prompt the user to save if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseProcesses_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseProcesses_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseProcesses_Click_Exit:
130
Exit Sub
CloseProcesses_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseProcesses_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddProcess_Click
' Creates a new (blank) record for the user to be able to enter new data for a process.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo AddProcess_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteProcess_Click
' Removes the current record and its information from the database. Prompts the user before deletion to be
sure it is what the user wants.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteProcess_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
131
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
Pop-Up Windows
Choose which source type to add
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToCompanySources_Click
' Brings the user to a form where they can view/add/edit the company source table.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToCompanySources_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToCompanySources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmCompanySources", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up_SourceType"
GoToCompanySources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToCompanySources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToCompanySources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToHGSources_Click
' Brings the user to a form where they can view/add/edit the home grown source table.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToHGSources_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToHGSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmHomeGrownSources", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up_SourceType"
GoToHGSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
132
GoToHGSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToHGSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
Add new summary line?
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoBackToSummary_Click
' Brings the user back to the summary form so that they can add more lines to the summary for the current
process.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoBackToSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo GoBackToSummary_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmDataSummary", acNormal, "", "", acAdd, acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up-AddSource"
GoBackToSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoBackToSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoBackToSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToSwitchboard_Click
' Exits this form and the data summary form and brings the user back to the main switchboard.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToSwitchboard_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToSwitchboard_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "Switchboard", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up-AddSource"
GoToSwitchboard_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToSwitchboard_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToSwitchboard_Click_Exit
End Sub
Filtering Results (3 versions)
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterResults_Click
133
' filters the specified report to results that only have counts higher than the specified number in the combo
box
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterResults_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterResults_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingCS", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.SetFilter "FilterCount", "[Processes using
CS]![SourcesUsed]>=[Forms]![pop_up_CSFilterCount]![combo_FilterCount]", ""
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up_CSFilterCount"
FilterResults_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterResults_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterResults_Click_Exit
End Sub
**Note: ‘SetFilter’ command varies depending on the report used and the count variable**
Report Generators
Create Process Summaries
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SpecificSummaries_Click
' brings the user to the data summary (in report form) for the selected process from the combo box
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SpecificSummaries_Click()
On Error GoTo SpecificSummaries_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptSpecificDataSummaries", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessSummaries"
SpecificSummaries_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SpecificSummaries_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SpecificSummaries_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AllSummaries_Click
134
' brings the user to the report for ALL the data summaries organized by process
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AllSummaries_Click()
On Error GoTo AllSummaries_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptAllDataSummaries", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessSummaries"
AllSummaries_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AllSummaries_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AllSummaries_Click_Exit
End Sub
Processes by Department
'------------------------------------------------------------
' Command2_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Processes by Department'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub Command2_Click()
On Error GoTo Command2_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptDepartmantProcesses", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessesByDept"
Command2_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
Command2_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume Command2_Click_Exit
End Sub
Processes by Source
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SpecificSource_Click
' brings the user to a report of process information that use the source they specified in the combo box on
the form
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SpecificSource_Click()
On Error GoTo SpecificSource_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptSpecificProcessesBySource", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessesBySource"
135
SpecificSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SpecificSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SpecificSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AllSources_Click
' brings the user to a report showing all sources and each of the processes that utilize each source
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AllSources_Click()
On Error GoTo AllSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptAllProcessesBySource", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessesBySource"
AllSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AllSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AllSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
Reports
Reports Using Selectors
Each of the reports generated using these buttons has a similar format and coding. If only
producing a specific object, then there will be a ‘Back to Search’ option on the report. For both specific
objects and for viewing all objects, the forms have a ‘Back to Reports’ option. The basic code for those
two buttons is shown below.
'------------------------------------------------------------
' BackToSearch_Click
' returns user back to search pop up in order to re-select the criteria for the report
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub BackToSearch_Click()
On Error GoTo BackToSearch_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessSummaries", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptSpecificDataSummaries"
136
BackToSearch_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
BackToSearch_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume BackToSearch_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseReport_Click
' returns the user back to the report menu screen to select another report to generate
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseReport_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseReport_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptSpecificDataSummaries"
CloseReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
Also, it is worth noting that these reports have specific record sources in order to generate the correct
data. The record source for each report is as follows:
Specific Data Summaries = ‘Specific Data Summaries’ query
All Data Summaries = ‘DataSummary’ table
Specific Processes by Source = ‘Specific Processes by Source’ query
All Processes by Source = ‘All Processes by Source’ query’
Specific Processes by Department = ‘Specific Processes by Dept’ query
All Processes by Department = ‘Processes’ table
Reports Using Filters
The other four reports on the page all use some sort of filter to organize the data dynamically
within the form. Three of the reports use one method and the final report uses a slightly different method
since the filtering criteria is quite different. Both approaches are shown below:
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseReport_Click
' returns the user to the main reports page and also clears any existing filters from the report
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseReport_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseReport_Click_Err
137
DoCmd.SetFilter "removefilter", """""", ""
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptProcessesUsingHG"
CloseReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterCount_Click
' opens the pop-up box to generate the filter criteria for the report
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterCount_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterCount_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up_HGFilterCount", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
FilterCount_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterCount_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterCount_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' RemoveFilter_Click
' refreshes the report and clears the filter from it in the process
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub RemoveFilter_Click()
On Error GoTo RemoveFilter_Click_Err
DoCmd.SetFilter "removefilter", """""", ""
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptProcessesUsingHG"
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingHG", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
RemoveFilter_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
RemoveFilter_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume RemoveFilter_Click_Exit
138
End Sub
Note that the filtering criteria pop-up box has code in the ‘Pop-Up’ section of this documentation report.
The second way of filtering is shown here:
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterAll_Click
' clears any filters in place by resetting the record source to the original query
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterAll_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterAll_Click_Err
Dim criteria As String
criteria = "SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process FROM DataSummary"
Me.RecordSource = criteria
FilterAll_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterAll_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterAll_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterCS_Click
' filters by setting the record source for the report to be only those where the data source is in the company
source table
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterCS_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterCS_Click_Err
Dim criteria As String
criteria = "SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process FROM DataSummary WHERE
DataSource IN (SELECT SourceName FROM CompanySources)"
Me.RecordSource = criteria
FilterCS_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterCS_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterCS_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterHG_Click
139
' filters by setting the record source for the report to be only those where the data source is in the home
grown source table
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterHG_Click()
Dim criteria As String
criteria = "SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process FROM DataSummary WHERE
DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources)"
Me.RecordSource = criteria
FilterHG_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterHG_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterHG_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseReport_Click
' returns the user to the main reports page
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseReport_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseReport_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptPurposesForSources"
CloseReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
Again, each of these reports are produced using specific record sources, and they are:
Processes Using Home Grown Sources = ‘Processes Using HG’ query
Processes Using Company Sources = ‘Processes Using CS’ query
Final Reports Used as Sources = ‘Final Reports Used as Sources’ query
Purposes for all sources = ‘Purposes for Sources’ query
Help Pages
Main
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseHelp_Click
' returns the user back to the main switchboard
'------------------------------------------------------------
140
Private Sub CloseHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acForm, "HelpPage_Main"
DoCmd.OpenForm "Switchboard", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
CloseHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
Report
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseHelp_Click
' brings the user back to the report home page
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acForm, "HelpPage_Reports"
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmReportHome", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
CloseHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
SQL Queries
Final Reports Used As Sources
**Used to produce a list of final reports that are used as sources in other processes**
SELECT HomeGrownName, Description, Format, HomeGrownSources.Comments, Process, Purpose,
DataDestination, [Count FR In Processes].NumProcesses
FROM DataSummary, HomeGrownSources, [Count FR In Processes]
WHERE DataSummary.DataSource = HomeGrownSources.HomeGrownName
AND DataSummary.DataSource = [Count FR In Processes].DataSource
AND FinalReport = TRUE;
Specific Processes by Dept
**Used by qryProcessesByDept to select processes based on the combo box on the form**
SELECT *
141
FROM Processes
WHERE Department LIKE Forms![qryProcessesByDept]!Combo0;
Specific Processes by Source
**Used by qryProcessesBySource to selectsources based on the combo box on the form**
SELECT ProcessName, DataSource, Department, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
ReceiversBusArea, EnvisionSelfService, AdditionalSpecifications, PainPointsComments
FROM Processes, DataSummary
WHERE Processes.ProcessName = DataSummary.Process AND
DataSource LIKE Forms![qryProcessesBySource]!Combo0;
Specific Data Summaries
**Used by qryProcessSummaries to select processes based on the combo box on the form**
SELECT Process, DataSource, Purpose, DataDestination, Comments
FROM DataSummary
WHERE Process Like Forms![qryProcessSummaries]!Combo0;
Processes Using HG
**Used to produce the report with Processes that use home grown sources**
SELECT DataSummary.Process, Department, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
PainPointsComments, DataSource, Purpose, DataDestination, DataSummary.Comments, [Count HG
Sources Used].SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary, Processes, [Count HG Sources Used]
WHERE DataSummary.Process = Processes.ProcessName
AND DataSummary.Process = [Count HG Sources Used].Process
AND DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources);
Processes Using CS
** Used to produce the report with Processes that use company sources**
SELECT DataSummary.Process, Department, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
PainPointsComments, DataSource, Purpose, DataDestination, DataSummary.Comments, [Count CS
Sources Used].SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary, Processes, [Count CS Sources Used]
WHERE DataSummary.Process = Processes.ProcessName
AND DataSummary.Process = [Count CS Sources Used].Process
AND DataSource IN (SELECT SourceName FROM CompanySources);
Select Source based on Process
**Used by the Data Summary form to populate the source combo box based on the process combo box**
SELECT DataSource
FROM DataSummary
WHERE Process Like Forms!frmDataSummary!combo_process;
142
Combine Sources
**Combines all sources in the database for use in the data summary form (Data Source combo box)**
SELECT SourceName
FROM CompanySources
UNION
SELECT HomeGrownName
FROM HomeGrownSources;
All Processes by Source
**Used to create report of all sources and the processes that use each of them**
SELECT DataSource, ProcessName, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
ReceiversBusArea, EnvisionSelfService, AdditionalSpecifications, PainPointsComments
FROM DataSummary, Processes
WHERE DataSummary.Process = Processes.ProcessName;
Count CS Sources Used
**Used in ‘Processes using CS’ query to make the count an attribute rather than an aggregate function**
SELECT Process, count(*) AS SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary
WHERE DataSource IN (SELECT SourceName FROM CompanySources)
GROUP BY Process;
Count HG Sources Used
**Used in ‘Processes using HG’ query to make the count an attribute rather than an aggregate function**
SELECT Process, count(*) AS SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary
WHERE DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources)
GROUP BY Process;
Count FR in Processes
**Used in ‘Final Reports as Sources’ query to make the count an attribute rather than an aggregate
function.**
SELECT DataSource, Count(*) AS NumProcesses
FROM DataSummary
WHERE DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources WHERE FinalReport
= TRUE)
GROUP BY DataSource;
Purposes for Sources
**Used to generate a report that shows the data source, the overall purposes used, and which processes
are using the sources for those purposes**
SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process
FROM DataSummary;
143
Appendix G - Test Plans
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: ___1_
Objective:
Test if all buttons on Main Switchboard work
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information.
Actual Results/Notes
All buttons work; open the related page.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 0 View/ Add/ Edit Process
Information
Click on the button
2) 0 View/ Add/ Edit Data Sources Click on the button
3) 0 View/ Add/ Edit a Data Summary Click on the button
4) 0 Search and Report process
documentation
Click on the button
5) 0 Need Help? Click on the button
144
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: ___2_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on View/Add/Edit Process Information
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. And all the dropdown
menus show all the information stored in the database
Actual Results/Notes
All buttons work; Dropdown Menu s show the stored data.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 3 Select Process Search from dropdown menu
2) 3 View Data Summary Click on the button
3) 3 View certain data summary Search from dropdown menu
4) 3 View Data Summary button Click on the button
5) 3 View All Data Summaries Click on the button
6) 3 Back to Reports Page from View
All Data Summaries
Click on the button
145
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ X
Test ID: ___3_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on View/Add/Edit Process Information
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. All the dropdown menus
show all the information stored in the database. When
Actual Results/Notes
1. When input value is Null or existing process, doesn’t pop up message box say can’t put process
without name or process already exist.
2. When delete in the process, it shows as deleted, rather than clear the row.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Null
2) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test1
3) Add New Process- Process Name Test4
4) 3 Add New Process - Department Test1
5) 3 Add New Process - Department Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Department
6) 3 Add New Process-Frequency Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Frequency
7) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
8) Select Process Test2
9) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
10) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test4
11) 3 Add New Process-Department Test2
12) 3 Delete Process Click Delete Process button
13) 3 Save Process Click Save Process
14) 3 Reset Changes Click on Reset changes
15) 3 Go Back/ Exit Click on Go back/Exit
146
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: __4_
Objective:
Test if all buttons on View/Add/Edit Data Sources
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 1 View/ Add/ Edit Data Sources Click on the button
2) 1 Process Documentation Repository Click on the Company Button
3) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Company Source Name- Null
4) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Company Source Name – Source3
5) 1 Process Documentation Source Name-Source 10
6) 1 Process Documentation-company-Add New
Source
Click on Add New Source button
7) 1 Process Documentation – company-Delete
Source
Click on Delete Source
8) 1 Process Documentation – company-Save
Source
Click on Save Source
9) 1 Process Documentation –company- Reset
Source
Click on Reset Source
10) 1 Process Documentation – company-Go Back/
Exit
Click on Go back/Exit Button
11) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Home
Grown
Source Name- Null
12) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Home
Grown
Source Name – Source3
13) 1 Process Documentation Source Name-Source 10
14) 1 Process Documentation-company-Home
Grown
Click on Add New Source button
15) 1 Process Documentation – company-Home
Grown
Click on Delete Source
16) 1 Process Documentation – Home Grown-Save
Source
Click on Save Source
17) Process Documentation –Home Grown- Reset
Source
Click on Reset Source
18) Process Documentation – Home Grown-Go
Back/ Exit
Click on Go back/Exit Button
147
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to
save the new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source.
Actual Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to
save the new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source. When input exist data
source or null name data source, it pops out the message box.
148
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: __5_
Objective:
Test if all buttons on View/Add/Edit Data Sources
Expected Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database. When click on Add a
Process or Add a Source button, they all link to the new forms to create process and data source. When
click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to save the
new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source.
Actual Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database. When click on Add a
Process or Add a Source button, they all link to the new forms to create process and data source. When
click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to save the
new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source. The View Previous Line and View
Next Line buttons doesn’t order the process and the data source for the new saved data summary. But it
doesn’t affect system performance.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 2 View/ Add/ Edit Data Summary Click on the button
2) 2 Process Dropdown menu Click on the process button
3) 2 Source Dropdown Menu Click on the source menu
4) 2 Add a Process button Click on Add a Process button
5) 2 Add s Source Button Click on Add a Source button
6) 2 View Previous Line Click on View Previous Line
button
7) 2 View Next Line Click on View Next Line button
8) 2 Add New Summary Line Click on Add New summary Line
9) 2 Delete Summary Line Click on Delete Summary Line
10) 2 Save Summary Line Click on Save Summary Line
11) 2 Reset Summary Line Click on Reset Summary Line
12) 2 Go Back/ Exit Click on Reset Go Back/Exit
button
149
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: __6_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on the Search and Report Documentation
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 4 Data Summaries Click on the button
2) 4 Dropdown menu for data
summaries
Select Test4 from dropdown
menu
3) 2 View menu Click on the button
4) 2 View all data summaries Click on the button
5) 2 Processes by Source Click on the button
6) 2 Dropdown menu for data source Select Source 3
7) 2 View menu Click the button
8) 2 View All sources Click on the button
9) 2 Process by Department Click on the button
10) Dropdown menu for department Select CL Actuarial
11) 2 View menu Click on the button
12) 2 View all Department Click on the button
13) 2 Reset Summary Line Click on Reset Summary Line
14) 2 Processes Using Home Grown
Source
Click on the button
15) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 2 from the dropdown
menu
16) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 3 from dropdown menu
17) 2 Remove Filter Click on Remove Filter button
18) 2 Processes Using Company
Source
Click on the button
19) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 1 from the dropdown
menu
20) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 3 from dropdown menu
21) 2 Remove Filter Click on Remove Filter button
22) 2 Final reports used as sources Click on the button
23) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 1 from the dropdown
menu
24) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 3 from dropdown menu
25) 2 Remove Filter Click on Remove Filter button
150
Expected Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database.
The dropdown shows the new saved data summary.
Actual Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database.
The dropdown shows the new saved data summary.
26) 2 Purpose for sources Click on the button
27) 2 All using company sources Click on the Company button
28) 2 All using Home Grown Sources Click on the Home Grown button
29) 2 All sources including company
and home grown
Click on View All
151
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __2_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ passed
Test ID: ___7_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on View/Add/Edit Process Information
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. All the dropdown menus
show all the information stored in the database.
Actual Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. All the dropdown menus
show all the information stored in the database.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
16) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Null
17) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test1
18) Add New Process- Process Name Test4
19) 3 Add New Process - Department Test1
20) 3 Add New Process - Department Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Department
21) 3 Add New Process-Frequency Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Frequency
22) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
23) Select Process Test2
24) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
25) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test4
26) 3 Add New Process-Department Test2
27) 3 Delete Process Click Delete Process button
28) 3 Save Process Click Save Process
29) 3 Reset Changes Click on Reset changes
30) 3 Go Back/ Exit Click on Go back/Exit
152
Appendix H – Business Intelligence Initiative Background
153
154
155
156
157
References
Baker, T. (2007). The case for federal regulation of insurance: Should the tobin Project’s risk group
care? Tobin Project Risk Policy Working Group.
Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H., & Roth, R. M. (2009). Systems analysis & design (Fourth ed.). Hoboken, NJ:
John Wiley & Sons.
IAIS Insurance Core Principles - Detailed Assessment of Observance, (2010).
Harris, C. (2011). MIS initiative overview. Unpublished manuscript.
Insurance Company of North America. (1916). Episodes of history in the stories of the united states
and the insurance company of north america as bound up together in national achievement,
1792-1917. Chicago: Priv. print. [R.R. Donnelley & sons company], 1916.
Investopedia ULC. (2011). The industry handbook: The insurance industry. Retrieved 11/09, 2011,
fromhttp://www.investopedia.com/features/industryhandbook/insurance.asp#axzz1bjT6M8ec
Kofman, M., & Pollitz, K. (2006). Health insurance regulation by states and the federal government: A
review of current approaches and proposals for change. Health Policy Institute, Georgetown
University). , 23. Retrieved fromhttp://www.allhealth.org/briefingmaterials/HealthInsuranceReportKofmanandPollitz-95.pdf
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2011). State insurance regulation - history,
purpose and structure. Retrieved 11/13, 2011, fromhttp://www.naic.org/documents/consumer_state_reg_brief.pdf
Oxford University Press. (2011). Oxford dictionaries - the world's must trusted dictionaries. Retrieved
11/08, 2011, fromhttp://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/insure
Randall, S. (1999). Insurance regulation in the United States: Regulatory federalism and the national
association of insurance commissioners. Florida State University Law Review, 26, 625.
158
Shearman & Sterling LLP. (2009). Further momentum towards federal regulation of insurance
industry. New York, NY: Shearman & Sterling LLP.
SNL Financial LC. (2011). Rating. Retrieved 11/09, 2011, fromhttp://www.snl.com/IRWebLinkX/GenPage.aspx?IID=103541&GKP=203702
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (2010). Your total personal insurance solution. Retrieved 11/20,
2011, fromhttp://www.hanover.com/thg/personal/products.htm
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (2011). About the Hanover insurance group. Retrieved 11/09,
2011, fromhttp://www.hanover.com/thg/about/index.htm
The Philadelphia Contributionship. (2010). Retrieved 11/07, 2011, fromhttp://www.contributionship.com/history/index.html
Watson, R. T. (2006). Data management: Databases and organizations (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sonsm Inc.
Webel, B., & Cobb, C. (2005). Insurance regulation: History, background, and recent congressional
oversight No. RL31982)Congressional Research Service - The Library of Congress.
doc_845647502.pdf
Business Intelligence Strategy At The Hanover Insurance Group
1
Project Number: SZD MH11
Business Intelligence Strategy
At The Hanover Insurance Group
A Major Qualifying Project Report
Submitted to the Faculty
Of the
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Science
By
Sean Burke, MIS
Wenxuan Guo, MIS
Luis Quiroga, MIS
Date: December 14
th
, 2011
Sponsored by:
The Hanover Insurance Group
Professor Soussan Djamasbi,
Project Advisor
2
Abstract
This Major Qualifying Project, prepared for The Hanover Insurance Group, describes the
prototype of a newly developed system designed to collaborate with the efforts of the Business
Intelligence Strategy at Hanover. The requirements and necessary business process flows
included in the system were gathered through interviews with Hanover employees and from
report creation documentation kept by the Management Information Systems (MIS) team at
Hanover. The newly developed system provides information for the MIS team at Hanover on
commonalities on data manipulation to facilitate the transition to automated reporting
procedures, mitigating the risk from high-touch processing and human errors. The system also
provides the Hanover employees with simplified procedures to extract the necessary data for
their reports. A prototype of the system was built in Microsoft Access supplemented by wiki
pages for demonstration purposes.
3
Executive Summary
This MQP project was completed in cooperation with the Hanover Technology Group
(HTG) at The Hanover Insurance Group, in Worcester, MA. Through this project, we created a
prototype for the Process Documentation Repository (PDR) system and its supporting wiki-
pages to help Hanover with the implementation of its Business Intelligence (BI) initiative that is
currently being enforced by documenting and centralizing current reporting procedures.
Through the BI initiative, Hanover hopes to identify high impact, value added
investments that clearly align and support business priorities, and identify and quantify current
business opportunities that have clear efficiency payback. With the budgeting season for the
fiscal year 2012-2013 approaching, HTG is hoping to demonstrate the need for resources they
currently have. By using our system, HTG will be able to portray the business value of
simplifying and automating reports creation procedures. Our prototype will assist them in these
goals through the consolidation of process documentation and a searchable collection of data in
order to obtain key business information. Before building the prototype, we completed a cost-
benefit analysis of our system to portray the value that our system will add to the company.
We developed the prototype to serve two types of users. The first type is the employees
of the MIS team at Hanover, who will access the raw data, the database schema, and the code
and queries behind the PDR. The reports produced by the MIS team at Hanover will be used to
establish the feasibility and priority of future projects that the company may wish to take on
during the course of the BI initiative. The second type of user is the employees that work directly
with insurance policies. This type of user will only be able to see what is on the wiki-pages,
which are on the intranet of Hanover’s network and display high-level information for both
processes and data sources. The second type of users will become aware of any change in the
reporting procedures via this central site, maintained by the MIS team at Hanover.
In summary, this project was completed in two terms for the Hanover Insurance Group to
further progress their efforts in a BI initiative. It was developed for two types of users to ensure
proper communication and efficient reporting procedures, while preserving data integrity across
Hanover. The overall business value of this project is the documentation and centralization of
reporting procedures, facilitating the analysis for business intelligence changes moving forward.
4
Authorship Statement
Abstract – Luis
Executive Summary – ALL
Acknowledgements – ALL
Introduction – Sean
Literature Review – Wenxuan
Methodology – Sean
Analysis and Design – Luis
Implementation – Luis
User Manual – Sean
Technical Manual – Sean
Documentation Documents – ALL
Process Flows – ALL
5
Acknowledgements
The project team would like to acknowledge the project sponsors, Karen Winsky, Cilsy
Harris, Lisa Voellings, and Kim Killeen, for allowing the WPI team to collaborate with the
Business Intelligence Strategy at The Hanover Insurance Group. We would like to thank Kim
Killen, Linda Brench, and David Doe for their continued guidance and feedback throughout the
project, and for providing a wealth of knowledge on technology applications in the Insurance
industry. Finally, we would also like to thank our project advisor, Professor Soussan Djamasbi,
for her support, feedback and guidance from an academic point of view throughout the project.
6
Letter from Project Sponsor
7
Table of Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Authorship Statement ................................................................................................................................... 4
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Letter from Project Sponsor ......................................................................................................................... 6
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Table of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 13
The Hanover Insurance Group ................................................................................................................ 13
Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Problem Statement ................................................................................................................................. 14
Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Chapter 2: Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 16
Industry review ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Type of Insurance ................................................................................................................................ 16
History of Insurance Companies ......................................................................................................... 16
Regulation ........................................................................................................................................... 17
The Hanover Insurance Group ................................................................................................................ 18
History ................................................................................................................................................. 18
Goals ................................................................................................................................................... 20
External Ratings .................................................................................................................................. 20
Personal & Commercial Lines ................................................................................................................. 21
Personal Lines ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Commercial Lines ................................................................................................................................ 22
The Hanover Technology Group (HTG) ................................................................................................... 24
Business Process Re-engineering ............................................................................................................ 25
Identify Business Processes ................................................................................................................ 25
Document the Process ........................................................................................................................ 25
Measure and Analyze the process ...................................................................................................... 25
Business Process Reengineering ......................................................................................................... 25
8
Process Documentation Repository & Datapedia .................................................................................. 26
Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 28
Project Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 28
Scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 29
Planning and Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 29
Development ....................................................................................................................................... 30
Deliverables and Timeline ....................................................................................................................... 32
Work Plan ................................................................................................................................................ 32
Timeline................................................................................................................................................... 33
Staffing Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 34
Sean Burke .......................................................................................................................................... 34
Wenxuan Guo ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Luis Quiroga ........................................................................................................................................ 34
Stakeholder List and Roles ...................................................................................................................... 35
Feasibility Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 37
Technical Feasibility ............................................................................................................................ 37
Economic Feasibility ............................................................................................................................ 38
Organizational Feasibility .................................................................................................................... 42
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 42
Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................................................... 42
Risk Mitigation .................................................................................................................................... 43
Chapter 4: Analysis and Design ................................................................................................................... 45
Analysis Strategy ..................................................................................................................................... 46
Requirements Analysis Techniques .................................................................................................... 46
Requirements Gathering Techniques ................................................................................................. 47
Requirements Definition ......................................................................................................................... 47
Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 47
Target Audience .................................................................................................................................. 47
Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... 48
Use Cases and Systems Models .............................................................................................................. 49
Use Cases ............................................................................................................................................ 49
Use Scenarios ...................................................................................................................................... 55
9
Data Flow Diagrams ............................................................................................................................ 56
Chapter 5: Prototype Specification & Implementation .............................................................................. 59
Prototype Specification ........................................................................................................................... 59
Software .............................................................................................................................................. 59
Design Approach ................................................................................................................................. 59
Prototype Design .................................................................................................................................... 60
Entity Relationship Diagram................................................................................................................ 60
Entity Relationship Diagram Data Dictionary...................................................................................... 61
Storyboards ......................................................................................................................................... 62
User Interface Structure Diagram ....................................................................................................... 66
Prototype Implementation ..................................................................................................................... 68
Testing ................................................................................................................................................. 68
Documentation & Training.................................................................................................................. 70
Migration Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 71
Contingency Plan ................................................................................................................................ 71
Chapter 6: Recommendations & Conclusions ............................................................................................ 72
Recommendations .................................................................................................................................. 72
System Specification ........................................................................................................................... 72
Migration Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 73
Visual Process search engine .............................................................................................................. 74
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 75
Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 77
Appendix A - Meeting Minutes ............................................................................................................... 77
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/13/2011 ........................................................................................................ 77
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/20/2011 ........................................................................................................ 78
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/27/2011 ........................................................................................................ 79
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/4/2011 ........................................................................................................ 80
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/11/2011 ...................................................................................................... 81
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/24/2011 ...................................................................................................... 82
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/31/2011 ...................................................................................................... 83
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/7/2011 ........................................................................................................ 84
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/14/2011 ...................................................................................................... 85
10
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/21/2011 ...................................................................................................... 86
MQP Meeting Notes: 11/28/2011 ...................................................................................................... 87
MQP Meeting Notes: 12/05/2011 ...................................................................................................... 88
MQP Meeting Notes: 12/12/2011 ...................................................................................................... 89
Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form ......................................................................... 90
Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template ............................................................................. 91
Appendix D - Report Documentation ..................................................................................................... 93
Appendix E - User Manual....................................................................................................................... 96
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 97
Key Terms ............................................................................................................................................ 97
Main Switchboard ............................................................................................................................... 98
Processes Form ................................................................................................................................... 99
Choose Source Type .......................................................................................................................... 100
Company Sources Form .................................................................................................................... 101
Home Grown Sources Form .............................................................................................................. 102
Data Summary Form ......................................................................................................................... 104
Search and Report Documentation .................................................................................................. 106
Reports .............................................................................................................................................. 107
Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................................................. 109
Appendix F – Technical Documentation for PDR .................................................................................. 110
Entities and Attributes ...................................................................................................................... 110
VBA for Forms ................................................................................................................................... 112
SQL Queries ...................................................................................................................................... 140
Appendix G - Test Plans ........................................................................................................................ 143
Appendix H – Business Intelligence Initiative Background ................................................................... 152
References ................................................................................................................................................ 157
11
Table of Tables
Table 1 - Insurance Types, (Investopedia ULC, 2011) ................................................................................. 16
Table 2 - Personal Lines............................................................................................................................... 21
Table 3 - Small Business Insurance ............................................................................................................. 22
Table 4 - Midsized Business ........................................................................................................................ 23
Table 5 - Business Process Reengineering .................................................................................................. 26
Table 6 - Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 28
Table 7- Deliverables and Timeline ............................................................................................................. 32
Table 8 - Stakeholders ................................................................................................................................. 35
Table 9 - Cost benefit calculations .............................................................................................................. 38
Table 10 - Risk Assessment ......................................................................................................................... 42
Table 11 - Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 48
Table 12 - Entity Relationship Diagram Data Summary .............................................................................. 61
12
Table of Figures
Figure 1 - Financial Strengths Ratings (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011) ................................... 21
Figure 2- Timeline ....................................................................................................................................... 33
Figure 3 - Context Level .............................................................................................................................. 56
Figure 4 - Level 0 ......................................................................................................................................... 57
Figure 5 - Level 1 Document Process .......................................................................................................... 57
Figure 6 –Level 1 Reengineer Report Creation ........................................................................................... 58
Figure 7 - Level 1 Publish in Datapedia ....................................................................................................... 58
Figure 8 - Entity Relationship Diagram ....................................................................................................... 60
Figure 9 - Main Storyboard ......................................................................................................................... 62
Figure 10 - Process Storyboard ................................................................................................................... 63
Figure 11 - Sources Storyboard ................................................................................................................... 64
Figure 12 - Data Summary Storyboard........................................................................................................ 65
Figure 13 - User Interface Structure Diagram ............................................................................................. 67
Figure 14 - PivotViewer Screenshot Overview ............................................................................................ 74
Figure 15 - PivotViewer Screenshot Search Results based on a specific word ........................................... 75
13
Chapter 1: Introduction
The Hanover Insurance Group
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company
for a group of insurers including The Hanover Insurance Company, Citizens Insurance Company
of America, and Chaucer Holdings PLC. The Hanover serves businesses, individuals, and
families, offering its products through a select group of independent agents across the U.S. (The
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
To better accommodate the needs of their clients, Hanover offers a wide range of
Personal Line and Commercial Line products. Hanover defines their commitment with their
clients as “an intense focus on doing what we propose to, doing it well and doing it with speed”
(The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011). In order to achieve this, the company considers that
quality has to be constantly underwritten, products need to be innovative, applied technology
needs to be powerful and service has to be quick in delivery.
In an effort to strengthen the commitment with clients and as part of the overall
development of a comprehensive, enterprise wide Business Intelligence Strategy, it is critical to
understand the manner in which Hanover’s business partners are fulfilling their business
intelligence needs today. In order for Hanover to be better informed and mold the strategy
accordingly, creating a complete set of business process documentation is critical.
Project Overview
The project sponsors and main contacts at Hanover were Karen Winsky (Program
Director of IP Quality Assurance) Cilsy Harris (Vice-President, Hanover Technology Group),
Kim Killeen (Director, Management Information Systems), and Lisa Voellings (Vice-President,
Financial Systems).
Hanover was implementing a Business Intelligence Initiative to reduce risk by making
reporting tasks more efficient. The vision of the initiative is, “To Provide accurate, timely and
pertinent information, in an efficient manner, to improve analysis and inform decision making of
business leaders.” (Harris, 2011) The main objectives of the Business Intelligence Initiative were
(1) to create enterprise alignment and clarity, (2) institutionalize a collaborative, cross-functional
14
Business Intelligence Community, (3) identify high impact, value added investments that clearly
align and support business priorities, and (4) identify and quantify current business opportunities
that have clear efficiency payback. For more detail on the background and implications of the
Business Intelligence Initiative, please see Appendix H – Business Intelligence Initiative
Background.
Problem Statement
In the 21st century, it is a necessity to be able to manage and process the never-ending
flow of data and information. However, common issues that plague most companies are data
redundancy, poor data control, non-intuitive user interfaces, and poor data integration. The
situation at Hanover is no different.
Hanover employees are utilizing various data stores to extract the data they need in order
to produce various reports across the organization. Most of the data that is currently being used
is being extracted by various employees in different areas, creating data redundancy. Hanover
employees utilize multiple data sources because the information they find in one of the sources is
incomplete, inaccurate, or some of the systems are not updated regularly enough for their reports.
Most of the data necessary for reports in a certain business area is extracted from the
systems maintained by the Hanover Technology Group (HTG), and placed in Microsoft Access
databases or Excel spreadsheets maintained by employees that work closer to the business and
are not part of HTG.
The databases and spreadsheets mentioned above are kept in individual desktops and are
not maintained by HTG. HTG has no easy way to verify that these local databases have the
proper infrastructure to support key business processes to produce accurate reports. The data in
those systems is updated as often as the user that owns it refreshes the data, rather than HTG
updating it automatically. In many cases, the local databases and spreadsheets are shared with
other Hanover employees. Thus, if the data is inaccurate in the databases and spreadsheets
because it is outdated or imprecise, it will be inaccurate in the reports that are produced with it.
15
Due to the complexity of the process, many of the business reports require a high-touch
process to create them. Some of the reports take days or weeks to be crated, and there is a big
change for human error or data inaccuracies because of all the data manipulation that each report
involves.
Objectives
The first objective of the project was to document various business processes throughout
multiple departments at Hanover. These business processes were mostly ones that produce
reports and were pulling data from data stores and using that data in a meaningful way. To obtain
this information we met with different department heads (or other delegated employees).
The documentation consists of a preparation form that contains certain requirements for
each meeting Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form. This form guided the
discussion so that we could gather the important steps in the process flow in order to diagram
afterwards.
Once the process documentation was completed, we then designed a system that achieves
multiple functionalities. First, it is be able to hold the numerous pieces of data from the
documentation and organizes the information on the data sources such that the information has
the capability to be searched in a variety of ways. In addition to making the data available to the
Business Intelligence and MIS teams at Hanover for querying and editing, we also made certain
aspects of the data available to the various employees at Hanover. The employees need to know
if any aspect of their process changes.
16
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Industry review
Insurance, in a simpler term, is a method for risk mitigation. For example, a family will
try to reduce the financial risks produced by a death through a life insurance company.
Businesses and Corporations try to mitigate risks through commercial insurance companies.
Each policy is a contract in which the insurance company agrees to compensate or indemnify the
policyholder or beneficiary for the possible loss or damage that a specific object can incur from
certain perils or risks, in exchange of monthly payments for the services described (Oxford
University Press, 2011).
Type of Insurance
There are several types of insurance policies; some of the most common ones are listed in Table
1, below.
Table 1 - Insurance Types, (Investopedia ULC, 2011)
Insurance Type Description
Life Insurance Insurance against expenses incurred due to the death of the insured. A
premium is given to the insured if he or she lives beyond a certain age.
Health Insurance Insurance against expenses incurred through illness of the insured.
Liability
Insurance
Insurance against expenses incurred by damages to property such as
automobiles, real estate and professional/business mishaps.
There additional insurance categories to the ones listed above, such as Supplemental Insurance,
Travel insurance, and workers’ compensation amongst others.
History of Insurance Companies
The first insurance company established in the United State was the Philadelphia
Contributionship. It was formed in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1752 and underwrote fire
insurance. Prior to insuring a building the company would send surveyors to inspect the building
and then the directors would determine the rate. In some cases the company refused to insure
certain buildings where the risk of fire was too great, such as all wooden houses. Nowadays, the
Philadelphia Contributionship continues to issue policies under the name of The Philadelphia
Contributionship Mutual Holding Company (The Philadelphia Contributionship, 2010).
17
The first joint-stock insurance company formed in the United Sates was, as it is yet, the
Insurance Company of North America in 1792. The Insurance Company of North America
introduced the concept of “protection against fire and marine hazards which was to revolutionize
crude underwriting and provide the very cornerstone of modern commercial progress as the basis
of business credit” (Insurance Company of North America, 1916).
Regulation
There are two major categories of Regulation: the State Based Insurance Regulatory
System and the Federal Regulation of Insurance (Kofman & Pollitz, 2006). The history of
insurance regulation, however, has been marked by federal-state tensions and accommodations,
and, after more than a century of state dominance, by periodic proposals for federal intervention
(Randall, 1999).
State Based Insurance Regulatory System
Historically, the insurance industry in the Unites States has been regulated by the
individual state governments. The first state commissioner of insurance was appointed in New
Hampshire in 1851 (National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2011).
The goals of insurance regulation articulated by most states include fair pricing of
insurance, protecting insurance company solvency, preventing unfair practices by insurance
companies, and ensuring availability of insurance coverage. Each state has a department within
the executive branch to regulate insurance. The head of the department is usually called the
commissioner or director of insurance. A handful of states elect their insurance commissioner. In
the remaining states, the insurance commissioner is appointed by the governor and serves at the
governor’s pleasure.
The insurance department typically has broad, legislatively delegated powers to enforce
state insurance laws, promulgate rules and regulations, and conduct hearings to resolve disputed
matters. In practice, this power is exercised sparingly, partly because state insurance departments
are often significantly underfunded and partly because of political preferences for less regulation
(Randall, 1999).
18
Federal Regulation of Insurance
As mentioned before, Federal Regulation of Insurance vs. State-regulated insurance is an
on-going debate. Some insurers — joined by some banks with insurance affiliates — believe
that current state insurance regulation hinders their effective competition with other financial
intermediaries. They want a more uniform system and many have called for the option of
obtaining a federal charter and subjecting themselves to a single, federal regulator (Webel &
Cobb, 2005). The federal government now has the infrastructure and the resources to protect
consumers (Baker, 2007).
The Hanover Insurance Group
This section of the Literature review discusses the Hanover Insurance Group specifically.
It talks about the company’s history, the various goals and objectives of the company, as well as
external rating in the insurance industry.
History
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. was formed in 1852 in New York City to protect
businesses and homeowners facing the common 19th Century hazard of fire. By the early 20th
Century, The Hanover began to expand its business to include automobile and marine insurance
policies and by 1916, auto insurance was a significant business. (The Hanover Insurance Group,
Inc., 2011). At the time of the 1929 stock market crash, Hanover’s holdings were largely liquid,
so the impact from this event was minimal. In fact, Hanover was one of only five large U.S. fire
insurance companies that had a larger book of business in 1935 than it did in 1930.
Following World War II, vast changes occurred in American business and Hanover
would be part of that change. In 1964, the highly successful Citizens Insurance of Michigan
joined Worcester, Massachusetts-based State Mutual Life Insurance Company to expand beyond
its Midwestern markets. In 1969 Hanover became affiliated with State Mutual and gained access
to new resources for product development, underwriting, data processing, investment and claim,
policyholder and Agent services. It was also at this time that Hanover moved to Worcester to
reduce the operating costs associated with its location in New York City. (The Hanover
Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
19
By 1979 Hanover was consistently outperforming the industry and becoming a
recognized and trusted name in local markets. The company began introducing numerous new
products and services, along with new data processing systems that enhanced productivity and
service.
In 1995, State Mutual became a publicly-traded company, renaming itself Allmerica
Financial Corporation. Throughout the 1990s, Hanover worked even more closely with its
Allmerica affiliates, leveraging the considerable resources of the group to improve its products
and services such as electronic funds transfer and computer links with Agents. At the same time,
Hanover continued to emphasize its traditional strengths—its regional focus and local market
knowledge, established relationships with high-quality, service-minded Agents, and underwriting
discipline. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
From 2003 to 2004, the company restructured to significantly improve its financial
position, organization and operating model. Under CEO Fred Eppinger’s direction, the company
also refocused on becoming a world-class property and casualty company that provided the “best
of both”—the financial strength and products of a national company with the local market
knowledge and service of a regional insurer. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
In 2004 and 2005, the company demonstrated its financial strength by weathering an
unprecedented string of major hurricanes. Despite these challenges, the company strengthened its
reserves and delivered record net earnings. In 2005, the company made the strategic decision to
sell its life insurance affiliates. With this sale, and after making tremendous progress in all areas
of its property and casualty business, the company changed its name from Allmerica Financial
Corporation to The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.
The Hanover, as it is known today, is the holding company for The Hanover Insurance
Company, Citizens Insurance Company of America and their affiliates. As a stronger, more
focused company, Our policy is performance.™ (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
The Hanover Insurance Group offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services
to businesses, individuals, and families through agents across the U.S., The company is ranked
20
among the top 25 property and casualty insurers in the country and maintains excellent ratings
from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
Goals
To better understand the industry, the position of The Hanover in the marketplace, and its
vision, we need to be congruent with their goals for a successful completion of our project. A
brief description of each of The Hanover’s goals as listed in their web page is provided below.
(The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
Attracting, Retaining and Developing the Best People
The Hanover relies on dynamic leadership to set the course and exemplary service by our
employees to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack. Hanover is committed to invest
substantial resources in the people, building the best leadership, home office and front-line staff
possible.
Maintaining a Financially Strong Company
The Insurance business is all about delivering on promises. The Hanover affiliates will
continue to provide the dependability and stability that our Agents and their customers need.
Partnering with Winning Agents
Creating an effective and mutually beneficial relationship with the Agents is a top
priority for Hanover, having as the objective to know the needs of Hanover’s Agents and their
clients far better than the competition and to align their capabilities with important and timely
opportunities.
Building a World Class Underwriting and Product Capability
Hanover will focus on the business they have an expertise at and our customers need
most - small to mid-size commercial and personal lines. Continue to know the markets better
than their competitors - maintaining well-informed underwriting practices and innovative
products that meet the clients’ needs.
External Ratings
The Hanover has obtained very high ratings on its financial strengths, as it can be seen in
Figure 1. With these ratings, The Hanover proves to be a reliable company with a strong
financial position in the market.
21
Figure 1 - Financial Strengths Ratings (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011)
Personal & Commercial Lines
Personal Lines
Hanover offers a “Total Personal Insurance Solution”. As a property and casualty
insurance company, Hanover insures intangibles such as “the comforts of home, the convenience
of daily transportation, the joy of recreation, the beauty of heirlooms and important memories”
(The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2010). It offers four flexible packages of homeowner’s
insurance coverage with options for single family homes, condominiums, apartments, and
renters. It also offers auto coverage that can be customized to suit individual needs.
Table 2 - Personal Lines
Coverage Type Details
Home Insurance ? Single family homes
? Condominiums
? Apartments
? renters
Auto Insurance ? Roadside Assistance
? Ultimate Service
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Coverage Type Details
? Drive Smart Advantage
? Extended non-owned coverage
? Reassurance Plus Endorsement
? Travel Right
? Rental Coverage Upgrade
Toys ? Recreational Vehicle insurance
? Watercraft insurance
? Account Extras
Umbrella & Identity Theft ? Umbrella Insurance
? Identity Integrity Program
Valuables ? Valuable Items Plus Blanket Property
? Scheduled Personal Property
Commercial Lines
Commercial Line products are categorized by the business size, industry, land/ocean, and
financial products.
Small Business Insurance
The Hanover Insurance Group has a very established package for small business. As
Hanover knows it’s hard to run a business, it makes insuring it easier with a complete portfolio
of affordable small business insurance coverage. Table 3 below shows the different types of
coverage available and the breakdown of each. (The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., 2011).
Table 3 - Small Business Insurance
Coverage Type Details
Standard Small Business ? Business Owner’s Policy
? Commercial Package Policy
? Workers’ Compensation
? Commercial Automobile
? Commercial Umbrella
Specialty/Value-Added ? Property & Liability Broadening Endorsements
? Industry-specific Broadening Endorsements
? Miscellaneous Professional Liability Insurance for
consultants and 30+ other classes
? Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Technology Company
(Specialty)
? Technology Specific Broadening Endorsement
? Special Liability Endorsement
? Technology and Telecommunications Products and
23
Coverage Type Details
Professional Services Coverage Endorsement
? Worldwide Coverage Endorsement
? Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)
? Workers' Compensation
? Commercial Umbrella
? Commercial Auto
? Employment Practices Liability
? …And Many More
Business Owner’s Policy –
Midsize Business
? Packages Property & Liability Programs
? Commercial Auto
? Commercial Umbrella Liability
? Inland Marine
? Workers’ Compensation
Midsized businesses
Hanover allocates underwriters and agents to better understand the uniqueness of each
midsize business, its marketplace and the challenges. The coverage for midsized businesses is
outlined below.
Table 4 - Midsized Business
Coverage Type Details
Business Owner’s
Policy
? Proprietors
? Growing enterprises
? Larger smaller business
Packaged Property &
Liability Programs
? Buildings and other assets
? Crime
? Equipment breakdown
Commercial Auto ? Company-owned cars, trucks, garages and service operations
Commercial Umbrella
Liability
? Increases the coverage provided by your primary liability
policy
Inland Marine ? Accounts receivable
? Valuable papers records
? Items and goods in transport
? Computer equipment and electronic data
Worker’s
compensation
? Funding options
? Managed care
? Claims handling
? Loss control
? Return-to-work capabilities
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Inland and Ocean Marine
Hanover provides custom-tailored insurance protection, taking advantage of Marine
Specialists, a Marine Underwriting Center, Ocean Cargo Mangers, Marine Specialists and Loss
Control experts. Regardless the complexity of the situation, Hanover is able to provide a unique
solution that will satisfy the needs.
Performance and Surety Bonds
Hanover uses its experience obtained over more than 150 years to provide insurance for
products such as Contract Surety, Commercial Surety, and Commercial Crime, implementing
technology that allows clients to transact many Commercial Surety Bonds online in real time.
This allows Hanover’s clients to provide Bond protection, extraordinary service, and a quick
turnaround for their own clients.
Institutional Investments
Opus Investment Management provides investment management services to insurance
companies, pension plans and other institutional investors. Services are offered to traditional and
alternative insurance entities, corporate retirement funds and benefit programs, public retirement
funds, foundations and endowments, mutual funds
The Hanover Technology Group (HTG)
The Hanover Technology Group (HTG) provides information services for The Hanover.
Michael Clifton, the Chief Technology Officer of The Hanover, manages HTG. HTG provides
The Hanover with the necessary tools to run its business. This includes services such as
networking, telecommunications and technical support. This is called the baseline section of
HTG as it is just the essentials of what the Hanover needs. David Trigo, Sue Trombley, and Cilsy
Harris are the Business Delivery Vice Presidents of the Corporate, Commercial Lines and
Personal Lines, respectively. In order for them to make accurate and precise decisions, they need
to be able to obtain reports on current performance across many divisions. Our group will be
focusing on providing a tool that will help document current reporting practicing, allowing the
MIS team at Hanover to simplify them and increase accuracy by reducing manual procedures.
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Business Process Re-engineering
Business process reengineering is changing the fundamental way in which the
organization operates. Based on the research on the old mythology, technology and activity,
business Process Reengineering focus on the new solution for the problems.
One of the purposes for this project is to gather data to support the request for funding for
the MIS team at Hanover in next year. Through the interviews with Hanover employees and the
documentation of business processes, the common data sources and sub-processes can be
tracked, setting the stage so the To-Be system can be introduced.
Identify Business Processes
This was the first step of the process, in which pain-points were noted when producing
various reports. The main objective was to identify the reports that needed to be addressed first
based on its importance for the business and its rating on how “painful” it was to produce it.
Document the Process
The next step was to document the processes with the highest relevance and pain-points
score. Based on the documentation provided on how data is extracted and manipulated, a
dataflow was created for each of the processes to better understand the data overlap and
commonality across the processes.
Measure and Analyze the process
After documenting the process, the next step was to measure and analyze the process. It
was very important to understand each process from an MIS perspective. This step allowed the
MQP team to better understand the Hanover business users’ needs and requirements when
extracting data for their reports.
In this step, the MQP team was able to quantify data overlaps, and procedures
commonalities that helped prioritize and address the most important concerns for Hanover
employees by deploying a technological solution.
Business Process Reengineering
In this step, we focused on the new data architecture to centralize the data and improve
the data quality in order to provide the users with partially or fully automated processes. The
26
following chart shows the Business Process Reengineering (BPR) activities for the MIS team
and business users at Hanover.
Table 5 - Business Process Reengineering
Process Documentation Repository & Datapedia
At the very core of this project, as in the entire field of business intelligence; is data.
Without data, we as a society would not be able to function. However, data can be defined as
raw, un-summarized, and unanalyzed facts. It is up to the user to turn this data into information
in order to make a decision. Information can simply be thought of as data that has been put into a
meaningful form that conveys significance to a user. An integrated tool that can query the
various aspects of the processes within the company is big help with data normalization and data
integrity.
As such, we have designed a database that manages process documentation, company
source information, home-grown source information, and the summary data that connects the
processes and source. (To clarify, a ‘home-grown’ data source is any source that lives on only
one person’s computer or one group’s server. It is inaccessible to the entirety of the company or
department.) This ‘Process Documentation Repository’, as we have so-accurately named it will
act as a guide for the MIS team at Hanover to continue the documentation and also help the
Business Intelligence team move forward with potential projects in the near future.
Audience BPR
Activities
Focus Purpose
MIS team at
Hanover
Outcome
Analysis
Automated Reports Centralize the data the Hanover
employees utilize on a regular
basis
Technology
Analysis
Minimize data
redundancy
More straight-through
processing and prevent human
error
Activity
Elimination
Eliminate home-
grown databases
Reduce the number of
databases containing key
business information that are
not maintained by HTG
Hanover
business users
Outcome
Analysis
Accurate Business
Information
Produce reports with higher
accuracy in less time
Activity
Elimination
Expedite the process
of creating the
reports
Reduce unnecessary steps
when producing a report
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The tool we provided is expected to take data and organize it into information. The
executives at Hanover will be able to sift through the various business processes and, for
example, pick out which areas are most important or possibly which areas need to be updated.
Once they obtain this information, they will possess the knowledge to make intelligent business
decisions. Without this capacity to use the information, the processes simply appear as a jumbled
mess on various pieces of paper.
As a complement to the tool, we have also utilized an existing collection of wiki-pages on
a SharePoint site at Hanover called ‘Datapedia’. Datapedia contains information about most key
company data sources and the main reports related to them. David Doe, who is the administrator
of this SharePoint site, is strongly pushing for documentation of as many sources and as many
processes as possible. Since our project documented processes anyway, this provided us a perfect
avenue so that we could display the results of our work for the general public. Not everyone will
have access to the tool we built, but everyone at the company does have access to Datapedia so
that they can keep up with any changes made during the BI Initiative.
All in all, through the use of our tool and documentation Hanover will be able to
consolidate the processes data into usable information. And thus, it allows upper management to
gain understanding on the topic in order to make further vital decisions in their Business
Intelligence Initiative based on the original data.
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Chapter 3: Methodology
Project Plan
Following best practices, any project that involves the development of a system must be
put through the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The SDLC is used in many areas of
business, including systems engineering, information systems, software engineering, and many
more. Its purpose is to product a high quality system that will meet or exceed the expectations of
the customer (Dennis, Wixom, & Roth, 2009). The four phases of the SDLC are planning,
analysis, design, and implementation. Each phase requires a different level of emphasis, but all
must be carefully considered in order to produce the desired result.
For this project, we followed the SDLC it to guide ourselves through the development of
a tool that to help The Hanover Insurance Group organize their business processes, and use this
data to obtain meaningful information. Table 6, displayed below, outlines the four phases of the
SDLC, as well as each step within that phase, the technique used by the team, and the deliverable
produced.
Table 6 - Methodology
Phase Step Technique Deliverable
(for both Hanover and MQP)
PLANNING
Identify the
problem
Speak to BI team for
requirements
Introduction
Gather background
information
Research Hanover:
history, business type,
etc.
Literature Review
Examine feasibility Three types: technical,
economic, organizational
Feasibility Analysis
Create a timeline Identify all tasks,
estimate time needed per
task
Timeline (Gantt
Chart)
Staff the project WPI Student Team Staffing Plan
Manage and
execute project
Clarify project scope and
recognize potential risks
Project Scope, Risks
and Constraints
ANALYSIS
Collect business /
system
requirements
Interview employees,
document business
processes
System
Requirements,
System Definition
Create various use
cases
Develop use case
analyses
Use Cases
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Phase Step Technique Deliverable
(for both Hanover and MQP)
Model system
processes
Diagram data flows for
processes
Process Models
Model data /
information
Create entity relationship
model, normalize data
Data Models
DESIGN
Design system
architecture
Select hardware and
software, select database
format
System,
Architecture Report
Design user
interface
Consider use scenarios,
then structure interface
Interface Design
Build initial
prototype
Develop prototype
structure and data
contents
Alpha Prototype
Test user
interactions
Usability testing,
evaluate with heuristics
Prototype
improvements
Build final
prototype
Apply prototype
improvements
Final Prototype
IMPLEMENTATION
Generate training
materials
User processes, data
definitions, etc.
User Training
Manual
Project hand-off Set up for addition of
new processes, etc.
All compiled system
information
documents
Scope
As mentioned before, the Hanover Insurance Group was pursuing a Business Intelligence
Strategy in order to centralize extraneous data to improve various business processes by straight-
through-processing. This initiative was a very large undertaking, and given our time frame, it
was impossible to take on the entire project. Therefore, the scope below defines the deliverables
and the limitations of the project for the WPI Student Consulting team.
Planning and Analysis
We documented approximately fifteen business processes to analyze the high-level
requirements. This involved scheduling meetings/interviews with a total of seven department
heads (or their designated employees) to better understand process and data flows. Also, we
requested that a pre-requisite form Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form be
filled out prior to each meeting, so that our team could guide topics of conversation in the
30
appropriate direction. In these meetings, we met with various company personnel to inquire
about process inputs and outputs, as well as the various data sources utilized. Once the meetings
were finished, we documented these processes using the pre-requisite form as well as a process
flow diagram in Visio.
In order to understand the business processes within the company, we identified various
sources of data within the company and all related attributes to fully understand all business
processes. Then, we researched all company terminology so that all terminology and acronyms
are recorded appropriately within the tool. Once familiarized, we examined and familiarized
ourselves with the aspects of similar systems at Hanover. Finally, we created consistency among
all documents and process flows so that the eventual tool contains good data.
From the meetings with the departments we were able to gather and understand the
requirements from the business perspective on what information they use currently, and how
they would prefer the system to be displayed. On the technical aspect of the project, we met on a
weekly basis with Kim Killeen, Director of MIS at Hanover, to discuss the technical
requirements and feasibility of the project.
Development
The first step in development was to design the tool. We used information gained from
documentation to create an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for a database to house the data.
Once our first draft was complete, we met with Kim Killeen to confirm entities and attributes
were accurate, and revised the ERD as necessary. Upon completion of the ERD we created
sample interfaces using sketched screenshots to display the intended functionality of the database
and the linked SharePoint site. Before building the prototype, we completed a cost-benefit
analysis of our linked system to portray the value that our system will add to the company.
After each of the above steps was completed, we then created the prototype. The
prototype encompasses various use cases and handles a few use scenarios to clearly demonstrate
how a user can navigate through the system and acquire the necessary information desired. The
interface shows important high-level information on the front-most level for simplest use.
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In summary, we documented fifteen business processes. Then, we created a database that
includes data elements from the process documentation. This database has an intuitive interface
to be used by Kim Killeen and other members of the MIS team at Hanover. They will use it to
generate basic statistics as well as add/edit/delete information as the Business Intelligence
Initiative moves further. Some statistics include: number of data sources used in each process,
common data elements used in multiple systems, etc. Also, we linked the database to Datapedia,
a SharePoint site of wiki pages which already exists at Hanover, in order to allow employees to
follow the progress of the Business Intelligence initiative as it relates to their business processes.
Users can track the sourcing of data and all impacts to their processes using our additions to the
Datapedia wiki page at Hanover. Unlike the MIS team at Hanover, however, the business users
cannot manipulate the data in the database; they can only generate and view reports.
System Prototyping was used to develop the prototype of the tool. System Prototyping
methodology smoothens the transition from the prototype to the tool itself. With system
prototyping users were able to evaluate a simplified version of the tool and give us feedback on
how to tailor it for Hanover needs. The phases of analysis, design, and implementation were
performed concurrently to produce simple versions. Based on the feedback obtained from the
users, a more complete and less faulty versions of the tool were developed and then submitted
for feedback once again.
In order to ease the transition and ensure full utilization of the tool, the MQP team
provided training to the MIS staff and potential users for the new tool. Documentation of the
prototype was provided to the MIS staff. This documentation includes the prototype training
manual, as well as SQL code in case they wish to implement the prototype in another SQL
environment other than the one of the prototype we built. Both the findings from interviews,
process documentation, and the tool were presented to the sponsors of the Business Intelligence
Strategy on December 14.
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Deliverables and Timeline
Table 7 lists each core deliverable for the project and the deadline by which it was due.
Table 7- Deliverables and Timeline
Deliverable
(for both Hanover and MQP)
Deadline
Proposal Presentation October 5
th
Process Documentation and Flows
? I nterview various employees about their processes
? Create process flow diagrams and review with aforementioned
employees
? Compile pre-requisite form and process flows onto the project
SharePoint site
November 2
nd
(November 9
th
if any
meetings need to be
rescheduled)
Prototype of Tool
? Exhibit a few use scenarios
? Ensure all sections of the database and SharePoint site are
intuitive to use
? Conduct user-testing to gain feedback on potential bugs or
problem areas
? Revise tool based on user comments
November 16
th
(This will allow time for user
testing and feedback, then
possible revision of the tool
for November 23
rd
-30
th
User and Technical Manuals
? Will include: step-by-step guide for previously discussed use
scenarios,
? SQL/VBA code for easy transition to other universe if desired,
? Screenshots to aid visually in execution of various tasks
November 30
th
Final Draft (MQP Paper) December 7
th
Final Presentation to sponsor December 14
th
Work Plan
Figure 2 shows the general work plan for both the project at Hanover (top), as well as the
academic portion for WPI (bottom). Each major task in the project plan had numerous steps.
Even if each student was not involved in each step, the overall task as a whole was completed by
all students. For example, during the “gathering requirements” stage, each student may not have
attended every meeting, but the task itself was completed through input of all three students.
33
Timeline
Figure 2- Timeline
34
Staffing Plan
The following section reviews the project-related skills and experience that each team
member has amassed through years of hard work and dedication, to the date of this report. The
section also provides the project sponsors with confidence that the project will be completed (at
the very least) to their expectations.
Sean Burke
Sean Burke is majoring in Management Information Systems and is minoring in
Computer Science. Courses such as Business Data Management, Achieving Strategic
Effectiveness, and Human Computer Interaction have all given him unique skills that will assist
in creating a user-friendly interface during the development of the tool. In addition to his
coursework, Sean is employed by Communispace; a market insight and research firm located in
Boston, MA. His projects there have put the concepts he has learned in the classroom into real-
world situations which has prepared him for the business environment at Hanover.
Wenxuan Guo
Wenxuan Guo is Management Information Systems major and she seeks to obtain her
minor in Actuarial Mathematics. She is taking on her MQP in only her third year at WPI, which
is a great example of her study and work habits. In addition to her dedication to the project,
classes such as Information Systems Management and Systems Analysis and Design will provide
the knowledge and skills necessary to produce a great end-product.
Luis Quiroga
Luis Quiroga is double-majoring in Management Information Systems and Industrial
Engineering. This is a great combination because he can understand both the flow of business
processes and the technology and data that go into each part of each process. His coursework in
Systems Analysis and Design, Business Data Management, and Information Systems
Management will all assist him is getting this project done. In addition, he interned for Goldman
Sachs in New York City for two consecutive summers. This job gave him the experience to work
in a fast-paced environment, and also work with Visual Basic for Application and other tools to
enhance business processes.
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Stakeholder List and Roles
A successful project is not only measured by the project sponsors and grade from the
faculty advisor, but it also needs to meet the expectations and needs of the stakeholders for the
project. Each individual who contributes to the project or will be affected by the project is a
stakeholder. The most notable stakeholders are the project sponsors, the WPI student team, the
faculty advisor, users of the future tool, and the various points of contact within the project. The
pertinent information about each stakeholder is listed in Table 8.
Table 8 - Stakeholders
Name(s) Title, Department Project Role Responsibilities
Karen Winsky Program Director of
IP Quality Assurance
Project Sponsor ? Project reporting
? Provide high-level
requirements
? Review status throughout
Cilsy Harris VP Hanover
Technology
Project Sponsor ? Project reporting
? Provide high-level
requirements
? Review status throughout
Kim Killeen Director of MIS at
Hanover
Project Sponsor,
Student Consultant
Manager
? Project guidance
? Assist students will any
difficulties
? Review deliverables at
certain stages
Lisa Voellings AVP Financial
Systems
Project Sponsor ? Project reporting
? Provide high-level
requirements
Sean Burke
Wenxuan Guo
Luis Quiroga
WPI MQP Team Project Managers,
Project Team
? Documentation of
various business
processes
? Create process flow
diagrams
? Create a database with
interface to contain and
manage data
? Develop user-friendly
tool for employees to
access information
Professor
Djamasbi
WPI MQP Team
Advisor
Faculty Advisor to
project team
? Keep track of team
progress
? Provide guidance
throughout the process
? Review all deliverables
36
Name(s) Title, Department Project Role Responsibilities
Jillian McMillen Business Analyst,
HTG
Worked on project
prior to WPI team
? May take over project
when our portion is
complete
? Sit in on some meetings
to provide guidance
David Doe Mgr. Business
Solutions, DBA’s and
Architects
Manages Datapedia
(the SharePoint site
where employees
can see results of
project)
? Give recommendations
on how to incorporate
project with Datapedia
? Provide other general
project guidance
Linda Brench Business Analyst,
HTG (Contractor
from Keane)
User, WPI team
consultant
? Sit in on documentation
meeting to clarify the
terminology used in the
company
? Provide general project
guidance
Robert LaChance VP Field Finance &
Analytics
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Eric Naglieri Mgr. Data and
Analysis, CL
Actuarial
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Susan Gildea VP Lead Actuary,
Actuarial Emerging
Business
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Jeremy Jump VP Lead Actuary, PL
Actuarial
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Pamela Hardina Lead Financial
Analyst, P&C
Finance
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Aaron Bender Mgr. Data and
Analysis, PL State
Mgmt. – Core
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Catherine Eska VP Lead Actuary,
Corporate Actuarial
User, Employee
Contact
? Primary employee
contact for specific
business processes
Assorted
Employees
Various Users ? use the system put in
place by WPI student
team
37
Feasibility Analysis
The following section analyzes the overall feasibility of the project. The three criteria
taken into consideration were technical feasibility, economic feasibility, and organizational
feasibility. The detailed descriptions and analyses are discusses below.
Technical Feasibility
The technical feasibility is split into multiple parts. Each of these parts answers the
question “Can we build it?” (Dennis et al., 2009). The five sub-sections of technical feasibility
include technological capability, application capability, technological familiarity, compatibility,
and project size. Each sub-section is outlined below.
Technological Capability
The Hanover Insurance Group uses numerous pieces of software on a daily basis to carry
out business processes. In relation to our project, they use a variety of tools to source, query, and
report data. Tools like MS Access and Oracle databases are used to house data in various
warehouses and universes, while applications such as SQL Server and Hyperion can be used to
query the data to acquire the necessary data within a process. Finally, Microsoft Excel and
Microsoft SharePoint are often used as reporting tools across various lines of business.
Application Familiarity
The employees within the Hanover Insurance Group all work with these various tools and
applications every day. In some cases, an employee must carry out multiple business processes
that could all involve more than one of the applications mentioned in the previous paragraph.
The MIS team at Hanover is more than capable of handling any tool we may create, provided
that we can supply proper documentation.
Technological Familiarity
The MIS team at Hanover consists of the go-to experts for any technology and data
source used in Hanover. As the consultants for the project, it is our job to make the adaptation to
the tool simple and seamless. We shall provide an intuitive interface, detailed documentation,
and helpful, in-depth training to all necessary employees so that the organization is able to
progress further with their Business Intelligence Initiative using the technology we have supplied
to them.
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Compatibility
The system will be definitely compatible with technologies that already exist in The
Hanover. The information that will be included in the tool is already available at The Hanover,
and so it is the infrastructure to display it. Considering we will only be producing a prototype of
the tool, the aspects that will require the most attention are the technical documentation and user
training.
Project Size
Given the time frame and scope of the project, the three WPI team members are sufficient
to implement the solution for the problem at hand. Once we hand-off the project, David Doe the
Manager of Business Solutions DBA’s and Architects, will be responsible for the Datapedia
portion of the system. Kim Killeen and delegated members of her team can manage the system.
Lastly, either Linda Brench or Jillian McMillen (or both) can carry on with the documentation
meetings. All in all, the hand-off of the project was seamless with very little effort from
Hanover.
Economic Feasibility
The following section outlines what Hanover should expect in terms of monetary value of
our project. Based on best practices, we chose to analyze the project on a 5-year time table
(Dennis, Wixom, & Roth, 2009). The costs, benefits, and other important economic feasibility
metrics are shown below in Table 9.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Table 9 - Cost benefit calculations
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Development Costs
Software developer salaries 0.00 15384.62 15384.62 0.00 0.00 30769.23
WPI MQP Project fee 10000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10000.00
Training 540.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 540.87
Hardware and Software 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Data Conversion 0.00 192.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 192.31
Operational Costs
Hardware and Software 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Software developer
salaries
0.00 1884.62 1884.62 923.08 923.08 5615.38
Communication 0.00 1081.73 1081.73 1081.73 1081.73 4326.92
39
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
User Training 0.00 925.48 925.48 925.48 925.48 3701.92
TOTAL COSTS $10,541 $19,469 $19,276 $2,930 $2,930 $55,147
Reduction in IT costs 1153.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1153.85
Identify reporting
improvement opportunities
680.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 680.77
Improve quality and
consistency of data impact
analysis
283.65 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 283.65
Reduction in labor from
manual work in reporting
0.00 46153.85 69230.77 69230.77 69230.77 253846.15
TOTAL BENEFITS $2,118 $46,154 $69,231 $69,231 $69,231 $255,964
Total Benefits - Total Costs -$8,423 $26,685 $49,954 $66,300 $66,300 $200,818
Cumulative Net Cash Flow -$8,423 $18,263 $68,217 $134,517 $200,818
Break Even Point
4 months
Return on Investment
364.15%
Net Present Value
$174,120.25
Assumptions
The following section addresses the assumptions made by the MQP team to generate all
the figures in the cost-benefit analysis. The assumptions are listed (for the most part) in the same
order as their respective monetary values in the table. Also worth noting, the estimated salaries
of employees that will eventually work on the new system are taken from GlassDoor.com.
In 2011 there will be no development costs since the MIS team at Hanover will not be
implementing the system until the following year. In 2012 and 2013 they will begin development
of a system based on our prototype. It costs the development team time to create new resources
and we must account for this in our analysis.
Based on information obtained from GlassDoor.com, the average business operations
employee makes about $80,000 per year. This would translate to about $38.46 per hour. These
40
employees should expect the total hours to allocate to development per year would be about 400.
This figure is based largely on personal experience. Through summer internships, we gained
experience in certain aspects of software development, including the timeline. Due to the amount
of current data stores, and the amount of expected time for development, 400 hours of work
seems logical. Therefore the monetary value is 400 * 38.46 = 15384.62.
In order to pass the system off, we were required to train at least one user on the
prototype. This training would take approximately 10 hours and we are assuming a salary of
about $112,500 per year (approximately $59.09 per hour) for a Director-level position at
Hanover (GlassDoor.com). Finally for development, we assumed it would take only 5 hours for
an employee to do the data conversion from our prototype to whatever the final system happens
to be. Again, this data analyst / business operations employee is assumed to have a salary of
about $80,000 per year ($38.46 per hour).
For operational costs; maintenance of the system will begin in 2012. We are assuming
that general maintenance of the system should only consist of 24 hours per year. This assumes an
employee at Hanover will spend about 2 hours at the end of each month updating the system and
performing general maintenance if necessary. In addition, during 2012 and 2013 Hanover still
needs to feed in the rest of the process documentation information. Based on personal experience
and the amount of processes remaining, it should take an employee at Hanover about 50 hours to
complete the documentation process. This number will be split over 2 years assuming they wish
to take their time in completing the documentation. Again, we are assuming the aforementioned
tasks will be executed by an employee making a salary of $80,000 per year ($38.46 per hour).
In terms of communication to the average business user, we assume it will take the
administrator of Datapedia approximately 20 hours per year to manage the upkeep of the site
specifically in regards to our portion of the site. This is based on the amount of time it took us to
edit a wiki-page that already exists on the site. Finally for operational costs, we assumed there
would be one trainer and about five people being trained on the new system. We estimated the
trainer (Director-level) would have a salary of about $112,500 per year ($54.09 per hour) and the
trainees again would be at about $80,000 per year ($38.46 per hour). This assumes that the
41
trainees would be data analysts / business operations employees. We assumed there would be
approximately 10 hours’ worth of training sessions to be fully competent with the new system.
Now switching over to benefits, one key benefit is the overall reduction in IT costs that
Hanover will save using our system. If they had to attempt to do this project from scratch, we
assumed it would take approximately the same amount of time it took us to design the system
and build it into a working database. In total this was about 30 hours and we assumed the
employee at Hanover who would take on this task would again be a data analyst / business
operations employee. Another benefit to consider is the fact that we are saving them time from
doing the documentation and we are helping to identify reporting improvement opportunities. If
they had done these themselves, we assumed that they would utilize a data analyst with less than
three years’ experience. This way, the employee becomes acclimated with the company
processes faster and also Hanover completes the documentation efficiently. Again using
Glassdoor.com, we are assuming the documentation employees earn approximately $59,000 per
year ($28.37 per hour). Our team took 24 hours to complete this portion of the project.
Another benefit for Hanover is that we are improving the quality and consistency of their
documentation for future use and its impact of data analysis. We spent approximately 10 hours
going through all the documentation and process flows to ensure consistency and data integrity
for all information within the PDR. If Hanover was to do this using their resources, they would
again assign the new data analyst to the task with an approximate salary of $59,000 per year
($28.37 per hour).
The final and most important benefit of our system is improving the reporting processes
through reduction of overall manual labor. Once the BI initiative finds opportunities for
improvement in the various areas of the company, each of the business processes documented
have the potential for extreme time differences in manual labor. Time to complete a process can
take anywhere from one day to two weeks. The frequency in which processes are executed varies
as well. After taking those facts into consideration and analyzing our sample size (approx. 20-25
processes), we determined that each process could realize an average of 24 hours saved per year.
In 2012, we assumed Hanover will complete half of the remaining processes on the list and
42
therefore would see a savings based only on 50 total processes. In 2013 and beyond, they will
see a savings from a total of 75 processes assuming that the process documentation is complete
and the BI initiative continues to run at its optimal potential. The employees completing these
processes would range from associate actuaries to business analysts to lead financial analysts.
After reviewing the salaries on GlassDoor.com, we averaged a few different salaries and the
average came out to $79,000. We rounded this to $80,000 (again $38.46 per hour).
Organizational Feasibility
The following section answers the question: “If we build it, will they come?” (Dennis et
al., 2009). We analyzed if the system will be adopted by the potential users. Also, we needed to
be sure the design will be approved by the leaders of the Business Intelligence Team. These two
groups were very important to the success of the newly developed system.
The goal of the Business Intelligence Initiative at Hanover is to reengineer business
processes throughout the organization through the use of technology. The Business Intelligence
Strategy is being sponsored by the Chief Financial Officer at Hanover, thus, implementing the
initiative through a top-to-bottom approach. The Hence, the system developed by the MQP team
is planned to be utilized after our departure.
Conclusion
Taking the recent sections into consideration, we determined that the development of this
system was feasible. The Hanover Insurance Group may not benefit financially from the project
in the short-term; but in the long-run, this project will provide numerous benefits that will assist
the organization in its business operations for years to come.
Risk Assessment
Table 10 - Risk Assessment
Risk Risk Level Impact Description
Professor Review Delay High High Professor Djamasbi must review
our deliverables throughout the
course of the project. She has
many other responsibilities at WPI
and therefore a delay should
always be anticipated.
Presentation Scheduling
Conflicts
High Low Kim Killeen, Lisa Voellings, and
Cilsy Harris each need to be
present for our presentation. They
43
Risk Risk Level Impact Description
all have busy work schedules on a
daily basis and a delay may arise if
they cannot attend a scheduled
presentation time.
Employee unavailability Medium High Meeting with various employees is
how we will document the various
business processes. If any of the
meetings need to be rescheduled
for any reason, the documentation
will take even longer than
expected.
Prior document
consistency
Medium High Before we took on this project,
approximately nine business
processes were already
documented. In order for our tool
to be effective, this documentation
will need to be consistent with our
documentation to ensure data
integrity.
Technology availability
for presentation
Low Medium If no projector or other technology
source is available for the final
presentation, it could hinder the
quality if the student team is ill-
prepared.
Risk Mitigation
The risks listed above have all been recognized and the following section describes the
way(s) in which the risks can be avoided or counteracted.
Professor Review Delay
In order to decrease the level of risk, we informed Professor Djamasbi of the status of
each of the deliverables related to the project. The agenda and meeting minutes for each of the
weekly meetings outlined any review of deliverables if it applies. This way, Professor Djamasbi
had ample warning each time she needed to review any piece of the project and allocate her time
appropriately.
Presentation Scheduling Conflicts
The best way to avoid scheduling conflicts was to provide significant warning ahead of
the determined presentation date. On the original proposal, we outlined a tentative presentation
44
date, and therefore the project sponsors had that time free. However, as we learned during our
proposal presentations, other business meetings ran late which required the WPI team to be
prepared for a condensed presentation if necessary.
Technology Unavailability for Final Presentation
During the proposal presentation, our team went into an unknown meeting room and
assumed that there would be a computer for us to use. These assumptions were wrong, and we
were luckily able to improvise a solution that made for a great presentation. For the final
presentation, we attempted to avoid that risk by choosing our own meeting room and then
assessing the room for the necessary materials on our part for presentation day.
Employee Unavailability
As with any interview or business meeting, a time had to be arranged that worked for
several different groups of people. If, for any reason, a meeting was cancelled or delayed then we
were set back at least one week in the documentation process. To reduce this risk, we scheduled
meetings during a time frame in which Linda Brench and the designated employee have no
adjacent meetings, if possible. This way there was less of a chance a prior engagement will run
late and interfere with our project.
Prior Document Consistency
Since some processes were already documented before we took on the project, we needed
to ensure that the way things were done were the same as the way they were being done
previously. In order to assure this is the case, we went through the prior completed documents
and process flows, and analyzed the terminology used within each one. In this way, we
maximized data integrity within the database.
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Chapter 4: Analysis and Design
The Hanover Insurance Group has processes established to create reports for the different
business areas. However, the data about insurance policies is scattered across various data
sources. These data sources contain different pieces of information regarding insurance. For
example one data source contains policy level information another data source contains quote-
level information. In order for the different groups at Hanover to produce the reports they need,
they combine the different metrics from the different systems into an Access database or a
spreadsheet they constructed themselves.
The current system has a high operational risk for Hanover. The “home-grown”
databases and macros constructed by the individual groups are stored on the individual desktops
rather than in a centralize location on the network. The MIS team at Hanover has no control
over the “home-grown” tools, which means that they cannot ensure it has the proper architecture
and manipulation of the data, and they cannot provide the proper maintenance either.
Most of the reports are complex to produce, thus very complex to duplicate. It is not
uncommon that a very selective number of employees know the steps to produce a specific
report. The processes to produce each report require a lot of manual work, making them high-
touch rather than straight through processing. Due to the nature of the processes, mistakes are
prone to happen. These mistakes can delay the production of the report since it has to be revised
to ensure the report is accurate and error-free.
The MIS team at Hanover is trying to analyze which data is extracted from each data
source, and how it is manipulated to produce the reports in each business area. The data overlap
will be found in the process flow for each of the reports. Once commonalities are found between
data that the different business areas are currently extracting from various systems, then the MIS
team at Hanover will be able to centralize the data storage and reduce the number of data sources
needed to produce various reports.
The two main advantages from centralizing the data are reducing the number of data
sources overall, and reducing the number of home-grown databases. First, by reducing the
46
number of data sources, all the data will be found in one place which facilities data mining and
maintenance of the data stores overall. Second, by centralizing the data the business areas will
only need to download the data once and produce the report from that data; the number of home-
grown databases and macros should decrease since data does not need to be combined from
different data sources.
Analysis Strategy
This section discusses the how we gathered and analyzed the requirements necessary to
create a proper prototype for the future system. It mainly addresses the best practices we utilized
through the analysis and design phase of this project.
Requirements Analysis Techniques
Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions were held with senior management from
each business area. Linda Brench was extremely helpful in guiding the JAD sessions since we,
the WPI students, were not familiarized with the processes and business terminology at Hanover.
A maximum of three JAD sessions were held on a weekly basis, and an average of two business
processes were documented in each session.
After each JAD session, the Visio flow charts were sent back to senior management for
accuracy verification and final approval. Any unclear segments of the flow would also be
verified once the Visio chart was produced. Senior management was also asked to produce a
spreadsheet highlighting all the individual fields that were extracted from each of the data
sources to be able to further understand what data each business area needs to produce their
reports.
Weekly JAD sessions were also held with Kim Killeen, the director of MIS at Hanover.
During each session we would demonstrate our advancement on the tool to store the
documentation for each process, in a way that a specific process or data store could be searched,
and the data elements pertinent to that system would be shown.
47
Requirements Gathering Techniques
The JAD sessions helped identify the “pain-points” for each process when producing the
reports. By creating consistency in the processes documentation during all the JAD sessions, the
overlap of necessary data for various reports was easier to identify.
For each process the data sources would be identified during the JAD session. The
process documentation consisted of the flow chart for each of the processes showing the data
sources, how the data is manipulated, and the necessary steps that each business area does in
order to produce the report. After collecting this information during the JAD sessions, the MQP
team designed their respective flow charts in Microsoft Visio.
Questionnaires also proved very effective to gather the requirements. Before every JAD
session the interviewees were asked to fill the form that can be found in Appendix B – Business
Process Flow Preparation Form, which highlights the audience each report is intended to, it lists
all the data sources needed to produce the given report, and it also lists all the data elements and
general information that is extracted from each data source. By asking senior management to fill
the form previous to the meeting, it allowed the WPI students to better understand the process
before mapping it out in the meeting, and it also served as the guide for senior management when
describing the flow.
Requirements Definition
Purpose
The purpose of the Requirements Definition is to understand and record the various types
of requirements for the development of a tool that will provide with statistics on the data
extracted by the different business areas at Hanover, and to provide information on systems and
users that will be impacted if another system use is discontinued.
Target Audience
This requirements definition is intended for the following audience at Hanover:
? Project Sponsors
? Business Intelligence Strategy team
? HTG Management information systems team
? Users of data sources which use will be discontinued
48
Requirements
The requirements necessary for the system are listed in Table 11.
Table 11 - Requirements
Type Requirement Details
Functional
Process-oriented ? The system must allow employees in the
business area find the new data stores
were the necessary data can be found
? Inputs and outputs of said processes and
their reports
Information-oriented ? The system must store the previous data
sources for a specific report
? The system must store the new data
sources were the necessary data for a
specific report can be found
Non-functional
Operational ? The system has to have the search
feasibility for the new data sources used
in a specific report
? The system has to have the search
feasibility for the reports and home-
grown databases that are impacted, if a
non-home-grown database is removed
from the system
? The system needs to be able to report
basic statistics about the data overlap
across various business areas
Performance ? The prototype should be tested with data
from at least 25 documented processes
Security ? Business users outside of the MIS team at
Hanover should not have access to the
database
Cultural and Political ? The system, built in MS Access, should
be easy to translate to other environments
if necessary
49
Use Cases and Systems Models
Use Cases
Process 1
Use case name: View/ Add/ modify process information to the database
Process ID: 1 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to store the business process in the database in
order to maximize the efficiency and enable other Business Intelligence decision making
functionality
Trigger: MIS team inputs new process to the database
Type: External
Major Inputs: Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Process list Business Intelligence
SharePoint Site
Stored Information System
Business process data source and
detail information
Business Process
Sessions
Form
Data flow Information Data flow diagram
Information address System
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Input process to the database ? Process list
1.1 Find the list of the documented
process on the BI SharePoint document
? Business Process data source
and detail information
1.2 If the process is already there,
then modify the process information
1.3 If the process is not on the list in
the database, then add that process
into the database according to the
process Sessions form
? Data flow information
2 View the process ? Information address
Database with detail
Information
50
Process 2
Use case Name: View/ Modify/Add Data source
Process ID: 2 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to store the data source information in the
database in order to maximize the efficiency and enable other Business Intelligence decision
making functionality
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover inputs data source to the database according to the data source
information from data flow diagram
Type: External
Major Inputs: Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Business Process information Business Process Stored information System
Data flow information Data flow diagram
data address System
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Input data source to the database
1.1 determine if it is master data source
or home grown data source
? Business Process information
1.2 Add the data source for to the database ? Database address
1.3 check mark for final report if it's the
final output from this process
1.4 continues add the other data source
for specific process
? Business Process
1.5 Exit if complete ? Stored information
2 View the data source
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Process 3
Use case Name: View/ Modify/Add Data summary
Process ID: 3 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to store the data source information in the
database in order to maximize the efficiency and enable other BI decision making functionality
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover inputs data source to the database according to the data source
information from data flow diagram
Type: External
Major Inputs: Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Process list MIS team at
Hanover
Database with detail
information
MIS team at
Hanover
Business Process Sessions Form MIS team at
Hanover
Data flow diagram
Database
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Input process to the database
1.1 Find the list of the documented process on the BI
SharePoint document
? List of documented processes
1.2 If the process is already there, then modify the
process information
1.3 If the process is not on the list in the database,
then add that process into the database according to
the process Sessions form
? Business Process Sessions Form
Database with detailed information
52
Process 4
Use case Name: Search or view the report
Process ID: 4 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how search or view the report sorts by different
criteria.
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover needs to view the information for data source purpose or need to
publish the report on the Datapedia site
Type: External
Major Inputs Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Stored information System list of sorted information by
different criteria
System
Switchboard with different sort
criteria
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Click on the sub form by purpose and
criteria
? Switchboard with different sort criteria
1.1Click the report wanted the view
2 Print out the report if needed
53
Process 5
Use case: Create Wiki page
Process ID: 5 Importance Level: high
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to publish the report
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover update the report according to the changes of the process or data
source
Type: External
Major Inputs Major Output
Description Source Description Source
SharePoint address David Doe process and data source report SharePoint Site
Reports System
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Generate report ? Database
1.1 System generate report according to all
the criteria
2 Publish report
2.1 Create the link from the Datapedia page ? SharePoint
Process and Data source report
54
Process 6
Use Case Name: Publish report
Process ID: 6 Importance Level: High
Primary Actor: MIS team at Hanover
Short description: This use case describes how to public the process information on the
SharePoint site and how to linked them together
Trigger: MIS team at Hanover inputs process information on the SharePoint site
Type: External
Major Inputs Major Output
Description Source Description Source
Business Process Sessions
Form
MIS team
at Hanover
SharePoint Datapedia report MIS team at
Hanover
Data flow diagram MIS team
at Hanover
SharePoint site MIS team at
Hanover
Database information MIS team
at Hanover
SharePoint Datapedia report
prepare form
Major Steps Performed Information for Steps
1 Get information
1.1 prepare report from business process
sessions form
? Business Process Sessions Form
1.2 prepare report from data
flow diagram
? Data flow diagram
2 Input information into SharePoint
Datapedia report
? SharePoint Datapedia report prepare form
3 Linked the report page to the existing
report title
? SharePoint Datapedia report
4 If the report doesn't exist on the
department page, create one more row for
that report
? SharePoint site
5 Link the data source for that report to the
Datapedia
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Use Scenarios
This section describes the use scenarios that were created to further understand the uses
of the system.
Use Scenario 1 - Add documentation for a process
The MIS team at Hanover has held a new meeting with business users to understand their
reporting procedures, and they would like to add the process information into the database. Add
documentation for a process can be done in two ways: directly from the switchboard, or when
adding a data summary. The MIS team at Hanover has the option to click the button in the
switchboard to add a process, input the information, and then come back to the switchboard. The
process information can also be registered from the data summary form were a button will bring
the process form up, if the desired process is not listed in the database.
Use Scenario 2 – Add a source
Following up from a new meeting, the MIS team at Hanover realizes that a group in
Hanover utilizes a data source that is not entered in our database yet. Same as with the
documentation for a process, adding a source can be done from the switchboard directly or from
the data summary form. After the user of the tool decides he/she wants to add a new source, they
are prompted to decide whether the new source is homegrown or not. Depending on the user
selection, they will be guided to the different forms for types of sources; the information in both
is very similar overall, where the main difference is that the user is asked to provide more detail
for a homegrown source.
Use Scenario 3 – Add a data summary
When documenting the procedure to create a new report, the MIS team at Hanover will
want to understand the data that is pulled from both types of data sources and for what purpose.
The switchboard gives the user the possibility of clicking the button to enter a new data
summary, which brings up the form where the user can select the process and data source for
which him/ her is entering all the information. In case the desired process or source is not listed
in the database, as described in the previous use scenarios, there are buttons that will take the
user to the pertinent form where they can add the process or source to the database.
Use Scenario 4 – Produce reports
When the MIS team at Hanover desires to understand how the sources are being used
they can utilize the switchboard to navigate to the form where they can see different reports
56
displaying different information. They will be able to compare sources utilization for a specific
process, or the different processes that involve a data source. Other reports the user has available
describe different aspects and information on the complexity of the processes or the data that is
being retrieved from the sources.
Data Flow Diagrams
Below is a graphical representation of inputs and outputs for our system. As the level
increases the procedures outlined are more detailed for a better comprehension of the data flows
in our system.
Context Level
Hanover
business users
0
Process
Documentation
Repository
MIS team at
Hanover
Existing processes
Wiki page
Process documentation
Data source
Figure 3 - Context Level
57
Level 0
Hanover
business users
MIS team at
Hanover
Existing processes
Wiki page
Process documentation
Data source information
1
Document
process
2
Reengineer
report creation
3
Publish in
Datapedia
D2 Datapedia
SharePoint
D1 Process
Documentation
Repository
Automated process information
Structured process flow
Process Information
Report Procedures
Report Information
Updated processes information
Figure 4 - Level 0
Level 1 – Document Process
Hanover
business user
MIS team at
Hanover
Existing processes
Pre-session
Preparation form
1.1
Document
process
1.2
Create the
dataflow
Process
documentation
Data source Information
To Process 2:
Reengineer report
creation
Figure 5 - Level 1 Document Process
58
Level 1 – Reengineer Report Creation
MIS team at
Hanover
Process documentation
Data source
information
2.1
Update
Database
D1 Process
Documentation
Repository
Automated process
information
Structured
process flow
Process Information
From Process1:
Document
process
2.2
Modify Business
processes
2.3
Update
Datasources
Process and data
source information
Process data
source modification
To Process3:
Publish in Datapedia
Report information
Figure 6 –Level 1 Reengineer Report Creation
Level 1 – Publish in Datapedia
Wiki page
3.1
Create Wiki pages
D2 Datapedia
SharePoint
Wiki page of report
Report from Repository
Hanover
business user
Report information
From Process 2:
Reengineer report
creation
3.2
Update Datapedia
Figure 7 - Level 1 Publish in Datapedia
59
Chapter 5: Prototype Specification & Implementation
Prototype Specification
This section describes how the WPI student team built the prototype for demonstration
purposes, in order to provide the Business Intelligence team with an idea of the To-Be system on
how it will look, and the MIS team at Hanover on the capabilities and limitations of the system.
Software
The team built the prototype of the database in Microsoft Access and provided the users
with a switchboard for easier navigation when interacting with the system. All the process
documentation was uploaded into Microsoft SharePoint, and wiki pages were created to display
the information for the users on the business side. As stated in the feasibility analysis, Microsoft
Access and SharePoint are commonly used by Hanover employees. In order to demonstrate the
full functionality of our system, the prototype of the database was built in MS Access combined
with the Datapedia SharePoint.
Design Approach
In order to design the system, the team first analyzed all the data that would need to be
included in the tool based on the information obtained in the business processes documentations.
To start the construction of the database, the team designed an Entity Relationship Diagram that
captures all the necessary data to be able to extract information on all the different systems at
Hanover. The Data Flow Diagrams served to understand possible use case scenarios and best
identify outcomes of the system and how it should be displayed.
The combination of the Entity Relationship Diagram and the Data Flow Diagrams were
very helpful to better implement the database for data storage, and the wiki pages to display
information for business users. The screenshots of the database can be found in Appendix E -
User Manual Templates of the wiki pages in Datapedia can be found in Sample Process Flow
that would be the result from Prep Form and documentation meetings
60
Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template and Appendix D - Report
Documentation. Through the entire process, Kim Killeen (Director of MIS team) served as the
main contact and gave us useful feedback when designing the system, and Linda Brench
(Business analyst at HTG helped us better understand Hanover’s business processes and
terminology for a more effective documentation.
Prototype Design
In this section, the Entity Relationship Diagram, the Storyboards, and the User Interface
Structure Diagram are described. The Entity Relationship Diagram provided a description of the
relationships between the tables of our database. The Storyboards narrated the concepts
throughout the different interfaces of our database, and provided guidance on possible
interactions the user may have with the system. The User Interface Structure Diagram described
how the interfaces of our database are related to provide an efficient design for the system and a
user friendly database.
Entity Relationship Diagram
The Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for the prototype was based on the information
obtain from the form distributed before interviews with Hanover employees, the requirements
gathered throughout all the phases of the project, and the feedback received by Kim Killeen since
she will take ownership of the system once the system is completed by the MQP team. The ERD
is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8 - Entity Relationship Diagram
Processes
PK ProcessName
Department
InformationProduced
TimeToComplete
Frequency
ReceiversBusArea
EnvisionSelfService
AdditionalSpecifications
PainPointsComments
DataSummary
PK,FK1 Process
PK,FK2,FK3 DataSource
Purpose
FK4 DataDestination
Comments
CompanySources
PK SourceName
Description
Format
Comments
HomeGrownSources
PK HomeGrownName
Description
Format
FinalReport
Comments
61
Entity Relationship Diagram Data Dictionary
Table 12 - Entity Relationship Diagram Data Summary
Terminology Definition
Process Information on the process for creating a report created by Hanover
employees
Information Produced The output of the process. A brief description of the information
that is being reported at the end of the process
Envision Self-service A yes/no field to quickly evaluate whether this process can be
automated or not
Receivers Business Area The business are that will be using the report produced
Company Sources
Data sources such as IMART, EDW, etc. that are maintained by
the MIS team at Hanover
Format The format identify the type of the data source such as Access,
SQL server, SAS, etc.
Homegrown Source Data sources such as Access databases and Excel spreadsheets that
were created by Hanover employees and are not supervised by the
MIS team at Hanover.
Final Report Whether the output produced by the combination of a data source
and a process leads to the report containing all the data after it was
manipulated
Pain Points Comments A quick description of the most strenuous steps when creating a
specific report
62
Storyboards
Figure 9 - Main Storyboard
63
Process Storyboard
Figure 10 - Process Storyboard
64
Sources Storyboard
Figure 11 - Sources Storyboard
65
Data Summary Storyboard
Figure 12 - Data Summary Storyboard
66
User Interface Structure Diagram
The interface structure design defines the basic components of the interface and how they
work together to provide functionality to users. An interface structure diagram (ISD) is used to
show how all the screens, forms, and reports used by the system are related and how the user
moves from one to another.
The following interface structure diagram, Figure 13, shows how the user can add data
sources and processes to create the data summaries that contain more detail information on the
interaction of data sources and processes.
67
Figure 13 - User Interface Structure Diagram
0
Switchboard
3
Process Information
1
1
Data Sources
Information
1
2
Data Summary
Information
2
4
Report
Documentation
3
3.1
Processes
1.1
1.1
Homegrown
pop-up
1.1.1
Company Data
sources
1.2
1.1.2
Homegrown Data
sources
1.2
5
Help Page
2.1
Data Summary
2.1
4.1
Sources for a
Process
2.1, 3.1
4.2
Processes that use
a source
2.1, 3.1
4.3
Additional Reports
2.3, 3.1
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Prototype Implementation
To facilitate the Business Intelligence initiative at Hanover, our system not only needed
to be fully functional but it also needed to be properly handed off to the MIS team at Hanover
once our project at Hanover is finalized.
In order to ensure that our project is fully functional, we tested the database to identify
technical limitations and correct them. We also provided all the documentation of the SQL code
and procedures for entering data in the database and uploading wiki pages on Datapedia. To
provide a successful transition we have outlined a migration plan, which facilitates the ownership
transition of the system.
Testing
Three different types of tests were executed on the system: Integration & Unit, System,
and acceptance tests.
We conducted Integration and Unit tests as one, through a combination of black-box
testing and user interface testing. With this combination we tested the functionality of all the
different interfaces, while supervising that the processes documentation was well captured in the
database.
System tests allowed us to verify the feasibility of maintaining the information in the
prototype database in Access, while linking the information with Datapedia. Through meetings
with David Doe we learned that policies on documenting procedures and posting them in
Datapedia are currently being revised. If we were able to establish the baseline for the
interaction of the prototype and Datapedia, it would be very simple to translate those concepts
into the actual system in a manner that complies with the policies to come.
Acceptance testing was very limited due to time constraints. Kim Killeen was our main
user since we were expecting her to be the one to take ownership and be the main user of the
database. Lisa Voellings and Cilsy Harris were users for acceptance testing since they were the
sponsors of the project and were heavily involved with the activities related to the business users.
A complete listing of the test plans can be found in Appendix G - Test Plans.
69
To ensure that the information found in the reports created from the database is useful
and reliable for the business users, the templates for data source documentation and report
documentation found in Sample Process Flow that would be the result from Prep Form and
documentation meetings
70
Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template and Appendix D - Report
Documentation were utilized to maintain for format and consistency with the rest of Datapedia.
The templates provide specific information regarding a specific process or source.
Both the database report and the data source documentation template for Datapedia
contain a description for a specific source, the background of the source and line of business that
utilizes the source. Business users are able to find how often the data of a source is updated, a
summary of its data elements, the location of the source and a brief description on how to access
the source. For the report documentation, the MIS and the business users can find the report
name, its producers, and the objective in the database and Datapedia respectively. The frequency
at which the report is created and the necessary data sources are both described in the reports of
the database and the wiki-pages too.
The main challenge, in terms of systems testing, is maintaining the information displayed
in wiki-pages up to date. Since the information displayed in the reports of the database is what is
utilized in the template for Datapedia, it is important that the content in the wiki-pages is revised
periodically. Once the Access prototype has been migrated to a platform maintained by HTG,
the process of updating wiki-pages may be partially or fully automated, which would save the
manual labor of extracting the information that is relevant to the business users from the reports
utilized by the MIS team.
Documentation & Training
Since we were developing the prototype and then handing it off to the MIS team at Hanover, it
was beneficial to provide them with descriptions in the Procedures Manual on how to perform
business tasks with the system. We were expecting each item in the Procedures Manual to guide
the user through tasks that will require several function or steps that are uniquely to our system.
Reference Documents and Tutorials were not included based on the fact that the MIS is
knowledgeable of relational databases environments.
The MQP team provided training for Kim Killeen (Director of MIS team), David Doe
(Manger of Business Solutions), and Linda Brench (Business Analyst in HTG). As mentioned
before, Kim Killeen took ownership of the project, thus it was essential that she is aware of all
71
capabilities and limitations of our system. David Doe was our person of contact for Datapedia,
and training him on how to extract the information from the database to create wiki pages proved
useful to keep Datapedia up to date. Linda Brench will be able to understand how the
information from the process documentation was encompassed and manipulated throughout the
system.
Migration Plan
The migration plan outlines the conversion strategy that was used to successfully hand-
off and introduce the system at Hanover. The conversion strategy was mainly focused on the
conversion style, conversion location, and the conversion modules, having risk, cost, and time as
the deciding factors.
We recommended that the conversion style is direct. Even though the risk is high, the
cost is low and the time is short; we relied on technical expertise of the MIS team at Hanover to
minimize the risk of introducing this new system. The location should be done through pilots of
super users from the business sections when first interacting with the system and inputting data;
we wanted to reduce the risk of inconsistencies in the data and minimizing issues that may arise
with the interfaces, allocating time for a successful introduction of the system. The module
conversion should be whole-system since it will be introduced to Hanover as an innovative
system, relying once again in the Hanover MIS team’s expertise to mitigate the risk.
Contingency Plan
Unfortunately, we will not be able to collaborate with any system maintenance after the
project is finalized. We expect the documentation, training and migration plan to be resources
where the MIS team at Hanover can find answers for frequently asked questions or solve
possible questions that may arise after our departure. We strongly believe that the MIS team at
Hanover has the skillset in-house to be able to solve any problem with the system, either
technical or usability, that they may encounter.
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Chapter 6: Recommendations & Conclusions
In this final section, we discuss our recommendations for the final system based on our
discussion and analysis throughout this report. We also discuss some conclusions that we have drawn
from the project experience as a whole.
Recommendations
The following recommendations will provide the MIS team at Hanover with guidelines
on the system specifications to implement the actual system based on the prototype the MQP
team built, the migration plan to ease the transition from the prototype to the system, and an
additional option to facilitate the comparison of the process flows.
System Specification
The software and hardware specifications for a successful implementation of the
prototype the MQP team developed are described in this section. This section will complement
the non-functional requirements gathered in Chapter 3 by linking the prototype of the Process
Documentation Repository to the existing system architecture at Hanover.
Architecture Report
After analyzing the system requirements for the prototype, the MQP team believes that a
client-server based architecture is the most practical for the future system since it is broadly
utilized at Hanover and it can be easily implemented.
We suggest that the server should host the data storage and the data access logic. We
envision the system as a tool that can be used by many users, and having the data stored in a
server facilitates that concept. The security of the data can be ensured through permissions to the
server for selected users. The data should only be accessed by employees of the MIS team at
Hanover. Any other users will be able to see the information pertinent to them on Datapedia.
The database should allow multiple users to search for data simultaneously, however only one
user should be editing a certain instance of an entity at once.
On the other hand, the client hosts the application and presentation logic. It makes the
most sense to have the client computer be the one performing the searches and communicating to
the server to extract the relevant data for the user. By hosting the presentation logic in the client
73
computer we are complementing the application logic, since it should be the client computer the
one to display to information on the users monitor.
Hardware and Software Specification
SQL servers are broadly utilized across Hanover. From our conversations with Kim
Killeen, it is our understanding that the conversion of our prototype into the actual system should
be fairly easy as long as we provide the proper documentation for it. From our conversations
with David Doe, inputting the process documentation to Datapedia is feasible right now;
technical documentation will be added later on, once the policies on business process
documentation start to be enforced.
No other hardware of software is needed to implement the system. Developers at
Hanover will only need to follow the documentation and implement the system in their desired
environment. Additionally, the client PCs for the MIS team at Hanover will require access to the
server. General PCs of the business users will only need access to Hanover’s intranet as that is
the location of Datapedia. This resource for business users will be invaluable during times of
change.
Migration Plan
When migrating from the prototype to the system, we recommend a direct conversion
from the prototype to the system since the prototype has been tested by the MQP team and will
also be tested by the MIS team at Hanover before it goes live. Not doing a direct conversion
would imply that the MIS team at Hanover would utilize portions of the system and the
prototype simultaneously; since Hanover is looking for a solution that will allow HTG to analyze
current systems with the objective of simplifying reporting while minimizing data redundancy
utilizing both the prototype and the future system would be contrary to the BI efforts. The SQL
environment should be the same, facilitating the tasks the MIS team at Hanover will have to do
to ensure full conversion from the prototype.
The conversion should occur simultaneously on all machines using this system because
this will reduce the amount of inconsistencies in the conversion process. Users interacting with
the data should have the technical knowledge to interact in any SQL environment regardless of
74
the application. The database schemas as well as recommended queries are located in the
Technical Documentation attached in Appendix F – Technical Documentation for PDR. Due to
the fact that we input 24 processes-worth of data into our prototype, the developer will simply
have to export the data from our prototype database into the newly developed system once it is
ready. Importing and exporting data is an everyday part of general business processes at
Hanover, especially in the MIS team. Users that do not have the technical knowledge should
only have access to the information posted in Datapedia which will remain the same.
We foresee a smooth transition from the prototype designed by the MQP team to a
system maintained by the MIS team at Hanover since the concepts used in Access can be quickly
and easily transferred to any new SQL environment. We expect the future system to provide
more data storage and reliability while preserving the main structure of the prototype.
Visual Process search engine
One way to facilitate the process flows analysis is by providing graphical user interfaces.
Thus, to facilitate a less cognitive demanding comparison of the different data flows we
recommend an application framework such as Microsoft Silverlight. For example, Microsoft
Silverlight can convert the information in an Excel spreadsheet into graphical interface allowing
the user to compare various data flows in a graphical manner through enhanced guided user
interfaces, and it refines the information shown to the user based on the user needs. Figure 14
and Figure 15 demonstrate the ease of use of comparing multiple data flows via such an
application framework.
Figure 14 - PivotViewer Screenshot Overview
75
Figure 15 - PivotViewer Screenshot Search Results based on a specific word
Conclusions
Business Intelligence is very important in the corporate world today. The MQP team was
given the opportunity to take on a challenging project related to Business Intelligence at the Hanover
Insurance Group. In the 21st century, it is a necessity to be able to manage and process the never-
ending flow of data and information to remain competitive in any industry.
The MQP team was tasked with assisting the Business Intelligence (BI) team and the
MIS team at Hanover in their efforts to identify high impact, value added investments that
clearly align and support business priorities, and identify and quantify current business
opportunities that have clear efficiency payback, by documenting reporting processes
consistently and designing a tool that facilitated searching for data overlap and redundancies.
During our initial research for the feasibility analysis, the MQP team learned of many tools used
for data storage and analytics and of their core functionalities. Also, through extensive usage of
the systems analysis and design guidelines, we have become more familiar with the necessary
steps to take when introducing a new system to a company.
Not only did we, as students, learn about the value of information and technology in the
business world but we also were able to learn about the corporate culture as well. Through
interviews and simple daily interactions, we met many employees from varying departments.
Aside from asking them questions regarding our project, we were able to get an insight on what
working in the insurance industry represents.
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In its entirety, the MQP project experience was a great learning experience. Although
stressful at times, it was a chance to gain invaluable experience at a remarkable company, work
in-depth applying theoretical concepts into practical applications in a corporate environment, and
also expand our network with corporate professionals. Whether we wish to continue our
academic career, move on to the corporate world, or possibly both; this project has reinforced
everything we have learned at WPI and will definitely contribute to our overall success in the
future.
77
Appendices
Appendix A - Meeting Minutes
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/13/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review specifications of project
a. Clarify any confusing/questionable aspects
2. Discuss project scope
a. Is it possible?
b. How can we adjust? (if necessary)
c. Draft sample proposal for Hanover?
3. Outline a rough draft for a project plan/dates
a. Estimates for possible deadlines/deliverables
b. Be aware of any dates where we need to adjust meetings with Hanover (i.e. –
Career Fair on 9/21)
Minutes:
? Initial meeting with client, received ID badges
? Discussed overall project, received general outline of scope – our basic responsibilities
and capabilities
? Cilsy Harris, Kim Killeen, Jillian McMillen, Lisa Voellings, Karin Winsky are our main
contacts
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 9/20)
? Introduction – problem statement (this will look like an extended system request.)
? Literature review – start by describing the organizational context, including both a broad
overview of the company and the specific business processes being affected. Then examine the
technological alternatives that might be considered, including a thorough review of the pros and
cons of each.
78
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/20/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review the introduction, Literature Review and Tool Analysis
a. Clarify any confusing/questionable aspects
b. Suggestion for the improvement
2. Discuss about the timeline
a. The project and MQP Paper sections & scope
b. Specific time for each section
3. Discuss about the proposal
a. The date for proposal is Sept 28
th
b. Suggestion for the improvement and presentation
Minutes:
? Second meeting with Lisa Voellings, went over the Enterprise Alignment, Cross-
functional Business Intelligence Community and Business Information Strategy.
? Discussed more detail, low level project, went over all the detail documents.
? Discussed about the detail process with Jillian McMillen, gathering the basic
requirement and discussing about the allocation in order to come up with timeline.
? Went over the basic structure of PMS terminology, in order to help us understand about
the tools and technical processes.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 9/27)
? Project Proposal: including detail Timeline, Business Requirement, Feasibility
Analysis and Proposed Methodology.
? Modify Introduction, Literature Review and Toll Analysis based on more detail
requirement and Instructor’s comment.
79
MQP Meeting Notes: 9/27/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. No interviews with any departments at Hanover
a. Tough to estimate dates for timeline
b. Also, this means we have not gathered any new system requirements either
c. Hopefully can get meetings for tomorrow
d. Will continue to work on prototype of tool which we started on 9/21
2. Currently working on certain sections of MQP paper
a. Business needs
b. Business requirements
c. Business value
d. Special issues/constraints
3. Draft of proposal
a. Have members of leadership team review and critique it
b. Cilsy should be included in this meeting to have input before we present on 10/5
c. Professor thoughts?
Minutes:
? Got our work stations – including computers, Outlook email accounts, and LAN access
? Spoke with David Doe, gave insight to certain resources we can use throughout the data
collection, analysis, and tool building (Datapedia)
? Starting creating the “prototype of the prototype” as a visual brainstorming tool to get
started
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/4)
? Complete proposal to present on 10/5, including detailed timeline and
methodology
? System requirements –from meetings with individuals of various departments at
Hanover
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/4/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Will be making our own meetings (copy Lisa and Kim on all invites)
a. Plan on doing a total of 15 processes
b. Approx. 3 per week from Oct 5 – Nov 2 (or Nov 9)
c. Will continue to work on prototype of tool in tandem
2. Review revised proposal
a. Word document and PowerPoint
b. Any grammar/content errors or inconsistencies?
c. Suggestions for improvements?
3. Recommendations for next week?
Minutes:
? Clarified details of what Hanover wants for documentation and tool
o Feasible amount of documentation ~ 15-18
o Tool can be whatever we deem fit (must defend choices in proposal)
? Reviewed inventory of all processes that have been scored
o Only 9 have been fully documented
o Also must check for consistency among these already documented processes
? Continued to develop “prototype of the prototype”
o Inputting the data we have in order to better understand relationships amongst
data points
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/11)
? Rough draft for ‘Planning’ and ‘Analysis’ phases of systems analysis and design
for MQP paper?
? System requirements –from meetings with individuals of various departments at
Hanover
? Sample of meeting notes, flowcharts, etc.
81
MQP Meeting Notes: 10/11/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Discuss about the proposal presentation
a. Suggestions for final presentation
b. Suggestions for next step
2. Discuss the MQP report
a. If we should include feasibility for cost.
b. Suggestions for improvement
3. Discuss about the schedule during break
a. Which day we are going to the company
b. Deliverables for the break
4. Update about the first meeting with BI team last week.
Minutes:
? Had the proposal presentation to project sponsors.
o They were all agreed on the proposal.
o Get proposal agreement signed off by key project sponsors
? Had meeting with Robert LaChance, discussing the Hi Yield Reports process.
o Went through the process and pinpoints for the project.
o Sent the preparation form to Robert.
? Discussed about integration of SharePoint site and existing Datapedia site with David
Doe
o Discussed the suggestion regarding the proposal.
o Got suggestions about the integrations of SharePoint site and existing Datapedia
o Get user information methodology for IMart tool.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/24)
? MQP Report: continues write up MQP Report.
? Modify Introduction, Literature Review, Tool Analysis and planning parts.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/24/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review actions taken over the break
a. Two days spent at Hanover
b. Extensive work on academic portion of project
2. Discuss timing of project and progress thus far
a. What portions should be done now?
b. In the very near future?
3. Possibly bring in sample of paper in for next time?
a. How much to have done?
b. Will it affect end grade?
Minutes:
? Have met with 3 of 7 employee contacts so far
o Completed approx. 7-9 process flows and documentation
o Have 3 more meetings next week, and two the week after
? Received feedback on initial ER-diagram design for database
o Made appropriate edits and starting to put into Access
o Acquired detailed business area breakdown from Linda Brench
? Worked extensively on MQP paper over the break, have completed or nearly completed
the following portions
o Literature Review
o Methodology
o Analysis and Design
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 10/31/11)
? Continuing work on the MQP paper, possibly review some work for next time
? Extended system requirements –from meetings with individuals of various
departments at Hanover
? Additional samples of meeting notes, flowcharts, etc.
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MQP Meeting Notes: 10/31/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review the MQP Report
a. Four chapters in total including introduction, literature review, methodology and
Analysis and Design
b. Will implement as gathering more requirements.
2. Possibly bring in the first draft of the database?
3. Update about our schedule
a. Schedule about the meetings with employees
b. Schedule about the database
c. Schedule about the SharePoint site
Minutes:
? Have met with one more employee contacts last week
o Had the interview and went through two more processes
? Received feedback on initial ER-diagram design for database
o Made appropriate edits and starting to put into Access
o Acquired detailed business area breakdown from Linda Brench
? Worked extensively on MQP paper, have completed the first draft of chapter one to
four.
o Literature Review
o Methodology
o Analysis and Design
? Continue the meeting with Hanover Employments
o Have two meeting this week and two more meeting the week after
o Have the meeting with David Doe to discuss the feasibility of the integration of
Datapedia
o The deadline for interview is in two weeks.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/07/11)
? Continuing work on the MQP paper
? Sample of the data flow and diagrams
? The ERD and same sample database
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/7/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Update on scheduled interviews
? Have approximately 12 processes done
? This week is our proposed deadline for completion of process documentation
2. Feedback on second draft ERD
? Awaiting Kim’s reply
? Can begin development soon after feedback
3. Update on Datapedia
? Technical Documentation, etc.
4. Next steps once documentation is completed
a. Focus heavily on tool development
Minutes:
? Have met with 5 of 7 employee contacts so far
o Completed approximately 12 process flows and documentation
o Have 2 more meetings next week, and it’s our last week for interview.
? Met with David Doe to discuss how to implement our project within the Datapedia
environment
? Continue work on the MQP paper
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/14/11)
? MQP paper with more details
? All the documents for interviews
? Prototype for the database
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/14/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Review Chapter one
a. Completed chapter one and two are fully done.
b. Chapter three and four have been edited but need to be revised for proper
referencing.
c. Currently working on chapter 5.
2. 3
rd
version ERD.
a. Hopefully this will be the final one.
3. Update about our schedule
a. One more meeting needs to be scheduled.
b. Finalize ERD this upcoming Wednesday
Minutes:
? Received feedback on second ER-diagram design for database
? Finishing references for Chapter 1-4.
? We asked for the letter from the sponsor
? Start inputting data into Datapedia
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/21/11)
? Revised sections of MQP paper
? The ERD and first prototype of database
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/21/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
1. Quick demo of prototype so far
a. How to do training?
b. Proper documentation okay?
2. Review edited portions of paper
a. Is HTG section okay? How to source?
b. Key changes to structure of the report
i. Moved system specification to Ch6
ii. Included storyboards and interface structure in Ch5
3. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 are complete
a. Ch4 is being worked on
b. Ch5 is being worked on
c. Ch6 will be written later (conclusions)
4. Update about our schedule
a. When to show first draft by?
b. Okay without Ch6 to show?
Minutes:
? Finalized ERD
? Began development of interfaces
o Reports and queries still pending
? Acquired the Letter from Project Sponsor
? Start inputting data into Datapedia and into the database
? Started to write testing and documentation
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/28/11)
? All chapters (except Ch6) written, but not revised, for MQP paper
? Prototype of the database with working macros, forms, reports, etc.
? Samples of Datapedia pages (if acquire template from David Doe)
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MQP Meeting Notes: 11/28/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
4. Demo of prototype with test data (not actual data)
a. Questions or comments?
b. Will be putting in actual data Wednesday
c. Also changing design to fit Hanover theme
5. Review edited portions of paper
a. Advice on locations of appendices
i. User and technical manual
ii. Meeting minutes
iii. Process documentation forms
iv. Process flows
v. Etc.
b. Key changes in overall report
i. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are done
ii. Need to peer review and revise some portions still
6. Update about our schedule
a. Will drop off first draft on Thursday, December 5
th
b. Set to contain Chapters 1-5 complete, all appendices in correct order
Minutes:
? Did not work at Hanover this past week
? Worked individually on various pieces of the MQP report and prototype
? Plan to finalize prototype theme details and other loose ends at Hanover this
Wednesday
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 12/5/11)
? All chapters (except Chapter 6) written and revised with appendices, table of contents,
etc.
? Prototype of the database with Hanover theme and data input
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MQP Meeting Notes: 12/05/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
7. Review MQP paper
a. Adjust the MQP paper according to Professor Djamasbi’ s comment.
8. Update about the schedule and final presentation
9. Discuss any suggestion for final presentation.
Minutes:
? Worked on the MQP paper for the first review
? Got Datapedia preparation from David Doe
? Edited the MQP paper according to Professor’s comment
? Worked on the implement of pivot viewer.
Deliverables: (for next meeting – 11/12/11)
? The complete MQP paper with citation page, chapter 6 and changes after the first
review.
? The complete system demo which is ready to present for the final presentation.
? The PPT for the final presentation
? The poster for MQP
89
MQP Meeting Notes: 12/12/2011
Attendees: Sean Burke, Wenxuan Guo, Luis Quiroga, Professor Djamasbi
Agenda
? Practice the presentation
o Any comment or suggestion
? Any suggestion before the final presentation
? Already put all required documentation, repository and appendixes in the drop box.
? eCDR form
Minutes:
? Worked on the MQP paper according to Professor Djamasbi’s comment
? Got signature from Kim and Lisa for letter of acknowledgement
? Continues worked on the repository and Datapedia for final presentation
? Prepared the PowerPoint and poster for the final presentation
Deliverables:
? MQP paper and related material on Dropbox.
? Final PowerPoint
? Final Poster
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Appendix B – Business Process Flow Preparation Form
Business Intelligence Working Group – Business Process Sessions
Pre-Session Preparation
Business Process Name:
What’s produced/output:
?
?
Consumers (number and area(s)):
?
?
Envision self-service? (Y/N):
Players/actors:
Data Sources / Elements:
Data Source “Home-
Grown”? (Y/N)
Data Element(s)
Sample Process Flow that would be the result from Prep Form and documentation meetings
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Appendix C - Data Source Documentation Template
Data Source Documentation Template
Description/Purpose
Basic description of the source, its content and business value, and why it was created.
Background Information
(Optional) Information that helps the user apply this source appropriately, including LOB
and other context-informing descriptions.
Lines of Business
List of CL and PL Drive Lines of Business included in the source.
Source Update Frequency
How frequently the source is updated with new or revised data.
Experience Type
Accident, Calendar, Inforce, Issued, Policy, Reported, etc.
History Available
The number of periods maintained in the source.
Version Control
Whether or not the source is versioned, with links to explanation of this term.
Originating Source
Cite the original data source from which this source is populated, e.g., POS, PMS, etc.
Subsidiaries/Platforms Included
List of which subsidiaries and processing platforms are included, given that most sources do
not include all data.
Data Model
Links to available data models.
Data Elements Summary
Describe the types of data included (aka subject areas) and links to a data element list or to
MetaCenter (where user can get many things).
Granularity
Check box listing (ideally) from a handful of categories about how granular the data is in
this source.
Common Uses
Description of how the source is used in reporting or applications.
Source Location
List the technical location of the source: Platform, database, and instance.
How To Access The Source
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List of the available means to access the source. Descriptions should be provided in
separate files to which the site links.
Related/Supplemental Sources
Brief explanation of when this source relates to others tangibly.
System Stewards
Business owner(s) and caretakers, people who rely upon this source and have responsibility
for maintaining its integrity.
FAQ's
TBD - Link to a discussion board for this source.
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Appendix D - Report Documentation
Report Documentation
Required Documentation
Report Name
The report title should in some way describe the basic objective of the report or its content.
Report Producer(s)
List the functional area(s) responsible for producing the report. Contact information should
be provided.
Report Ownership
List the department and position(s) responsible for the content of this report. Names are
optional.
Objective / Description
Describe why the report was created and provide a basic description of its content.
(Optional) Explain any significant report breaks.
Background Information
Describe non-intuitive information about the report, integration efforts made to create the
report, and other helpful information.
Conditions & Caveats
Describe all qualifications of the report content:
? Exclusions: Explain any type of data excluded, e.g., involuntary, catastrophes, etc.
? Report Qualifier: Direct/Assumed/Ceded/Net
? Report Basis: (Optional) GAAP/Statutory
? Subsidiaries/Platforms: List of which subsidiaries and processing platforms are
included.
? Line of Business and how it is defined
Report Frequency
How frequently the report is produced with new or revised data.
Experience Type
Accident, Calendar, Inforce, Issued, Policy, Reported, etc. If there are multiple experience
types, explain how they are presented, e.g., by section, rows, columns, etc.
Reporting Period(s)
List the period represented on the report, number of periods, evaluation dates of each
period, and how these items interact with each other.
Data Source(s)
Cite all data sources from which the report is produced, e.g., IMart, PCA, etc. Include user-
defined transformations if source data is not listed, e.g., “used Group Code to derive
Specialty Program Code”. Be sure to attribute any copyrighted material used to produce or
listed in the report.
Distribution Information
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Describe to whom the report is accessible in general terms, e.g., role, location, dept., name.
List any security restrictions required and how to gain access to it, including contact
information/links. Describe the process used to deliver the report to the user (steps users
take to receive it) and/or the format in which it is presented (PDF, Excel, Business Objects,
Hyperion, etc.).
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Optional Documentation
Sample Report/Screen Shots
(Optional) Provide a separate page to display or link to a sample report.
Control Sources
(Optional) Information regarding how the report was balanced or system to which it is tied.
Data Elements Summary
(Optional) Provide a separate page to list the Business Names and Business Definitions of
data listed in the report (or link to Data Dictionary).
User Guide and/or Training Material
(Optional) Provide a separate page or link to material describing how to produce or
interpret this report.
Related Reports
(Optional) Brief explanation of similar or related reports. (Provide hyperlinks to each.)
Attributions
(Optional)
FAQ's
(Optional) Link to a discussion board for this source (if available)
96
Appendix E - User Manual
Hanover Insurance Group
Process Documentation Repository
Prototype User Manual
By Sean Burke, Luis Quiroga, Wenxuan Guo
97
Introduction
Welcome to the Process Documentation Repository Prototype User Manual. This manual is
meant for users who wish to update process, source, and summary information; and also for the
users who wish to search and/or report that information in a variety of ways. For the users who
wish to edit the database schema or the underlying programming, there is also an attached
technical manual for reference.
Key Terms
Process – There are a total of approximately 75 business processes that need to be documented by
Hanover during the Business Intelligence Initiative. A ‘process’ refers to a business process that is
normally identified by the content of its output.
Sources – There are two types of sources identified in this manual: Company and Home Grown. A
company source is one that is managed by the MIS team or HTG at Hanover. Whereas a Home Grown
source is one that lives on a single user’s (or small group of users’) machine(s) that is managed by the
user(s) and not Hanover. It is also worth noting that a home grown source can end up as a final report,
since it will only live on a small group of computers and is not managed by the company.
Data Summary – This is the information that relates to a process-data source pair. For example, the
purpose of pulling certain information from a database to produce a specific report is something that
belongs to a pair and not a single process or source alone.
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Main Switchboard
This is the first screen that you will see when opening the Process Documentation Repository. There
are four core options to choose from on this first page. Each button has text immediately to the right
that explains clearly its action. These core options are:
1. Adding and editing process-related information: This can include its name, department it
belongs to, frequency, etc. We will get into more depth later in the manual.
2. Adding and editing data source information: This can refer to either Company Sources or Home
Grown Sources. Another form will confirm the selection of the type of process after you initially
click the button. The information includes the high-level description of the data source, what
format it is in, and any other pertinent comments relevant to each data source.
3. Adding and editing data summary lines: This refers to the attributes of the documentation that
do not belong to simply a process or a source, but a pair of them. The information includes the
purpose to why certain data is pulled from a data source for a certain process, where the
destination of the data is, and any other pertinent comments relevant to the data summary line.
4. Searching and reporting: Click this button, and you will be directed to a second navigation page
in which you will be presented with various options to search, filter, and report the various
information in the tool as a whole.
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One last button on the form is to launch the help page. If you click this button, a ‘Help Page’ will pop up.
This ‘Help Page’ is essentially an abridged version of this user manual for use within the tool.
Processes Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit process information. To navigate this form, there is a
drop-down menu that contains all processes organized by department. Once navigated to the desired
process, you can then view or edit the information for that process. This form almost mirrors the
process documentation form used in the Business Intelligence meetings. If you want to add a new
process, click the ‘Add New Process’ button. The table below describes how to fill out this form
regardless of if you are adding or editing process information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Process Name Name of the process, usually identified by the contents of the
output.
Department Department to which the process belongs to. It is a drop-down list
because all processes must fall under a department.
Information Produced Outlines the output of the process or report. This is the details of
the output such as number of files, type of files, etc.
Time to Complete Includes the hours to be completed and the number of people who
work on it.
Frequency How often the process is executed, it part of a finite drop down list
since all processes will fall under those categories.
Receivers Business Area(s) The area of business in which the users of the output work. Many
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people/business areas could potentially view the output.
Envision Self Service? Checked ‘yes’ if the user believes the process can be helped using
Business Intelligence Initiative.
Additional Specifications Any pertinent additional information not covered in the previous
fields.
Pain Points and Other Comments Addresses the key pain points of the process and comments on
them.
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Process’ button in order to save your progress. Be sure all fields marked with an ‘*’ is filled in, as it is
required. If you made some changes, but want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset Changes’ button.
This button will undo any changes to the current process on the form. If you would like to remove a
process (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Process’ button. If you accidentally click this
button, there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. Each process has
an associated data summary, and this data summary can be accessed using the button to the right of the
drop-down menu at the top of the form. If no data summary exists for this process yet, you can navigate
to the form to add one using the associated button. Once clicking this button, you should select the
process in which you want to full the complete data summary. To return to the main switchboard, click
‘Go Back / Exit’.
Choose Source Type
This is a very simple form and is largely self-explanatory. After clicking the button to get to this
page, click the ‘Company’ button to view the company sources and the ‘Home Grown’ button to view
the home grown sources.
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Company Sources Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit company source information. To navigate this form,
there is a drop-down menu that contains all sources sorted alphabetically. Once navigated to the
desired source, you can then view or edit the information for that source. This form is a high-level
overview of what can be found on the source’s Datapedia page. If you want to add a new source to the
repository, click the ‘Add New Source’ button. The table below describes how to fill out this form
regardless of if you are adding or editing process information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Source Name The name of the data source.
Description High-level description that encompasses what is contained in the
data source. For example: premiums, quote-level information, etc.
Format Identifies the type of source, i.e. – Hyperion, Oracle DB, etc. It is on
a finite drop-down list because all sources are one of the listed
types.
Comments Any other pertinent information not mentioned in the previous
102
fields related specifically to the source.
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Source’ button in order to save your progress. Be sure all fields marked with an ‘*’ is filled in, as it is
required. If you made some changes, but want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset Changes’ button.
This button will undo any changes to the current source on the form. If you would like to remove a
source (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Source’ button. If you accidentally click this button,
there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. To return to the main
switchboard, click ‘Go Back / Exit’.
Home Grown Sources Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit home grown source information. To navigate this
form, there is a drop-down menu that contains all sources sorted alphabetically. Once navigated to the
103
desired source, you can then view or edit the information for that source. This form is a high-level
overview of what information was given during Business Intelligence meetings with the owner of that
particular source. If you want to add a new source to the repository, click the ‘Add New Source’ button.
The table below describes how to fill out this form regardless of if you are adding or editing process
information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Source Name The name of the data source.
Description High-level description that encompasses what is contained in the
data source. For example: premiums, quote-level information, etc.
Format Identifies the type of source, i.e. – Access DB, Excel Spreadsheet,
etc. It is on a finite drop-down list because all sources are one of the
listed types.
Is it a final report? As mentioned in the Key Terms section, this is needed to identify if
the ‘source’ is the final report for any given process.
Comments Any other pertinent information not mentioned in the previous
fields related specifically to the source.
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Source’ button in order to save your progress. Be sure all fields marked with an ‘*’ is filled in, as it is
required. If you made some changes, but want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset Changes’ button.
This button will undo any changes to the current source on the form. If you would like to remove a
source (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Source’ button. If you accidentally click this button,
there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. To return to the main
switchboard, click ‘Go Back / Exit’.
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Data Summary Form
This form is used to view, add, and/or edit the data summary line information. To navigate this
form, there is a drop-down menu that contains all processes sorted alphabetically. Once navigated to
the desired process, the drop down menu below it is populated with the sources used. This allows you
to further navigate through the summary. You can either use this second drop down menu, or you can
use the ‘Next’ and ‘Previous’ buttons to go through the different lines for each process.
This form is a detailed description of what is documented in the process flow diagrams. The
process flow diagrams were created through interviews with the individuals who execute these
processes. If you want to add a new summary line to the repository, click the ‘Add New Summary Line’
105
button. The table below describes how to fill out this form regardless of if you are adding or editing
process information.
Data Entry Label Description (what should be entered)
Process The name of the process using a data source, part of the composite
primary key (a drop down list from the values in process name from
processes)
Data Source The name of the data source used by the process in the field above,
the second part of the composite primary key (a drop down list
from the values of source name and home grown name from
company and home grown sources
Purpose Explains at a high-level what information is pulled or extracted from
each process / data source combination – Formatted as a multi-
valued attribute for data integrity
Data Destination After any queries, data dumps, etc. are run… this is where the data
flows into (a drop down list from the values of home grown name
from home grown sources)
Comments Any other pertinent information not mentioned in the previous
fields
Once you have entered or changed any of the information in the form, you can click the ‘Save
Summary Line’ button in order to save your progress. This will prompt you with a pop-up box that will
ask if you would like to add another line
for the current process. If you click ‘yes’,
then you will be directed back to the form.
If you click ‘no’, then you will return to the
main switchboard. Be sure all fields
marked with an ‘*’ are filled in, as they are
required. If you made some changes, but
want to undo them, simply click the ‘Reset
Changes’ button. This button will undo any changes to the form. If you would like to remove a summary
line (for whatever reason), then click the ‘Delete Summary Line’ button. If you accidentally click this
button, there will still be a prompt to be sure that is the action you would like to take. To return to the
main switchboard, click ‘Go Back / Exit’.
106
Search and Report Documentation
107
On this form, the user has the ability to select from various searching and reporting methods. As
you may notice, there are two different types of buttons. The first set, with the clipboards on them, will
produce a pop-up form that requires the user
to specify a variable before producing the full
report. An example of this pop-up is shown to
the right. You can either choose to select a
variable to limit the report, or you can just
click the ‘View All’ option to produce a non-
limited set of results.
The second set of buttons, with the MS Access Reports on them, will produce a report with no
further information necessary to be input. Each button on the page correlates directly to the label text
to its right. The reports produced by these buttons will have dynamic filtering within the forms
themselves. This will be discussed later in the manual. Since this is again a navigation page and you may
need more clarification on the form information, we included another button to link to a ‘Help Page’ on
the bottom-right. And lastly, to go back to the main switchboard, simply click ‘Go Back’.
Reports
There are a couple different types of reports that you can generate using this tool. As discussed
in the previous section, if you select a report using one of the buttons with the clipboard, then one of
the reports will look like the figure below.
108
This form will display all the results in an organized manner, as well as provide you with the means to go
back to both the search, and the original reports home page using their respective buttons.
The second type of report uses dynamic filtering right on the report itself. Instead of pre-
selecting an option using a combo box, the user will have filter buttons on the report as shown in the
figures below. This first one shows a filtering method that will prompt the user to again select the
criteria, but this time it will update on the report right away.
The bottom figure of the two above shows a method in which the report only has two options to
filter, and therefore no pop-up box will occur. This method of filtering will only occur on the ‘Purposes
for All Sources’ report.
109
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the main benefit of using this tool?
A: There are actually several benefits. But to summarize, this tool is meant to consolidate all
the documentation data into one central location so that it can be searched and reported
simply and efficiently. Instead of keeping all the records on some SharePoint site, all the
necessary information for the Business Intelligence team can be accessed right here in the
Process Documentation Repository.
Q: Who has access to the data?
A: It depends what you mean when defining ‘data’. We have split this project into two parts.
This tool belongs to the MIS team and will be managed mostly by Kim Killeen’s team (or
whomever she delegates it to). They will be the ones with direct access to the underlying
database schema and the technical information. However, the high-level documentation
can be found on ‘Datapedia’ right on Hanover’s intranet. This way, there is a separation
of the different types of users (general vs. technical) and the information cannot be
tampered with if it is not meant to be.
Q: Why can’t I add a data summary line before adding both the process and source
information into the database first?
A: It may seem like a pain, but in order to maintain data integrity this is a necessary step.
Think of it this way: Without the process there would be no data summary, and without
the sources the process would have nowhere to get information. The data summary lines
cannot exist without the presence of both integral pieces first.
110
Appendix F – Technical Documentation for PDR
The following information is to allow potential future developers to continue working
based on the foundations we provide in our prototype. It includes the entity and attributes
descriptions, documentation (with comments) for our code, and also the SQL queries used to
assist in reporting for the final system.
Entities and Attributes
Entity Name Field/Attribute Name Data Type Description
Processes
ProcessName Text (varchar) Name of the process, used
as the primary key
Department Text (varchar) Department to which the
process belongs to, part of
a finite drop down list to
increase integrity
InformationProduced Memo (long) Outlines the output of the
process or report
TimeToComplete Text (varchar) Includes the hours to be
completed and the
number of people who
work on it
Frequency Text (varchar) How often the process is
executed, it part of a finite
drop down list
ReceiversBusArea Text (varchar) The area of business in
which the users of the
output work, can be many
areas
EnvisionSelfService Yes/No (boolean) Checked ‘yes’ if the user
believes the process can
be helped using Business
Intelligence
AdditionalSpecifications Memo (long) Any pertinent additional
information not covered in
the previous fields
PainPointsComments Memo (long) Addresses the key pain
points of the process and
comments on them
CompanySources
SourceName Text (varchar) The name of the data
source, used as the
primary key
Description Memo (long) High-level description that
encompasses what it
contains
Format Text (varchar) Identifies the type of
111
Entity Name Field/Attribute Name Data Type Description
source, i.e. – Hyperion,
Oracle DB, etc. (on a finite
drop down list)
Comments Memo (long) Any other pertinent
information not
mentioned in the previous
fields
HomeGrownSources
HomeGrownName Text (varchar) The name of the source,
used as the primary key
Description Memo (long) High-level description that
encompasses what the
data source is, what it
contains, etc
Format Text (varchar) Identifies the type of
source, i.e. – Hyperion
query, SAS server, etc. (on
a finite drop down list)
FinalReport Yes/No (boolean) Identifies if the ‘source’ is
the final report for any
given process
Comments Memo (long) Any other pertinent
information not
mentioned in the previous
fields
DataSummary
Process Text (varchar) The name of the process
using a data source, part
of the composite primary
key (a drop down list from
the values in process
name from processes)
DataSource Text (varchar) The name of the data
source used by the
process in the field above,
the second part of the
composite primary key (a
drop down list from the
values of source name and
home grown name from
company and home grown
sources
Purpose Memo (long) Explains at a high-level
what information is pulled
or extracted from each
112
Entity Name Field/Attribute Name Data Type Description
process / data source
combination – Formatted
as a multi-valued attribute
for data integrity
DataDestination Text (varchar After any queries, data
dumps, etc. are run… this
is where the data flows
into (a drop down list from
the values of home grown
name from home grown
sources)
Comments Memo (long) Any other pertinent
information not
mentioned in the previous
fields
VBA for Forms
Menu Forms
Switchboard
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToProcesses_Click
' Brings the user to the Processes form to add/edit the data
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToProcesses_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToProcesses_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmProcesses", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoToProcesses_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToProcesses_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToProcesses_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToSources_Click
' Brings up a the pop-up box for the user to choose which type of source they would like to view the info
for
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToSources_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToSources_Click_Err
113
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up_SourceType", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoToSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToDataSummary_Click
' Brings the user to the Data Summary section to add/edit the various lines of summary data
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToDataSummary_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmDataSummary", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoToDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SearchAndReport_Click
' Brings the user to a second menu screen that navigatates the various options for reporting
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SearchAndReport_Click()
On Error GoTo SearchAndReport_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmReportHome", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
SearchAndReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SearchAndReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SearchAndReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenHelp_Click
' Brings the user to the help page to view the terminology and the general rules for using the tool
'------------------------------------------------------------
114
Private Sub OpenHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "HelpPage", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
Report Generation Home Page
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewDataSummaries_Click
' Opens a pop-up box that asks the user which process they would like to view the summary for.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewDataSummaries_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewDataSummaries_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessSummaries", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewDataSummaries_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewDataSummaries_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewDataSummaries_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Processes with 3CS'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingCS", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewProcessesUsingCS_Click_Exit
End Sub
115
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesBySource_Click
' Opens a pop-up box which asks the user which source they would like to view the processes for.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesBySource_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessesBySource", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewProcessesBySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesByDept_Click
' Opens a pop-up box which asks the user which department they would like to view the processes for.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesByDept_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessesByDept", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewProcessesByDept_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Processes with 2HG'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingHG", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
116
Resume ViewProcessesUsingHG_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewFinalAsSources_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Final Reports Used Elsewhere'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewFinalAsSources_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptFinalReportsUsedAsSources", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewFinalAsSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenHelp_Click
' Brings the user to the help page that explains terminology and general usage for the tool.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub OpenHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "HelpPage_Reports", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewPurposesForSources_Click
' opens the report to view all the purposes for each source
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewPurposesForSources_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptPurposesForSources", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
117
ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewPurposesForSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoBack_Click
' brings the user back to the switchboard and closes the current form
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoBack_Click()
On Error GoTo GoBack_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acForm, "frmReportHome"
DoCmd.OpenForm "Switchboard", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
GoBack_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoBack_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoBack_Click_Exit
Entry Forms
Company Sources Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SelectSource_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form. Once selected, the form updates the data to be based
on the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SelectSource_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[SourceName] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveCompanySource_Click
118
' Simply saves the record entered by the user. Will allow most input, but only if the primary key is entered
correctly.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
SaveCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SaveCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetCompanySource_Click
' Will undo all changes to the record since the user opened the form to that record. It will throw an error if
no changes can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseCompanySource_Click
' Closes the current form. Will prompt the user to save if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseCompanySource_Click()
119
On Error GoTo CloseCompanySource_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddCompanySource_Click
' Creates a new (blank) record for the user to be able to enter in new information on a Company Source.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo AddCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteCompanySource_Click
' Will remove the current record from the database. Will prompt the user to be sure they actually want to
delete a record.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteCompanySource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
120
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
Data Summary Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' combo_Process_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form for process. Once selected, the form updates the data
to be based on the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub combo_process_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[Process] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
DoCmd.Requery "combo_Source"
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' combo_Source_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form for sources. Once selected, the form updates the data
to based on the key selected in the box.
' It is populated using the sources that belong to the process from the combo box above.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub combo_Source_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[DataSource] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
121
combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume combo_Source_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' NextLine_Click
' Moves the focus of the form to the next line entry of the data summary.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub NextLine_Click()
On Error GoTo NextLine_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNext
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
NextLine_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
NextLine_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume NextLine_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' PrevLine_Click
' Moves the focus of the form to the previous line entry of the data summary.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub PrevLine_Click()
On Error GoTo PrevLine_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acPrevious
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
PrevLine_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
PrevLine_Click_Err:
122
MsgBox Error$
Resume PrevLine_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenProcesses_Click
' Brings the user to the processes form to enter a new process if they don't see it in the drop down list.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub OpenProcesses_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenProcesses_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmProcesses", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenProcesses_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenProcesses_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenProcesses_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' OpenSource_Click
' Brings the user to the pop-up form that prompts them to choose the type of source in which they want to
view/add/edit
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub OpenSource_Click()
On Error GoTo OpenSource_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up_SourceType", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
OpenSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
OpenSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume OpenSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveDataSummary_Click
' Saves all changes to the current form. Will allow the user to exit the form without any error dialogue.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
123
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up-AddSource", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
SaveDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SaveDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetDataSummary_Click
' Will reset any changes made since the user opened the form and is on the same record. An error will be
thrown if no changes can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseCompanySource_Click
' Closes the current form and prompts the user to save if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseCompanySource_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseCompanySource_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
124
CloseCompanySource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseCompanySource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddDataSummary_Click
' Creates a new (blank) summary line for the user to enter in the appropriate information.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo AddDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteDataSummary_Click
' Simply deletes the current record and its information from the database. Will prompt the user to be sure
he/she wants to delete the record.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteDataSummary_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
125
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
Home Grown Sources Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SelectSource_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form. Once selected, the form updates the data to based on
the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SelectSource_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[HomeGrownName] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SelectSource_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveHomeSource_Click
' Simply saves the source information currently entered in the form.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
SaveHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
126
SaveHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetHomeSource_Click
' Will reset all changes made since the user has had the form open on the particular record. Will throw and
error if no changes can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseHomeSource_Click
' Closes the current window. Will prompt the user to save the data if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseHomeSource_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddHomeSource_Click
127
' Adds a new (blank) record to the form. Allows the user to input information as long as the primary key
is correct.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo AddHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddHomeSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteHomeSource_Click
' Removes the current record from the database. Will prompt the user before deleting to be sure it is what
the user wants.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteHomeSource_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteHomeSource_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteHomeSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteHomeSource_Click_Err:
128
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteHomeSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
Processes Entry
'------------------------------------------------------------
' combo_process_AfterUpdate
' This object is the combo box at the top of the form for process. Once selected, the form updates the data
to based on the key selected in the box.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub combo_process_AfterUpdate()
On Error GoTo combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err
DoCmd.SearchForRecord , "", acFirst, "[ProcessName] = " & "'" & Screen.ActiveControl & "'"
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit:
Exit Sub
combo_process_AfterUpdate_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume combo_process_AfterUpdate_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ViewDataSummary_Click
' Opens the pop-up box which prompts the user to select the appropriate process to view the data
summary report.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ViewDataSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo ViewDataSummary_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessSummaries", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
ViewDataSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ViewDataSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ViewDataSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SaveProcess_Click
' Simply saves the current record on the form.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SaveProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo SaveProcess_Click_Err
129
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
SaveProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SaveProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SaveProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' ResetProcess_Click
' Will reset all changes made to the form since the user first navigated to it. Will throw error if no changes
can be undone.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub ResetProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo ResetProcess_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
ResetProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
ResetProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume ResetProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseProcesses_Click
' Closes the current form. Will prompt the user to save if not done so already.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseProcesses_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseProcesses_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close , ""
CloseProcesses_Click_Exit:
130
Exit Sub
CloseProcesses_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseProcesses_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AddProcess_Click
' Creates a new (blank) record for the user to be able to enter new data for a process.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AddProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo AddProcess_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToRecord , "", acNewRec
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
AddProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AddProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AddProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' DeleteProcess_Click
' Removes the current record and its information from the database. Prompts the user before deletion to be
sure it is what the user wants.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub DeleteProcess_Click()
On Error GoTo DeleteProcess_Click_Err
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.GoToControl Screen.PreviousControl.Name
Err.Clear
If (Not Form.NewRecord) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdDeleteRecord
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Not Form.Dirty) Then
Beep
End If
If (Form.NewRecord And Form.Dirty) Then
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdUndo
End If
131
If (MacroError 0) Then
Beep
MsgBox MacroError.Description, vbOKOnly, ""
End If
DeleteProcess_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
DeleteProcess_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume DeleteProcess_Click_Exit
End Sub
Pop-Up Windows
Choose which source type to add
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToCompanySources_Click
' Brings the user to a form where they can view/add/edit the company source table.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToCompanySources_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToCompanySources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmCompanySources", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up_SourceType"
GoToCompanySources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToCompanySources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToCompanySources_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToHGSources_Click
' Brings the user to a form where they can view/add/edit the home grown source table.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToHGSources_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToHGSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmHomeGrownSources", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up_SourceType"
GoToHGSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
132
GoToHGSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToHGSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
Add new summary line?
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoBackToSummary_Click
' Brings the user back to the summary form so that they can add more lines to the summary for the current
process.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoBackToSummary_Click()
On Error GoTo GoBackToSummary_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmDataSummary", acNormal, "", "", acAdd, acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up-AddSource"
GoBackToSummary_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoBackToSummary_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoBackToSummary_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' GoToSwitchboard_Click
' Exits this form and the data summary form and brings the user back to the main switchboard.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub GoToSwitchboard_Click()
On Error GoTo GoToSwitchboard_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "Switchboard", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up-AddSource"
GoToSwitchboard_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
GoToSwitchboard_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume GoToSwitchboard_Click_Exit
End Sub
Filtering Results (3 versions)
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterResults_Click
133
' filters the specified report to results that only have counts higher than the specified number in the combo
box
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterResults_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterResults_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingCS", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.SetFilter "FilterCount", "[Processes using
CS]![SourcesUsed]>=[Forms]![pop_up_CSFilterCount]![combo_FilterCount]", ""
DoCmd.Close acForm, "pop_up_CSFilterCount"
FilterResults_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterResults_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterResults_Click_Exit
End Sub
**Note: ‘SetFilter’ command varies depending on the report used and the count variable**
Report Generators
Create Process Summaries
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SpecificSummaries_Click
' brings the user to the data summary (in report form) for the selected process from the combo box
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SpecificSummaries_Click()
On Error GoTo SpecificSummaries_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptSpecificDataSummaries", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessSummaries"
SpecificSummaries_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SpecificSummaries_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SpecificSummaries_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AllSummaries_Click
134
' brings the user to the report for ALL the data summaries organized by process
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AllSummaries_Click()
On Error GoTo AllSummaries_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptAllDataSummaries", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessSummaries"
AllSummaries_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AllSummaries_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AllSummaries_Click_Exit
End Sub
Processes by Department
'------------------------------------------------------------
' Command2_Click
' Produces an MS Access Report based on the SQL Query 'Processes by Department'.
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub Command2_Click()
On Error GoTo Command2_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptDepartmantProcesses", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessesByDept"
Command2_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
Command2_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume Command2_Click_Exit
End Sub
Processes by Source
'------------------------------------------------------------
' SpecificSource_Click
' brings the user to a report of process information that use the source they specified in the combo box on
the form
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub SpecificSource_Click()
On Error GoTo SpecificSource_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptSpecificProcessesBySource", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessesBySource"
135
SpecificSource_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
SpecificSource_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume SpecificSource_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' AllSources_Click
' brings the user to a report showing all sources and each of the processes that utilize each source
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub AllSources_Click()
On Error GoTo AllSources_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptAllProcessesBySource", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
DoCmd.Close acForm, "qryProcessesBySource"
AllSources_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
AllSources_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume AllSources_Click_Exit
End Sub
Reports
Reports Using Selectors
Each of the reports generated using these buttons has a similar format and coding. If only
producing a specific object, then there will be a ‘Back to Search’ option on the report. For both specific
objects and for viewing all objects, the forms have a ‘Back to Reports’ option. The basic code for those
two buttons is shown below.
'------------------------------------------------------------
' BackToSearch_Click
' returns user back to search pop up in order to re-select the criteria for the report
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub BackToSearch_Click()
On Error GoTo BackToSearch_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "qryProcessSummaries", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptSpecificDataSummaries"
136
BackToSearch_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
BackToSearch_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume BackToSearch_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseReport_Click
' returns the user back to the report menu screen to select another report to generate
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseReport_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseReport_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptSpecificDataSummaries"
CloseReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
Also, it is worth noting that these reports have specific record sources in order to generate the correct
data. The record source for each report is as follows:
Specific Data Summaries = ‘Specific Data Summaries’ query
All Data Summaries = ‘DataSummary’ table
Specific Processes by Source = ‘Specific Processes by Source’ query
All Processes by Source = ‘All Processes by Source’ query’
Specific Processes by Department = ‘Specific Processes by Dept’ query
All Processes by Department = ‘Processes’ table
Reports Using Filters
The other four reports on the page all use some sort of filter to organize the data dynamically
within the form. Three of the reports use one method and the final report uses a slightly different method
since the filtering criteria is quite different. Both approaches are shown below:
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseReport_Click
' returns the user to the main reports page and also clears any existing filters from the report
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseReport_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseReport_Click_Err
137
DoCmd.SetFilter "removefilter", """""", ""
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptProcessesUsingHG"
CloseReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterCount_Click
' opens the pop-up box to generate the filter criteria for the report
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterCount_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterCount_Click_Err
DoCmd.OpenForm "pop_up_HGFilterCount", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
FilterCount_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterCount_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterCount_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' RemoveFilter_Click
' refreshes the report and clears the filter from it in the process
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub RemoveFilter_Click()
On Error GoTo RemoveFilter_Click_Err
DoCmd.SetFilter "removefilter", """""", ""
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptProcessesUsingHG"
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptProcessesUsingHG", acViewReport, "", "", acNormal
RemoveFilter_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
RemoveFilter_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume RemoveFilter_Click_Exit
138
End Sub
Note that the filtering criteria pop-up box has code in the ‘Pop-Up’ section of this documentation report.
The second way of filtering is shown here:
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterAll_Click
' clears any filters in place by resetting the record source to the original query
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterAll_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterAll_Click_Err
Dim criteria As String
criteria = "SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process FROM DataSummary"
Me.RecordSource = criteria
FilterAll_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterAll_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterAll_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterCS_Click
' filters by setting the record source for the report to be only those where the data source is in the company
source table
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterCS_Click()
On Error GoTo FilterCS_Click_Err
Dim criteria As String
criteria = "SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process FROM DataSummary WHERE
DataSource IN (SELECT SourceName FROM CompanySources)"
Me.RecordSource = criteria
FilterCS_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterCS_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterCS_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' FilterHG_Click
139
' filters by setting the record source for the report to be only those where the data source is in the home
grown source table
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub FilterHG_Click()
Dim criteria As String
criteria = "SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process FROM DataSummary WHERE
DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources)"
Me.RecordSource = criteria
FilterHG_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
FilterHG_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume FilterHG_Click_Exit
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseReport_Click
' returns the user to the main reports page
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseReport_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseReport_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acReport, "rptPurposesForSources"
CloseReport_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseReport_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseReport_Click_Exit
End Sub
Again, each of these reports are produced using specific record sources, and they are:
Processes Using Home Grown Sources = ‘Processes Using HG’ query
Processes Using Company Sources = ‘Processes Using CS’ query
Final Reports Used as Sources = ‘Final Reports Used as Sources’ query
Purposes for all sources = ‘Purposes for Sources’ query
Help Pages
Main
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseHelp_Click
' returns the user back to the main switchboard
'------------------------------------------------------------
140
Private Sub CloseHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acForm, "HelpPage_Main"
DoCmd.OpenForm "Switchboard", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
CloseHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
Report
'------------------------------------------------------------
' CloseHelp_Click
' brings the user back to the report home page
'------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CloseHelp_Click()
On Error GoTo CloseHelp_Click_Err
DoCmd.Close acForm, "HelpPage_Reports"
DoCmd.OpenForm "frmReportHome", acNormal, "", "", , acNormal
CloseHelp_Click_Exit:
Exit Sub
CloseHelp_Click_Err:
MsgBox Error$
Resume CloseHelp_Click_Exit
End Sub
SQL Queries
Final Reports Used As Sources
**Used to produce a list of final reports that are used as sources in other processes**
SELECT HomeGrownName, Description, Format, HomeGrownSources.Comments, Process, Purpose,
DataDestination, [Count FR In Processes].NumProcesses
FROM DataSummary, HomeGrownSources, [Count FR In Processes]
WHERE DataSummary.DataSource = HomeGrownSources.HomeGrownName
AND DataSummary.DataSource = [Count FR In Processes].DataSource
AND FinalReport = TRUE;
Specific Processes by Dept
**Used by qryProcessesByDept to select processes based on the combo box on the form**
SELECT *
141
FROM Processes
WHERE Department LIKE Forms![qryProcessesByDept]!Combo0;
Specific Processes by Source
**Used by qryProcessesBySource to selectsources based on the combo box on the form**
SELECT ProcessName, DataSource, Department, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
ReceiversBusArea, EnvisionSelfService, AdditionalSpecifications, PainPointsComments
FROM Processes, DataSummary
WHERE Processes.ProcessName = DataSummary.Process AND
DataSource LIKE Forms![qryProcessesBySource]!Combo0;
Specific Data Summaries
**Used by qryProcessSummaries to select processes based on the combo box on the form**
SELECT Process, DataSource, Purpose, DataDestination, Comments
FROM DataSummary
WHERE Process Like Forms![qryProcessSummaries]!Combo0;
Processes Using HG
**Used to produce the report with Processes that use home grown sources**
SELECT DataSummary.Process, Department, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
PainPointsComments, DataSource, Purpose, DataDestination, DataSummary.Comments, [Count HG
Sources Used].SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary, Processes, [Count HG Sources Used]
WHERE DataSummary.Process = Processes.ProcessName
AND DataSummary.Process = [Count HG Sources Used].Process
AND DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources);
Processes Using CS
** Used to produce the report with Processes that use company sources**
SELECT DataSummary.Process, Department, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
PainPointsComments, DataSource, Purpose, DataDestination, DataSummary.Comments, [Count CS
Sources Used].SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary, Processes, [Count CS Sources Used]
WHERE DataSummary.Process = Processes.ProcessName
AND DataSummary.Process = [Count CS Sources Used].Process
AND DataSource IN (SELECT SourceName FROM CompanySources);
Select Source based on Process
**Used by the Data Summary form to populate the source combo box based on the process combo box**
SELECT DataSource
FROM DataSummary
WHERE Process Like Forms!frmDataSummary!combo_process;
142
Combine Sources
**Combines all sources in the database for use in the data summary form (Data Source combo box)**
SELECT SourceName
FROM CompanySources
UNION
SELECT HomeGrownName
FROM HomeGrownSources;
All Processes by Source
**Used to create report of all sources and the processes that use each of them**
SELECT DataSource, ProcessName, InformationProduced, TimeToComplete, Frequency,
ReceiversBusArea, EnvisionSelfService, AdditionalSpecifications, PainPointsComments
FROM DataSummary, Processes
WHERE DataSummary.Process = Processes.ProcessName;
Count CS Sources Used
**Used in ‘Processes using CS’ query to make the count an attribute rather than an aggregate function**
SELECT Process, count(*) AS SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary
WHERE DataSource IN (SELECT SourceName FROM CompanySources)
GROUP BY Process;
Count HG Sources Used
**Used in ‘Processes using HG’ query to make the count an attribute rather than an aggregate function**
SELECT Process, count(*) AS SourcesUsed
FROM DataSummary
WHERE DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources)
GROUP BY Process;
Count FR in Processes
**Used in ‘Final Reports as Sources’ query to make the count an attribute rather than an aggregate
function.**
SELECT DataSource, Count(*) AS NumProcesses
FROM DataSummary
WHERE DataSource IN (SELECT HomeGrownName FROM HomeGrownSources WHERE FinalReport
= TRUE)
GROUP BY DataSource;
Purposes for Sources
**Used to generate a report that shows the data source, the overall purposes used, and which processes
are using the sources for those purposes**
SELECT DISTINCT DataSource, Purpose.Value, Process
FROM DataSummary;
143
Appendix G - Test Plans
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: ___1_
Objective:
Test if all buttons on Main Switchboard work
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information.
Actual Results/Notes
All buttons work; open the related page.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 0 View/ Add/ Edit Process
Information
Click on the button
2) 0 View/ Add/ Edit Data Sources Click on the button
3) 0 View/ Add/ Edit a Data Summary Click on the button
4) 0 Search and Report process
documentation
Click on the button
5) 0 Need Help? Click on the button
144
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: ___2_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on View/Add/Edit Process Information
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. And all the dropdown
menus show all the information stored in the database
Actual Results/Notes
All buttons work; Dropdown Menu s show the stored data.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 3 Select Process Search from dropdown menu
2) 3 View Data Summary Click on the button
3) 3 View certain data summary Search from dropdown menu
4) 3 View Data Summary button Click on the button
5) 3 View All Data Summaries Click on the button
6) 3 Back to Reports Page from View
All Data Summaries
Click on the button
145
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ X
Test ID: ___3_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on View/Add/Edit Process Information
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. All the dropdown menus
show all the information stored in the database. When
Actual Results/Notes
1. When input value is Null or existing process, doesn’t pop up message box say can’t put process
without name or process already exist.
2. When delete in the process, it shows as deleted, rather than clear the row.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Null
2) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test1
3) Add New Process- Process Name Test4
4) 3 Add New Process - Department Test1
5) 3 Add New Process - Department Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Department
6) 3 Add New Process-Frequency Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Frequency
7) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
8) Select Process Test2
9) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
10) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test4
11) 3 Add New Process-Department Test2
12) 3 Delete Process Click Delete Process button
13) 3 Save Process Click Save Process
14) 3 Reset Changes Click on Reset changes
15) 3 Go Back/ Exit Click on Go back/Exit
146
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: __4_
Objective:
Test if all buttons on View/Add/Edit Data Sources
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 1 View/ Add/ Edit Data Sources Click on the button
2) 1 Process Documentation Repository Click on the Company Button
3) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Company Source Name- Null
4) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Company Source Name – Source3
5) 1 Process Documentation Source Name-Source 10
6) 1 Process Documentation-company-Add New
Source
Click on Add New Source button
7) 1 Process Documentation – company-Delete
Source
Click on Delete Source
8) 1 Process Documentation – company-Save
Source
Click on Save Source
9) 1 Process Documentation –company- Reset
Source
Click on Reset Source
10) 1 Process Documentation – company-Go Back/
Exit
Click on Go back/Exit Button
11) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Home
Grown
Source Name- Null
12) 1 Process Documentation Repository-Home
Grown
Source Name – Source3
13) 1 Process Documentation Source Name-Source 10
14) 1 Process Documentation-company-Home
Grown
Click on Add New Source button
15) 1 Process Documentation – company-Home
Grown
Click on Delete Source
16) 1 Process Documentation – Home Grown-Save
Source
Click on Save Source
17) Process Documentation –Home Grown- Reset
Source
Click on Reset Source
18) Process Documentation – Home Grown-Go
Back/ Exit
Click on Go back/Exit Button
147
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to
save the new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source.
Actual Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to
save the new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source. When input exist data
source or null name data source, it pops out the message box.
148
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: __5_
Objective:
Test if all buttons on View/Add/Edit Data Sources
Expected Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database. When click on Add a
Process or Add a Source button, they all link to the new forms to create process and data source. When
click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to save the
new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source.
Actual Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database. When click on Add a
Process or Add a Source button, they all link to the new forms to create process and data source. When
click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. It has the functionally to save the
new Data Source, add the new source, Delete source and Reset source. The View Previous Line and View
Next Line buttons doesn’t order the process and the data source for the new saved data summary. But it
doesn’t affect system performance.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 2 View/ Add/ Edit Data Summary Click on the button
2) 2 Process Dropdown menu Click on the process button
3) 2 Source Dropdown Menu Click on the source menu
4) 2 Add a Process button Click on Add a Process button
5) 2 Add s Source Button Click on Add a Source button
6) 2 View Previous Line Click on View Previous Line
button
7) 2 View Next Line Click on View Next Line button
8) 2 Add New Summary Line Click on Add New summary Line
9) 2 Delete Summary Line Click on Delete Summary Line
10) 2 Save Summary Line Click on Save Summary Line
11) 2 Reset Summary Line Click on Reset Summary Line
12) 2 Go Back/ Exit Click on Reset Go Back/Exit
button
149
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __1_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ Passed
Test ID: __6_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on the Search and Report Documentation
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
1) 4 Data Summaries Click on the button
2) 4 Dropdown menu for data
summaries
Select Test4 from dropdown
menu
3) 2 View menu Click on the button
4) 2 View all data summaries Click on the button
5) 2 Processes by Source Click on the button
6) 2 Dropdown menu for data source Select Source 3
7) 2 View menu Click the button
8) 2 View All sources Click on the button
9) 2 Process by Department Click on the button
10) Dropdown menu for department Select CL Actuarial
11) 2 View menu Click on the button
12) 2 View all Department Click on the button
13) 2 Reset Summary Line Click on Reset Summary Line
14) 2 Processes Using Home Grown
Source
Click on the button
15) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 2 from the dropdown
menu
16) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 3 from dropdown menu
17) 2 Remove Filter Click on Remove Filter button
18) 2 Processes Using Company
Source
Click on the button
19) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 1 from the dropdown
menu
20) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 3 from dropdown menu
21) 2 Remove Filter Click on Remove Filter button
22) 2 Final reports used as sources Click on the button
23) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 1 from the dropdown
menu
24) 2 Filter by # of Sources Select 3 from dropdown menu
25) 2 Remove Filter Click on Remove Filter button
150
Expected Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database.
The dropdown shows the new saved data summary.
Actual Results/Notes
All the button work, dropdown menus show all the data stored in the database.
The dropdown shows the new saved data summary.
26) 2 Purpose for sources Click on the button
27) 2 All using company sources Click on the Company button
28) 2 All using Home Grown Sources Click on the Home Grown button
29) 2 All sources including company
and home grown
Click on View All
151
Test Plan
Program ID: __1_ Version Number: __2_
Tester: _Wenxuan Guo__ Date Designed: _12/07/2011__ Date Conducted: __12/07/2011__
Results: ___ passed
Test ID: ___7_
Objective:
Test if all buttons work on View/Add/Edit Process Information
Expected Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. All the dropdown menus
show all the information stored in the database.
Actual Results/Notes
When click on the button, it opens a new page with the related information. All the dropdown menus
show all the information stored in the database.
Interface ID Data Field Value Entered
16) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Null
17) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test1
18) Add New Process- Process Name Test4
19) 3 Add New Process - Department Test1
20) 3 Add New Process - Department Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Department
21) 3 Add New Process-Frequency Dropdown Menu not showing
new input Frequency
22) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
23) Select Process Test2
24) 3 Select Process Select the process just create
without closing the form
25) 3 Add New Process-Process Name Test4
26) 3 Add New Process-Department Test2
27) 3 Delete Process Click Delete Process button
28) 3 Save Process Click Save Process
29) 3 Reset Changes Click on Reset changes
30) 3 Go Back/ Exit Click on Go back/Exit
152
Appendix H – Business Intelligence Initiative Background
153
154
155
156
157
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