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Success Story

Improving Engineering Productivity to Maximize Engineers’ Impact

Results at a Glance

  • Average tenure of 103 weeks on assignment
  • 95% accuracy on KPI requirements
  • Improved engineering capacity and time-to-engineer ratio

Key Success Factors

  • Enhanced onboarding through a customized two-week training calendar
  • Deployed and managed a team of 37 data entry and sourcing specialists
  • Improved engineering productivity by identifying and addressing areas of concern in collaboration with the client’s management team

Business Challenge

Disproportionate Time Spent on Tasks Outside of Core Engineering Responsibilities

Our client, an American multinational automaker, recognized that their engineers were spending up to 75% of their time performing administrative tasks rather than focusing on engineering. Due to a recent companywide restructuring initiative, pressure had been placed on the engineers to yield a higher output. To improve their time-to-engineer and production levels, it was imperative to reallocate administrative functions so that engineers could focus their efforts on technical design work.

Our Solution

Improving Consolidating Responsibilities to Build New Efficiencies

Due to a longstanding relationship with this client, rooted in a focus on people and a shared culture, our client trusted us to establish the framework for a program that would eliminate the need for engineers to dedicate their time to administrative functions. By closely collaborating with the client’s management team to identify gaps in engineer productivity, we were able to design a solution to optimize workflows and consolidate responsibilities throughout the organization for top-line efficiency.

We sourced and recruited a team of 37 data entry and sourcing specialists to fulfill administrative functions previously performed by engineers. As part of our solution, we enhanced onboarding through a customized two-week training calendar by utilizing a “learn-show-do” methodology. We also distributed assets, such as headsets and laptops, and provided a laptop tracking infrastructure, consultant welcome kits and employee badge activation. Remote onboarding was implemented and run by our centralization lead and team.

Throughout our partnership, we continually sought new opportunities to refine processes to add value. Structuring our semiannual performance reviews with each consultant around six main competency areas — communication, responsiveness, process management, problem-solving, functional and technical skills, and customer service skills) allowed our consultants to provide valuable feedback that benefited the program.

As consultants were offboarded, we conducted exit interviews to further assess and analyze opportunities for organizational enhancements and retention strategies. We also collected, deactivated and returned all assets and provisional equipment at the end of their assignment.

Results

A Self-Sustaining Model for Lasting Efficiency and Engineer Productivity

As a result of our partnership, engineers were able to successfully reallocate their time from administrative tasks to product design and innovation. Allowing engineers to focus on relevant work saved our client money by reducing the time needed to complete projects. The new support team we put in place, consisting of data entry and sourcing specialists, had an average tenure of 103 weeks on assignment and a 95% accuracy rate on KPIs required for the program’s success — allowing our client to see an increase data integrity and minimized rework.

By building a close partnership with leadership and conducting thorough knowledge transfer process early in the project, we were able to operate self-sufficiently and relieve the client of all daily oversight, management, program allocation and decision-making processes within the team. Capturing key information upfront helped us evolve the consultants’ onboarding experience, enabling a further reduction of our client’s time-to-productivity model and fostering lasting efficiency after the project completion date.

Additionally, we were able to apply our lessons learned to other programs with our client and have continued to engage in open communication to further cultivate a lasting partnership.

Aston Carter worked with us to design a plan that improved efficiency. With their support, we are saving both time and money, and our engineers are more satisfied in their roles.

Sr. Engineering Manager, Multinational Auto Manufacturer

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