john cowper - head of architecture, wickes
TRANSCRIPT
CIO Forum
Taking a cloud first approach to digital transformation
John Cowper, Head of Architecture, Wickes9th November 2016
Context
• Wickes purchased 14 years ago by Travis Perkins
• Wickes was an expensive purchase and didn’t perform well
• IT investment was very limited – essentially no change• New MD appointed 3 years ago
- Business ambition to double turnover in 5 years - Requirement to modernise the IT systems to support this
Mandate
• Build an appropriate IT organisation
• Take a cloud first approach
• Take ownership of new systems• Be no more expensive than the current operation
Approach
• Build a core IT capability (hub) with a number of 3rd parties (spoke) – outsource as much as you can
• Use consultancy to compensate for lack of people
• Only do what is necessary• Evolution of ‘Modern Basics’
- Recognise that you can’t predict the future – build accordingly- Build as a Service Oriented Architecture using Microservices
Recent History – IT function
• 3 people in December
• 10 people in March
• ~30 people October
• ~40 people December
Dual concern in that it is necessary to build the function as well as the IT capability
IT function – Organisation Chart
CIOPMO
eCommServiceArchitectureDelivery
Program of Work
• Phase 1 – Space Planning
• Phase 2 – Stock and Inventory
• Phase 3 – Order Management
• Phase 4 – Microspace Planning
Dual concern in that it is necessary to build the function as well as the IT capability
Design Brief – Phase1
TP EstateJDA Estate
Space PlanningWickes Estate
Product
Location
NonRanged
Product
Location
Range
Range
IKB CKB
Design Brief
TP EstateJDA Estate
Space Planning
Product
Location
NonRanged
Product
Location
Range
Range
PlatformAWS Cloud
IntegrationWSO2
ServicesWSO2
Identity Service
Wickes AWS Cloud Architecture
Wickes Integration Architecture
Wickes Service Architecture
Architecture function – Org. Chart
HoA
Automation Architect
Integration Architect
Cloud Architect
Enterprise Architect
Development Timelines
PlatformAWS Cloud
IntegrationWSO2
ServicesWSO2
Identity Service
Architecture
Architecture
Development/3rd Party
Architecture
Jan
16
Apr
16
Jul 1
6
Oct
16
Jan
17
Big Ticket Items – to do
• Automation – to full Continuous Integration
• Logging
• Monitoring
• Alerting
Ambition is that nothing will go into production that isn’t automated
Future Programs of Work
• ERP
• WMS
• Distributed Order Management
• Stock
• Omni-Channel
• Establishing a ‘Cloud Centre of Excellence’
Lessons Learnt• Digital Transformation needs to be sponsored from a board level
• Management needs to understand, promote and facilitate it
• Development/Operations need to embrace it
• Business Users need to be inculcated into the model
• At least a vertical sliver of the organisation has to be bought in
• Building credibility with the business is vital
• Not having a mission critical system has been a god send
Digital Transformation/Agile is more ‘Hearts and Minds’ than it is a technology issue
Questions