May 2016 - Novarica’s fifth annual best practices case study compendium includes more than 30 detailed examples of recent IT initiatives that delivered real business impact.

Each case details business goals, project sponsor, team structure, project timeline, tools and technology used, challenges faced, success factors, and business results delivered.

These cases are qualified for the Novarica Research Council Impact Awards, which will be determined by a vote of CIO Council Members and announced in September 2016.

Topics Covered

• Core Systems, including components, full suite, and SaaS deployments
• Data and Analytics, including self-service dashboards, data infrastructure, and investment systems
• Digital, including agent and customer portals, mobile, and telematics

Key Points and Findings

Agile growing in importance, driving project success. Use of Agile development was a critical success factor in many of these cases, facilitating improved communication between IT and project sponsors and users.
Executive support and strong communication practices are critical. IT projects are not delivered in a vacuum—communication and organizational commitment can be more important than technology used.
Training, often overlooked, is key to value creation. Systems can’t deliver value unless users understand how to use them, and how they benefit from using them.

Table of Contents

• Introduction..................................................................................................4
• Common Characteristics of Impactful Projects....................5
• Core.......................................................................................................6
• AFLAC: Enabling One-Day Health Claims Payments........8
• AIG Canada: A&H Legacy Transformation................................9
• CSAA: Core Systems Replacement............................................10
• Tokio Marine HCC: Core Systems Consolidation...............11
• American Farmers: Cloud Core Systems Conversion.....12
• Farm Bureau of Michigan: Core Suite Conversion............13
• Figo Pet Insurance: Start-Up Core Systems.........................14
• GuideOne: Core Systems Replacement.................................15
• Heritage: Hosted Core Systems Deployment.....................16
• Legal and General: Rapid Product Launch...........................17
• Michigan Millers: Forms Creation................................................18
• Trustmark: Product Launch on Hybrid Platform...............19
• Data....................................................................................................20
• MetLife: Investment Analytics and Operations..................21
• Tokio Marine HCC: Weather Data Integration.....................22
• Amerisure: Self-Service Analytics..............................................23
• Farm Bureau Financial Services: Enterprise Data............24
• Fidelity & Guaranty: Enterprise Data Hub.............................25
• Glatfelter: Self-Service Business Intelligence...................26
• Merchants Mutual: Enterprise Data Repository.................27
• Trustmark: Enterprise Operational Analytics......................28
• Digital...............................................................................................29
• Answer Financial: Telematics Driver Safety.........................31
• Everest Insurance: Broker Portal.................................................32
• Great American: Digital Agent Service....................................33
• The Hartford: Group Benefits Digital & Mobile..................34
• Unum: Digital/Mobile Claims Self-Service.........................35
• Eastern Alliance: ACORD Data Transformation.................36
• Florida Pennisula: Online Homeowner Quotes.................37
• Frank Winston Crum Insurance: Agent Portal....................38
• Homesite: Self-Service for Claimants and Partners.......39
• Norcal Mutual: Mobile Medical Education............................40
• IT Practice........................................................................................41
• Glatfelter: Security Awareness Program................................42
• Prudential: Tech Business Management Office.................43
• The Hartford: Infrastructure Optimization............................44
• Unum: Agile..............................................................................................45
• Next Steps and Related Research.............................................46
• About Novarica......................................................................................47
• Authors.......................................................................................................47