Complex TrackWise Data Remediation

Overview

The client is a US-based Fortune 500 medical technologies firm. Their products include implants used in joint replacement and trauma surgeries; surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems; endoscopic and communications systems; patient handling and emergency medical equipment; neurosurgical, neurovascular and spinal devices; and other medical device products used in a variety of medical specialties.

Objective

The client had a mission-critical TrackWise system used globally. They opted to redefine the TrackWise configuration model to accommodate changes to the business, take advantage of significant cost savings and enhance the client’s abilities to conform to regulations. As a result, the TrackWise data itself required updating, or data remediation. The data remediation demanded 2.9 million updates to the database. Time was of the essence. The original schedule of six months was compressed to four, and the window of opportunity to go to production was scheduled to coincide with a global rollout. Further, the total time to complete the process was limited to twelve hours for completing a long list of coordinated tasks.

Technical Challenge

The data had to be updated in a way that preserved the existing family hierarchy without compromising data integrity. Moreover, the data set contained personal information from the US as well as Europe. When the client identified that the data remediation carried this much significant risk, they called on Sparta Systems for options, and determined they had to limit their vendor options to a Safe Harbor Certified company like Valiance Partners.

One solution contemplated was to migrate the data to another TrackWise system. But the cost and timeframes were prohibitive. An alternative was to simply leave the inefficiency in place. In collaboration with Sparta, Valiance identified the best of both alternatives — to conduct the update with the data in place.

Valiance Solution

Armed with InSight Methodology, TRUmigrate, TRUcompare and TRUconsole, Valiance Partners arrived on the scene. In a carefully designed operation, Valiance created an in-place update mechanism conformed to the client’s business needs. No data had to be removed from the database. By performing systematic updates, the process could be done in place.

Valiance was able to automate the entire update process, even providing the detailed audit trail of every single update. During the process, Valiance rebuilt certain parts of the records, based on information available from other parts of the database.

To ensure success at every stage of the process, Valiance took several precautions. Most importantly, they worked hand in hand with Sparta’s R&D team to ensure that data updates were conforming to the TrackWise design principles: nothing could nullify any product warranty. Valiance created a prototype of the solution in the first two weeks of the project, which after significant testing enhanced the client’s confidence in the team’s ability to succeed. Additionally, Valiance:

• created a detailed review of requirements by analyzing use cases;
• provided a precise requirement spec that users could understand; and
• conducted reviews to ensure that the TrackWise data integrity was not compromised.

Results

Valiance collaborated with Sparta and gave the client what its business needed – a solution that was creative and an approach that minimized risk, delivered on time and on budget. When the project completed successfully the client made it clear that all of their expectations had been met. Valiance was asked to make a presentation on its capabilities to a wider audience that included senior management from other business units.

In complimenting Valiance on the job, the client admitted surprise at how quickly Valiance understood the business challenge and provided a prototype. They were also impressed by the vast array of platforms and technologies Valiance’s toolset supported.