Explore our client cases
Banking and insurance
Requirements specification
Developing requirements documentation through sparring
Elo wanted to invest in clear and consistent requirements documentation, and the analysis of the current state and future direction required an external perspective. As a long-term partner, Reflector proposed joint sparring sessions where Elo’s business analysts, product owner, enterprise architect, and project manager could develop documentation practices together—in a practical manner and closely aligned with the business.
Solution
Reflector’s consultants designed a series of three workshops where theory took a back seat and the focus remained on Elo’s actual documentation and concrete situations. The sessions included extensive discussion and analysis, which generated shared insights and practical tools for standardizing documentation.
Benefits
The teams gained clarity on what type of requirements documentation best supports both implementation and system lifecycle management. The workshops achieved an NPS of over 70. The collaboration continues with the development of model descriptions and best practices for specification work.
Requirements specification
Using AI tools in requirements specification
LähiTapiola’s business analysts participated in training that introduced them to the AI features of Confluence and Jira tools. Reflector’s Ali Zahabi guided participants in a practical manner on leveraging AI in requirements management.
Solution
The training aimed to both inspire and concretely demonstrate how AI can support the daily work of business analysts.
The training covered use cases for AI functions ranging from text summarization to test case creation and writing acceptance criteria for specifications. Participants also had the opportunity to try out how AI accelerates and clarifies the specification process. The training was tailored to LähiTapiola’s needs.
Benefits
Participants felt they gained concrete benefits for their own work from the training. Practical exercises, clear examples, and the diverse applications of AI received particular praise. Using AI in daily work now feels easier to participants.
Requirements specification
Development model analysis
The client had a technology project that was not progressing as planned. The testing phase had extended and, consequently, the production deployment had been delayed. The client lacked sufficient technical expertise and methodological knowledge to identify the underlying causes of these problems. The client sought assistance from a neutral party to analyze the situation and provide an external opinion on whether the implementation could be moved to production.
Solution
Rather than examining only the testing phase issues, we took a broader approach. We analyzed the project’s starting points, objectives, and working methods, as well as their impact on the situation.
We helped the client understand that the project’s starting points and objectives did not align, and the root cause was found in the operating model, not in testing. The organization had transitioned from system development to product development without actually building a product architecture.
Benefits
The client quickly received an external perspective on the project’s actual status and concrete guidance for implementing corrective actions. The client was able to target corrective measures appropriately and successfully complete the project.
Technology industry
Architecture
COBOL system conversion to Java
Visma Aquila’s core system had been built on COBOL since the early 1990s. Over the decades, developing the system had become laborious, COBOL experts were retiring, and business agility was under threat. A major conversion project was needed to translate over a million lines of business logic code into Java in a controlled manner without production outages.
Solution
Reflector and technology partner twoday first built a Proof of Concept solution to ensure the feasibility of the conversion. Instead of manual work, they developed a customized conversion tool that produces high-quality and maintainable Java code from COBOL code. The conversion was divided into vertical slices: complete functionalities were moved to production one at a time, keeping risks under control and making results visible to the business incrementally.
Benefits
The client received a modern Java platform that enables continued system development using contemporary methods. The conversion tool produces code that the client’s own developers can directly utilize. The phased approach significantly reduced project risks and delivered visible results during the project.
Other industries
Architecture
Enterprise architecture modeling
The client’s enterprise architecture description had deteriorated. Architecture descriptions had been created using different tools and had not been linked together. The overall picture of information systems and supporting infrastructure was outdated and incomplete. A new, systematic approach was needed to model the whole so that essential elements could be documented. At the same time, the model content needed to be brought up to date.
Solution
We developed an architecture method, documentation approach, and modeling for the client. Content for the new model was obtained by interviewing the client’s experts. The client’s old models, descriptions, and lists were also utilized in building the model.
Automation was built for automatic conversion and reporting of source materials. The work utilized ArchiMate notation and the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect tool.
Benefits
The client received a renewed tool for smooth enterprise architecture management. Various and separate descriptions were replaced by a single model in one tool that describes the whole, which the client’s own personnel can easily maintain themselves going forward.
Architecture
ERP procurement support
The client was renewing their ERP systems. Strategy-driven requirements specification had already been conducted together with a technology vendor.
The client also wanted a vendor-independent perspective and support in the ERP system selection process. The client had considerable expertise of their own, but wanted to balance the workload and obtain an external perspective to validate and also challenge their own decisions.
Solution
In this assignment, we supported the client in refining requirements, describing the target architecture, and conducting and evaluating simulations implemented as Proof of Concept. Part of the work was workshop-based, and part was conducted more informally by mentoring and sparring with the client.
Benefits
The client received an independent perspective from our architects who have operated in similar situations. The client’s own views on ERP selection criteria were validated, and the client was able to clarify the role of the ERP system in the target architecture. This groundwork created a solid foundation for continuing the development project.
Architecture
Change management analysis
As the business grew and expanded, our client’s operations faced various change pressures due to acquisitions, operational efficiency improvements, and scaling. The company wanted to test enterprise architecture modeling methods in business development and brought us into this work.
The client’s objective was to understand the impact of different change drivers on their business. The client was also interested in adopting enterprise architecture development as a methodology in their organization so they could manage change more effectively themselves.
Solution
Our consultants began the work by describing the company’s structure from both internal (business model) and external (services, customers) perspectives. This was followed by a review of the various challenges and change drivers currently affecting their operations. The impact of change drivers on the company’s operations and structure was analyzed from different enterprise architecture perspectives.
One highly defined area was selected for closer examination. For this area, progression options were identified and the impact of change on the structure was described at a more detailed level.
Benefits
Our client received a quick start in utilizing enterprise architecture methods for business development. This helps in understanding the whole and selecting progression options in various situations.
The client received an enterprise architecture description that can be utilized in implementing changes and analyzing future situations. Detailed, practical, and feasible plans were created for the selected development area. Friction points and gaps were identified. The organization also began using consistent terminology.
What our clients say
Petri Kiviaho is a true project professional who has repeatedly proven to be an outstanding expert. At LähiTapiola, we are extremely satisfied and pleased with how he brings not only top-tier expertise to projects, but also calmness and firmness. Petri gets even the most complex tasks completed with style and efficiency.
Eveliina Sivlen
Service Manager, LähiTapiola
What our clients say
Our clients
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