Abstract
This quest for operational excellence must be done while keeping the lights on and tackling the everyday issues that arise in managing a technology-intensive business. The winners in this category show how it can be done effectively.
Operational efficiency can be obtained in multiple ways. This year's model insurer winners have excelled in artificial intelligence and machine learning, creating an agile center of excellence, and rationalizing IT architecture standards and processes. Winners are from North America, Europe, and Asia. There is something for everyone in this report on how to improve operational excellence.
Celent recognizes three companies with a 2019 Model Insurer Award in Operational Excellence:
Winner |
Initiative |
Synopsis |
Aegon Nederland N.V. |
Non Negotiables — Freedom within Architectural Boundaries |
Implemented Enterprise Architecture Models and principles that achieve maximal freedom for teams within pre-defined boundaries, ensuring flexibility and enabling fast time to market. In the context of a new strategy, Aegon N.V. introduced agile working practices and self-managing teams. The IT enterprise architecture function and practices needed to evolve to support this strategy and way of working, to guarantee flexibility, agility, cost-effectiveness, and ecosystem readiness in the years to come. |
Allstate Insurance Company |
Becoming the Agile Center of Excellence — a Legacy Transformation |
Implemented an Agile Center of Excellence (COE) as part of the Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures (ATSV) Program Management Office (PMO). The Agile COE supports all lines of business globally. The Agile COE replaced the previous Waterfall project orientation which typically resulted in projects taking up to a year to complete. Waterfall methodologies slowed the pace of change. The Agile COE shifted the culture away from the traditional methodologies through coaching, training, change management, and global technologies. |
Bajaj Allianz |
Tal.Port |
Developed and implemented Tal.Port, an interactive recruitment simulation tool which is accessible anywhere, anytime, on any device. Tal.Port’s main feature is a virtual employee, Eve, who represents the end-to-end automated recruitment platform. The platform leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to augment the recruitment process. |