OWENS CORNING
DATE: 11/2022-06/2023 COMPANY: OWENSCORNING
CONTRACT POSITION: BUSINESS ANALYST
Background: In my role as a business analyst and project manager, I took on the challenge of expanding Owens Corning’s online presence by launching a Canadian version of its website. The primary focus was on replicating key features from the United States website, with a specific emphasis on the Find a Contractor and Pick Your Shingle functionalities. Owens Corning engaged me for a six-month contract to oversee this initiative.
Challenges: The project presented several challenges, including adapting the existing website to meet Canadian market needs, integrating multilingual capabilities, and ensuring a seamless user experience. Success depended on collaboration with cross-functional teams and strict adherence to a six-month timeline.
Approach: I adopted a comprehensive approach to address these challenges. Collaborating closely with the Product Owner, Agile Release Manager, UX team, and developers, I leveraged agile methodologies to manage digital product portfolios. Utilizing tools such as Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence, Box, and Sack facilitated effective communication and project tracking.
Actions Taken: As the Business Analyst and Project Manager, I played a pivotal role in translating technical requirements into actionable tickets, coordinating with UX and Development leads. Critical steps involved facilitating approvals for necessary assets and content, performing quality assurance, and supporting user-acceptance testing. I also provided ongoing assistance for existing initiatives within the GIS Digital Marketing agile scrum cadence.
Results: The project successfully launched the Canadian multilingual website within the stipulated six-month timeline. The collaboration among the cross-functional team ensured a smooth go-live ready launch day. Monthly and quarterly analytics reporting underscored the project’s success, with positive user feedback on the Find a Contractor and Pick Your Shingle features.
Takeaways: This project underscored the critical importance of effective communication and collaboration for success. The use of collaboration tools facilitated seamless coordination, and early stakeholder engagement streamlined workflows. A crucial takeaway was the importance of ensuring a clear cadence when planning sprints, emphasizing the need for structured and well-defined timelines to enhance project efficiency and delivery. The experience reinforced the value of adaptability and responsiveness to changes within the agile development process, highlighting the significance of a well-coordinated, cross-functional team in navigating challenges successfully.