Values Added
  • Implemented new system within 2 weeks after being onboarded
  • 24/7 Access with Live Updates

    laughing Yes!
  • Eliminated having to track projects on a separate copy
  • Transformed the way Marketing Operations track projects

    surprised Wow
  • Since Smartsheets includes form generation, the team was able to sunset the paid subscription of another tool, and saved $10,000 in monthly expense
  • Z100% User Adoption
    Background

    When I first joined the Marketing Operations team, I learned that the team has been using Excel Workbook with each spreadsheet

    Transformed Marketing Ops’ Operations

    assigned for each team to track their projects. I think Excel is a wonderful desktop application; however, when it comes to group editing a single file, Excel application isn’t the best tool to use to ensure every shared user would have the most updated version. Because of this limitation, the Marketing Operations team had a workaround (see The Old Way section below), which I thought was difficult for me to practice knowing that there are other types of online tools that allow more access and still be able to collaborate and co-author into a single view for the leadership team.

    During the first two weeks after I onboarded, I built a project tracking system using Smartsheet, that has the same functionalities with a similar look and feel for the end-users. I took a couple of webinars to learn how to use the dashboard roll-up functions, and applied what I learned, added formulas and group-shared-filters for additional functionalities that offered a better view for the leadership team. Within the first two weeks of my ramp-up period, I presented the project tracking system that I built to the team knowing that it would be adopted immediately based on the similarities in functions without all of the restrictions. This was one of the first operational solutions that I built at Dolby Laboratories. As you see in the screenshot above, 5. Digital Content, Comm & Media (DCCM), which was the newest team that was formed. It was the team that I, eventually, had been assigned to and helped build.

    The Old Way
    P
    Shared view access
    P
    Table view with columns, rows, and cells
    P
    Each spreadsheet assigned to each team with similar look, but also had columns that are unique to that specific group
    P
    Print out weekly reports for senior leadership
    O
    Limited rotating weekly assigned time block for updating the assigned spreadsheet stored on shared drive
    O
    Each Program Manager kept a copy of their assigned spreadsheet, which was updated on a regular basis as they worked, and transferred the most updated version onto the Shared Workbook during their assigned time block
    r
    No dashboard views
    q
    Had to keep same columns as weekly report, which were too simplistic for managing complex projects, especially ones involving partnership with vendors and cross-functional resources
    The Transformed Way
    Z
    Shared view access
    Z
    Table view with columns, rows, and cells
    Z
    Each spreadsheet assigned to each team with similar look, but also had columns that are unique to that specific group
    Z
    Print out weekly reports for senior leadership
    V
    Limited rotating assigned weekly time block for updating the assigned spreadsheet stored on shared drive
    V
    Each Program Manager kept a copy of their assigned spreadsheet, which was updated on a regular basis as they worked, and transferred the most updated version onto the Shared Workbook during their assigned time block
    Dashboard Roll-up - display summary snapshot of all teams (i.e. project count, etc.)
    24/7 Write Access to the assigned sheet - allowed live update at any time
    No need to keep a separate file for updating
    Auto-Generated weekly report with filtered view, which allowed all users to add additional columns for their own notes, or display cell information from another sheet which further breaks down the tasks for tracking more complex projects, and can generate other reports with different views for other purposes

    National Sojourners is a non-profit fraternal Masonic military society promoting Americanism and Patriotism through educational presentations and ceremonies. The organization provides Youth Education Programs,  scholarships to Freedom Foundation programs, sponsors annual scholarship Essay programs, and presents awards to College and High School ROTC students across the country. There are 164 active Chapters of National Sojourners across the country, plus more overseas. The National Sojourners has a long history that goes all the way back to its Origin, George Washington, a respected commander at the head of the Army. He was an honored guest in a Field Lodge. If you want to learn more about the Legacy of the American Military Mason, take a look at this deck.

    dinner invitation

     

    Even though this dinner event happened awhile ago, I still remember that evening vividly. Being invited as the guest of honor to this prestigious event was extraordinary. It was amazing to have a meal together with a room full of Master Masons, highly accomplished Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers, past and present of the Uniformed Services of the United States. This dinner event was held at the Presidio's Officer Club. I attended a number of important events that took place in the Presidio during that period of my life before it turned into a National Park. This was one of them.

    I was and still am humbled by the opportunity and the experience of being a Brigade Commander that year. As the top officer leading and managing the operations of a district-wide leadership training program. The U.S Army is one of the respectable leadership development institutions in the country. That year, two mentors from the Army of Instructions were coaching me and I had 10 of the brightest officers on my staff. We organized and hosted many district-wide events consecutively for our 2000+ members across eight campuses, which included a week-long training at Camp Park in Dublin.

    The granted opportunity of having that C-level executive leadership experience was as rare as the shiny medal that I received that evening. The journey of getting there was triumphant. It took more than just doing hard work to be the best of the best amongst a pool of other outstanding leaders. Little did I know that spending that evening having dinner with Master Masons was a preview into my career in Operations working with the amazing leaders and top talents in the industry.

    What a way to kick start my career! Thank you, National Sojourners, Inc. Golden Gate Chapter No. 18, for your support and recognition.