The Big Data Challenges 1

The Big Data Challenges

Scott A. Lorenzen
Strayer University

THE BIG DATA CHALLENGES 2
Abstract
Volvo Corporation broke away from its parent company of Ford in 2010. The company already
had in place a network infrastructure, many servers, and mainframes for its information to be
stored. However, Volvo wanted to improve its process and procedures, collaboration efforts,
self-servicing, consolidation of software products, and simplifying the IT environment. In
March of 2012, Volvo reached out to Microsoft Services and began a pilot solution to improve
the current business intelligence and reporting.
THE BIG DATA CHALLENGES 3
The Big Data Challenges
Judge how Volvo Car Corporation integrated the cloud infrastructure into their networks.
Being a pilot group for any technology is great because of the reduced cost. In addition,
since the foundation of the system is already a part of process and procedures it is not hard to
expand the usage to others in the corporation. By working with Microsoft Volvo is the first pilot
group of newer technology running on newer, up to date, software and operating systems. To
date the latest software offered by Microsoft is Server 2012, SQL 2012, SharePoint Server 2010,
Business Intelligence data management software, and Microsoft Office 2013. Microsoft is still
the leader in Operating System (OS) Market share it would make sense that the more familiar the
employee is with the OS or applications the faster the results. From a cost savings perspective,
this would be a great choice as on other projects, not related to IT, such as a new roof and the
company gives you a price break because you display their business sign out in front of your
home. Being a pilot group provides the company a price break for running the vendors software
and allowing the vendor to create case studies. However, one drawback would be working with
only one company means that when the software infrastructure is at end of life you have either
upgrade or pay extra for legacy support, which can be costly. I find with my research the
company is focusing on each area that it can improve such as Microsoft products for the
employees to collaborate and send information back and forth, Siemens products for robotic
operations, Teradata warehousing products for relational database connections such as the
connection between warranty data and diagnostic readout information. The ability to use
software to cross the digital boundaries of another vendor is not an easy task and can run over
budget, yet the rewards of just in time data for making decisions is crucial in todays business to
keep ahead which Volvo has embraced.
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Explain how Volvo Car Corporation transforms data into knowledge.
The Volvo car corporation is a higher quality car and built not on mass production but a
modular flexible production of its vehicles. One way that Volvo has decreased its time of
simulation documentation required for the robotics at each welding station is to use Siemens
PLM software that is a data management foundation. Since the incorporation of the Siemens
PLM software, the time to deliver key documentation takes 10 percent of the time that it used to.
Volvo has grown over the years and has branched out its manufacturing sites to include a new
location in China. The challenge of branching out is the transferring of engineering experience
that the company has learned and documented over its years of operations. Using Siemens
Tecnomatix software information with best practices and methodologies successfully transferred
to the new plant and was operational sooner than expected. Using a combination of products,
Teradata, SAP BusinessObjects, and Microsoft .NET, improved time to generate reports needed
to make informed decisions. With each of these developed standards, improvements seen in
enhanced warranty reimbursements, engineering efficiency and cross-functional quality analysis
allows for decision-making based on facts and not assumptions.
Identify the real-time information systems implemented and evaluate the impact of
these implementations. In my research, I found that, in June of 2003, Volvo worked with a
company Enigma Inc., which since then was bought by PTC, and a Servigistics Service
Information Delivery system. This new system made use of the current infrastructure and
information systems to provide access to integrated parts, services, and pricing information. As
the Volvo strives to be number one in the market of customer service this integrated systems
helps the mechanic diagnose issues with cars, order replacement parts, and streamline other
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financial processes. The system also allows the customer to login to a website, type in the
vehicle VIN number and find all the information about the car, parts, diagnostics, service
information, and other relative information for the vehicle. Since the customer can retrieve their
information about their vehicle and their purchase, it generates a good feeling towards the
company. I am a Toyota owner and I find myself pondering why Toyota does not offer
something like this. I am in need of a new electronic window button for the driver side as
sometimes it goes up and sometimes it wont and other times it will go down and will not go
back up unless I turn the car off and let it sit for a min or two then it will go up. It would be
great to know how much I am looking at for my next visit to the dealership if I have them fix it,
but the website does not have this level of information.
Argue how the Big Data strategy gives Volvo Car Corporation a competitive advantage.
Over the years, Volvo has proven itself to have a competitive advantage by focusing on three
levels, first leading the industry with high safety standards. These levels of standards measured
using the data from the Servigistics Service Information Delivery system show that the company
is ahead of the other manufacturers. Secondly, using sensors to feed the information system with
data engineers can design a more pleasant ride that focuses on their Scandinavian design and sets
them apart from any other. Another topic, which I did not talk about, is the focus on
environmental care. We all know Volvo is a sign of quality and prestige. As stated earlier,
customer experience is paramount to Volvo and the company is very customer focused. Lastly,
the driving dynamics of their vehicles make it enjoyable and well worth the price. Over the
years since the founding of the company over 15 million Volvo, cars produced so they must be
doing something right.
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References
Microsoft Case Study: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence - Volvo Car
Corporation. (2012, March 19). Retrieved April 16, 2014, from
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Microsoft-SQL-Server-2012-Business-
Intelligence/Volvo-Car-Corporation/BI-Solution-Boosts-Operational-Efficiency-and-
Reduces-Costs-at-Volvo-Car-Corporation/710000000271
Customer Case Studies and Videos. (2009, June 29). Retrieved April 20, 2014, from
http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/about_us/success/case_study.cfm?Comp
onent=148707&ComponentTemplate=1481
Author: Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software
Tobey, B. (2010). Teradata Magazine Online. Retrieved from
http://www.teradatamagazine.com/v10n02/Features/Data-in-the-drivers-seat/
T. (n.d.). A Car Company Powered by Data. A Car Company Powered by Data, pp. 1-12.
Covert, R. (2003, June 03). Enigma 3C Platform Used by Volvo for Aftersales and Diagnostic IS.
Retrieved April 20, 2014, from http://xml.coverpages.org/EnigmaVolvo.html