The company is dedicated to alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions worldwide, treating over 70 health conditions through innovative medical solutions.
Initially implemented as a standalone server version in 2019, ActivityTimeline has now evolved into a vital cloud-based tool for the Swiss office of Medtronic, enhancing their project management and resource allocation processes.
The Challenge
Medtronic faced significant challenges in managing their project workflows and resources. Previously, they relied on Excel for tracking, a method known for being slow and error-prone. This old system became increasingly difficult to manage as Medtronic grew, making it hard to keep up with the demands of their expanding operations.
"Before, everything was done on Excel. It was pretty complicated for the planning, almost impossible to do. Years ago before we started with ActivityTimeline, the goal was to get a tool where we could have a worker log in the hours, but also manager, people manager to be able to do some task trackings, the need to have reporting, to be able to see if we meet the deadline."
Sebastian Quiroga, Business System Analyst at Medtronic
This situation highlighted the urgent need for a more efficient and scalable solution like ActivityTimeline, which could better support their growing needs.
The Solution
ActivityTimeline was chosen as the solution to Medtronic’s needs due to its user-friendly interface and powerful integration capabilities. It promised to simplify the management of tasks and resources by providing clear visibility and easy tracking, which was exactly what Medtronic needed to improve their operational efficiency.
Implementation
The implementation of ActivityTimeline involved integrating Jira with Medtronic’s existing tools like Microsoft Project through an add-on called Ceptah Bridge. This allowed for a smooth synchronization of tasks between Microsoft Project and Jira, enabling a seamless flow of information and updates across platforms. This integration was critical in managing the thousands of tasks and hundreds of users involved in Medtronic's quarterly planning.
"We now have the possibility to synchronize each task in the Microsoft project to Jira task...it's a way for a project manager to synchronize all the workload."
Sebastian Quiroga, Business System Analyst at Medtronic
In addition to this integration, Medtronic required a tailored solution to enhance their vacation management. Responding to this need, a custom feature was developed to synchronize from an external interface that is running daily and put out of the office automatically on users.
Benefits
With ActivityTimeline, Medtronic experienced a significant transformation in its workflow management. The platform helped them to efficiently assign and track tasks, manage project timelines, and forecast resource needs without the previous overload. This led to an increase in productivity and better management of team capacities.
"So we are using the plan and using the work, we are using everything inside of each level. If you are a manager, you can track using the timesheets. If you want to have a high overview, you are using the reporting and the people who are working directly on the task are most using the Work. My workplace."
Sebastian Quiroga, Business System Analyst at Medtronic
This comprehensive use of ActivityTimeline's features demonstrates its effectiveness in streamlining Medtronic's operations. Managers can oversee team workloads through timesheets, while senior leadership gains a broad view through strategic reports.
Feedback and Future Plans
Sebastian values ActivityTimeline for its impact and the excellent support provided by the team. Currently, out of 200 users on the site, 150 actively use ActivityTimeline. The remaining 50 are simply not involved with Jira, and thus have no requirement for the tool in their roles.
Sebastian highlights the "Overdue Issue Report" feature as particularly beneficial, which was implemented based on his suggestion.
"It is reporting to display the overdue tasks... it's very useful for us because we can see from my team all overdue tasks."
Sebastian Quiroga, Business System Analyst at Medtronic
This feature allows managers to effectively monitor and manage overdue tasks, ensuring more timely project completions and enhanced productivity.
Conclusion
ActivityTimeline has proven to be a game-changer for Medtronic, enhancing its ability to manage large-scale projects and improve resource allocation. Sebastian’s recommendation of the software to other companies looking for efficient project management solutions is a testament to its effectiveness and the positive changes it has brought to Medtronic.
