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Optimization of cloud infrastructure in the VWGS: Building an effective team with SkillMatrix

  • Volkswagen Group Services Slovakia (VWGS) faced a challenge to operate the cloud infrastructure for the whole of the concern Volkswagen. Aspecta implemented an innovative solution SkillMatrix, which allowed the efficient mapping of competences, the optimization of human resources and to increase the quality of IT services.

Key points:

✓ The solution to the lack of specialized teams through the Skill Matrix
✓ Efficient mapping of competences and optimization of human resources
✓ Accurate overview of the competences of the employees for effective decision making
✓ Modernization and optimization of the historical cloud infrastructure
✓ Personalised development plans, and clear career paths for employees

9. September 2024 ┃ 8 minutes reading

In today's world based on the technology is to manage the cloud infrastructure crucial for the success of large companies, including those in the automotive industry. These companies face significant challenges in building and maintaining a skilled IT team, particularly in the area of cloud technologies.

Traditional approaches in the field of human resources in a rapidly changing environment, the cloud, they often fail. Companies have the problem to find a balance between recruiting new talent, and the development of existing employees. The Trend is moving towards an advanced tool for mapping and the development of competencies, which allow you to better use of internal resources and the targeted improvement of the skills.

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Client – Volkswagen Group Services (VWGS)

Volkswagen Group Services Slovakia (VWGS) provides a variety of services parent Volkswagen and at the same time, is a key part of the global IT infrastructure of the concern Volkswagen. The company is focused on providing IT services and management of cloud infrastructure for the whole group Volkswagen. With a significant position within the group has VWGS responsibility for ensuring the reliable and efficient IT solutions that support innovation and growth in the automotive industry.
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The Issue

VWGS stood before a complex challenge to operate the cloud infrastructure for the whole of the concern Volkswagen. The main problems include:
 
  • The absence of a dedicated team: The company had built a team with the necessary skills and experience for the management of a modern cloud infrastructure.
  • Ineffective the existing infrastructure: In the organization there was a historical cloud infrastructure, which did not meet the current requirements for performance and efficiency.
  • The lack of an overview of responsibilities: The new management did not have a clear picture of the existing human resources and their capabilities, which limited the strategic planning.
  • Inefficient allocation of resources: There was a discrepancy between the allocation of employees on the service and their real abilities, leading to reduced quality of services and inefficient work.
  • Challenging recruitment: High demand for cloud specialists on the labour market creates additional challenges in building and maintaining a qualified team.

These problems not only pose a threat to the ability of VWGS efficiently operate the cloud infrastructure, but also potentially affecting the competitiveness of the entire group Volkswagen in the field of digital technologies.

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Objective

VWGS you set the goals build a qualified team for management, cloud infrastructure, implement a system for mapping and management of staff competence, optimize the allocation of employees to the project, create a system to identify the gaps in skills and planning of the development, improve the recruitment of new employees, to enhance the quality of IT services and reduce turnover by creating a system for career growth.
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Migration Process and Strategy

Aspecta designed and implemented a comprehensive SkillMatrix solution that addressed the identified challenges of VWGS. This solution provided a robust tool for managing competencies and optimizing human resources.

SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS allows you to:

  • Profiling services: The system allows you to create detailed profiles of services with clearly defined requirements for the competence. These requirements are graded on a scale from 0 to 4, where 0 means no requirement, and 4 represents the expert level. This approach provides a clear understanding of the needs of each service.
  • The report profiles of employees: SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS provides a comprehensive overview of the skills of each employee. Records all relevant technologies, cloud platforms, tools and certifications that the employee controls. This information is periodically updated and verified managers and experts, which ensures the accuracy and timeliness.
  • Analysis of gaps: The system automatically compares the needs of the services with the current abilities of the employees. This allows for the rapid identification of knowledge gaps and areas which require further development.
  • Personalised development plans: On the basis of identified gaps SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS generates individual development plans for each employee. These plans include recommendations for training and certification, which are necessary for the improvement of competence in specific areas.
  • Support recruitment: The system provides valuable information for the process of recruitment of new employees. It identifies the missing skills in the team and helps to define requirements for a new position, which supports the strategic growth of the team.

Implementation SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS brought a number of challenges had to be overcome:

  • The resistance of employees: Some of the staff showed concern about the new system for the assessment of competences. This issue was addressed through transparent communication about the benefits of the system and its significance for the personal development of each employee.
  • The consistency of the evaluation: Ensuring a coherent approach to the assessment of skills across different departments was difficult. The solution was the creation of detailed descriptions for each level of skills and training managers in their consistent use.
  • Integration with existing systems: Link SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS with existing HR and project systems require close cooperation with the IT department. Have been developed specific API interface to ensure a seamless exchange of data between systems.
  • The time complexity of the update: A regular update of the profiles of the employees was a challenge in terms of time and motivation. This problem was addressed through the implementation of automated notifications, and the introduction of gamification of the elements that motivate the employees to the regular updating their profiles.
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Example

As an example analysis for a service with the name of Plumber Service (Deployment framework service for the needs of the deployment to Kubernetes clusters standardized way)

1. In the first step have been identified in the individual skills needed for the operation of the service, at least at the level of the L2 support and L3 support.

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2. Collected individual profiles of the agents, where one can see how the pattern.

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3. Subsequently, a screening of the entire team was carried out to identify suitable candidates and to perform a gap analysis.

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Results and benefits

The implementation of the SkillMatrix brought VWGS significant improvements in the field of human resources management and the quality of the offered IT services:

✔ Efficient mapping of competences: Thanks to SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS managed to transparently map the ability and capacity of the team. This enabled better planning and more efficient to assign employees to different services and projects.

✔ Increase the quality of the service: Implementation of the tool significantly reduced the risk of mismatch between the competencies of employees and the requirements of the services. The result was to increase the quality of provided IT services and higher customer satisfaction of internal clients.

✔ Reduce turnover: Thanks to the better identification of the needs of employees for the development and creation of a clear career pathways are managed to reduce the turnover rate of key IT specialist.

✔ Improvement report for management: The new management has a detailed overview about the capabilities of the team, which enable more effective strategic decision making and planning of further development of the IT infrastructure.

✔ Optimization of education: Personalised development plans led to more targeted and efficient education of employees, which was reflected in a faster adopting new technologies and skills.

✔ Improve recruitment: SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS provide valuable information for the process of recruitment, which led to the adoption of the candidates, who better suited to the needs of the organization.

Thanks to that, today VWGS has a strong team of cloud experts with the necessary competencies and capabilities for the needs of the group and the operation of many critical cloud services and also helps to modernise the other.

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Conclusion

Implementation SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS in the company of VWGS is an important step in the optimization of the management of human resources in the field of IT and cloud infrastructure. This project not only solved the acute problems with the mapping of competencies and assignment of resources, but laid the foundations for a long-term strategic development of IT capabilities in the context of the concern Volkswagen.

Key factors for success were:

  • A holistic approach to the mapping of competences: This approach included not only the technical skills but also soft skills and potential for future development.
  • The flexibility of the system: Allows you to adapt to the changing needs of the organisation and the technology trends.
  • The emphasis on transparency: And engaging employees in the process of evaluation and development of their skills.
  • Integration SkillMatrix that addressed the challenges VWGS in a broader HR processes: Including recruitment, training and career planning.

 

This project demonstrates, how can the strategic use of technology in the field of human resources management can bring significant benefits not only for the IT department, but for the entire organization. VWGS now has a tool that allows them not only to respond effectively to the current challenges in the field of cloud infrastructure, but also to proactively prepare for future technological trends.