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the AA upskilling case study

The AA.

Developing skills and agile processes to create a data platform.

  • Ways of working embedded to support data and analytics capabilities
  • Technical cloud skills developed across data and Azure
  • To expand cloud’s reach and drive value from it

Project Summary.

Services provided:
Data Estate & Analytics
In partnership with:
Microsoft Azure LogoAzure
Client industry:
AviationAviation & Transportation
Client location:
United Kingdom

The client.

The Automobile Association (AA) is the UK’s largest motoring organisation, offering breakdown cover, finance, insurance, leisure and lifestyle services.

It has over 14 million members and has a unique history of embracing technology and innovation – from setting up their first motorbike patrols to piloting connected cars.

The AA

Challenge.

Envisaging cloud skills gaps – and enabling teams to develop new cloud-driven data capabilities

The AA offers a wide range of services but didn’t have a centralised data analytics store. They wanted to create a unified data lake that different business applications and functions could draw on, in order to streamline quotation processes, develop smart breakdown capabilities and integrate with financial services tools. The AA had been using cloud on the digital side of the business, but this was the first time the data side of the business had used it for meaningful service delivery.

Nordcloud started working with the AA to help build the analytics capability – training wasn’t on the initial agenda. However, al though there was Azure experience within the team, it became clear they needed additional cloud upskilling and agile training to develop and support the data and analytics platform in the way they wanted.

Solution.

Technical and agile training to embed new skills and ways of working

We designed a customised upskilling and transition programme that covered cloud basics, data, agile and Azure.

The focus was on helping the teams understand why the roadmap was structured as it was and how the new platform would affect their daily lives.

Our development team started by creating extensive documentation for the data and analytics platform.

During 4 workshops, we took data and development team members through the documentation and did hands-on exercises so they could interrogate the framework and get comfortable with the detail of agile implementation.

We also provided Azure training to fill the technical skills gaps.

Customised upskilling

Focused on agile ways of working

Documentation

Creation + workshops to educate and engage

Technical training

To boost cloud skills

Results.

Teams empowered to expand cloud’s reach in the organisation – and drive business value

We took the AA through the whole cloud enablement journey, including the transition and training. They’ve been able to implement agile ways of working, which has increased velocity and helped them leverage Azure’s scalability benefits.

With the new skills, the teams can get from proof of concept to production – and deliver value to the business – more quickly. They’re in a stronger position to manage remote teams, and are now empowered to develop and support their platform.

There’s been positive feedback from all levels – from programme and project management through to the heads of business units that will be using the data in the platform.