ULTIMA Works
- Customer
- LTIMindtree
- Project manager on the customer side
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- IT Provider
- LTIMindtree
- Year of project completion
- 2024
- Project timeline
- May, 2023 - April, 2024
- Project scope
- 28800 man-hours
- Goals
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- Information Security - Through Password less Authentication. Encryption, and Audit Trails
- Limiting Silos - Through Unified Communication Platforms, Integrated Data Systems and Cross Functional Teams
- Enabling People - Through Intuitive and customizable Interface and Self-Service Portal Integration
- Digitization - Through Electronic Data Management, On demand data
- Process Simplification - Through SOPs and Continuous Improvement
- On-Demand Provisioning - Through Cloud and Infra, serverless architecture, resource monitoring
- Tools Standardization - through Tooll selection and evaluation, Training and support
- Metrics Automation - Through Automated data collection, Dashboard and reporting
- Integration with Artificial Intelligence for Everyone - Through Copilot, Canvas AI and other tools
- Project Results
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With ULTIMA Works, employees have a single window to reach any application or information from a simple, hyper-personalized system of engagement. Apps can be searched based on name, keywords, function etc. making it easy to identify.Emphasis on usability - the user will be able to discover an app without any prior knowledge of the name or category. For many use cases, the operations have been simplified such that it can be performed inside ULTIMAWorks without having to switch to different applications.AI-Powered Search - AI search capabilities allow users to get information on the applications and policies based on natural language queries, making the system intuitive and user-friendly.
The uniqueness of the project
Almost all organizations often rely on a menu-driven approach for their intranet portal, which can be quite cumbersome for users who may not know exactly which menu option to use. The users must repeatedly navigate through different menus and interfaces, which can be both time-consuming and frustrating.
With ULTIMA Works, the focus on usability is a game-changer. The search functionality is one of the most powerful features of this platform. It allows users to search for application, people, and information in a seamless manner. By allowing users to discover applications without needing prior knowledge of their names or categories but based on the operation, functionality or purpose, we are significantly reducing the effort to find the apt application. Simplifying operations so that they can be performed within ULTIMA Works without switching between different screens is another excellent step towards enhancing user experience. This approach not only saves time but also reduces the cognitive load on users, making their interactions more intuitive and efficient.
ULTIMA Works is built as a platform to allow others to ‘build for ULTIMA Works’ and plug-in their applications into the platform by conforming to a few simple architectural rules related to authentication, authorization and context sharing.
- Used software
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ULTIMA Works is a 3-tier web platform built on Angular (UI), Java Web Services (business layer) and MongoDB (document database). It is hosted in an Azure environment with load balancers to ensure highly performant application. The business layer in Java is implemented as multiple micro services to ensure clear demarcation of data and responsibilities. The business layer is deployed in multiple systems and is managed via a load balancer. Replication has been configured for the databases so that it provides high availability in case of failures on one of the systems. The choice of MongoDB - a no-sql document database - allows us to modify the database schema easily without having to make major code changes - which would not have been possible in a traditional RDBMS.The UX philosophy is based on personas and emphasizes hyper-personalization. The focus is on 'discoverability' - i.e. user doesn't have to know which application to use for which operation but will be able to intuitively search.The search functionality is one of the most powerful features of this platform. It allows users to search for application, people, and information in a seamless manner. The search is powered by Gen AI capabilities from Azure OpenAI service and allows the user to find information related to policies and other sources from a single interface - thereby also acting as a chat interface.
- Difficulty of implementation
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ULTIMA Works being only a system of engagement, relies on the core systems of records such as SAP, Salesforce for data. Fetching data from these systems, requires API and feeds to be implemented and consumed - so that the load on the systems do not increase impacting the normal operation.The system is designed to be used by every employee across various devices, including laptops, tablets, and mobiles, with different screen factors and resolutions. Accessibility and usability were prioritized during the design phase, and continuous improvements are made to ensure that the system remains accessible to all employees.Timelines were a significant constraint, requiring the completion of the system and all related activities within a short period. Collaboration with different stakeholders was essential to gather all necessary details and fetch the required data. Technical integration with various applications involved working closely with app teams for data consumption.
- Project Description
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ULTIMA Works is a gateway to all systems and acts as an aggregator of information from various systems of records (SAP, Salesforce etc.). It provides a simple interface for users to view the data, navigate to the applications, without having to switch to different applications for different activities. As such, this is a highly critical application on which users depend.Users can discover and access applications easily, performing their tasks without needing to switch between multiple systems. This simplifies the user experience and enhances productivity.The system aggregates information from different sources and presents it logically in a single view. This is particularly useful for Project Managers who need a comprehensive overview of project related information.Preliminary access control ensures that only relevant applications are visible to users, enhancing security and usability.The system makes it easy to search for people and their profiles, facilitating collaboration among team members, especially new colleagues, through Teams chat.AI-powered search capabilities allow users to get information on the applications and policies based on natural language queries, making the system intuitive and user-friendly.
- Project geography
- Used by all LTIMindtree employees globally. We have 85,000+ employees across 32+ countries.
- Additional presentations:
- Global CIO PTY - Ultima Works.pdf