Engagements

A major government-backed mortgage guarantor: Mortgage Data Standardization

Late 2008, A GSE (government-sponsored enterprise) faced a critical challenge in standardizing mortgage data feeds from multiple loan originators in the aftermath of the great financial crisis. The project required:

  • Data Feed Analysis
    • Mapped files from 25+ different loan originators
    • Standardized 200+ mortgage data fields
    • Created validation rules for data quality
    • Designed exception handling processes
  • Deliverables
    • Comprehensive data dictionary
    • Field-level mapping specifications
    • Data quality rulebook
    • Implementation roadmap

The project charter established clear success metrics focused on reducing data processing errors by 60% and accelerating loan data ingestion by 40%.

A legacy U.S. bank from Chicago that merged into a global giant: Trade Data Reconciliation

In early 2009, Bank One initiated a project to overhaul their trade data reconciliation process. Key components included:

  • Workflow Design
    • End-of-day reconciliation process
    • Break resolution procedures
    • Escalation matrices
    • Audit trail requirements
  • Technical Requirements
    • File format specifications
    • Matching rules engine
    • Exception handling framework
    • Reporting requirements

The project plan included a phased rollout strategy, starting with equities and expanding to fixed income and derivatives.

One of Australia’s big four banks: Securities Master Data

Mid-2009 saw NAB embarking on a securities master data management initiative. Focus areas included:

  • Vendor Integration
    • Bloomberg data feed specifications
    • Reuters pricing feed integration
    • Corporate actions processing
    • Rating agency data mapping
  • Data Governance
    • Golden source rules
    • Data quality metrics
    • Change management procedures
    • Access control requirements

The business requirements document detailed the creation of a centralized securities master serving multiple downstream systems.

A storied private bank and custody specialist: ETL Framework

Late 2009 brought a challenging ETL framework project at Brown Brothers:

  • System Architecture
    • File intake procedures
    • Transformation rules engine
    • Loading protocols
    • Error handling framework
  • Operational Requirements
    • Processing windows
    • Performance benchmarks
    • Monitoring requirements
    • Recovery procedures

The project charter emphasized scalability, targeting a system capable of handling 300% growth in data volume.

A top-tier global custodian and asset servicer: Corporate Actions Processing

In 2010, Asset Servicing line of business within a top tier global custodian sought to modernize their corporate actions processing:

  • Event Processing
    • Event type classification
    • Notification workflows
    • Election processing
    • Position impact analysis
  • Integration Requirements
    • Custodian data feeds
    • Market data vendor integration
    • Client notification systems
    • Accounting system updates

The business requirements focused on automation, aiming to reduce manual processing by 80%.

Methodology

Each engagement followed a structured approach:

  1. Discovery Phase
    • Stakeholder interviews
    • Current state analysis
    • Pain point identification
    • Future state visioning
  2. Requirements Gathering
    • Workshop facilitation
    • Process mapping
    • System analysis
    • Documentation creation
  3. Validation Process
    • Stakeholder reviews
    • Technical feasibility assessment
    • Cost-benefit analysis
    • Sign-off procedures
  4. Transition Planning
    • Knowledge transfer sessions
    • Documentation handover
    • Offshore team orientation
    • Implementation guidance

Project Management Innovation

Several innovative approaches were introduced:

  • Interactive requirements workshops
  • Visual process mapping techniques
  • Automated requirements validation tools
  • Structured knowledge transfer framework
  • Collaborative document review process

Each project not only delivered comprehensive documentation but also established new standards for requirements gathering and project planning in the financial services sector. The success of these engagements demonstrated the value of thorough business analysis in enabling efficient offshore implementation.