Case Studies

Theory, course content and instructional design should only be judged by tangible outcomes and in quantifiable terms. Here are some of our memorable moments that produced measurable results.

Quality Improvement Award: $2 Million Saved

The Technical Engineering Center at this global corporation's headquarters was awarded its President's Quality Team Achievement Award. Key leaders participated in a customized Villard Group Leadership Development Program. They monitored and measured progress as they implemented behavioral changes and new methods of working. The results: a conservative estimate of time and money saved for the first year was approximately $2,000,000. The effort, recognized corporate-wide was deemed so successful it was offered throughout the engineering division to participants in all new project and cross-functional teams.

Reorganization: 91 Percent of Staff Reorged with a Smile

The three major Information Technology Technical Support groups within the Americas business region of a major global company needed to be merged into one organization. Rather than impose the reorganization decision, senior management asked the Villard Group to lead and manage the change. One hundred plus staff took an active role in the merger. The Villard Group provided the blueprint for the change. The results: the new technical support organization was built within budget and ahead of schedule. An incredible 91 percent of staff was assigned positions reflecting their top three choices. Over 50 percent of staff had willingly, and with support of its leadership, changed roles. The new Americas Information Technology Group became a global model for technical support groups.

Selecting the Best Technical Solution: Across Three Cultures

A global news and information software corporation convened a cross-cultural business team from London, Paris and Chicago to select a technology solution that would be acceptable to units in three different countries. Each group had its own approach after years of working independently. The company contacted the Villard Group to find the best solution and get ownership from all three groups. In the two-day facilitated session, the 30-member team found not only an acceptable solution but also a value-added one that energized the entire team. The meeting also produced the detailed roadmap on all the implementation steps including member relocation and organizational realignment.

$43 Million in Cost Savings

A world-class appliance manufacturer was paralyzed with cost increases in parts and materials. The Global Vice President for Technology was challenged by the CEO to identify quick hit cost savings in design and manufacturing. The Vice President's target was to identify $23 million in cost savings within the next fiscal year. After several consecutive years of belt tightening, he was unsure as to where the cost cutting would come from. Three of the Vice President's most critical teams were convened for a three-day session. At the end of the session, the teams reported to their management a practical plan for saving $43 million, double the original target.

So Many Choices; So Little Time

Two world-class Fortune 100 companies formed an alliance to co-sponsor the research and development of breakthrough consumer products. A highly talented global team of engineers, physicists, chemists and consumer researchers was handpicked by the presidents of both companies to identify three "concepts" that would become future projects. Within three months, the team of 26 quickly identified 17 concepts, but they struggled with the "narrowing" process. Consumer surveys in Europe and the US added two new concepts . . . now there were 19 choices. Frustration grew . . . stalemate loomed. VG convened the group and in two working sessions reached group consensus on three concepts to be developed. One is now available in appliance stores across the globe.

Change Management: Winning Over the Team

For decades design engineers at this major global company have used a traditional prototyping "test-it-until-it-burns" strategy. Migrating to a simulation-based design strategy would radically change how the engineers conducted their daily business. Many were unconvinced of the merit of a virtual design and testing process. The Vice President responsible for the transition from prototyping to simulation-based design had an ambitious agenda. He not only wanted to develop a comprehensive understanding of the strategy but to have his team embrace and lead the change. He was uncertain how to win over his team. Conducting a two-day event that "worked" team members into an understanding of what it was and how it could help, brought the team around. Simulation-based design and testing is now the accepted approach among engineers at this leading edge company.

The Seamless Acquisition: Eliminating Winners and Losers

A global manufacturer acquired its major competitor, securing its position as the world's largest. An initial challenge in the merger was the completion of a comprehensive product alignment between the legacy company and the acquired company. Senior management petitioned selected engineering and procurement leaders from both organizations to conduct a thorough examination of four product lines in order to identify design and cost saving measures. The challenge was to get two organizations that had a long history of vigorous competition to work together as a team. The Villard Group was asked to facilitate a kick-off event that was the start of a weeklong work session to be attended by 100 technical leaders. Once "fears and concerns" were articulated, the group realized they had more in common than was initially expected. By the end of the session, the typical reaction from the group was, "If you didn't already know, you wouldn't be able to tell who belonged to which company." The leadership team felt that it saved at least six to nine months of false starts and costly role ambiguity and conflict.