安达信咨询方法与工具资料库abccdev.docVIP

THE ADVISORY BOARD COMPANY “ELvIS” PROJECT CLIENT / SERVER SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT ENGAGEMENT PROFILE PAGE 1 The Washington DC office executed a relatively large (by BC standards) client / server system development project ($1.4 million gross fees, 1000+ man-days) for The Advisory Board Company from March 1994 through May 1995. This project represented the first of its kind for the Washington practice and involved several technologies and skills that were new to the group. Client Background The Advisory Board Company is a professional services firm providing industry research and consulting services in financial services, health care and human resource management. Services are provided for an annual membership fee; subscribing members receive comprehensive studies covering various management practices and industry developments, as well as unlimited access to fully customized research briefs covering any item of interest to the member. Typical studies examine strategies for maximizing revenue, increasing quality, and reducing cost. Research content is derived through extensive networks of industry contacts and relationships developed and maintained by Advisory Board researchers in their respective fields of expertise. Founded in 1979, the Advisory Board is privately owned, with 1994 annual revenues in excess of $40 million. The company has experienced rapid growth since 1991 and expects to generate $100 million in annual revenue within three years. Business Problem Rapid growth was creating increasingly severe problems for the company. First, the various departments that serviced and interacted with members (Syndicated Research, Custom Research, Member Services, Marketing) had no efficient means of collecting and exchanging information on members. For example, if a Member Services manager responsible for renewing a member wanted to find out the extent to which the member had utilized the Advisory Board’s various services, he would have to speak with managers in e