IT Associates Gather Virtually to Tout Ideas in Innovation Challenge
IT associates shared their ideas for innovative solutions during a difficult year in the directorate’s annual Innovation Challenge celebration.
About 300 Information Technology associates attended the Jan. 27 virtual event, which featured the theme of “Innovationopoly,” an homage that borrowed images and presentation layouts from Monopoly as part of the celebration.
“I thought it was an outstanding presentation,” said Tim Kelly, vice president of the IT Innovation and Development Division. “We didn’t exactly run it like a game show, but we used background music and images to make it more engaging.”
Three finalists were honored for their ideas for improving operations, including Bobby Rushing (IT-Governance, Administration and Data Security), Dr. Lisa Comstock (IT-Omni Store and Payment) and Rebel White (IT-Fiscal Development).
The theme for this year’s virtual Innovation Challenge was a tribute to the board game Monopoly.
Comstock’s idea for developing an interactive dashboard and workflow for transaction log processing and management was declared the winner after the three finalists presented their ideas and associates voted.
Comstock’s concept will ease the complexity of tracking, correcting and validating status for the hundreds of store transaction files that are processed every day, Kelly said.
Even though more than 98% of transition logs flow through Exchange systems without issues, identifying, following up and addressing missing or inaccurate files is a monumental task for multiple associates each day that also impacts stores, Kelly said.
Voting was based on the feasibility and budget to complete the project, and the nature, business impact and return on investment of the idea.
Comstock’s idea will be prioritized for completion as quickly as possible. All associates and idea finalists recognized were issued Thanks Awards from the IT directorate.
The Innovation Committee received about 30 ideas and narrowed it down to three finalists, Kelly said.
“We had great participation,” he said. “The ideas were unique and the voting was competitive.”
The event, which took place virtually for the first time, included a segment of recognition for IT associates who have executed system improvements, performance enhancements, automation or reporting gains related to making the working-from-home experience easier for themselves, their teams and peers, or business partners.
Associates recognized were:
- Kristy Taylor, IT-G
- Ashley Atkinson, IT-G
- Ron Duerr, IT Field Support
- Randy Sparrow, IT-D Fiscal
- Pete Orozco, IT-D Fiscal
- Sandy Xiong, IT-D Fiscal
- Piotr Zapendowski, IT-D Fiscal
- Tan Pham, IT-D Fiscal
- Audelia Gonzalez-Torres, IT-D
- Scott Rustin, IT-Omni Logistics
- Brandy Tucker, IT-Omni Logistics
- James Purnell, IT-Omni Logistics
- Paul Hodson, IT-D Merchandising
- Jonathan Beranek, IT-D Merchandising
- Jeff Smalley, IT-D Merchandising
- Edward Griffith, IT-D Merchandising
- Thinh Vo, IT-D Merchandising
- Brian Simmons, IT-D BI
