François Chung, Ph.D.

Tag: workshop

Digital Annealer

Digital Annealer

Fujitsu project @Brussels, Belgium (2019). Using a digital circuit design inspired by quantum phenomena, Fujitsu’s Digital Annealer (DA) computational architecture bridges the gap to the quantum world and paves the way for much faster, more efficient solving of today’s business problems. The solution is designed to solve large-scale combinatorial optimization problems, which are unsolvable using today’s classical computers.

Among the various quantum computing methods that exist in the market today, DA is categorized as an example of the annealing method, which focuses on solving combinatorial optimization problems and the achievement of successful results with rapid operational capabilities. Unlike classical computers, Digital Annealing does not require programming, simply setting parameters allows calculations to be performed.

DA solution is applicable for a wide range of use cases, across various sectors, such as:

  • Finance: investment portfolio optimization through risk diversification;
  • Pharmaceutical: molecular similarity search for drug discovery;
  • Marketing: clustering for big data utilization;
  • Logistics: route optimization for reducing traffic congestion;
  • Manufacturing: manpower management, production control scheduling.

Within the Digital Business Solutions (DBS) team, my role consists in supporting DA activities in Belgium and across EMEIA region, and includes tasks related to presales (e.g. DA solution presentation), business analysis (e.g. analyzing client’s business needs), data science (e.g.converting optimization problems into mathematical formulation) and project management (e.g. project coordination during the implementation phase).

References

Related articles

Quantum computing and physics (Udemy training)
DataNews 2020 (FR) (magazine article, French version)
DataNews 2020 (NL) (magazine article, Dutch version)

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Visa Claims Resolution

Visa Claims Resolution

FIS project @Brussels, Belgium (2018). It can take up to 100 days to resolve a chargeback, which means for a merchant over 3 months worrying about the disputed transaction. This is why Visa released in April 2018 its new global dispute resolution process: Visa Claims Resolution (VCR). As a consequence, disputes are now moderated by Visa’s automated tool Visa Resolve Online (VROL). Objective is to cut down on time, cost, and the number of chargebacks.

One of the main features of VCR is that invalid chargebacks are eliminated whenever possible. This means if a customer tries to initiate a chargeback when it is past the time limit, or when minimum criteria are not met, Visa will block the dispute from becoming a chargeback. Requiring this extra information from the beginning reduces unnecessary chargebacks, helps merchants understand why the chargeback occurred, and ultimately saves time for everyone involved.

Here are other important VCR features:

  • Time limit change: merchants have 30 days, instead of 45 days, to respond to a Visa chargeback;
  • Dispute workflows: new workflows are Allocation (fraud and authorization chargebacks) and Collaboration (interaction required between merchants, acquirers and issuers);
  • New reason codes: there are 4 dispute categories:
    • 10 - Fraud;
    • 11 - Authorization;
    • 12 - Processing Errors;
    • 13 - Consumer Disputes.

Within CBK product implementation teams, my role consists in discussing, clarifying and taking note of the VCR requirements expressed during on-site workshops by the clients with respect to their business processes (e.g. business, clearing, IT). These requirements are then analyzed and documented at the office, and finally validated through an agreed scope document.

References

Related article

CBK software (FIS project)

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VCR – Visa Claims Resolution
FIS – Fidelity National Information Services Inc.

VWFS México

VWFS México

Sofico project @Puebla, Mexico (2015). In this project, we are gathering and analyzing both business processes and requirements expressed by Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) México for the implementation of Miles, which is a flexible software for automotive finance, leasing, fleet and mobility management. This requirement gathering and analysis (RGA) phase is a necessary step to determine the needs, or conditions to meet, for a customized implementation of Miles in Mexico.

In practice, the RGA phase consists in workshops in which both gaps and possible conflicting requirements of the various stakeholders are taken into account, analyzing, documenting, validating and managing business requirements. At VWFS México, main stakeholders are the different departments (e.g. pricing, IT, cash collection and accounting), as well as Volkswagen headquarters. As for the requirements, they are not only driven by stakeholders, but also by market needs and legal aspects specific to Mexico.

During the workshops, Sofico and Volkswagen met to discuss business processes in various functional domains, such as:

  • Accounting;
  • Contract management;
  • Credit scoring;
  • Incident management;
  • Invoicing;
  • Products and pricing;
  • Quoting;
  • Relation management;
  • Repair, maintenance and tires;
  • Vehicle ordering and delivery.

Within the team of software implementation consultants, my role consists in discussing, clarifying and taking note of the requirements expressed during the workshops by the various stakeholders with respect to their business processes. These requirements are then analyzed and documented at the office and finally validated through video conference with the stakeholders.

References

Related article

Miles software (Sofico project)

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Miles
VWFS México – Volkswagen Financial Services
Sofico