To implement a manufacturing execution system (MES) across a global manufacturer's numerous sites, establish a core baseline solution as a basis for global rollout, use the implementation as an opportunity for process improvement and optimization, and choose carefully between a phased or a big bang deployment.

1. Best Practices for Global MES Rollouts
Multisite, global manufacturing execution system implementations can
be optimized by applying Agile methods to development and program
governance.
Executive Summary
There is now agreement that effective rollout of
a global manufacturing execution system (MES)
is critical to achieving manufacturing excellence
acrosstheenterpriseandrapidlyscalingupproduc-
tion to meet customer demands for new products.
Nevertheless, manufacturers still struggle to rep-
licate MES benefits across all of their production
facilities. As a result, standardization of processes
and activities across sites has become one of the
top priorities for global manufacturers.
In addition to standardization, many manufactur-
ers lack a solution development methodology that
can bring additional agility for meeting dynamic
market requirements and the realization of
increased value in shorter time spans. Abstracted
from our experience deploying global systems,
this white paper presents the best practices in a
practical, global program management framework
for MES deployments, with special focus on Agile
solution development adoption in MES implemen-
tation. This white paper also offers examples of
typical global implementation challenges and ways
manufacturers can effectively mitigate them.
Global MES System:
A Business Perspective
Global players generally tend to have multiple
sites manufacturing multiple products. The
objective is always to churn out maximum ROI
from installed assets across sites.
Global visibility, in addition to site-specific vis-
ibility, becomes important to consistently devise
continuous improvement strategies to achieve
maximum ROI. The magnitude of complexity as
organizations move from single site to multiple
production sites is typically enormous. Establish-
ing a suitable integration strategy for all sites
is therefore key for manufacturers seeking to
enhance visibility and take steps necessary for
improving operational efficiency and reducing
production cycle times.
An Operations Perspective
To retain market leadership and to ensure better-
quality responses to customer demands, leading
manufacturing organizations are normally laser
focused on achieving global excellence. According
to our observations, most companies report that
they already have a global strategy in place to unify
processes and systems across locations. However,
they typically fall short of achieving this vision.
Although they acknowledge an absolute need for
a global MES system, numerous challenges must
be overcome for smooth deployment of the right
solution. Moreover, they face obstacles meeting
diverse needs across functions and locations
that span multiple stakeholders. Business process
improvement through standardization is a major
driver for transitioning from a local to a global
MES strategy.
• Cognizant 20-20 Insights
cognizant 20-20 insights | may 2013

2. 2
First,itisessentialtomanagethecommonrequire-
ments and identify the best practices. Second is
the challenge of conceptualizing a global solution
within architectural boundaries and complexities,
with a perfect balance between cost, functionality
and schedule, and making it work. Finally, there is
a need to look closely at these inputs to manage
the change and acceptance of the deployed global
system in order to achieve operational excellence.
Other challenges include:
• Lack of an effective program/project
governance model.
• Barriers in cascading best practices across
sites.
• Cultural and mindset challenges around
training and change management.
• Conflicting and changing requirements across
sites.
• Legacy systems working in isolation.
• High operational interdependencies among
sites.
• Availability of the right subject matter experts
at the right time during solution development.
Overcoming these challenges can yield the
following benefits:
• Integrated sites with a smooth flow of informa-
tion.
• Continuous improvement through replication
of best practices across sites.
• Standard reusable templates.
• Multisite visibility for important parameters.
• Better control of load balancing across sites
based on demand.
• Seamless information exchange with legacy
systems.
• Statistics from multiple sites enabling
corrective action and preventive action (CAPA).
• Lower system maintenance costs.
• Improved KPIs focused on operational
excellence.
• Reduced production cycle time and reduced
waste.
An Agile Governance Model
The first step in any successful MES imple-
mentation is determining clear governance
for the project. Deliberate thought should be
given to how manufacturing processes will be
governed throughout the entire MES implemen-
tation in tandem with the site ecosystem, from
a program management and execution perspec-
tive. Governance topics should address who has
authority to change a process, and how will that
process change be tested, implemented and
measured across the entire application infra-
structure. The answers to these questions will
ultimately determine operational agility.
Having a clear governance plan in hand requires
the input and involvement of all stakeholders,
even if some of them will not be directly involved
in the implementation process (see Figure 1). To
establish a proper governance process, organiza-
tions need to look beyond IT and production and
into quality, validation, operations, maintenance
and executive management. Governance is where
the project should start, and it’s where it will
break down if not properly instituted.
An Agile Methodology
As with any conventional implementation project,
opinions on which specific steps to follow vary
widely. In general, most organizations when
deploying MES tend to follow a classic project
planning methodology involving design, configu-
ration, testing, deployment and the post-go-live
maintenance lifecycle. To smoothen the imple-
mentation process, some companies have begun
to apply Agile development methodologies to
the process of architecting the implementa-
tion plan. By using an iterative and incremental
approach with smaller “chunks” of functionality
delivered and managed by the governance team,
miscommunications and the inability to identify
necessary scope criteria can be quickly and
effectively minimized (see Figure 2). Operational
readiness, therefore, becomes very important for
the adoption of Agile methodology and should be
part of the initial project review.
As listed below, a dramatic shift is under way in
manufacturers’ expectations in MES capabilities.
• Deliver accelerated results, with reduced total
cost of ownership.
• Holistic, quality implementation focused on
quick time-to-value.
• Early and frequent confirmation of the delivery
of benefits.
• Demonstrate capability to solve customer pain
points early in the deployment.
Many manufacturers have adopted a combina-
tion of Agile methodologies and lean practices
cognizant 20-20 insights

3. in recent times. This provides them with the
agility required to respond to changes that result
from lean methodology best practices. Typically,
solution building is achieved by using Agile
techniques across the design/build/test phases,
where small chunks of the solution are developed,
tested and demonstrated to relevant stake-
holders before moving to the next Sprint. Once
the solution is developed and is complete in all
respects, system test and validation is performed
in non-Agile fashion before MES goes live at a
particular site.
If manufacturers plan to use a COTS product
rather than building the solution from scratch,
then the Agile methodology depicted in Figure 4
(on page 4) should be adopted.
To effectively leverage Agile in a global MES
3cognizant 20-20 insights
Figure 1
Governance Model for an All-Inclusive Team Approach
to MES Implementation
ProgramManagement
Business Portfolio
Role
Who Product Project Project Change Change Release Operation
Portfolio & Product
Management
Define Sprint Backlog,
Deliver potentially shippable solution
Business
Process
Owner
Portfolio
Manager
Solution
Owner
Product
Owner
Scrum
Master
Solution
Developer
Quality
Manager
Release
Manager
Technical
Operator
Execute
deployment.
Plan schedules
and controls
deployment.
Coordinate
activities to
meet quality
standards.
Perform
solution
development
and
customization.
Remove
impediments,
manage
Agile
development.
Define
release
backlog
including
priorities.
Define
product
backlog
including
priorities.
Make
investment
decision and
allocate
funds.
Planning and
execution of
the operational
process
achievement.
Responsibilities
Figure 2
MES Global Implementation: Agile Methodology
RequirementstoScope
ScopetoBuild
BuildtoQualification(IQ/OQ/PQ)
TesttoDeploy
Sprint 1
Sprint 2
Sprint 3
Sprint..n
Global Solution
Program Management
Training and Change Management
Site Solution
Site 1 Site 2
Site ..n
Requirement Scoping Design, Build, Test
Transition
(Multisite)
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site …n
Sign Off & Cut
Over
Performance
Test
System Test
OQTest
Integration
Test
Build Release
(Release Manager)
Execute
Deployment
(Technical
Operator)
Define Business
Requirement
(Business Process
Owner)
Define Portfolio
Scope Project
(Portfolio Manager)
Define Product Backlog
(Solution Owner)
Accelerators
Iterative Baseline
Build
Agile
Development
ReleaseBacklog
MustShouldCouldWould
Priority [d]
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
09
08
07
06
05
04
03
02
01
4
5
1
8
2
7
3
4
2
2
4
3
3
6
4
5
Demo
Go Live & Support
(Multisite)
Develop
Functionality1
Develop
Functionality2
Develop
Functionality
N
DemoRelease
Client’s
Feedback
Make
Changes
System
Training
Allfunctionalities
Complete?
Integrateand
Test
Integrateand
Test
Integrateand
Test
NextIteration
No
Yes

4. cognizant 20-20 insights 4
rollout, the following best practices should be
considered:
• Iterative delivery of business value through
capability demonstrations.
• Early and incremental visualization of the
solution.
• Time-boxed and inspected delivery of incre-
mental MES capabilities.
• Simplicity and elimination of “waste.”
• Improved visibility and better control of project
progress.
• Development iterations conducted in short
time frames that are time-boxed.
• Working solution as a measure of progress.
Figure 3
Sample Agile Implementation Project Plan
M onth #1 M onth #2 M onth #3 M onth #4 M onth #5 M onth #6
1 Requirem ent Requirem entAnalysisand Assessm entofURS
2 Requirem ent Analysisand UnderstandingofexistingSystem
3 Requirem ent Requirem entSign-Offand Approval
4 Planning ProjectPlan
5 Design Build Test Generation ofUseCaseand IterativePlanning
6 Design Build Test Design Specification Creation
7 Design Build Test Deploym entPlan Creation
8 Design Build Test Verification StrategyDocum entGeneration
9 Design Build Test Sprint # 1
10 Design Build Test Sprint # 2
11 Design Build Test Sprint # 3
12 Design Build Test Sprint # 4
13 Design Build Test Sprint # 5
14 Design Build Test Sprint # ..n
15 Docum entation Documentation - User Guide
16 System Testing Integration Testing
17 System Testing Performance Testing
18 System Testing Deploym entatSite
19 System Testing SiteTestingand Go Live
2013
HighLevelImplementationPlan(ProjectID:PJ00XXXX)
S.No Phase M ilestones
SAMPLE
Figure 4
MES Global Implementation: Agile Methodology (COTS)
DevandQAEnvironmentSetup
SprintPlanningandStoryPointEstimation
TransporttoQuality
PrepareGoLive
Go Live
Site Solution
Site # 1
Sprint
Review
Sprint
Retrospective
Sprint
Planning
Sprint
3-5 weeks
Site # 2 Site # ..n
Training and Change Management
IQOQ
Validation
Quality
UAT Quality
Sprint
Review
Sprint
Retrospective
Sprint
Planning
Sprint
3-5 weeks
Sprint
Review
Sprint
Retrospective
Sprint
Planning
Sprint
3-5 weeks
Sprint 1
Sprint N
Sprint 2
Global Solution
Program Management
Installation
& Setup
Requirement, Scope,
Configuration and Validation
Transition
(Multisite)
Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Site …n
Sign Off &
Cut Over
Performance
Test
Integration
Test
Execute
Deployment
(Technical
Operator)
Go Live & Support
(Multisite)
Part of Product Backlog
Becomes Sprint Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Every 24 Hours
Release
Every Sprint
Part of Product Backlog
Becomes Sprint Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Every 24 Hours
Release
Every Sprint Part of Product Backlog
Becomes Sprint Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Every 24 Hours
Release
Every Sprint

5. cognizant 20-20 insights 5
• Value prototyping.
• Flexibility, as in the ability to respond to change
built into the methodology where change is not
a surprise but rather is anticipated.
• Close engagement of business users in the
entire process of defining, designing, building
and validating the solution.
Best Practices: An In-Depth Look
A global approach to MES necessitates the
formation of a “core solution group” at the start of
the program with inputs from various production
sites. This group is endowed with the respon-
sibility and accountability for designing and
building the solution that can be used at multiple
sites. This core group drives the standardiza-
tion across sites by using consistent templates.
The core group is responsible for capturing the
majority of the functionalities, key performance
matrices, reports, etc. that are required at each
plant in a single standard reusable form. This will
ensure standardization of processes/practices
across business units and amalgamation of the
operation strategy.
In a validated environment, such as pharmaceu-
ticals or food and beverage manufacturing, this
approach helps in terms of effort reduction by
using validated core solutions. The core group
also helps to cascade the best practices captured
from various sites, which in turn helps in achieving
global manufacturing excellence.
The most important aspect of this approach is the
advantage that it provides in terms of decreasing
implementation expenses, reducing the total cost
of ownership and minimizing deployment risks.
Development and deployment cost is minimized
by reusing the global core solution after the first
site is implemented. The implementation risk is
minimized by maintaining high usage of global
templates and standard operating procedures
as well as the involvement of the core team for
local implementation and support for the rolled-
out sites. The following are strategies to consider
adopting to ensure successful global MES
deployment:
• The scope must be informed by two or three
key business drivers. All requirements and
functionalities should trace back to these
business drivers.
• One common global template should be used to
foster consistency, and to make future changes
easier.
• Standards in developing a baseline solution
must be enforced. Organizations therefore
must leverage core product functionality.
• A program management framework should be
implemented with projects coordinated by the
central core team, with adequate participation
from sites.
• Organizations need to provide “hooks” or
plug-ins to address site-specific requirements.
• The core team must create a robust release
management and version control process for
baseline enhancement and deployment.
MES deployment should be treated as an
individual project for each site deployment.
This needs to be imple-
mented through a robust
program management
framework. Every global
MES deployment project
starts with a baseline
solution that becomes a
stepping stone for global
deployment. It is very
important to develop
a standard yet flexible
baseline solution in order
to ensure success of the
global MES deployment.
Organizations should invest time during the initial
phase of the program to ensure the core solution
meets the business requirements of the first plant
before rolling it out to the
rest. Ideally, the choice of
this first plant should be
representative of all the
complexities that can be
envisioned in the entire
set of plants across the
global business. This core
solution is then applied
to the next plant in
succession.
In the requirement
analysis phase, only the
gaps between the core
solution and the plant
processes should be
captured for given plant-
specific development
and deployment. Each plant should count on
reusing the functionalities from the core solution
wherever possible and customizing capabilities
for any site-specific requirements. Best practices
The core group
is responsible for
capturing the majority
of the functionalities,
key performance
matrices, reports, etc.
that are required at
each plant in a single
standard reusable form.
Every global MES
deployment project
starts with a baseline
solution that becomes
a stepping stone for
global deployment. It
is very important to
develop a standard
yet flexible baseline
solution in order to
ensure success of the
global MES deployment.

6. cognizant 20-20 insights 6
and customizations at each plant that are
identified during solution deployment are then
incorporated and fed back to the core solution
to be used by future plants. However, provisions
of time and money associated with this exercise
need to be thoroughly considered.
Project deployment is coordinated by the central
core team, along with the local deployment
specialists. The core team is responsible for
harnessing the knowledge
base, maintaining a
global solution approach
and change control.
Figure 5 depicts a typical
team organization and
execution track for global
deployment.
MES installations are chal-
lenging, and a flawed imple-
mentation strategy will
prevent the system from
achieving its full potential
return on investment. It
is especially important
to look carefully at
underlying work processes
to determine where inefficiencies reside, or the
organization will merely transfer these inefficien-
cies from a paper to an electronic medium. Thus,
MES implementation is actually an opportunity to
examine fundamental ways of working and process
improvements. Since the system will affect various
functions and departments across a manufactur-
ing plant, a multifunctional approach is essential
for any MES implementation. Success also requires
that people working at the facility understand the
manufacturing process, as well as the issues that
currently impede efficiency or compliance.
Once problems have been identified, teams
can match them with available MES functional-
ities. Most MES systems are modular, with each
module focused on a given function such as
finite scheduling, dispensing, electronic batch
records (EBR), equipment management, per-
formance monitoring or recipe management.
Modules include interfaces to ERP, document
management, laboratory information and plant-
floor automation systems.
Moving from Paper to Digital
When moving from a paper-based manufactur-
ing system to an electronic one, it is critical not to
blindly map from one medium to the other. There
may be inherent inefficiencies in the process that
will result, whether your organization uses a paper
or an electronic system. Thus, an MES implemen-
tation offers an opportunity for process improve-
ment and optimization by converting all paper-
based records to electronic records, reducing
human error, increasing data accuracy and
reducing the cycle time for batch manufacturing.
If the MES implementation is part of a global
corporate rollout, many of the functional require-
ments will be identical for numerous plants. In
such cases, adopting one core solution will result
in benefits of scale. This is particularly true for
validation documentation. The core functional-
ity can be documented and validated for all sites
by a corporate team, so individual sites are only
responsible for their own local configurations.
Figure 5
Core Site Model for Managing MES Rollouts
Version Control Release Management
Core Team
Deployment Team
Support Team
Site # 1
Site # 5
Release # 1
Release # 2
Level 3 SupportDeploymentTrackSolutionTrack
Support
Track
Program/ProjectManagement
PortfolioManagement
Level 1 and Level 2 Support
It is especially
important to look
carefully at underlying
work processes to
determine where
inefficiencies reside,
or the organization
will merely transfer
these inefficiencies
from a paper to an
electronic medium.

7. cognizant 20-20 insights 7
Taking this approach can drastically reduce the
time, cost and resources required for validation.
Not only will the benefits be related to the MES
functionality of the particular package used, but
it is also highly likely that the interfaces to other
systems (e.g., ERP) will be the same across sites.
Furthermore, if any customizations are required,
they can be bundled into a core package, enabling
greater control to be maintained and allowing
more leverage for the user organization to
obtain vendor support for these through system
upgrades.
Phased vs. Big Bang Approach
If multiple MES modules are being implemented,
the question arises as to whether to adopt a
gradual, phased approach versus a “big bang”
implementation. A phased approach allows the
organization to use fewer project resources over
a longer period of time. This can be an important
consideration if experienced, cross-functional
resources are hard to come by.
Furthermore, a phased approach may reduce the
time-to-benefit for key modules. Other aspects
of phased approaches may be to deploy the MES
solution on one line, or train, and then, once it is
running successfully, to roll it out to the remainder
of the plant. This approach has the benefit of
reducing risk to the entire manufacturing facility,
should any unforeseen problems arise.
On the other hand, a big bang approach can
provide all the benefits in a single “go live.” While
this approach will take more time and resources
before any MES benefits are realized, it may be
suitable for a new green-field site, where impacts
to the current manufacturing processes would
not exist.
Additional Considerations
Training and Change Management
User training and change management are
critical aspects of a successful MES implemen-
tation that are often overlooked. Not only must
users be trained in the technical aspects of the
system, they must also be made fully aware of the
implications of their actions.
Although training may seem a trivial task,
scheduling it so that all operators are fully trained
before the MES system goes live in a working plant
requires careful planning. And it is every bit as
vital to a successful MES rollout as the technical
aspects of the particular system being installed.
The Mandate: Keep ERP and
MES Integration Simple
Due diligence is necessary when it comes to
choosing application integration interfaces. An
interface that provides value on either side should
be part of the integration strategy. There could be
numerous data that can be exchanged but could be
of little value and relevance, thus overloading the
network. MES software typically manages produc-
tion orders on the shop floor, collecting informa-
tion on what materials are used, process param-
eters and errors. It compiles a detailed record of
how something was built — and how well. An ERP
system models a product and the materials that
go into it from an accounting point of view.
When setting up a data flow between these two
systems, companies need to determine a division
of labor to ensure that each does what it does
best, and that no conflict results from both
attempting to perform
the same functions.
Companies should limit
information exchange
to what’s needed for col-
laboration when linking
ERP and MES systems.
The message is clear:
“Keep it simple!”
To reduce both short- and long-term risk,
interfaces should be kept as simple as possible,
and the amount of data transferred between
them should be kept to a minimum. When using
interfaces, even standard ones, follow the meth-
odology laid down by industry standards. The
ISA-95 Standard Enterprise — Control System
Integration provides a framework within which a
system in an integrated solution should perform
certain functionalities, together with the key data
exchange that should occur between interfaces.
Accelerators: Replication Tools Development
In large multisite implementations, it is usually
important to maintain the sanctity and integrity of
existing large volumes of data. This requires rep-
licating the data from the old system to the new
one. This could be a major task if done manually.
In situations like this, organizations should always
look for an opportunity to develop a replication
tool to automate migration of data to the new
system. This will help to dramatically reduce
deployment time, which in turn will result in a
huge amount of cost savings. These tools can also
A phased approach
allows the organization
to use fewer project
resources over a longer
period of time.

8. About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process out-
sourcing services, dedicated to helping the world’s leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in
Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry
and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 50
delivery centers worldwide and approximately 162,700 employees as of March 31, 2013, Cognizant is a member of the
NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing
and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.
World Headquarters
500 Frank W. Burr Blvd.
Teaneck, NJ 07666 USA
Phone: +1 201 801 0233
Fax: +1 201 801 0243
Toll Free: +1 888 937 3277
Email: inquiry@cognizant.com
European Headquarters
1 Kingdom Street
Paddington Central
London W2 6BD
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7297 7600
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7121 0102
Email: infouk@cognizant.com
India Operations Headquarters
#5/535, Old Mahabalipuram Road
Okkiyam Pettai, Thoraipakkam
Chennai, 600 096 India
Phone: +91 (0) 44 4209 6000
Fax: +91 (0) 44 4209 6060
Email: inquiryindia@cognizant.com
­­© Copyright 2013, Cognizant. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission from Cognizant. The information contained herein is
subject to change without notice. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
About the Author
Alok Shrivastava is an Associate Director within Cognizant’s Engineering and Manufacturing Solutions
(EMS) Practice. He has 18-plus years of professional experience, with a focus on MES, EMI and industrial
automation solutions. Alok has designed and deployed global control systems and MES solutions
for large manufacturing companies across geographies, primarily in pharma, power, chemicals,
food and beverage, petrochemical and refineries. He has also led MES and EMI product develop-
ment groups and was responsible for the development of batch, track, MES, OEE and manufacturing
intelligence products for one of the major industrial automation companies. He can be reached at
Alok.Shrivastava2@cognizant.com.
be maintained and kept up to date with future
releases of core solutions.
Learning Logs and Knowledge-Based Articles
Knowledge-based articles (KBAs) are very handy
tools to increase the collaboration among various
site teams. All the issues, technical or functional,
that are resolved at the site by the team can be
submitted as a knowledge article and stored in a
central repository. Other site teams can leverage
them at their sites to deal with issues of a similar
nature.