Toshiba’s Revitalization Initiative: Microsoft 365 Copilot Implemented for 10,000 Employees
Understanding the Use Case Catalog for Copilot
In modern workplaces, enhancing productivity and efficiency is key. Implementing tools like Copilot requires a strategic approach, especially when considering the diverse needs of employees. A well-structured “use case catalog” can play a pivotal role in encouraging staff to utilize such systems effectively.
What is the Use Case Catalog?
The use case catalog serves as a motivational tool designed to inspire employees to engage with Copilot. As explained by Yoshikazu Tonozuka, a Senior Fellow at Toshiba Corporation, this catalog provides multiple patterns for using Copilot. It outlines scenarios like, "If you use it this way for business, you’ll get these kinds of results." Essentially, it allows users to choose applications based on their specific needs from a digital menu.
Customizing Solutions for Different Departments
Different departments have unique requirements when adopting any new technology. The use case catalog cannot address every single need; hence, workshops were organized for various teams as part of the Generative AI Application Promotion Project. During these sessions, the focus was on understanding the specific challenges faced by each department.
Workshops Addressing Departmental Needs
Listening to Concerns: The primary goal of these workshops was to hear the "problems" highlighted by team members. By emphasizing open communication, departments could share their specific struggles and requirements.
- Collaborative Tool Identification: With the backing of Microsoft, departments were able to explore various tools that could aid in overcoming their challenges. These included Copilot, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Excel, and RAG (search augmentation generation).
Beyond Convenience: Transforming Business Processes
Utilizing Copilot is more than just adopting a new tool; it involves rethinking entire business processes. Tonozuka emphasizes the importance of not merely spotting convenience but actually enhancing the productivity of entire departments.
Efficiency Across Departments
While tools like Copilot can indeed save time (e.g., by summarizing online meeting notes or translating documents), the challenge is how to ensure that this boosts overall departmental productivity.
- Process Flow Awareness: It’s crucial for everyone involved to have visibility into how work processes flow. Improvement in one area is not enough if it doesn’t contribute positively to the overall process. Sometimes, preparing tools for use could inadvertently slow down the entire workflow.
Successful Implementations of Copilot
Examples of successful business process innovations using Copilot illustrate its potential impact. Tonozuka shares a notable case:
Rapid Data Analysis: In the past, the Administration department would take three months to analyze 70,000 comments from an employee survey. With Copilot, this task was completed in just one day.
- Integration for Effectiveness: The Storage Products business unit integrated various Copilot use cases during the design process, which led to increased productivity overall. They also migrated scattered data from external file servers to Microsoft SharePoint, facilitating quicker query responses via Copilot.
Developing Tailored Solutions
The essential aspect of these implementations is the development of tailored solutions that meet specific departmental needs. Furthermore, the Public Relations and Procurement departments are also engaging in improving business processes with Copilot, highlighting the tool’s versatility across different functions.
Through a combination of encouraging self-driven exploration of the use case catalog and prioritizing effective communication within departments, organizations can harness the potential of Copilot to not only improve individual tasks but also foster significant advancements in overall workflow efficiency. By focusing on how these tools fit into daily operations, businesses can ensure a smoother transition and a more productive work environment.
