Stanley Black and Decker

The challenge

Complex system with regionalised datasets and silos

Stanley Black & Decker needed a system to manage detailed product and part records, technical and safety data, and repair instructions. The scale was vast, recording data for thousands of products, brands, and parts across many years. As the company expanded, their Technical Services Division faced inefficiencies, with regional teams managing separate datasets, resulting in duplication and a lack of global oversight. A unified solution was required to streamline processes, improve productivity, and ensure accuracy, especially in safety-critical tooling information.

The solution 

A centralised GSIS platform for all business functions

PDMS developed the Global Service Information System (GSIS), a centralised platform uniting the US, EMEA, and Asia business functions under one system. This replaced regional legacy systems and spreadsheets, enabling global collaboration and data consistency. The solution required meticulous planning - the users were located around the world in different time zones and in different teams, the processes and procedures that had to be brought into a single system were complex, and the implications of getting it wrong were life critical if it meant safety tooling information was incorrect.

The project 

Using an Agile approach to development, PDMS worked closely with Stanley Black & Decker to ensure regular feedback and eliminate risk early. The agile approach also allowed the team to address the project in manageable units, enabling the team to focus on high-quality development, testing, and collaboration.

The development process included a discovery phase, early prototypes, development spikes, sprint cycles, and regular releases, demonstrations and testing. The system was built using the Microsoft stack, ensuring strong support and security. GSIS also integrates with several other systems including their SAP ERP for inventory accounting, automating parts management in warehousing, and introducing new workflows for the supply chain team.

The results

Futureproofed platform with improved performance

GSIS brought about a significant number of benefits and improvements for SBD. It dramatically improved the user experience, offering a modern browser-based interface with the SBD brand and familiar terminology, consistency, and responsiveness. Features such as shortcuts, cues, and wizards help users complete tasks efficiently as well as usability incorporated into the design process so users can easily recognise usage patterns and learn to use the new system quickly.

As a web-based system, GSIS eliminated the need for desktop installations, improving flexibility and security. Performance and efficiency were also improved, managing over eight million records and two million transactions with faster response times.

What next?