Scotiabank
Contact: David Cruickshank & Thanu Rashakrishnan
Country: Canada
Award Category: Innovative Problem Solver
Tell us about the business problem you were trying to solve.
First, the RTDS (Risk Technology and Dats Solutions) Teams agile approach to setting up the POC environment and leveraging our great relationship with our SAS contacts (James and Simon in particular) allowed us to navigate the hurdles that come with moving data in a heavily regulated enterprise. Once the POC environment is developed, working with the many teams within GRM (Global Risk Management) to gather a broad spectrum of teams and their use cases that will both give SAS Viya and its capabilities a chance to shine and show what value we can glean from the tool.
Second, develop a ‘best in class’ data architecture that incorporates a Hybrid cloud solution leveraging Azure (new) and GCP (existing) in which SAS Viya will sit on top of. This will solution for the vast needs of the bank, is highly scalable and closes a lot of Operational gaps that come with having a heavy reliance on on-prem solutions.
Last but not least is the SAS Viya Innovation Lab, a zero-cost initiative that promotes and enhances our capabilities with SAS Viya while developing the pitch skills of our talent. This de
dicated space will allow 5 select teams working on high-profile use cases to work out of over a 20 week period. The innovation lab is a dedicated space meant to inspire creativity and collaboration. Wednesdays in the lab are particularly exciting. These are designated as ‘Wow Me Wednes
days’ and are the teams opportunity to pitch their projects to senior leadership all across the enterprise. Promotion material and branding designed in collaboration with Scotiabank and SAS make the space an inspiring place to work and promotes the labs brand. Takeaway material for the leaders will spread the reach of th
e lab and its use cases and will allow executives to circle back with participants if they want to kick off a similar innovation in their world. This is a very exciting opportunity with spaces in future cohorts already filled up to work out of the lab. The lab is unique in many ways and is highly scalable (looking to franchise out within the enterprise including Tangerine) and is both team and use case agnostic.
SAS Viya use cases in the lab are attached.
What SAS products did you use and how did you use them?
SAS Viya/SAS 9.1
What were the results or outcomes?
The lab results in qualifiable benefits such as collaboration, working through roadblocks with Viya as a new technology for many involved, celebrating wins and increased exposure. The use cases involved in the SAS Viya Innovation Lab will increase leads for pre-approved CC, increase primary customer relationships, provide more accurate 20month ACL forecasting and develop a best in class leading edge Bankruptcy Score also utilizing Quantum computing.
Why is this approach innovative?
The SAS Innovation Lab as a co-sponsored initiative to showcase a new technology in-house is a first in Canadian banking. The use cases span across many different teams and across 2 entities (Scotiabank and Tangerine) with one use cases leveraging SAS for a Quantum computing initiative. The lab focuses on both use cases for Viya that benefit the bank but also spreads awareness and excitement about SAS Viyas capabilities to teams now currently on Viya. The marketing and branding of the Innovation Lab further adds to the excitement and momentum.
