The leaders of Accenture's new organization talk about the future of cloud computing and the way it works.

Accenture, which constantly pushes forward new initiatives. At the end of last year, we carried out a great reform of cloud organization. Therefore, a new team-Intelligent Cloud Enabler team, commonly known as "ICE", emerged.

As the leader of the organization is the imitation director Anyuan Naoko. A veteran with 18 years of Accenture experience and a mother of two children.

新組織『ICE』が担う役割、そして、クラウドの未来といったリーダーとしてのミッションに加えて、アクセンチュアで長く働いているからこそ感じる仕事観の変化や多様性への取り組みについて伺いました。

The goal of ICE is a one-stop service for cloud and infrastructure

Cloud is a platform that unites business tools including ERP (Integrated Line of Business System) and CRM (Customer Management System) to build an ecosystem.

In Accenture, the company's importance has further increased, and the cloud organization was updated at the end of last year. A new organization "ICE" was established. Mr. An Yuan is the imitation director who leads this "ICE" team. Please tell me the outline and purpose of the organization.

Mr. An Yuan (hereinafter referred to as an Yuan): First of all, Accenture's mission is to make customers' DX (digital transformation) a reality, so that they can start their business quickly. Cloud is a part of achieving this goal. But a very important piece.

The previous infrastructure domain may give an inconspicuous impression compared with the layer closer to the business, that is, the application domain. However, it has become a very important thing, not just the support of applications.

ICE is an organization that provides three values in the field of cloud infrastructure: "consulting", "engineering" and "architecture technology".

In this sense, the establishment of the new organization will also help to demonstrate Accenture's further commitment to cloud infrastructure internally and externally, and improve its presence.

-"consulting", "engineering" and "architecture technology", will ICE provide one-stop service for Accenture's cloud and infrastructure?

An Yuan: Yes, it will be an inter-organizational team.クラウド・インフラ領域といったらまずはICE、という考えの定着化を進めています。

もちろん、ICEだけですべてのクラウド価値を提供できるわけではありません。データ設計やクラウド運用のチームなど、他のチームと連携しながらサービスを提供しています。

-What are your uniqueness and novelty in the field of cloud infrastructure?

An Yuan: ICE consists of seven sub-teams: "Enterprise Infrastructure Transformation", "Cloud Migration and Modality", "SAP on Cloud", "Service Redirectable Engineering (SRE)", "Hybrid and Emerging Platforms", "Security" and "Cloud Native Solutions".

Even in that "Hybrid & Emerging Platform", ICE's stand-up gathering people, as sub-groups, formed such a new point.

Many customers are not dependent on specific cloud companies and are considering combining Microsoft's Azure, Amazon's AWS, Google's Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and internal management to gain "advantages".

For customers looking for hybrid and cloudy environments, we provide a container management platform and a hybrid and multifunctional operation management foundation.

There are many container management platforms, including open source, but our hybrid and emerging platform teams will help us sort out our customers' current situation and understanding of challenges, and help us determine goals and appropriate solutions.

We are an organization that thinks and implements complex business challenges to help customers address them in what order. This is an area we will focus on while accumulating experience in providing customers with more and more flexible choices.

--What do you think of the advantages and target organizational structure of "ICE" in the case of high-level cloud utilization pursued by enterprises?

An Yuan: Before ICE was established, Accenture has been committed to cloud and infrastructure.ひとつのシステムの動作プラットフォームとしての狭いクラウド・インフラの設計構築に閉じず、全社共通インフラとしての広いクラウド・インフラをスコープとした案件実績も豊富です。

We also provide a range of phases from consulting to operations globally, including cloud strategy development and standard setting, as well as design and build. There are tricks through these accumulations.

Moreover, the establishment of ICE, which is now a one-stop service for cloud infrastructure, should further pool experience. This will be a big advantage for us.

We hope to hear "ICE comes to mind when it comes to cloud" both internally and externally, and attract talents who "want to improve their experience in ICE".

Improve skills through global trading experience and multi-supplier cooperation

-"ICE" is also a team to train talents responsible for cloud and infrastructure.

An Yuan: You're right.まずは即戦力でなくても幅広く参画してもらい、これまでの経験を生かしつつクラウドエンジニアとして成長してもらう構想を立てており、転職者向けには充実したトレーニングも用意しています。

After all, for Accenture, the biggest asset is people, and the enterprise is built by excellent talents. Cloud is a fast-growing field. Once the knowledge is neglected, it will become obsolete.そういった変化に追従するためにも、個人の学ぶ姿勢とチームによるトレーニングの提供は非常に重要。Through the combination of classroom teaching and hand-held training, we will strengthen ICE as a team, and also include people without cloud experience.

――クラウド未経験者でも成長できるとのことですが、適性などはありますか。

An Yuan: I'll talk about it in the basic part and the technical part.

The basic part is the adaptability of all Accenture departments. Able to take initiative, think logically and communicate effectively.

From a technical point of view, there are many cases of migrating internal systems to the cloud, so even if you don't have cloud hands-on experience, experience in large-scale network construction, update and integration in an enterprise is very useful. Additionally, your experience with centrally managed solutions, such as personal computers used in your location, is valuable.

-What kind of growth can you get if you actually work in ICE?

An Yuan: The experience gained in practical business is also the benefit of working in ICE. Accenture doesn't have its own IT products, so they sometimes choose the most appropriate solution to solve customers' problems.

Your cloud can leverage solutions from multiple vendors, including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle, so you can gain a wide range of experience rather than be limited to vendor-specific solutions.

We also have many opportunities to participate in global projects and complete projects with colleagues in global offices.

For example, in the Accenture project in the United States, a large manufacturing customer migrated all its 13 data centers around the world to the cloud, and ICE members from Japan who are responsible for cloud migration also participated in the project.

This incident has been widely concerned throughout the company. When similar incidents occurred later, Accenture of various countries asked to "bring the members involved in this incident".

The discomfort of returning from maternity leave does not exist in Accenture today

-Mr. An Yuan is the Japanese umbrella of "ICE". At the same time of organization and management, it also participates in project delivery. After entering Accenture, what kind of experience did you experience before taking up such a position?

An Yuan: I worked for half a year from a newly graduated hardware supplier. In 2004, I joined a consultant as my second graduate. When I was young, I participated in customer cases in the field of communication. However, it is not so much a consultant as a so-called system integration (SI) work.

Looking back to the career so far, consulting 30%, as SI's implementation of troops and architects work 70% of this feeling. Customers include insurance, semiconductor manufacturing and chemical conglomerates.

-It has been 18 years since I joined the company. When you first entered the company, the importance of diversity and female activity was not as well known as it is now. Do you feel the change?

An Yuan: I never thought this was a company where it was difficult for women to work. Since ancient times, it has been a company that is required to produce equally and valued according to the same output.

However, when I was pregnant with my first child, I also felt a little tired. When I had children, I discovered that all the people I saw as role models at that time were men. If you rest here, what will happen to your career? At that time, there are not many people to discuss.

In fact, in my department at that time, I was the first person to come back from maternity leave. I was especially concerned at the beginning, and I felt uncomfortable. But now there are more and more precedents, and the support system and support related to parenting are becoming more and more perfect. I think the company has become a company that can choose to go back with peace of mind after delivery.

-Accenture's reform of the way it works, "Project PRIDE", which began in 2015, may also have a lot to do with it. I heard that this is an organizational culture reform, which has been implemented many times from two aspects of "system" and "consciousness" according to the methods cultivated by business consulting.

The turnover rate has dropped to about half of that before implementation. In terms of female activity, the proportion of women also increased from 22.1% to 36.5% (as of September 2021).

An Yuan: On the keyword of women, last year we did a network activity for women in the whole science and technology department. However, people at the scene said that compared with gender troubles, working parents have children working from home, and it is not only women who have more troubles.

In fact, it is not only women's online activities, but also the activities of parents' groups including men.

会社として、女性の働きやすさは大前提で、それを超えたステージに進んでいると感じます。The discomfort I felt after resuming maternity leave no longer exists.

It is positive no matter what. Good ventilation, pay attention to organizational atmosphere

--now 8 and 6, mother of two, and the Japanese omnibus and director of ICE. If there is a secret to keeping a good balance during a busy day, please tell me.

An Yuan: As a basic position, we must rely on everything we can rely on. Originally, I thought that raising children, doing housework and working could not get a perfect score of 100, so I gave up doing housework to some extent from the beginning.

Say to your child, "There are many things that your mother can't do, so don't expect too much" (laughs).

Specifically, the services of housekeeping agents and cooking agents are used flexibly. In order to make the children's pick-up and drop-off service available at any time, only the user login has been completed.

There is also relying on the latest machines. Because of the coronavirus disaster, I work from home. Taking this opportunity, I am fascinated by smart home. In the morning, the curtains will open automatically, the air conditioner will start at the set temperature, and the electricity will be lit at a fixed time. By the time I realized, the number of devices had increased to 22.

--Using services flexibly is, in a sense, domestic outsourcing. Intelligent or not, everything is a little thing, which will shorten the time when accumulated.

An Yuan: Personally, I can solve the problem effectively. Then a little happy (laughs).

Do you have any rules for your personal life or work?

An Yuan: Pay attention to two points in your work. First, don't blame him for anything.

When a project in which you are not mainly involved is not going well, it is easy to argue that it has nothing to do with it. However, if you do some actions there, the situation may change. In order not to regret, I often think about what I can do when things don't seem to go well.

The other is to pay attention to actively grasping everything.

For example, you are scolded by customers. You can also make a claim to remove me from the position of person in charge. However, if you don't do that and give me direct feedback, you will be reprimanded, take care not to make the same mistake again, and then move on.

It is also important to create a positive atmosphere as a director. A few days ago, I also found a big problem immediately before the system was officially put into operation. However, I first realized that it was necessary to relieve the tension of the occasion. Then you will know. Even embarrassing things can be reported more easily, and as a result, various risks will be reduced.

Finally, please talk about the future goals.

Aywon: As a current task, besides ICE, I am also responsible for the bridge with India. Accenture Japan's main offshore bases are China, the Philippines and India. Among them, the cooperative relationship between Indian strongholds and Japan is late and still developing.しかし、世界中のアクセンチュアと長い協働の歴史を持つインドのケイパビリティやノウハウには大きな価値があるので、それを日本でも最大限活用したいと考えています。

In terms of personal career goals, I didn't set goals for my position, but I saw the career direction.

Rather than building experience in a specific industry, I want to continue to build experience as an enterprise architect, supporting the transformation of the whole company from strategy formulation to implementation, instead of relying on the industry. I want to discuss it further on the upstream agenda.

Improve your business skills in the state-of-the-art global cloud infrastructure

"Accenture is really committed to cloud and infrastructure". The new organization to show that attitude to both inside and outside the company is "ICE".

一見すると地味な存在に見られがちなインフラですが、安元さんのお話からは、クラウド・インフラは企業のDXの礎となる重要な領域で、グローバルと連携し最先端の知見を活用するやり甲斐のある仕事であるとわかります。

Mr Ann is the leader of such an organization, and he tries every means to imitate the director and raise children, and Accenture also has the business conditions and measures to make it possible.

Moreover, Accenture is looking at the next stage of support that is not limited to women. Both men and women pursue easy work as parents with children.

As the DX and value creation platform of enterprises, cloud is very important for future business. While accumulating skills in the cloud field, we are close to the enterprise through "maximizing value in the cloud". How about always taking a step forward and using Accenture to achieve a full way of working?

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