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Killing Y2K bugs: The HLL experience

The fifth session's first track on Y2K was delivered by Hindustan Lever Limited's Information Systems Chief Lalit Sawhney.

He spoke on issues and strategies of restructuring information systems for Y2K compliance.

Sawhney presents his experiences in accomplishing Y2K compliance in HLL itself that has 67 factories and 320 units in 300 locations.

Sawhney said the task could be achieved mainly because they started early in mid-1996. Senior management sponsorship was obtained early and budgets were allocated for the job.

A cost of Rs 7 million was incurred for the Y2K solution in the 67 factories and Rs 60 million for all the locations. About 70 per cent of the labour force were expended on tackling the Y2K problem, he said.

Information systems need to be restructured for Y2K and all operating systems have to be screened for this. Any device using a 'real-time' clock in a potential Y2K impact victim. Such devices include UPS systems too. Similarly supply-chain partners have to be carefully restructured for Y2K, he continued.

The Y2K project scope involves internal systems compliance, "clean management" and external concerns.

The "denial" phase about the Y2K problem must be quickly overcome and it must not be assumed that this problem only affects systems in the West.

The Y2K plan must look at the issue of responsibility. The top management must be involved if there is to be accountability from the various departments and divisions. In HLL, once the Y2K project started, it was very closely monitored for compliance.

An awareness build-up about the Y2K problem is necessary in order to build confidence and tackle the problem effectively. The methodology involves a careful inventory of all hardware and software in the organisation, an 'impact' assessment and a 'remediation' stage.

In view of the shortage of time for sorting the problem, the project must be given priority and if necessary, people should be ready to even scrap their old systems that may require too much effort or time for rectification.

Once a test solution for Y2K compliance is arrived at, the locations that do not have these solutions need to be replaced. This 'gap' analysis has to be carried out.

The critical success factors in the HLL experience are a) board-level commitment b) dominated testing c) validation of testing, that is 'testing the test' and d) an audit by an independent agency.

It is necessary to ensure that all fresh purchases are Y2K compliant. And all purchase orders in HLL require supplier to certify Y2K compliance.

For survival through Y2K, HLL carried out a tremendous cleanup and positioned all businesses to use only Y2K compliant IT.

One ERP software is used throughout the company. A lot of standardising has taken place and no local development in allowed.

Any replacement or repair is organised centrally and full responsibility for Y2K compliance is on the business units.

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