Collaborative, hands-on learning opportunities led by members of the Origami service team ranged from “boot camps”—introductions to the system for newer users—to instruction on setting up dashboards and reports to more advanced topics such as system administration. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet with an Origami expert for one-on-one sessions for a closer look at specific features or areas of the system they wanted to know more about.
Client co-presenters led sessions covering a wide range of topics including GRC, underwriting, safety, audits, and claims administration, to name just a few. As in previous years, the delivery of actual use cases and the opportunity for those attending sessions to ask questions about the ways in which Origami Risk is being used to address “real world” challenges provided a unique opportunity for peer-to-peer learning.
1. Efficiency matters
“What is your team’s biggest initiative in 2020?” was one of many poll questions posed to attendees via the Origami Risk User Conference app. The answer to this question by a wide margin? Efficiency. (Responses such as “automation” and “workflows” also spoke to this being the case.) It’s not exactly breaking news, but organizations are still working to move beyond processes that center around paper forms, keying in (or rekeying) data, and sending one-off emails to remind users of due dates or check the status of tasks and assignments.
In a number of sessions, client users outlined the ways they are using Origami to improve efficiency. Among these was a look at how a Montana-based risk pool is using the system to streamline its member management activities. In another session, a client showed how automation is being used in the underwriting process to reduce the amount of work that goes into collecting applications and, in turn, improving communication and shortening the amount of time it takes to bind policies.
A Workers’ Compensation best practices session, led by the representative of an organization that self-administers Workers’ Comp claims, covered the use of data validations for enforcing the quality of data submitted to state agencies, as well as the automation of indemnity benefits calculations. Not only have these newfound efficiencies freed up claims team members, but they’ve also contributed to a 75% reduction in fines in less than a year.
2. Moving toward a more holistic view of risk and proactive approach to loss prevention
The breadth of sessions offerings highlighted the flexibility of the Origami platform. Attendance in sessions focusing the use Origami to support GRC, EH&S, and audit programs served as proof that organizations are successfully using Origami to form a more complete picture of the risks they face and drive processes that proactively address those risks.
Beginning with the involvement of key stakeholders and clear goals — What are we looking to achieve? — was a common refrain in these sessions. With agreed-upon end goals in mind, Origami can be set up around a program or initiative’s unique frameworks and workflows. And, as demonstrated, the system can then be adapted based on lessons learned and added or expanded initiatives.
3. Use IT to help find partners across the organization
Access to data from across the organization underlies the success of programs such as those mentioned in the previous section. The problem? All too often, data silos persist.
The good news is that throughout sessions, presenters spoke about being approached by their colleagues in other departments who are curious if they, too, could be using Origami. As mentioned in the summary of a previous year’s conference, these conversations often begin with the question, “Could we use the system to…[fill in the blank]?”
Made clear in sessions is the fact that technology is not a “silver bullet” for removing all barriers. For example, a territorial mindset around data is an entirely different problem that must be worked through. But when it comes to eliminating silos caused by disparate or outdated systems, as one presenter expressed, Origami can be an “easy sell.”
But how does one go about involving other departments/functionalities? According to one client presenter, IT departments looking to reduce the total cost of ownership around multiple software systems (especially older systems that require custom coding or constant maintenance) can be critical advocates. In the case of the presenter’s organization, at least three systems have been deprecated by their IT department after functionality was built out in Origami to meet the requirements of other departments and functions.
A focus on collaboration, hands-on learning, and the peer-to-peer sharing of solutions in the classes and sessions of the Origami Risk User Conference is no accident. Collaborating with our clients during initial implementation, providing hands-on training in the use of the system that helps clients understand the “why” as well as the “how,” and using the feedback shared by users to drive innovation is at the core of what Origami is about as an organization.
Want to join us at our next conference? Contact us to learn more.