How Schwarz Group Unified Project Management Across Divisions with Planisware

When Schwarz Group, one of the largest retail groups in the world, recognized the need for a unified project management system, they knew the journey ahead wouldn’t be easy. With divisions like Lidl, Kaufland, Schwarz Produktion, and PreZero, the company needed a solution that could harmonize processes across diverse business units. Inna Wallbaum, IT Business Consultant at Schwarz Group, and Ronny Wolf, Project Director at Planisware, dive into how they tackled this massive challenge.

A Massive Group with Unique Challenges

Most people are familiar with Schwarz Group’s retail brands, Lidl and Kaufland, but fewer know about the Group’s comprehensive range of services that extend beyond food retail. “Schwarz is one of the only groups that covers the entire product cycle—from production to retail to recycling,” Inna explained. With over 575,000 employees operating in 32 countries, Schwarz is a powerhouse in the retail industry, serving more than 7.2 billion customers annually.

Managing such a diverse group presents challenges, especially in project management. “Each division had its own tools and processes, which made cross-divisional collaboration difficult,” Inna said. The company needed a single platform to standardize project management across divisions while allowing for flexibility within each unit. This is where Planisware came into the picture.

Need for Unified Project Management

Until 2021, the divisions within Schwarz Group were operating in silos. While this autonomy allowed for fast decision-making, it made collaboration across divisions nearly impossible. “The motivation for this project was to systematize project management governance across divisions,” Inna explained. “We needed a unified tool to manage cross-divisional projects effectively.”

Schwarz Group selected Planisware after evaluating several PPM solutions. The decision was made in mid-2021, and by March 2022, they had kicked off the implementation. 

“We weren’t looking for a tool only for budgeting or resource management” Inna continued. “We needed an end-to-end solution that could manage the entire project lifecycle.”

Unlike many organizations that rush to implement software, Schwarz took a slower, more deliberate approach. “We’re not going for speed,” Inna emphasized. “We want to ensure that the change sticks, so we are onboarding users step by step.” As of today, three divisions are actively using the Planisware solution, with 1,500 users already on board. This number is expected to increase during next years.

The phased implementation has allowed Schwarz to focus on quality over speed. “We’re constantly gathering feedback to fine-tune the system and adapt to the growing number of users,” Inna explained. “As more users come on board, we get more requirements, which we prioritize in our backlog.”

Tackling Complexities with Automation and Integration

One of the most sophisticated aspects of this project has been managing Schwarz’s vast organizational structure, which includes different roles and permissions across multiple countries and divisions. “We had to configure an access rights management system that could handle 30 organizational roles per division across 32 countries, plus 10 project-based roles,” Ronny explained.

In addition to access management, Schwarz needed to integrate Planisware with other key systems. “We implemented more than 10 interfaces to six external systems, including SharePoint, MS Teams, and our Identity and Access Management Tool,” Inna noted. “This automation was crucial for managing roles, permissions, and user data efficiently.”

The team also developed a SharePoint integration that automatically creates project folders, sets up a pre-defined subfolder structure, and manages permissions based on the project type and user role. “This integration has saved us countless hours of manual work and ensures data security across the board,” Inna added.

Nevertheless, one of the biggest challenges in any large-scale implementation is user adoption. For Schwarz Group, getting the many stakeholders on board required careful planning and extensive training. 

“We used a ‘Train the Trainer’ concept,” Inna explained. “Key users within each division were trained by internal trainers, and they, in turn, trained the end users in their divisions.”

The training program was tailored to different user profiles, ensuring that each group received the appropriate level of training. “We also gathered feedback from users through regular surveys and workshops to ensure that we’re meeting their needs and continuously improving the system,” Inna said.

Strong Partnerships and a Commitment to Success

Looking back, Inna believes the key to the project’s success has been the strong partnership between Schwarz and Planisware. “We’ve had our difficulties, but I can always rely on Ronny and his team,” she said. “They’re incredibly customer-focused, and whenever we’ve faced a difficult issue, they’ve always found a solution.” Ronny agreed, emphasizing the importance of early planning, especially around automation. 

“We knew this project would require careful planning, so we spent a lot of time upfront thinking through potential issues,” he explained. “The result is a system that automates everything we can, from project creation to data management.”

What’s Next for Schwarz and Planisware?

With the system live, Schwarz is now focused on enhancing its reporting capabilities and rolling out additional features, with the goal to make the data more accessible for different stakeholders, from project managers to senior leadership.

Inna also mentioned the growing interest in using Planisware’s mobile app to simplify processes like timecard submissions and approvals. “We’re planning to implement this after our next system upgrade,” she said.

Reflecting on the journey, Inna had two key pieces of advice for other project managers. “First, automate everything you can,” she said. “Automation reduces manual work, improves accuracy, and makes your system more secure.”

Second, Inna emphasized the importance of balancing standardization with flexibility. “Each division has different needs, so you need to find ways to harmonize processes while still allowing for some  division-specific configuration,” she advised.

Schwarz Group’s journey with Planisware demonstrates the power of collaboration, automation, and a phased approach to large-scale software implementation. “We’ve come a long way, but this is just the beginning,” Inna concluded. “With Planisware, we’re breaking down silos and setting ourselves up for future success.”

Interested in finding out how Planisware can help you manage your global projects? Get in touch with us today.