Introduction: When Silos Cost More Than Time
Every capital project team talks about collaboration — but few achieve it.
Departments operate in silos, data lives in disconnected systems, and reporting takes weeks instead of minutes.
At American Water, these challenges reached a breaking point. With 1,800 active capital projects spread across 14 states, even the most dedicated teams struggled to deliver unified reporting or consistent standards.
But through a powerful partnership with OnIndus, and with leadership support across IT, Finance, Data, and Program Management, American Water proved that when departments unite around a shared goal, efficiency follows naturally.
Their journey shows how cross-department collaboration can evolve from a talking point to a measurable business advantage.
The Problem: 14 States, 1,800 Projects, and Too Many Systems
Before the transformation, American Water faced a reality common across public utilities and capital-intensive organizations.
Their challenges included:
- Operating across 14 states with unique local workflows and systems.
- 1,800 active capital projects, each tracked differently.
- Loose standardization, meaning no consistent way to compare performance across divisions.
- Disparate data stored in multiple systems (SAP, e-Builder, spreadsheets).
- Duplication of effort, with the same data re-entered multiple times across teams.
The cost wasn’t just inefficiency — it was clarity.
Leaders couldn’t see the full picture of capital spend, and compliance reporting required countless hours of manual reconciliation.
As the presentation put it, “The multiplying factors to consider” meant data gathering, reporting complexity, manual effort, and collaboration overhead all scaled linearly with project volume. Producing one compliance report could take hours, multiplied across 22 capital program admins — every single month.
The result: a reporting process so resource-heavy that it limited the team’s ability to focus on analysis, forecasting, and innovation.
The Turning Point: One Team, One Solution
The American Water team, led by Julie Drown (Software Administrator, e-Builder) and Winston Thompson (Senior Manager, Capital Programs, OnIndus), recognized that incremental fixes wouldn’t be enough.
The breakthrough came from a new mindset:
“Cross-department collaboration isn’t just a project requirement — it’s a strategic advantage.”
Instead of each department solving problems independently, they formed a unified collaboration model anchored around three principles:
- Understand the Value – Recognize collaboration as a core performance driver.
- Structure Communication – Build shared engagement strategies that align teams.
- Deliver Solutions Together – Leverage Trimble Unity Construct powered by e-Builder as a shared data platform.
This wasn’t just about technology integration — it was about cultural alignment.
Teams began to see themselves as part of a single, connected ecosystem rather than isolated departments.
The Coffee Shop Analogy: A Shared Dream in Action
To illustrate collaboration, the American Water team used a simple metaphor:
“Like building your dream coffee shop, every department brings ingredients, recipes, and roles. The success comes from working toward a shared vision.”
In practice, this meant each department — from IT to Analytics to PMs — contributed their unique expertise to design a better, faster reporting system.
Everyone had a role: data stewards, capital program administrators, business analysts, and leadership sponsors. Together, they transformed an overwhelming reporting process into an automated, scalable model.
The Solution: Integrating Systems, Empowering People
To eliminate redundancy and connect their data, the team built an integrated reporting ecosystem across four core components:
- TUC (e-Builder) Data Warehouse – The central repository for all construction data.
- SAP – Source of enterprise resource and cost information.
- Amazon Athena – A tool to transform SAP data for analytics.
- Amazon QuickSight – The visual reporting layer providing real-time dashboards.
This end-to-end architecture allowed live, synchronized data to flow seamlessly from project records to executive dashboards — creating one single source of truth across the enterprise.
As shown in the Integrated Systems Approach diagram (page 12 of the presentation), data now moves automatically from SAP and e-Builder into a unified analytics pipeline, reducing manual touchpoints and accelerating visibility.
The Collaboration Process: How Departments Worked as One
What made this success possible wasn’t just the tools — it was the structured, repeatable process that governed collaboration.
Step 1: Initial Assessment
Each department evaluated requests for feasibility and outlined requirements upfront. This ensured alignment before resources were committed.
Step 2: Solution Design
OnIndus SMEs collaborated with American Water’s IT and Capital teams to design a solution that fit real-world workflows — not the other way around.
Step 3: System Integration
The technical team connected disparate systems into a unified data environment, bridging SAP and e-Builder data streams.
Step 4: Implementation
Cross-functional teams deployed the integrated solution, ensuring each department had representation during rollout.
Step 5: Cross-Department Validation
Post-implementation, teams continued refining the solution through feedback loops, ensuring ongoing accuracy and adoption.
This disciplined, transparent process transformed the way departments collaborated — turning potential friction into structured momentum.
The Outcome: From Reports to Results
The results were tangible and immediate.
The integrated approach delivered measurable improvements across multiple dimensions:
- Single Source of Truth – All stakeholders now operate from the same, real-time data.
- Standardization of Reporting – Unified templates and KPIs across all 14 states.
- Increased Productivity – Teams spend less time on manual reporting and more on analysis.
- Significant Cost Savings – Efficiency gains translated directly into financial impact.
The Resolution Outcome dashboards (pages 15–16) illustrate the scale of improvement — automated approval reports and live project metrics that previously required weeks to compile are now available at a glance.
The Human Element: Collaboration as the Catalyst
Technology may have connected the data, but people made the difference.
The Resolution Genesis slide (page 13) highlights the diverse, cross-functional team that drove success:
- American Water Capital Program Admins
- OnIndus e-Builder SMEs
- Data Analytics and IT Teams
- SAP Experts
- PM End-Users
Each group contributed unique expertise — but more importantly, they respected one another’s strengths. That mutual respect became the glue that kept collaboration authentic and effective.
Lessons Learned: What Every Organization Can Apply
From conception to completion, the American Water and OnIndus teams distilled key lessons that any capital program can adopt:
- Validate the Need Across the Organization
Align early on the “why.” When everyone understands the shared problem, commitment follows naturally. - Include SMEs Early
Involving subject matter experts at the start ensures technical and operational realities shape the design. - Executive Sponsorship Matters
Leadership support removes barriers, prioritizes resources, and keeps the initiative moving. - Clear Communication is Essential
Regular updates and transparency keep all departments aligned on goals, progress, and impact. - Respect Expertise Across Departments
Collaboration thrives when every team’s contribution is valued equally. - Standardization Creates Efficiency
Unified processes across states dramatically improve visibility and decision-making.
These principles turned a fragmented organization into a coordinated, data-driven team.
Four Practical Tips for Cross-Department Collaboration
To sustain collaboration beyond the initial project, the American Water team implemented a series of repeatable habits — ones that can help any organization replicate their success:
- Establish a Shared Vision
Ensure every department understands and buys into the same mission. - Engage Stakeholders Early
Involve key decision-makers and influencers from day one. - Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities
Clarify ownership to prevent confusion or duplication. - Create Regular Touchpoints
Schedule consistent meetings to maintain alignment and momentum.
These steps turn collaboration from a one-time success into a sustained, scalable capability.
The Bigger Picture: Why Collaboration Is a Competitive Advantage
American Water’s journey is proof that when teams integrate systems and align around shared goals, the payoff extends far beyond faster reporting.
It creates a ripple effect across every department:
- IT gains cleaner data architecture.
- Finance gets real-time portfolio visibility.
- PMs operate with fewer bottlenecks.
- Executives make decisions with confidence.
Cross-department collaboration isn’t a soft skill — it’s a measurable, strategic capability.
By connecting people, processes, and platforms, organizations can reduce redundancy, uncover insights faster, and deliver value at scale.
Conclusion: One Team, One Solution
What began as a challenge to unify data across 14 states evolved into a case study in enterprise collaboration.
By combining OnIndus’ integration expertise with American Water’s commitment to transparency and teamwork, the organization built something far more valuable than a reporting system — they built a culture of alignment.
The lesson is simple:
When departments share data, goals, and accountability, they achieve together what none could accomplish alone.
Build Your Connected Capital Program
Collaboration isn’t a luxury — it’s the foundation of modern capital program success.
Download our free eBook: “One Team, One Solution: The Collaboration Blueprint for Capital Programs.”
Discover how leading organizations are breaking down silos and connecting finance, construction, and operations into one seamless workflow.
Inside, you’ll learn:
- How to design a cross-department collaboration framework
- Key roles to include in your transformation team
- A roadmap for integrating project controls, finance, and analytics
- Lessons from American Water and other OnIndus clients
Next Step: Schedule a free Collaboration Readiness Assessment with OnIndus.
We’ll help you identify where silos are slowing you down — and how a connected data ecosystem can accelerate your entire capital program.
When your teams think together, they deliver together.
