What has Project One contributed?
Charlie’s team and Project One started by ensuring they were controlling the investment costs and ensuring the benefits could be realised, by implementing robust and iterative delivery forums with strong governance. The programme then turned its attention to: Managing the technical complexity of delivery: Building a strategy to deal with the introduction of new technologies and applications, while decommissioning existing components. This was a particularly crucial area given that the 1,000-strong client-facing team were at maximum capacity in their day to day operations and could use up to seven different systems during one call with a client. Finalising the technology choices required for transformation: Significant work progressed in detailing the application, integration and data architectures. This area started with a thorough assessment of the client journey and optimising the pathways through complex and regulated processes, and included detailing the business process requirements to support clients through bankruptcy, debt relief orders and individual voluntary arrangements. Preparing the organisation for change: Given the potentially disruptive nature of this change, the programme considered alternative operating models which would enable the transition to new ways of working, using new technologies, to be managed smoothly. A key part of the overall transformation journey was also ensuring that clear communication phases were built into the plan. Steve says Project One has made difference, “managing through the tough ti es, putting the commitment in. I have got a direct workforce here that ha been putting in an awful lot of time and effort in order to drive this programme hrough. It is important that they see third parties with the same commitment. So, there is a building of respect, and I think certainly we see that from Project One people”. Engaging with the industry has certainly b en key, “a lot of Paul’s time is spent on he ext rnal engagement and i dustry forum , providing the a surance and credibility that we are going in the right direction and it is an important part of his role”. Bri ging the industry along with the programme h s bee important but here have been many other ch llenges too. St ve recalls that, “data migrati n and mark t testing were two really big challenges”. “Getting the industry to a point where they all agreed it was ready and we could go live required cut-over plans for Xoserve and every on f the 45-participant companies. A big xercise in ind stry readiness”. In readiness for go-live, a 23-day cut-over period was necessitated by the sheer volume of data to be migrated. With £4 billion of turnover at stake in the industry, the team ran four dress rehearsals before completing the cut-over to the new system. Steve says, “it is referred to as a big bang. We hope it is not a big bang. Certainly not in a gas context!”
CHERYL ASHMAN consultant Project One
DAVE CHATHAM account Director Project One
PAUL TOOLAN consultant Project One
PIERS DOVE consultant Project One
the outcome After a successful go-live at the beginning of June, Steve is able to look back on the programme and reflect on his team; “The thing I am most proud of is the way our people have worked and committed, and shown resilience to drive through what has been a very long programme”, and on the Project One team, “it is about bringing in knowledge and experience to add to your own knowledge and experience. Through passing that knowledge and experience on, our people are richer at the end than they were at the start. With the knowledge and experience that people like Paul, Dave, Cheryl and Piers have, it is important that they don’t just come and only do a job but they help to enrich the ability of Xoserve and its people”.
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