Piloting major business change - challenges and opportunities: Worktribe Research Management

17th June 2016Mark Ritchie/Jamie Thin/Gary Halliday/Eliane Reid

Agenda

Overview of Worktribe Research Management

Solution Live Demonstration

The Project

Lessons Learned

Key Messages and Takeaways

Any Questions?

Who we areWho UoE Role Project Role

Hamish Macandrew Head of Research Support Office Business Lead (Pre Award)

Eliane Reid Operations Manager Business Lead (Communications and Engagement)

Gary Halliday Research Administration Manager Science and Engineering

Business Lead (Post Award)

Richard Scullion Research Administration Manager MVM/HSS

Business Lead (Post Award)

Jamie Thin Senior Project and Programme Manager for Research Programme Manager

Mark Ritchie Deputy Director and Head of Project Services Delivery Manager

OVERVIEW OF WORKTRIBE RESEARCH MANAGEMENT

Worktribe Research Management

Subtitle goes here

Why is research management so important for the University?

• Maintain and enhance our research activity

• 21st top rated university in the world (2015 QS Top Universities)

• 2nd largest source of income• £300 million awards in 2013• 40% success rate for research

proposals

What problems were we trying to fix?

• Fragmented business processes• Processes and systems inefficient

and difficult to use • Constrained central research

management support• Costing tool only available to

Research Support Office• Limited reporting and

management information • IT system at end of life

Why did we choose Worktribe?

• Best features – lowest cost• Cloud based solution (SaaS)• Modern and flexible• Good references - Lincoln and

Open University• Met needs of Edinburgh and

Heriot Watt • Influence development of

solution given our key position in emerging HE market

What did we deliver?

• Collaborative working• Devolved access• Consistent, auditable processes• Workflows for approval processes• Integration with existing finance

processes• Document management • Standard and bespoke reporting

Worktribe Research Management

SOLUTION LIVE DEMONSTRATION

THE PROJECT

Project Timeline

Business Case (Pre

Award Only) 2011

Full Business Case and Funding Secured

(2012/13)

Joint Procureme

nt with Heriot Watt (2013/14)

Software Configura

tion (2014/15)

Pilot Go Live

(November 2015)

Full Roll Out (April

2016)

Challenges

• Major change programme – not just IT

• Supplier and solution not previously tested at this scale

• RSO and RGS staff retained some business as usual responsibilities

• Complex IT systems architecture • Budget and timescales under

pressure

Health Check Review (June 2014)

• Budget/timescales not achievable • Go live not yet clear and potentially

over 2000 users• More software development needed• Integration more complex • High risk “big bang” implementation• Need to focus on communications

and engagement • More time and effort needed from

all parties to deliver successfully

Complex Systems Architecture - Research IT

Complex Systems Architecture – Worktribe Integration

Where are we now? - Activity MeasuresWorktribe Research Management Measures

Week 8 to 10th June 2016Project Activity

All Projects (including historic legacy) 23876Active Projects 7335

Applications Raised (Since 30-Nov 15) 1345Awards Processed (Since 30-Nov 15) 509

Users Registered Users 242

Registered Users - Research Support Office / RSO 32Registered Users - Finance / RGS 28

Registered Users - Schools, Institutes and Centres 175Registered Users - Other Areas (incl IS) 7

Registered Academic Users 74Registered Users with Access to Salary Data* 152

Support Activity UniDesk Calls Raised (Since 30-Nov 15) 969

UniDesk Calls Currently Open 162Fixes Supplied by Worktribe (Since 30-Nov 15) 67

Fixes Supplied By IS (Since 30-Nov 15) 10

Where are we now? – User Feedback

LESSONS LEARNED (AND NOT JUST FOR RESEARCH MANAGEMENT PROJECTS!)

#1 – Don’t underestimate the resources required

• To be optimistic is a virtue – but not when estimating!

• Common mistakes – Thinking only about the IT– Business delivering project

alongside day job– Underestimating the project

management effort– Invalid assumptions (see #2)– Insufficient investment in

communications (see #4)

Get a 2nd professional opinion on your estimates!

#1 Don’t Underestimate Resources – Actions Taken During Project

Project Manager started at 0.5 FTE increased to 0.9 FTE

Additional recruitment to backfill RSO and RGS staff

Delivery Manager at 0.6 FTE added to support team and connect to Programme Board

Dedicated communication and engagement team 2 FTE

Additional funds made available for ISG and Worktribe developments

#2 – Continually review assumptions (and risks)

• Actions based on invalid assumptions are dangerous!

• Changes and issues come up – adjustment is essential

• We assumed – Requirements agreed and well

understood– Solution didn’t need much

development– Business could manage change

without assistance– Default salary access controls ok Ensure all assumptions are recorded and managed!

#3 Run a Pilot

• Reduce functionality and/or users impacted

• Proves that it works (before you commit everything!)

• Reduces risk for the full go live • Reduces psychological need for

solution to be “perfect”• Brings users into the project as active

change agents

There may be resistance but it’s worth it – and for major projects you’d be crazy not to!

#3 Run a Pilot - How the Pilot reduced risk

• Pilot ran from Nov 2015 – Feb 2016 then extended by 1 month

• Proved the solution worked• Tested training, communication and

support processes• Ensured data migration issues

resolved • Identified problems and workarounds • Indicated required go live resources • Great engagement and support from

Pilot Schools/Institutes

Three Pilot Schools/Institutes – one per College chosen on basis of research activity

and willingness to participate

#3 Run a Pilot – Make variety visible

#3 Run a Pilot – Clear sign off conditions at outset

Functionality, including devolved costing, works acceptably and meets the School/Institute needs

Solution is efficient and manageable within existing resources

School/Institute can get the data they need via reports and Excel

Appropriate training has been provided to staff using the solution

Solution is adequately supported by RSO, RGS, IS and Worktribe

Solution is reliable and robust

No issues that would prevent School / Institute continuing to use the solution

#3 Run a Pilot – Increased Confidence in Solution

#4 Effective communications is vital

• Essential for any successful project • Underpins critical activities

– Engaging user community– Influencing senior managers – Reducing risks and resolving issues

• Use multiple methods e.g. web pages, wiki, newsletter, mailing lists, face to face

#4 Effective communications needs strategy & planned as part of the project

• Know your audience• Plan the right moves at the right time• Have one channel – removes

confusion & targets audiences• Convince your project team that

people are as important as the solution!

Don’t assume you will be good at it – consider setting up a dedicated, professional communications team

#4 Effective Communications – Five Step StrategySteps (Planned Changes) New Approach (Actions)

1 – Branding and Identity • Appropriate use of the Worktribe logo• University branding and logo

2 – Create Key Messages • Strategic alignment, business needs & benefits • Clarity - what it can and cannot do

3 – Engage, share, listen, support • Focus on users• Focus on leaders in schools• Focus on learning from Pilot (e.g. registration)• Focus on type of support - training• Build new ”one stop shop” wiki web site for users

4 – Create relevant content • Create relevance for users: FAQs, registration process……

5 – Maintain consistent and relevant communications

• Ensure consistency from Project Team – e.g. mailing lists• One channel for communicating activities and outputs

Project Focused Transition People and Solution Focused

#4 Effective Communication – User Wiki

#4 Effective Communication – Newsletter

#5 Focus on benefits

• Engages users and senior management

• Benefits owners can become “project champions”

• Identifies different priorities• Drives the design of the solution • Help the team make good decisions • Needs follow up after project closed

You will need to work hard – University not good at benefits management!

#5 Benefits - Partnership with Heriot Watt University

“Heriot-Watt University were looking at the potential benefits of a research management system. The Strategic Alliance between Heriot-Watt and University of Edinburgh paved the way for a partnership in the procurement and subsequent contract of the solution. For Heriot-Watt this reduced the impact on our resource and by working in partnership both parties received substantial discounts within the contract and a comprehensively scoped solution”

Linsey Dickson, Research and Enterprise Services Heriot Watt University

#5 Benefits – Chasing the Dream

KEY MESSAGES AND TAKEAWAYS

Key Messages and Takeaways

Don’t underestimate the resources

required

Continually review

assumptions and risks

Run a Pilot (essential for

large/complex projects)

Effective communication

is vital

Focus on benefits

Key Messages and Takeaways – What is success?

Knowing where

you want to get to

Knowing how to

get there

Knowing that you

have arrived

Vision/Objectives /Benefits (Business Case)

Acquiring new capabilities Embedding them within

culture, practices and behaviours of organization

Creating enablers + business changes (Project Delivery)

Minimising the impact of disbenefits (Pilot)

Measurement of benefits realized (Performance Management)

ANY QUESTIONS?

Find Out More

• Project Wiki• User Facing Web Site (EASE Login Required)• Hamish MacAndrew - Business Lead (Research Support Office)• Gary Halliday - Business Lead (Research Grants Section)• Mark Ritchie – Delivery Manager (Information Services)• Jamie Thin – Project Manager (Information Services)