Accelerating the UK’s transition to a greener, stronger economy with Office 365 and SharePoint Online
Situation
Green Investment Bank required a solution for managing large volumes of complex and sensitive data, and multiple high value projects, while adhering to strict legal requirements for security, traceability and conformance.
To simplify project management, they wanted access to a clear overview of ongoing projects and their statuses, and important associated documents and information, in one simple dashboard.
They also needed to be able to work securely as a team from any location, and have the ability to collaborate on documents simultaneously and in real time, to remove information silos within the business and between their regional offices.
The restrictions of their existing knowledge management system meant that valuable assets, such as projects and reports, weren’t being reused as effectively as they could be. They needed a system that would allow them to find, access, and share important information quickly, efficiently and securely.
Solution
Proof of Concept
Business Cloud Integration created an extended proof of concept for a SharePoint project management system to address each of the client requirements:
To make it easier for users to quickly find and access the information they need, we leveraged SharePoint search features to surface the information where it was needed, and de-clutter and focus the work space. Email clutter was also reduced by the introduction of sharing and collaboration solutions, and single source of the truth working practices, to prevent users from emailing around multiple versions of the same document.
We also designed the information architecture so as to create a consistent templated look and feel to the environment. Using bespoke site templates based on project type, it ensures that users can easily find the information they are looking for.
To give a clear and simple overview of all GIB projects and their statuses, we created a rollup RAG dashboard, with projects colour-coded by status, and easy navigation through to project sites and associated documents and data.
To address security and compliance concerns, we demonstrated the rigorous levels of security within Office 365 and the range of ways in which data can be effectively monitored, managed and audited, to ensure high level compliance requirements are consistently met.
Benefits
Collaboration
Users are able to share and collaborate on information quickly and easily through Office 365, wherever they are and from any device, safe in the knowledge that data security and compliance requirements are being met.
Accessing important information
The information architecture facilitates better information sharing between all areas of the business, and the consistent site structure across the organisation makes information much easier to find: it can be surfaced by those who need it, wherever they need to see it, regardless of where it is stored.
The enhanced search function combined with meta tagging has made it far easier for valuable assets to be found and reused, helping the company get more value from projects and reports into which they have already invested significant amounts of money and time.
Clear reporting
The introduction of a clear reporting dashboard allows users to quickly see which projects need attention, and as a result, they are able to allocate time and resources far more efficiently.
The UK Green Investment Bank was created by the UK Government, to invest in green projects across the UK. Their investments help fund the creation of new, modern, green infrastructure across the UK.
About
Software
- SharePoint Online
- Microsoft Office 365
Services
- SharePoint Consulting
- SharePoint Infrastructure Architecture
- SharePoint Support
- Office 365 Support
Added Value
Knowledge Transfer
GIB now have a good grounding in process automation for cloud usage, and a strong understanding of the full capabilities of Office 365 as a corporate information management system. This has given them the confidence to face requirements that arise, and envision how they can be addressed through Office 365, to leverage the full capabilities of the platform and maximise their return on investment. We also established Champions within the business, to allow the organisation to be their own first line support.
Support
Business Cloud Integration currently provide ongoing technical support for Office 365, SharePoint and associated cloud technologies, acting as a trusted adviser as requirements arise.
