Digital

Trove.scot – working with your supplier

October 16, 2024 by Stewart Hamilton No Comments | Category Digital Assurance Office, Digital Scotland, Technology Assurance Framework

Guest blog by Laura Johnstone, Continuous Improvement team, Digital Assurance Office.

Working with your supplier

This case study explores how the trove.scot Service Team worked with the supplier they appointed to design and deliver trove.scot and their reflections. This is the second of three case studies prepared with Historic Environment Scotland (HES). The first, exploring how the Service Team embedded the Digital Scotland Service Standard (DSSS) and their reflections from the assessment process has been published.  A further case study exploring how the trove.scot service put users at the heart of its design will be published soon.

Activities

• recommendations from the discovery assessment included the need for the DSSS to be built into the tender and for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to retain ultimate responsibility for the design and delivery of trove.scot, partnering with a supplier to design and develop it
• HES worked in partnership with the supplier to have an integrated team modelled on the dynamic systems development method – an agile project delivery framework that emphasises the importance of the entire project lifecycle
• alpha and beta assessments found that the Trove.scot Service Team (HES and the supplier) was using a clear delivery methodology, robust resource planning and a diverse set of skills
• the working relationship between HES and the supplier was based on strong engagement to help foster effective and long term working relationships
• the HES project manager had responsibility for managing the supplier relationship and developed working practices that respected roles, responsibilities and project governance
• the supplier was integrated into all aspects of the project, for example attending monthly project board meetings
• HES found the DSSS assessment meetings to be productive and helpful, providing the opportunity to take stock of what had been achieved in the delivery phase
• HES maintained ownership of the Service Team input to DSSS assessment meetings and did not delegate it to the supplier, involving the supplier in the meetings enabled direct feedback from the Assessment Team which was helpful
• the governance for the project was tailored to its size and needs – there has been a consistent SRO, who is a member of the HES leadership team, which has enabled a clear line of sight from the project to the wider organisation
• a monthly project governance board and a clear framework for delegation and decision making provided efficient processes that helped to build trust with the supplier and avoid over-lengthy review processes

Reflections

• clearly defined and practical governance routes with a highly engaged SRO enabled the project to respond to requirements and overcome challenges quickly
• responsive governance has enabled the supplier to plan for work with confidence that decisions will be made quickly, supporting the development of strong working relationships
• a single responsible contact for supplier management has worked well with clarity on roles, responsibilities and governance arrangements – the relationship has been invested in throughout the project, particularly at times of staffing change (on both sides)
• the trove.scot project had a clear and defined vision which was explicit from the beginning – having this clarity, particularly when the detail of the service being developed was detailed and complex, has supported everyone to remain on track
• actively working with the supplier, for example using the same collaboration tools to understand progress, enabled HES to maintain effective oversight and provide positive feedback to ensure development remains aligned to the vision for the service
• effectively fulfilling the role of service owner has been enabled by the skill set of the team in HES which has changed as the service has moved through the development life cycle which has been necessary to meet the needs of the service.

Find out more

For more information about this case study contact: trove@hes.scot.

The Technology Assurance Framework (TAF) is designed to help prevent digital projects from failing for common reasons, improve delivery and ensure that the lessons learned from previous experience are reflected and embedded in future practice. The Digital Assurance Office are working with organisations to share information which might help others deliver digital projects and we have been publishing our insights and case studies on our digital blog.  We have published insights, based on an analysis of recommendations from major digital project reviews, on effective procurement and contract management. We have also worked with the National Records of Scotland to share lessons from the Census Programme, this includes a case study on contract management.

If you want to get involved contact us at: DigitalAssurance@gov.scot.

For expert guidance on delivering a digital project visit the Digital Scotland Service Manual.

The Scottish Digital Academy is the public sector centre of expertise for digital capability and can provide information, advice and guidance on developing digital, data and technology skills to support transformation.

The Social Security Programme: Our Story Team are part of a wider legacy portfolio, whose goal is to capture and disseminate eight years of acquired knowledge, capabilities and lessons learned to demonstrate that irrespective of the size, nature or maturity of your Programme, your profession or career pathway, ‘Our Story’ has the potential to build individual and team skills and capabilities whilst improving the effectiveness and quality of your delivery. They do this through a variety of means from building case studies, interviews and blogs to facilitating workshops and resource loans, for the benefit of Social Security Scotland, the wider Scottish Government and public sector. These include a Case Study from Programme Service Managers who talk about working with suppliers and a Case Study and Workshop on Contract and Supplier Management.  You can access their resources on Pathways or contact the team: socialsecurity.ourstoryteam@gov.scot

For further information and signposting to advice and support on programme and project management contact the Programme and Project Management Centre for Expertise. The Scottish Government programme and project management principles are available and apply to any project of any size.

Tags: Continuous Improvement, Digital Assurance Office, Digital Scotland Service Standard, Historic Environment Scotland, Technology Assurance Framework

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