Completion Report
Project Summary:
This innovation project was to investigate Office 365 capabilities, namely Microsoft Project Online and Sharepoint, to evaluate whether they might offer an alternative future road map for the current projects website (www.projects.ed.ac.uk) and our resourcing and time-recording system, Asta.
The project team produced a series of 'personas' to capture the types of users that use the current tools and to summarise their key requirements. This requirement summary then formed the basis of our early market research to evaluate what Office 365 could offer.
It quickly became clear that we would need a Microsoft partner to work with us to configure MSProject Online and Sharepoint for a 'proof of concept' system to cover our requirements. Following advice from Procurement Office we drew up a shortlist of Microsoft Gold Partners and each was invited to provide a demo of system capabilities to cover our requirements. A formal 'invitation to quote' was then issued to the shortlisted suppliers so that we could undertake a formal procurement exercise.
Three of the four invited suppliers submitted a bid. The successful bidder, Program Framework, has now been appointed.
A follow-on project is now reqiured to work alongside Program Framework to implement the proof of concept.
Link to invitation to quote sent to suppliers
Analysis of Resource Usage:
Staff Usage Estimate: 30 days
Staff Usage Actual: 20 days
Staff Usage Variance: -33%
Other Resource Estimate: 16000 days
Other Resource Actual: 28500 days
Other Resource Variance: 78%
Explanation for variance:
The project is under budget on days because it was unable to progress to the point of implementation so the time allocated for those tasks has not been used.
The overspend on external budget was due to the higher than expected costs for Microsoft consultants.
Key Learning Points:
Use project methodology - Although these innovation projects were deliberably managed with a 'light touch' project management approach, this meant that it was easy to lose focus and momentum due to the pressures of other higher priority work. If we undertake another innovation project int he future we would recommend that a proper brief and plan is drawn up,
Outstanding issues:
A follow-on project is now required to work with Program Framework to implement the proof of concept and undertake consultation with potential users to evaluate whether it would be fit for purpose