Background

The MoD was keen to improve its communication processes using new electronic work flow tools. This would be a radical departure from the traditional way of working.

The organisation wanted to introduce the tools to users at Head Office first and then roll them out to approximately 240,000 users across the country.

Atmaana's role

Atmaana consultants acted as programme managers for the initial implementation of the tool into Head Office. Key responsibilities included:

- Understanding and documenting customer (user) and technical (system) requirements.

- Establishing a project office to oversee a timely introduction of the new system.

- Developing and managing a communications and change programme.

Because the solution was so radical, Atmaana invested a great deal of time in talking to the main stakeholders, all of whom are senior ranking personnel within the MoD. Convincing these people of the benefits of the new tools, and gaining their buy-in, was crucial to a successful implementation.

Our consultants also adopted an open and consultative style to help win over the internal teams - who were already working on similar tools - by encouraging them to attend project meetings and by sharing findings with them.

Deliverables

At the end of the initial phase, Atmaana produced User and System Requirement documents, a communications plan and also a marketing plan to help promote the new tool and gain acceptance within the MoD.

Since then, Atmaana has been programme managing the roll-out across the organisation, with particular emphasis on communication, stakeholder and third party management.

Client benefits

The MoD has saved an estimated £3 million introducing the tool to the first 120,000 users.

Atmaana's work, particularly in communications and stakeholder management, also proved critical in helping the MoD achieve a sea-change in attitudes towards information management and in the transition of organisational culture from "need to know" towards "duty to share".

Atmaana was able to convince the various teams to consolidate 18 competing tools into just 2, leaving the new Atmaana tool as one of the de facto standards, and thereby saving the MoD a significant amount of time and money.

To find out more about this MoD project, or Atmaana's extensive range of services, contact Ian Bliss