The challenge

We were asked to provide South Ayrshire Council with consultancy services to support a significant change initiative incorporating systems supporting Finance, HR and Supporting Services. Initially, we would need to lead an impartial cross-service review over 3 months; to encompass the following areas:

  • Current state: analyse financial, functional and architectural aspects of the existing solution, Oracle eBusiness Suite assessing the back office ‘health’ of the council
  • Future state: provide clear recommendations as to suitable way forward and associated benefits for three chosen options: an upgrade for R12.2; moving to separate best in class solutions; and moving to a single solution
  • Roadmap: develop a plan progressing forwards, including milestones and pre-requisites

And an extension to provide an additional three-month: Programme Management Office (PMO) governance structure set up; change design; and system support model transition options review.

“We found the business extremely professional as they came with an excellent framework for the approach of engagement and delivery. Socitm Advisory understood the need to ensure our business contributed to the requirements and involved the staff at all stages.”

Stewart McCall, Service lead – ICT enterprise architecture, South Ayrshire Council

The approach

We brought with us specialist market expertise and real practical delivery experience in advising, assuring, facilitating, and designing the delivery for the client. We achieved our goals through a collaborative and supportive approach with the business involving various stakeholders in various meetings and workshops. The approach is four stages and delivers a readiness for programme delivery and a baseline for business change readiness.

The outcome

The council were initially provided with a health assessment of their current systems with a discovery report highlighting the main issues with the back-office solutions. Socitm Advisory used the information gathered from pain point workshops to identify critical issues that need addressing and areas of improvement that could be focused on as part of any future system implementation.

We also provided options for the customer to consider, enabling them to make education decisions on analysis and evidence provided.

The Outline Business Case then set out the pros and cons for each option, leaving the ultimate decision with the Executive Team. Based on the evidence set out in the report, the council decided to progress forwards with a single Cloud solution so they could reduce the number of systems operating, and seek to improve business process.

They then made the decision to ensure business readiness for programme delivery through additional engagement to identify and agree change approach, change strategy, programme governance and controls, and system transition considerations, resulting in them being ready for the programme to kick off into requirements and build.