CSD choose Singularity's ‘Agile-Delivery' Methodology to Transform Services

Derry, Northern Ireland, 21 June 2010

Customer Service Direct (CSD), Suffolk County Council's provider of ICT services, has selected Singularity, leading Business Process Agility specialist, to develop a new website showcasing short breaks for disabled children in the County using Singularity's ‘Agile-Delivery' Methodology. The new site delivers a travel agency style service enabling disabled children, young people and their parents and carers to book short breaks, and create online communities using innovative web 2.0 tools such as Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

CSD was asked to deliver the new site and faced numerous challenges. The website was to be delivered in a very short time frame within a tightly controlled budget, whilst ensuring it was user-friendly to all target audiences, providing high standards of web accessibility and user satisfaction.

"The website's objectives were very important. It was essential we met the needs of the disabled children and provided opportunities for people to give feedback on the short breaks advertised," said Norman Mellor, Website Programme Manager, CSD.

CSD wanted a partner that could work quickly and accurately. Aware of Singularity's experience in delivering high-speed 'Agile' projects for other government agencies they "cashed-in" on Singularity's expertise to help create a compelling new web site.

The project kicked off with representatives of Suffolk County Council joining CSD and Singularity staff in an intense 3-day competitive 'hothouse' workshop to define the target solution and delivery plan.

Mellor continues: "Successful web sites evolve by responding to users' views and opinions, and incorporating these into later iterations of the site. The Agile approach worked very well for us because it didn't prescribe what could and couldn't be done right at the outset. Instead, the site evolved over 3 iterations, based on feedback we got from an extensive engagement programme. Singularity's agile approach really supported this way of working and was an ideal way to help us achieve our objectives."

The Agile techniques employed allowed CSD to achieve the maximum business benefits possible in the allotted timescale. Singularity was able to deliver the features that offered the most business value. "Using the Agile delivery approach we have helped CSD to implement a new online web portal quickly and effectively, ensuring good communication among all the participants as we did so. We delivered on time and within budget and we also made sure that the features we delivered align with CSD's business priorities. I think this demonstrates that Singularity's ASAP methodology is a fast, flexible way to deliver improved business processes in the public sector. It recognises that requirements change, and the best way to support change is through collaborative, iterative and rapid deployments, delivering value early and value often," said John Blennerhassett, Director of Government, Singularity. Visit the new web site at http://www.activities-unlimited.co.uk/ For more information on this story click here

About CSD:

Set up in 2004, Customer Service Direct (CSD) is a joint venture between Suffolk County Council, Mid Suffolk District Council and BT. It was set up to transform and improve services in Suffolk and manages ICT, HR, Finance and Customer Access for the two councils. For more information visit: http://www.customerservicedirectuk.com/

About Singularity:

Singularity increases the performance and agility of business processes by rapid implementation of its industry-leading Business Process Management (BPM) products.

Singularity’s mission is to populate the world with agile organizations. As the leading Business Process Agility specialist we today serve clients in over 30 countries from our offices in London, New York, Singapore, Ireland and India and through our network of partners globally. Acclaimed by leading industry experts, as the best in our field, we provide a unique combination of thought leadership and practical help that creates a new generation of successful organizations.

For further press information please contact Kathryn McDevitt at Singularity.
Email: marketing@singularity.co.uk, or telephone: + 44 28 71 267767. For more information, please visit http://www.singularitylive.com or http://www.singularity.co.uk

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