EduSec

The problem

An institute runs on countless small daily tasks, and when each is handled on its own, time slips away and nobody can see the whole picture. EduSec set out to gather that everyday work into one system, so that routine jobs looked after themselves and staff and leaders could see everything in a single place.

What I did

• Mapped the many separate activities of an institute and grouped them into a plan the team could build in a sensible order.
• Chose what to deliver first, starting with the areas that would save people the most time from the outset.
• Kept the build moving steadily and checked each part against the way it would actually be used from one day to the next.
• Gave the oversight and reporting particular attention, since the whole promise of the system was that leaders could see the full picture and decide with confidence.

Why it was tricky

A system that reaches into every corner of an institute has a great many moving parts, and each one matters to somebody. Every area had to be dependable on its own, and yet the whole had to add up to one clear and trustworthy view. Holding the detail and the big picture at the same time was the constant challenge.

How it turned out

The system was delivered and is live at edusec.org, where it automates the daily activities of an institute and gives staff and leaders clear oversight of those activities.