JISC

Overview

The SOAP Opera 2 project will build on the work that the existing SOAP Opera project team has carried out from July 2009 to date, which has led to an understanding of how, following a comprehensive appraisal, the current academic-facing systems might be remodeled. This remodeling will employ a service oriented approach, to decrease duplication of functionality and improve the end-user experience. In addition, a financial and environmental impact assessment of the remodeling will be undertaken. The catalyst for this re-modeling will be the introduction of new Portal and VLE platforms over the coming 18 months.

Aims and objectives 

The overall aim of our project is to review the relevant elements of our enterprise architecture with the aim of providing a model and supporting resources that will enable the future service oriented development of our systems and processes.

This remodelling will employ a service oriented approach, to decrease duplication of functionality and improve the end-user experience.  In addition, a financial and environmental impact assessment of the remodelling will be undertaken. The catalyst for this re-modelling will be the introduction of new Portal and VLE platforms over the coming 18 months.

Our objectives for the project are to help us improve the following aspects of our student facing ALT services by identifying and, where appropriate quantifying, potential:

• Efficiencies: Cost, time and environmental savings
• Effectiveness: Business process and service quality improvement for all stakeholders
• Enablement: Improved agility, flexibility and ability to respond to new opportunities

Project methodology

• Undertake a thorough ‘stock check’ of the functionality available to users across the major portfolio of learning-support systems. (LLI)
• Undertake an investigation with a range of staff, student and support stakeholders to build a comprehensive picture of the business processes and functions they need to undertake and access. (Business Analysts)
• Undertake a financial and environmental impact analysis of current functionality including areas of duplication, and the potential for a reduction in training and support. (Project Team)
• Engage in dialogue with vendors regarding their product road-map, and explore areas for potential product development. (Service Owners)

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

The project deliverables, combined from SOAP Opera 1 and 2 will be

Interim Deliverables

• A robust project plan (this document)
• Ongoing project documentation such as two progress reports, two budget reports, meeting agendas and minutes (as per Section 4 of JISC Project Management Guidelines)
• Communications and dissemination activities, including the FSD website project page, project website and blog
  Evaluation interim reports
  Inputs to the EA modelling activities, including:

From workpackage 1: Populated function / application catalogue describing the currently implemented information systems; with licence and other costs
From workpackage 2: Cross-mapping of current journeys and logical functions to systems functions

Final Deliverables

Other Outputs

• Productive working relationships formed with other members of the STG, HEIs and commercial providers around shared services and technical developments.
• Staff with skills and experience in evaluation of effective service delivery using cost-benefit analysis (BiiLs)
• Staff with skills and experience in environmental impact analysis using (Suste-IT Carbon Footprint)
• Staff with skills and experience in use of TOGAF and Archimate (and the related Archi modelling tool)

Outcomes 

• The project outcomes build on those identified in the original project, which include:
• Efficiency (cost, time and environmental) savings potential identified
  Identified improvements to the student experience as a result of the systems and business processes involved being optimised
• Feedback into the FSD and wider FE/HE community, resulting in knowledge being shared across the sector and enabling the benefits to be realisable sector-wide.
• Integration into the financial modelling of all future student facing ALT service planning.
• Enhanced understanding of data integration issues and opportunities, leading to more agile and robust integration and use of new products, and thereby allowing the University to develop a more personalised learning experience for students

Outcomes specific to this project are:

• Opportunities for effectiveness improvements - to business processes and ways of working that will provide a higher quality of service to students and staff
• Awareness of how our models compare with those of other Universities

Technology / Standards used 

PRINCE2, SOA, ITIL, BIILS, UML, M_o_R, TOGAF, Archimate, Suste-IT