Tags Change, Growth, Strategy, Data management, Innovation

Charity begins at home

Just because an organisation is not-for-profit doesn’t mean traditional business issues do not apply. As Fred Thwaites of the NSPCC explains to John Lamb, no-one wants to re-invent the wheel.

Here’s something you may not have realised: charities are in one of the most competitive industries in the world. They have to fight tooth and nail for every bit of money that enters their books. Here’s another: they are among the most regulated and scrutinised organisations in the world. Governments and the public at large keep watchful eyes on them for any signs of impropriety or mis-use of funds. Charities are expected to maximise the value of every pound they take in, by minimising the costs involved in doing their work.

In short, charities are businesses, like any other, but facing challenges unlike any other business out there.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) may rely on public goodwill to continue its work protecting and supporting young people, but it too is a business. It has some 2,500 employees involved in 177 community-based projects. To be effective, its systems have to be as cutting-edge as those of any commercial company. And given that the future of so many children depends on that effectiveness, it’s critical they get it right.

Like most forward-looking businesses, the NSPCC is taking full advantage of the internet. It already has around 15 active websites and has registered a number of domain names, in an early effort to take advantage of new opportunities for more effective fundraising and marketing of its services, both of which are key in the competitive charity sector.

However, until recently, a lack of standards combined with an ad hoc development process meant that the charity was in danger of re-inventing the wheel with each new website. There was no mechanism to compare one project with another and avoid duplication, or identify code developed for one site that could be used in others. In addition, the development tools that the NSPCC had used for its websites were nearing the end of their useful life.

The result? A four-year development plan to radically overhaul the way it develops and manages the websites that play such an important part in communicating with supporters and delivering services to children.

“It’s all about building a single, composite architecture,” says Fred Thwaites, business systems manager at NSPCC. “One of the problems with the short term view of software development is that systems have a short shelf life.” He and his team realised that this approach would become unmanageable eventually.

“When we wanted to introduce a new element – an online discussion forum, for example – it was often easier to write a new system rather than change the existing ones,” he explains. “We needed to inject new rigour into our development, so we could use software from project to project and improve the shelf life and re-use of systems.”

Thwaites opted for a modular approach, using software components: pieces of code that can be used over and over again, and cut down on wasteful duplication.

Initially, the NSPCC looked at “free” open source and low-cost software but opted for IBM’s Rational Software Modeler to help in designing new systems, together with the Unified Modelling Language and a new content management system – all a bit technical, but it represented the best value.

With the new systems, Thwaites has gained more management control and is looking forward to lower overall costs as the need for original coding is reduced.
“By targeting the changes rather than adopting a big bang approach,” he says, “we will get benefits sooner than the industry average – which is around three years – but they will be spread out over a longer period.”

The NSPCC’s 22-strong IT department is already looking to revitalise its website presence – “The project focus is much wider and even more ambitious than before,” Thwaites explains. “It’s to provide a single online site for all adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, using personalisation techniques to mould the view of the site that each adult gets based on their individual relationships and preferences.”

Instead of treating visitors as separate individuals on existing websites, for example, the new approach will note if one person is doing a number of different things on different sites.

One of the first systems to benefit from the new approach is the Web Delivery Project, an ambitious attempt to improve the NSPCC’s fundraising and its ability to influence key stakeholders.

“Fundraising and influencing is being driven online,” says Thwaites. “We need our Web presence to treat people coherently if we’re going to improve relationships with our supporters, enhance their experience and increase the revenues to the charity.”

On the Web Delivery Project, NSPCC is working with two companies – a design agency and a content management system supplier. In order to work together effectively, each needs to have access to the data across the project, which means using compatible, albeit specialised tools.
“This is where the Rational tool come in, as it provides us with the power to represent all the different aspects of the project in one modelling tool,” says Thwaites.

Early on, the NSPCC took a decision to outsource training, mentoring and consultancy to IBM business partner REAL Solutions. It was a big decision to outsource so significantly, but the returns will mean more than just money. It will also bring back greater in-house expertise.

“Our model for training and mentoring – called ‘OnRamp’ – is designed so that those who best understand the customer's business, their own staff, are enabled to fully exploit their investment in IBM technology,” says Peter McCord, managing director for REAL Solutions. “We train employees and then work with them as they acquire the skills and knowledge, so they can get the most out of the tools within their own environment.”

“It was important for our in-house team to develop confidence in using the tools. The success of training means that, for example, our analysts will be able to use Rational Software Modeler, and other members of the Rational toolset for all requirements management, analysis and testing from the end of this year,” adds Thwaites.

The NSPCC is currently reviewing its business objectives for the next four years and the work of Thwaites and the IT department will play an important part in ensuring they are achieved. And with our kids’ futures riding that bottom line, it’s essential they get it right.

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Rational Software

Rational represents the platform for governing software and systems development in an on demand world.

NSPCC

The NSPCC's (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) purpose is to end cruelty to children. FULL STOP.

REAL Solutions

REAL Solutions designs, implements and supports IT infrastructure based on hardware and software solutions, driving down your cost of ownership, making your information more available and secure.