How STFC Leverages Power Apps and Power Automate For Enhanced Project Management

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Background

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is the UK government agency committed to pushing the boundaries of research in science and engineering.

By providing vital support to university-based research and ensuring access to cutting-edge scientific facilities, the STFC plays a crucial role in driving innovation.

Collaboration is at the heart of their approach, fostering strong partnerships between academia and industry to ensure that research delivers tangible economic, societal, and international benefits to the UK.

The Challenge – Inefficiences in Project Tracking

STFC were experiencing inconsistencies across different sites resulting in inefficiencies and challenges in project tracking. To address this, they partnered with Bespoke to streamline their project management processes by migrating them onto the Power Platform.

The solution was designed to standardise and enhance their ability to manage projects effectively across all stages, from the initial pipeline to final completion.

The Requirements for This Project:

Develop a comprehensive Microsoft-based solution tailored to STFC’s requirements.
Integrate all project management tools and data sources into a single, cohesive platform.
Create four interconnected Power Apps: Pipeline Tracking, Project Request, Project Management and Cost Tracking
Build seamless data transfer and automated processes, including authorisation flows, data extraction, document creation, and Power BI
reporting.
Centralise all project-related information, ensuring consistency and transparency across the organisation.
Improve operational efficiency and provide a foundation for future enhancements in resource tracking and planning.
Provide training and support for staff to adapt to these new project tools.

The Solution: Four interconnected Power Apps, reporting dashboards, and Power Automate flows

Bespoke developed a comprehensive solution featuring four interconnected Power Apps, reporting dashboards, and Power Automate flows.

Power Apps Development: Pipeline Tracking, Project Request, Project Management, and Cost Tracking enable seamless data transfer and automation.

Support: In addition to developing the solution, Bespoke provided expert advice and hands-on support to ensure the system was used effectively.

Follow-up workshops: Bespoke conducted follow-up workshops to secure the Power Platform environment with appropriate guardrails, ensuring the solution met all of STFC’s needs efficiently and securely.

“We have partnered with Bespoke to not only develop a new system but also to establish a comprehensive process for our internal Project Management Team. At Bespoke’s recommendation, we created three interconnected applications which resulted in a seamless and efficient workflow for our staff and internal customers.”

STFC can now benefit from:

Streamlined Project Management: A centralised platform eliminates duplication and inconsistencies, enabling seamless project oversight and quicker decision-making, ultimately driving projects to successful completion more efficiently.
Enhanced Transparency: By offering a unified data platform, users gain instant access to accurate, real-time information, ensuring complete alignment across teams this way everyone is aligned and informed.
Resource Planning: Advanced tracking and forecasting capabilities enable precise allocation and management of project resources, enhancing overall planning accuracy.
Increased Efficiency: Automated processes reduce manual tasks, freeing up time for other areas of the business.
Scalability: The platform is adaptable for future enhancements, ensuring it meets evolving needs.
Stronger Collaboration: Consistent tools and processes across the organisation enhance teamwork and communication.
Better Decision-Making: Comprehensive reporting and database features allow users to make more informed decisions.

“From my perspective, the entire journey was highly engaging. Bespoke truly listened to our needs, fully immersed themselves in our workflows, and thoroughly understood our requirements. Since the applications were launched, we have logged approximately 150 requests, with 123 becoming active projects. Feedback from various teams indicates that the new system has significantly improved visibility into team and departmental activities and has enabled us to provide MI Reporting at both the Executive and Departmental levels.”

Adrian Mroczkowski – Head of Systems and Data Management

The outcome

Migration and Streamlining: The implementation of the new solution has allowed STFC to successfully migrate all live projects onto the system, significantly streamlining their project management processes. They are now leveraging the Project Request app to manage new project requirements and populating the pipeline tracker to better predict and plan for future resource needs.

Integration and Enhancement: This successful integration has led STFC to engage Bespoke further to enhance the solution by exploring additional features for resource tracking and planning. The goal is to ensure continuous improvement and operational efficiency, enabling STFC to maintain a consistent and transparent approach to project management across all areas.