Pay onlineNorthumbrian Water tap into University expertise
Teesside and Northumbrian Water (NW) collaborated to design and implement a single change management process using the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework.
The process aims to improve the efficiency of NW’s Information Systems Department and allow the company to have better control of IT alterations, meaning that customers benefit from fewer service interruptions.
The work was done through a Collaborative Innovation Partnership (CIP), a scheme which helps companies to create new products, enhance existing ones, improve processes or find new markets by linking businesses with the University.
This six month project was led by Alison Brown, Senior Lecturer in Computing at Teesside and Claire Burn, NW’s Customer Support Team Leader.
Computer Studies graduate Tom McConnachie was recruited as the CIP Associate to work full-time on the project, which began with a review of the existing change processes.
Alison said: ‘After the review we presented a proposal to the information systems management team, which they approved. We followed it up with staff training to help with the technical and cultural change needed to successfully implement the new IT standard.’
A perfect match
Claire added: ‘This was the first time NW has collaborated on a CIP project. I have been delighted with the support, advice and resources provided by Teesside University and the outcomes of the improved customer services system.’
Claire described working with the University as a different experience to working with a consultancy.
She said: ‘It was refreshing to work with people who were skilled in an area and who wanted to help the project progress by pointing us in the right direction and by helping to support and develop the graduate placement.
‘We are committed to developing relationships in our community and, as CIPs exist to encourage relationships between business and educational institutions, this made it a perfect match.’
