Acuity Business Solutions

Requirements Analysis and Management

Acuity has extensive experience of requirements identification, capture, analysis and specification. Our team is particularly adept at translating business and stakeholder needs into clear and precise business and technical specifications, comprising both functional and non-functional requirements, ready for use for internal solution development and implementation, or external procurement.

Features

• Articulation of business and stakeholder needs to inform requirements definition
• Structured capture, maintenance and tracking of requirements development and changes
• Analysis and management of requirement dependencies
• Clear articulation of complex concepts into actionable requirements
• Use of stakeholder workshops and focus groups to refine requirements
• Identification of omissions in specifications to ensure gaps are addressed
• Identification of associated requirement targets and performance indicators
• Production of requirements documentation for internal, or external procurement use
• Testing of requirements to ensure market suppliers can bid
• Requirements grouping, prioritisation and weighting for evaluation models

Benefits

• Requirements that reflect and support achievement of business priorities
• Clear and appropriate ownership of business requirements
• Clearly articulated requirements for internal solution and service development
• Precisely articulated requirements for bidders to respond and price
• Production of fit for purpose requirements documentation
• “Right first time” approach reducing the risk of re-work
• Reduced risk of bidder clarifications and associated cost in procurements
• Transfer of requirements development skills, enhancing internal capabilities
• Flexible and adaptable approach meeting organisational culture and stakeholder needs
• Increased chance of successful service and solution delivery

£450 to £1,350 a unit a day

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sarah.thomas@acuitynet.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

447991290177092

Contact

Sarah Thomas
01392826035
sarah.thomas@acuitynet.co.uk

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: Acuity provide an end to end range of planning services aimed at ensuring our clients obtain the best possible outcome for the procurement and implementation of their cloud support service. For clients wishing to procure a new solution Acuity offer detailed requirements gathering and analysis, engaging with all key internal and external stakeholders to ensure there is enough information to select the best possible solution. In conjunction with this, Acuity also support clients to conduct any market engagement required. Once requirements have been adequately outlined Acuity then support clients in the development of any procurement specifications, clearly detailing both the business process and technical requirements of the implementation. This specification will then be used to inform the development of a business case to ensure that all viable options are assessed for value for money (in line with government Green Book Guidelines.) For clients wishing to procure a new solution, and those who have already secured their solution Acuity offer hand on project management experience, taking responsibility for the planning and managing the schedule, costs and risks from inception through to implementation. Acuity have experience in planning for these types of implementation at both local government and national level.
• Planning service works with specific services: No

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: Acuity offer a full range of training services that can be applied to cloud support services. Our training packages can be applied individually or as a package in both project and business as usual environments. Services that Acuity offer include: • Training needs analysis, where we evaluate staff’s current skill set against the required skill set of their job role. This evaluation is then used as a basis to develop either individual or corporate wide training plans. • Development of Training Strategies and Plans. • Development of face to face and e-learning training packages. As part of this service we: o Capture the requirement of the training package in terms of what the type of training is, who the target audience is, what amount of time will be allocated to the training, if any outputs are required from the training (e.g. completion certificates). o Determine the technical environment the training will be delivered via for e-learning modules o Capture the content of the training module(s) and handouts. o Develop the training package, supporting script and handouts. • Delivery of face to face training for staff and stakeholders at all levels. • Ongoing maintenance of e-learning modules.
• Training is tied to specific services: No

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: Yes
• How the setup or migration service works: At the start of the set up and migration of the cloud service process Acuity work with the client to review the business processes, technical infrastructure and resource requirements of the existing services. In conjunction with this activity Acuity will also carry out an evaluation of the future service from a business process, technical needs and resource perspective. Using these two assessments Acuity then carry out a gap analysis between the two to determine the key change requirements. This provides a baseline from which Acuity build a migration plan to enable a seamless migration from one cloud service to another. During migration, Acuity work with the client to revise the business workflow to enable the adoption of the new cloud service by designing and implementing new process and operating practices. We do so using standard Business Process Re-engineering and Lean methodologies as a fundamental basis for this process. Acuity also provide support to the business and technical migration between Cloud services, through our provision of hands on project and programme management, taking responsibility for the planning and management of the schedule, costs and risks from inception through to implementation.
• Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services: No

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: No

Security testing

• Security services: No

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: No

Service scope

• Service constraints: This service has no constraints within the scope.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: No
• Phone support: No
• Web chat support: No
• Support levels: No chargeable user support provided

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Other security certifications: No

Social Value

• Fighting climate change:

  Fighting climate change

  Acuity are a professional and environmentally conscious organisation, who acknowledge the impact our operations may have on the environment and climate change. Working on our pre-Covid baseline emissions footprint, we have achieved Net Zero status, ensuring any emissions produced by the business are offset. We are committed to maintaining our carbon neutral organisation and recognise our responsibility for caring for the environment. We aim to reduce the environmental impact of our activities and services, along with our carbon footprint, via the following:; • Maintaining Net Zero status and running a carbon neutral organisation by monitoring, reducing and offsetting emissions.; • Reducing emissions which may cause environmental damage by avoiding travel where possible, using public transport and making use of video and conference calls.; • Taking action to eliminate or reduce adverse environmental impacts.; • Promoting environmental awareness amongst our clients, associates and partners.; • Preventing pollution, reducing waste and implementing measures to protect and preserve natural habitats.; • Controlling and reducing waste and recycling material. ; • Striving to be more conscious of printing and ceasing the use of traditional ink cartridges in favour of refillable options.; • Considering the effects our operations may have on the local community.; • Ensuring effective and expedient incident control, investigation and reporting.; We fully comply with the duties laid out within the requirements of Statutory Legislation, whilst complying with, as a matter of best practice, the requirements and duties set out within Approved Guidance as issued by the Environment Agency and other organisations. ; We take steps to ensure potential environmental hazards and risks are identified and implement suitable and effective prevention and control measures. ; We have a Carbon Reduction Plan that calculates and monitors our emissions, providing us with the CO2e tonnes we need to offset to run as a carbon neutral organisation.
• Covid-19 recovery:

  Covid-19 recovery

  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Acuity, like the majority of businesses, needed to adjust and adapt to a new way of working. We quickly mobilised our team so they could all be fully functional working from home, ensuring our client delivery was not compromised. To meet this new and unexpected challenge we had to ensure our technology was up to the job and our staff had the relevant equipment and access needed to continue effectively with their roles.; We have been fortunate throughout the pandemic in that we have been able to continue delivery of our existing contracts through changing our ways of working to a more digital approach, particularly in terms of communication. Our team quickly adopted the use of Microsoft Teams and Zoom in order to regularly communicate with our clients and internal team. As a business we moved from partial use of these tools to full implementation. Our experience during the pandemic showed, in a lot of cases, the use of these communication tools improved the quality of relationships. They allowed internal and external teams alike to operate from their respective natural environments which in turn broke down barriers to communication and created a strength and depth to our client and internal relationships. ; In this continuing post COVID-19 recovery stage we see the continued benefit of hybrid working with in person meetings being balanced with virtual meetings. We anticipate that travel will now be more targeted, in turn providing both an economical and environmental benefit. This transformation to a more digital way of working has built resilience in to our business, should we have to navigate any similar scenarios in the future. Our business is able to operate remotely, whilst providing a consistently high-level of delivery to make a real difference to our clients.
• Tackling economic inequality:

  Tackling economic inequality

  Acuity is committed to tackling economic inequality and we ensure that all of our employees are provided a level playing field and have the same access to opportunities and pay scales during their employment.; We ensure economic equality throughout our recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion procedures, ensuring all individuals are selected, promoted, and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities. Pay rates for specific roles are equal, regardless of any characteristic that is not related to their ability to perform the role. ; We provide:; • Equal pay grades for employees, regardless of gender.; • A fast track career progression routes for all employees who wish to develop through the various levels of consultancy.; • Yearly bonuses based on company and personal targets being achieved.; • Yearly pay reviews in line with inflation.; • Starting salaries set in line, or above, national average and local counterparts.; In addition we ensure that our clients, suppliers and associates are provided economic equality from Acuity at all times. We do this by:; • Offering a selection of fair and transparent rates to our clients and associates for work provided.; • Offering a managed service option for consultancy delivery in order to provide value for money to our clients. This delivery model offers cost efficiency, with a day rate commensurate with the task at hand, securing maximum value for money by ensuring that senior level, and thus more costly resource, only undertakes activities that could not feasibly be undertaken by more junior staff at a lower more cost effective rate.; • Prompt payment within 30 days of all supplier invoices for services or products received.; • Prompt payment within 30 days of all associate invoices for services provided to our clients.
• Equal opportunity:

  Equal opportunity

  Acuity is an equal opportunity employer. We actively support diversity and inclusion and ensure that all our employees are valued and treated with dignity and respect. ; We value people as individuals with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles and circumstances. All job applicants, employees and workers, including agency workers, are covered by this commitment and it applies to all areas of employment including recruitment, selection, training, career development, and promotion. These areas are monitored and policies and practices are amended if necessary to ensure that no unfair or unlawful discrimination, intentional, unintentional, direct or indirect, overt or latent exists.; Equality of opportunity, valuing diversity and compliance with the law is to the benefit of all individuals in our business as it seeks to develop the skills and abilities of our people. While specific responsibility for eliminating discrimination and providing equality of opportunity lies with Acuity’s Managing Director, individuals at all levels have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect. ; We ensure that recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion procedures result in no job applicant, employee, or worker receiving less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristic within the Equality Act 2010 which are race, including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste; religion or belief; disability; neurodiversity; sex; sexual orientation; pregnancy or maternity; gender reassignment; marriage or civil partnership; and age. In accordance with our overarching equal treatment ethos, we will also ensure that no one is treated less favourably on account of their trade union membership or non-membership, or on the basis of being a part-time worker or fixed-term employee. Acuity’s objective is to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted, and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities.
• Wellbeing:

  Wellbeing

  At Acuity we want our hard-working team to enjoy and take pride in their professional life. If our team are happy in work, then we know our business is working at its best. We expect commitment and professionalism from our team, but we never underestimate the importance of work life balance. We’ve created an open, honest workplace where everyone’s voice is valued, and every individual contributes to the success of the team as a whole, and it works.; Our employee benefits package includes healthcare cover and life assurance, reduced price gym membership and a cycle to work scheme, a leave purchase option and a workplace nursery benefit scheme. We also invest in our people and want our team to continue to learn and develop.; The wellbeing of our team is so important to us, we offer an Employee Assistance Programme that can be used for any issue, professional or personal, with a 24/7 helpline offering confidential support, information, counselling and advice. Whether our employees need support from the team or more specific resources to help with their wider well-being, our door is always open.; Our clients can rest safe in the knowledge that when they engage with Acuity they are working with individuals or teams who are fully supported in their workplace and whose wellbeing is of the upmost importance to their employer. At Acuity we understand that creating a positive and inclusive working environment that recognises the value of our employees wellbeing brings out the best in our team, which in turn delivers the best possible service to our clients.

Pricing

• Price: £450 to £1,350 a unit a day
• Discount for educational organisations: No

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sarah.thomas@acuitynet.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.