CreateFuture

Accessibility Services

Meet and exceed user accessibility and inclusivity needs with our audits, user-centred design, and testing. We involve users with access needs to ensure compliance with regulations, meet WCAG AA standards, and promote cultural change. We will address existing problems, create accessible services, and develop improvement strategies.

Features

• Aligned to GDS Service Standards and designed for WCAG compliance
• Research and co-design with diverse, representative populations
• Simulate access needs using an ‘empathy lab’ approach
• Integrate accessibility services into or run alongside existing teams
• Audit and test existing services to validate compliance
• Identify and repair accessibility issues
• Build inclusivity culture supported by playbooks, manual/automated processes, and reports
• Create service-wide accessible journeys and implement reasonable adjustments
• Write accessibility statements
• Create accessibility roadmaps and plan for going ‘beyond compliance’

Benefits

• Understand your users and create simple, inclusive, accessible solutions
• Create inclusive digital estates across digital and offline channels
• Deliver actionable accessibility provisions to meet WCAG AA standard
• Build buy-in and empathy by co-designing with users and stakeholders
• Increase service adoption by reaching marginalised communities with access needs
• Create a clear and actionable inclusive design approach
• Upskill teams and stakeholders in accessibility for repeatable success
• Ensure products/services meet GDS Service Standards and WCAG accessibility requirements

£300 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 presales@createfuture.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

557720110228198

Contact

Susheel Dodeja
+44 0131 339 3838
presales@createfuture.com

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: CreateFuture's agile delivery methodology is based on the best elements of several agile approaches. It is aligned to the GDS service framework and helps guide buyers through cloud and software implementations.
• Planning service works with specific services: Yes
• Hosting or software services the planning service works with:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: CreateFuture works within buyer projects and programmes from an early stage to help them build a comprehensive understanding of their technical operations and business service delivery.; ; We will engage with your teams to understand their current readiness to adopt and adapt to new ways of working, and develop detailed training and development materials aligned to their roles and responsibilities. We will help implement processes, procedures, and operating models that build a shared understanding among your stakeholders, and deliver appropriate training, education, and development programmes to support sustainable change.
• Training is tied to specific services: No

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: Yes
• How the setup or migration service works: CreateFuture helps buyers migrate to the cloud by assessing and building an understanding of what needs to be moved. We do this by evaluating the associated workload and business case, building relevant test environments, and proving out the migration path prior to workload migration.
• Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services: Yes
• List of supported services:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: Yes
• How the quality assurance and performance testing works: CreateFuture provides business and technical testing, quality assurance, challenge, and advice across the full lifecycle of business change and technical projects. We use test-driven development to build services, plan and execute performance testing (load, stress, volume) and functional testing, implement test automation, and run security testing with various tooling.; ; Our services provide assurance to buyers before and after projects go live, incorporating:; • Test policy definition; • Test strategy and transition; • Test tooling consultancy and assessment; • Test process re-engineering.

Security testing

• Security services: Yes
• Security services type:
  • Security strategy
  • Security risk management
  • Security design
  • Cyber security consultancy
  • Security testing
  • Security incident management
  • Security audit services
• Certified security testers: Yes
• Security testing certifications: CREST

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: Yes
• Types of service supported:
  • Buyer hosting or software
  • Hosting or software provided by your organisation
  • Hosting or software provided by a third-party organisation
• How the support service works: CreateFuture provides guidance on various aspects of cloud hosting; including selecting the right cloud provider (e.g., Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform), choosing appropriate services (e.g., virtual machines, containers, serverless computing), configuring networking and security settings, optimising performance, and managing resources effectively. ; ; We augment projects with skilled individuals or teams, and provide fully managed services tailored to your needs and requirements. ; ; Key features include: ; • Proactive Monitoring and Alerting ; • 24/7/365 monitoring and management ; • Cost optimisation ; • Three-tier pricing model ; • Skilled individuals or teams to support and build your projects.

Service scope

• Service constraints: No, there are no service constraints.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support response times: CreateFuture's support levels are bespoke to buyer requirements, however our default support levels are: ; • Priority 1 - initial response within 30 mins and then updates every three hours ; • Priority 2 - initial response within three hours and then updates every six hours ; • Priority 3 - initial response within 24 hours and then updates every 12 hours ; • Priority 4 - initial response within 48 hours and then updates every 24 hours. ; ; We will work with you to define a support service relative to the importance of your system(s).
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Support levels: CreateFuture provides support on a resource-augmentation basis; as part of a project team, as an outsourced service, and/or as a fully managed service customised to buyer service requirements. We also provide transition and transformation support, and can manage environments either on-premises or hosted in the public cloud.; ; Key features include:; • GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE support levels; • Cost per month starts at £2,500; • Proactive monitoring and alerting; • Security point of contact (SPOC) who manages your account and any escalations if needed; • 24/7/365 monitoring and management; • Real-time, automated alerting and dashboards; • Network Operations Centre service; • Licence management of components within the cloud; • Integration with Incident and Change management tools; • Proactive capacity management; • Regular service reviews.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Developed Vetting (DV)

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: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  We are committed to environmental sustainability and fighting climate change. Our Sustainability Policy, and strategy focuses on managing and reducing our environmental impacts. Through our expertise in technology consultancy we assist clients in addressing their sustainability challenges through green technology implementation. Below are examples of ways we will fight climate change in the delivery of our services in line with the aims, objectives and governance of PPN 06/20 and the Social Value Model. ; ; We will deliver environmental benefits to buyers by implementing green technology and accelerating their software development processes. We will use green technology to reduce the environmental effect of development and test infrastructure, and cut carbon by:; 1. We are reducing our cloud impact by utilising sustainability dashboards from our cloud providers and by adopting managed services and serverless architectures. Sustainability dashboards optimise our cloud resources, reducing unnecessary energy consumption and lowering carbon emissions. Serverless computing minimises idle server time, which also leads to decreased energy use and reduced carbon emissions.; 2. Reducing the impact of the development lifecycle itself. For example; running unit tests before more expensive UI tests, and running differential automated tests to only test code that has changed or is likely to be affected.; 3. Workshops, hackathons, and educational resources focused on environmentally sustainable technology to buyers.; ; We influence our staff, suppliers, buyers, and communities’ environmental protection and improvement through our internal policies and practices, and our work with our clients: ; • Our ESG working group drives change within our business and ensures we stay up to date with current legislation and standards. It raises awareness, reports on progress, and sets/implements goals and initiatives like our Carbon Reduction Plan in 2024. ; • Our Hybrid Working Policy outlines our commitment to reducing business travel, while also striking a balance with staff wellbeing.

  Covid-19 recovery

  We are helping the communities, organisations, and businesses where we operate manage and recover from Covid-19 through our service delivery and wider business activities.; ; Since the pandemic, we have undertaken and implemented the following initiatives which we will maintain during the framework: ; • We refined and improved our Recruitment and Selection Policy to further incorporate inclusive recruitment practices, such as values-based interviewing, skills-based assessments, structured interviews, a gender decoder to mitigate bias, and prioritised flexible working and work/life balance.; • Expanded on our Emerging Talent offering which comprises our graduate programme (which includes career returners) and internship and mentorship programme, which provide employment, training, and qualifications for people in our local communities. These programmes contribute to a more skilled and productive workforce, and attract and retain talent to continue growing our business.; • Introduced Our internal STEM Ambassador Community Programme partners with local schools. We host career talks and provide school curriculum support to improve social mobility and access to careers in technology for pupils who fell behind during the pandemic. ; • Our monthly fundraising ‘taco scheme’ enables our staff to show each other gratitude and raises money to be donated to a charity of our employees’ choice. In 2023, our staff exchanged 60,000 tacos with each other and we donated £3000 as a result. ; • We support our employees’ mental and physical health, and help reduce demand on public services through private health benefits, our hybrid working policy, home-work equipment, wellbeing events, and counselling. ; • We provide a safe working environment for our employees and clients in office. We use appropriate personal protective equipment, cleaning, and social distancing. Our online desk-booking booking system ensures safe, limited capacity.

  Tackling economic inequality

  We are committed to helping create new businesses, jobs, and skills by increasing our supply chain resilience and capacity, service delivery, and our wider business activity. ; ; We will do this over the framework duration by:; • Sponsoring the Edinburgh and Glasgow Tech Meet Up and the Scottish Startup Founders Meetup, to drive inward investment in our communities and contribute to the local economy. ; • Partnering with Career Ready, a social mobility and outreach charity that empowers young people by developing workplace skills and boosting their networks. We are working together to reduce the UK’s opportunity gap by delivering ongoing mentorship and internship programmes for students facing barriers to employment. ; • Investing in the learning and development of our employees, providing them with time and resources (courses, certification, training, learning) to upskill.; • Refining and improving our Recruitment and Selection Policy, to further incorporate inclusive recruitment practices like values-based interviewing, skills-based assessments, structured interviews, a gender decoder to mitigate bias, and prioritise flexible working and work/life balance.; • Continuing our Emerging Talent Offering, which comprises our Graduate programme, Internship programme, and Mentorship programme. These programmes provide employment, training, and qualifications for people in our local communities, contribute to a more skilled and productive workforce, and attract/retain talent that continues growing our business.; • Opening our internal STEM Programme to partner with local schools. We will host career talks and provide school curriculum support to improve social mobility and access to technology careers for pupils who fell behind during the pandemic. ; • Upskilling and training buyer teams through embedded partnerships. We will run innovative workshops, hackathons, and EPIQ’s (Evaluation of Practices, Infrastructure and Quality) to improve buyer skillsets and teach new expertise.

  Equal opportunity

  We uphold a responsibility to reduce the disability gap in employment and tackle workforce inequality. We do this through our service provision and by implementing the actions outlined in our Equal Opportunity and Diversity Policy. ; ; We have the following provisions/initiatives in place, which we will continue to run and expand for the duration of the framework: ; • We are a Disability Confident: Level 1 Committed Employer and working towards Level 2. ; • We undertake targeted recruitment campaigns to attract candidates from underrepresented groups in connection to our diversity and inclusion goals. We participate in job fairs and networking events focused on diversity, and provide support and resources for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds.; • We use inclusive recruitment practices such as values-based interviewing, skills-based task assessments, structured interviews and a gender decoder to mitigate bias. ; • We collect diversity data to track and monitor, and we encourage our employees to self identify during recruitment. We maintain a diversity data dashboard, undertake transparency reporting (prioritising transparency around promotion, pay, and reward processes), and have diversity data representative targets we aim to meet. In addition to our Equal Opportunity and Diversity Policy, we have a Flexible Working Policy, Reasonable Adjustment Policy, Gender Expression and Transition Policy, all of which promote diversity and inclusion throughout the workplace.; • We promote equal opportunity through our internal communities (Accessibility, Neurodiversity), monthly events, collaborative engagement days, and knowledge-sharing workshops. ; • We have policies and practices to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks. Employees undergo pre-employment checks while we as an organisation prioritise safe workplace conditions, have safeguarding plans and processes in place and monitoring with feedback mechanisms. ; • Our Performance and Development Policy - Own Your Own Potential - sets out our internal performance framework and supports in-work progression for our staff.

  Wellbeing

  We understand the importance of mental and physical health/wellbeing among our staff, clients, and supply chain. We have signed the Mental Health at Work commitment demonstrating our ambition to continue to develop a workplace environment and culture where all employees can thrive and we have implemented the below activities/initiatives, which we will maintain over the framework duration: ; • We help reduce demand on public services through health benefits, our hybrid working policy, provision of home-working equipment, regular wellbeing events, and counselling. We also offer Private Medical insurance which covers care such as mental health treatment and physical health treatment. ; • We have a company insurance benefit, Vitality which provides advice and assistance, discounts, and lifestyle/fitness rewards through a dedicated platform.; • Our internal buddy scheme helps employees progress and develop in their roles in an informal way.; • We have qualified mental health first aiders who tackle mental health issues, provide support, and signpost colleagues who are experiencing poor mental health to the support available to them.; • We formally measure staff engagement using employee net promoter scores, and address the issues they identify with dedicated departmental contacts. ; • We have an internal wellbeing community on Slack and a wellbeing hub on our internal intranet for further support and resources. We use them to run virtual healthy living and lifestyle communities such as ‘Runch Club’, a lunchtime running club Slack channel.; ; Alongside the internal activities above, we aim to improve the community integration of our workforce, the communities we share with our clients, and the wider technology community. We run wellbeing engagement and outreach days, where we work to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and provide education about health-related topics. Previous days have involved wellbeing talks on managing work/life balance, roundtable discussions on women in tech, and collaborative workshops on neuro-inclusion.

Pricing

• Price: £300 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 presales@createfuture.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.