ACTICA CONSULTING LIMITED
User Research
User centred design of cloud-hosted digital services depends on an in-depth understanding of your users, gained through targeted user research. Actica will deliver a comprehensive understanding of your users by providing experienced user researchers throughout programme initiation, discovery, alpha and beta service design phases.
Features
- Identifying relevant user types for research based on characteristics
- Underpinned by a structured research plan and research brief
- Telephone and face to face research
- Research outputs include insights, user needs, pain points, personas
- As-is and to-be user Journeys understood and documented
- Usability testing, resulting in recommendations to enhance service
- Best practice research undertaken in accordance with Service Manual
- Qualified user researchers
- Knowledge of key hosting technologies (VMWare, AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle)
- Expertise with IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, as well as MODCloud
Benefits
- Adaptable support through Discovery, Alpha, Beta and Live Phases
- Understand user needs to deliver high quality cloud-hosted digital services
- Demonstrate compliance with Digital Service Standard
- Comprehensive understanding of users satisfying Service Standard for UR
- Enhanced user experience for internal and external users
- Aftercare ensures UR value is retained throughout GDS phases
- Support all classifications, including OFFICIAL, SECRET and TOP SECRET
Pricing
£300 to £1,430 a unit a day
Service documents
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 opportunities@actica.co.uk.
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Framework
G-Cloud 14
Service ID
5 9 1 0 7 5 5 2 1 0 6 7 0 4 8
Contact
ACTICA CONSULTING LIMITED
Michael Murphy
Telephone: +44 (0) 1483484090
Email: opportunities@actica.co.uk
Planning
- Planning service
- Yes
- How the planning service works
-
Our User Research (UR) service will help you design and plan cloud services that are right for your users, helping users to meet their goals while also allowing you to realise your organisational objectives. Actica’s dedicated user research will allow you to understand your users and their needs, to enable the correct set of services to be identified, prioritised, and planned, designed and delivered to reach such understanding. We are experienced in providing user research throughout the Discovery, Alpha and Beta phases of delivery. For projects and programmes that are less mature, we can support research during the earlier programme planning phases. We employ a number of research techniques, including contextual enquiry, face to face and telephone interviews, shadowing and workshops, and will tailor our approach to best suit the nature of your cloud service and your organisational setting. Our outputs include personas, user needs, pain points, insights and user journeys, and we can facilitate the prioritisation of user needs. The outputs of this UR Service will be tailored to meet your specific requirements but can include:
• Developed User Journeys and Personas
• Documented User Needs and Pain Points
• Documented User Stories - Planning service works with specific services
- No
Training
- Training service provided
- No
Setup and migration
- Setup or migration service available
- No
Quality assurance and performance testing
- Quality assurance and performance testing service
- No
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
- Other
- Other security testing certifications
-
- National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Assured Consultancy
- CCP Certified Consultants
Ongoing support
- Ongoing support service
- No
Service scope
- Service constraints
- None
User support
- Email or online ticketing support
- No
- Phone support
- No
- Web chat support
- No
- Support levels
- N/A
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
- Yes
- Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
- Bsi
- ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
- 18/01/2023
- What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
- N/A
- 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
At Actica Consulting, we are a company that cares about the environment. Our EMS (Environmental Management System) is certified to ISO14001:2015 and we are committed to reducing our already very small environmental footprint. We set annual SMART objectives as part of our commitment to continuously improve our environmental management, enhance environmental performance and reduce pollution.
As stated in our published Carbon Reduction Plan, we are committed to achieving Net Zero no later than 2050 (though we aim to be much faster) and to play our part in keeping the global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees. Our CRP is updated annually to record progress and set targets for the year ahead.
Actions we take include, but are not limited to: establishing environmentally sensitive purchasing policies (buying recycled or long-life products; favouring products derived from natural/sustainable sources) and monitoring the environmental performance of our suppliers; ensuring that all decisions regarding working practices and purchasing take environmental considerations into account. We measure, monitor and minimise our usage of resources and consumables, and our greenhouse gas emissions. We actively look for ways to reduce waste and recycling, and encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport. We encourage home working and the use of virtual collaboration tools. Finally, we encourage our employees and suppliers to suggest ways to further develop our EMS.
For the provision of these services, we commit to offsetting the carbon footprint for the development of the Actica deliverables and, if requested, will provide certification verifying this action has been completed within a month of project completion. In 2023, Actica offset 5tCO2e, through similar schemes.Covid-19 recovery
Since the pandemic, Actica has maintained its commitment to its people and to uplifting others by offering employment opportunities and training, and leveraging our high-growth sector to create jobs. In the period from Mar '20 to April '24, we employed 122 new staff members, resulting in a c20% net increase in the number of employees per annum.
Actica undertakes a range of measures to aid with economic recovery from COVID-19 - especially at a local level - including promoting the benefits of staying local and ensuring money is spent supporting local businesses. We support recruitment events away from our SE England base and have recruited staff across the UK, ensuring that they benefit directly from our activity.
At Actica, the health and well-being of our staff comes first. We provide office equipment, and whatever else is needed to ensure the highest level of wellbeing and support to our staff. Where in-person working is required, Actica ensures that client sites meet our high standards for COVID safety. Recognising the importance of mental health, Actica has implemented a support structure which pairs up staff for ‘kitchen chats’; providing social stimulation for a healthy working-life balance.
Actica has fully embraced hybrid working, leveraging video-conferencing and online collaboration tools. We foster a close, remote-working relationship with clients through regular informal video calls. Actica is committed to retaining flexible working for our staff and engages with customers to deliver our services most efficiently - removing unnecessary travel and reducing commuting at peak times. We fully accommodate staff that require special considerations due to shielding, and allocate them specifically to remote working projects.Tackling economic inequality
Actica is compliant with the processes and procedures contained within the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Our anti-slavery and human trafficking policy applies to all staff, as well as other persons representing Actica in a working capacity. This including employees at all levels, contractors and suppliers. We are committed to promoting and maintaining the highest possible ethical standards in all of our business activities, and have a zero-tolerance policy towards bribery and corruption. We are committed to acting fairly and with integrity in all of our dealings and relationships. We have implemented and currently enforce an effective system to counter bribery. Our anti-bribery policy provides details of our approach.
Actica are pleased to confirm that all of our staff and associates are paid above the real living wage, in addition to receiving a pay review following every performance review. Furthermore, we hold formal accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage employer. In our supply chain of associates, we prefer to work with known and trusted associates with well-established subcontracts and working practices. We do not use zero-hour contracts, and prefer to subcontract based on fixed-price deliverables. We are able to accommodate working both inside and outside of IR35 regulations as needed.
Actica has supported a number of young people to obtain an apprenticeship in Cyber Security.Equal opportunity
Actica is committed to ensuring fair treatment of all stakeholders in our business from customers to employees. We are a Disability Confident Committed employer (certificate: DCS024208). We believe in equality of opportunity and inclusion, where Actica’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy goes beyond what we are required to do to ensure all contributions are valued and respected. We ensure that in all our activities we promote equality and provide respect to all, irrespective of marital or civil partnership status; having or not having dependants; religion or beliefs; race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin); disability; sex or sexual orientation; age; or pregnancy and maternity. This policy extends beyond our own employees to client personnel, subcontractors, suppliers and potential recruits, and underpins our approach to recruitment of staff and engagement with our supplier base.
We require all of our staff and people within our supply chain to uphold our equality principles. We have effective procedures in place to ensure equal opportunities for all, preventing discrimination, harassment and bullying – fostering a culture which values diversity and inclusion. Our equality and diversity policy provides more details of our approach and a member of the board actively monitors our compliance to the policy to ensure any opportunities for improvements are identified, considered and implemented as needed. Actica is covered by the Modern Slavery Act 2015; our compliance with the processes and procedures contained within the Modern Slavery Act 2015 is set out in our Modern Slavery policy and statement.Wellbeing
Actica is a company that is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff, both physically and mentally. We make every effort to ensure that our people are physically comfortable working at home by providing office equipment, and whatever else is needed (subject to individual accessibility requirements). Where in-person working is required, Actica ensures that a client’s site meets our high standards for safety.
Actica knows that mental health is just as important as physical health. Actica has implemented a support structure - which the Directorate promotes - where staff optionally pool their names for ‘kitchen chats’; providing much-needed social stimulation. A Company Director is responsible for the Mental Health services we offer to our employees, which includes overseeing regular communications and awareness campaigns via both virtual and physical means. We have established our Metal Health First Aid team, all of whom have undergone Mental Health First Aid Training with Mental Health England and have communicated their presence and purpose to the company. Additionally, we offer private medical insurance to our staff. This includes full mental health cover which incorporates confidential access to trained counsellors.
Throughout service delivery, we promote a team-culture with regular, collaborative workshops and informal social team video calls, with both Actica and client team members encouraged to join. This is particularly important where individuals are unable to routinely meet and engage with colleagues.
We believe in playing a responsible role in our community and giving back to society. A big part of this is fundraising. We support upReach, a charity committed to supporting undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds to access and sustain top graduate jobs, and SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. Actica also sponsors the Manchester ‘Look After Yourself’ charitable conference, which supports and celebrates the work of mental health bodies.
Pricing
- Price
- £300 to £1,430 a unit a day
- Discount for educational organisations
- No
Service documents
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 opportunities@actica.co.uk.
Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.