ZUHLKE ENGINEERING LTD.

Digital Product Assessment

We provide independent, experienced assessment of digital products, services and systems. The structured assessment examines fitness for purpose, context, UX, architecture and technology, and delivery practices.
It portrays the current state. This enables our clients to make more informed decisions on their product lineup to achieve their desired state.

Features

• Evaluation on if product meets business goals and provides ROI
• Assess user groups, needs and overall Customer Experience Journey fit
• Assessment of market, competitor, organisational and product strategy fit
• Customer and User Experience, heuristic, and usability assessments
• Assessment of architecture, tech stack, integrations and development process
• Performance, security, stability, scalability and future-proofing assessment
• Review of Product management, team collaboration, capabilities, and capacity
• Analysis of metrics, KPIs and areas for training

Benefits

• Outside independent and impartial product evaluation by expert consultants
• Recommendations and impact analysis specific to business context
• Actionable recommendations: immediate and long-term across relevant areas/domains
• Identification of potential risks, hidden issues, and bad outcomes
• Informed investment decision making
• Fast assessment with ongoing visibility

£300 to £1,900 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 Jonathan.Cook@Zuhlke.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

922794537443309

Contact

Jonathan Cook
+44 207 033 8000
Jonathan.Cook@Zuhlke.com

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: We closely work with a client to create a service delivery plan that will be implemented using an Agile delivery approach, in an incremental way of working, through several iterations delivering business value. The plan includes a defined vision or goal which has been documented whilst working with the clients’ project sponsor.; ; We start the planning process by conducting an interactive workshop which helps define a service delivery roadmap, high-level backlog, and minimal viable product. We ensure that the client is comfortable with the proposed delivery roadmap and the estimations made during the planning process.; ; Further planning is performed on an ongoing basis with the involvement of the client’s representatives. The client reviews the delivered service and works collaboratively with Zuhlke to create and refine Product Backlog Items for the implementation ensuring the service is delivered on time and within the defined functionality.; ; Regular demos are conducted demonstrating delivery progress, feedback is received from the client’s representatives, which can then be incorporated into the delivery plan. On an ongoing basis the progress is measured with a set of metrics defined prior to the project start and is available to the client through a Project Tracking System.
• Planning service works with specific services: No

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: One of Zuhlke’s key differentiators is the way in which we transfer our knowledge and look to leave a sustainable in-house capability long after we leave a program or project. Working closely and collaboratively on our client’s site is very important, this allows us to identify coaching opportunities, regularly pair and in some cases provide formal coaching if needed. ; Understanding our clients’ goals as early as possible around cloud service transformation, delivery and the training support required allows us to shape our engagement and deliver the most appropriate value. A tailored program can be mutually defined alongside any agreed deliverables.; Our engineers and consultants frequently engage in collaborative projects jointly with clients, slowly transferring responsibility to the client over time and backing out once the appropriate skills and knowledge have been successfully transferred.
• Training is tied to specific services: No

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: Yes
• How the setup or migration service works: Zuhlke helps to setup, plan and implement migrations from both legacy applications to secure cloud services, and between cloud services. We make the right choice for our clients. ; Our phased approach to running projects is fully aligned to the GDS Service Design Manual: ; • Discovery – Identify and understand requirements and constraints, user needs and define an initial technical architecture for cloud-based services. ; • Alpha – Look to establish a working prototype for the solution proving the technical architecture, technology choices, user experience and business value. Look to mitigate the technical risk by building a ‘Walking Skeleton’ which proves out the architecture for the target cloud services. ; • Beta – Support the integration, implementation, deployment and migration to the new service throughout this phase. Delivery of production quality features, resulting in a minimal viable product (MVP) with minimal functionality enabling a release for production trials. Ensure the service is Tested and that it’s always learning and improving ready for the GDS Service Assessment prior to going Live. ; • Live – While the service is operational and in-use by customers Zuhlke may be able to (where needed) evolve the system based on analytics and feedback to ensure it continuously improves.
• Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services: No

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: Yes
• How the quality assurance and performance testing works: Zuhlke’s approach is to engineer quality into all the products and services that are built as early as possible, this can include; code, framework, infrastructure, security, usability and user experience. ; Also, automate as much as possible, especially the unit and integration tests which support the products and services being built using a Test-Driven Development (TDD) approach. We distinguish External Quality, which relates to the utility and value perceived by the user and the client, from internal quality, which relates to the engineering team’s ability to make consistent progress towards delivering value.; We use a range of testing tools, techniques and approaches to ensure appropriate levels of quality are maintained, and evidence of them gathered. For external Quality we carry out our testing at 3 different levels, User testing, Stakeholder Testing and Quality Assurance via automation.; Specific performance metrics vary by system and are a key consideration when building out a product or service. Zuhlke will consider these when defining the non-functional requirements for the system based on client’s requirements.

Security testing

• Security services: Yes
• Security services type:
  • Security strategy
  • Security risk management
  • Security design
  • Cyber security consultancy
  • Other
• Other security services:
  • Security Consultancy
  • Data Security Consultancy

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: Yes
• Types of service supported: Buyer hosting or software
• How the support service works: Zuhlke understand that getting a cloud based digital service Live is a fantastic achievement, however the work to continually refine and build on that service and see some business benefits never stops. Continually refining and improving that service to ensure its always available, is easy to maintain and is highly usable by its end users needs consideration. Zuhlke can provide this support. ; ; Usually the service is tailored to the needs of the client but can include all aspects of Service Management, Operational support and Third-level Support. Being Agile means, we can tailor our model to suit clients’ specific needs avoiding unnecessary waste, if a client needs us to support an ITIL framework for example this is possible.

Service scope

• Service constraints: No

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Support levels: Zuhlke can provide incident support and out of hours support. SLA’s are agreed individually to support clients based on their business, operational and technical needs.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems (SQS)
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 19/01/2022
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Everything is covered
• 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
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  Our carbon committee was started in 2019 by our CEO Wolfgang with the aim to ensure our offices were carbon neutral by the end of 2020, we actually expect to achieve this now by the end of 2022 having published our current carbon reduction plan and offsetting any of our emissions to achieve carbon neutrality.; At Zuhlke we continuously strive to remove or reduce any negative environmental impact, but with the mindset that we can always do more. This is embodied by our quarterly CSR reviews, which are aimed squarely at achieving our goal of a zero-carbon footprint. We have decommissioned our own data centres and instead shifted loads into green-powered cloud infrastructure. We upgrade technology to extend lifespan - only decommissioning (and recycling) electronics where necessary.; However, we do have offices, which we deliberately furnish with low energy appliances and lighting. All our power consumption is from renewable sources. We do not have company cars but operate a cycle to work scheme instead. We encourage our staff to commute to our own or clients’ offices by public transport, walking or cycling.; We also operate a ‘local first’ procurement policy to limit delivery mileage, reduce packaging waste and support local businesses. Our offices utilise a paperless approach, using digital discovery and documentation tools to limit single-use items and we have comprehensive recycling facilities in place. These measures and more have culminated in our first entirely carbon-neutral office and set the benchmark for our future intentions in this vital space. We also invest in offsetting, as part of our ‘Measure, Reduce, Offset’ approach.; Zuhlke are also very active in backing the aims of the Government’s Energy Data Taskforce and agree with their view that data will play a significant role in achieving national and international goals around decarbonisation and sustainability.

  Tackling economic inequality

  We will identify and understand diverse businesses for sub-contracting, including advertising opportunities on Contracts Finder and testing/adopting socially concerned schemes, (e.g. government’s Disability Confident Employer Scheme.); For 6 years we have engaged and nurtured several supplier relationships with SME organisations such as Sensmetry, Fluent & Open Inclusion. We commit to extend and grow to include more and new businesses, entrepreneurs, and start-ups.; We are members of professional organisations, such as Manchester Digital, and regularly attend industry events, roundtables, steering groups, meet-ups and hackathons. This allows us to identify and build relationships with new people/suppliers.

  Equal opportunity

  In Zuhlke we build and embed awareness of unconscious behaviour and attitudes affecting under-represented groups in our supply chain and staff recruitment/operating activities through training. Our diversity charter states: “Top quality originates from a mix of people, cultures and perspectives”.; We also host groups like our ‘Women in Zuhlke UK’ initiative that champions their contributions in technology, provides support and creates internal accountability to our gender equality commitment. We have financial inclusion solutions, like a 30-day invoice payment policy, inclusivity for SMEs, and small organisations.; Directly with Buyers we help their supply chains to be inclusive and diverse as part of our delivery strategy through an agile procurement process that actively seeks diversity and avoids reliance on incumbents, e.g. a local user researcher team is better placed to reflect their community.; For completeness we will commit to:; • Using and growing our supply chain network to identify opportunities to further diversify; • Find ways to broaden our supply chain by working with organisations like MSDUK and We Connect International; • Raising awareness and ensuring opportunities to participate in our supply chain are open to all who have the skills to fulfil our needs; • Continue to integrate our supply chain as equals as we devise proposals to meet Buyer requirements; • Using market research and inclusive advertising channels (e.g. Contracts Finder) for fair access to participate in our supply chain; • Using programmes like the Disability Confident Employer Scheme to ensure inclusivity; • Continuing to enforce our rigorous procurement/recruitment processes relating to ethics, competition, bias management, anti-corruption, inclusivity.

  Wellbeing

  In addition to our people care we run regular team health check ins. Team chartering is an important part of any project lift off and alongside this, team health is given ongoing attention.; By collaboratively setting target conditions we wish to create for our working environment we regularly poll the team on how they feel with regards to those target conditions. This gives us ongoing and regular insight into how the team feel and more importantly how we can tailor interventions to keep them motivated and moving towards the goals together.; Team members are asked to complete the survey completely anonymously at each retrospective, with space given to the team to discuss the results and agree next steps. Leadership also takes an active role in helping the teams here.; Team health is not just for our project teams, we also run this safe approach for our Senior Management team.; Zuhlke is committed to ensuring our colleagues physical and mental health is well supported. We are committed to de-stigmatising mental health and supporting open conversations.; Mental ill health affects a large number of working people; by training mental health first aiders we are able to provide a network of colleagues who are able to support others across the business.; Across the UK, 15% of our workforce are fully trained and certified mental health first aiders.; We have recognised and acknowledged that we must use our mental health skills to support colleagues at all levels, maintain confidentiality, listen without judgement, provide support and identify next steps together but not to diagnose, provide therapy or force solutions.; Zuhlke continue to keep the conversation alive with more workshops and first aid training planned in regularly as we ensure that mental health is given the right prominence in our day to day life as Zuhlkies.

Pricing

• Price: £300 to £1,900 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 Jonathan.Cook@Zuhlke.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.