Placecube Ltd

Knowledge Hub Digital Networks

Easy-to-use collaboration solution, helping you effectively communicate, collaborate, and connect with stakeholders, partners and employees. Manage your own branded channel, members, communities and microsites. Hosted on the Knowledge Hub platform, meaning no infrastructure burden. Build a flexible collaboration space, blending accessible open groups and closed intranet-style workspaces.

Features

• Trusted, secure, UK-hosted collaboration space within Knowledge Hub.
• Flexible access controls and management allowing intranet and extranet.
• Your branding across all network pages and groups.
• Create your own open, restricted, privileged and private collaboration groups.
• Content manage your own network information page and curate news.
• Collaboration tools: blogs, discussions, library, real-time document collaboration, polls.
• Monitor and manage your network using tailored reports and analytics.
• Powerful search, recommendations engine, content tagging, categorisation and indexing.
• Direct login to network homepage; set as default view.
• Mobile responsive, unlimited data storage, affordable subscription; no maintenance fees.

Benefits

• Improved efficiency: less email traffic, pooled knowledge and resources.
• Increased productivity, time and money saved, less duplication.
• Silos broken down through internal and external knowledge sharing.
• Raised brand profile within your network and beyond.
• Improved two-way communication and engagement with employees and partners.
• Opportunities to develop skills: knowledge management, facilitation, digital collaboration.
• Quick set-up time: established within a few days.
• Expert technical, online community and knowledge management support.
• Community-led development path and platform-wide upgrades.
• Reach a broader audience through publishing publicly.

£3,000 a unit a year

• Free trial available

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 jenny.dias@placecube.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

931232835136137

Contact

Jenny Dias
020 8895 6756
jenny.dias@placecube.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: Scheduled maintenance takes place outside of the standard service hours of Monday-Friday 09.00-17:30. Planned maintenance downtime is always advertised in advance, and outside of these windows the service is normally available for use 24x7.
• System requirements: No specific system requirements, but up-to-date web browsers preferable.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Full email helpdesk facilities are available Monday to Friday 09.00-17.30 (excluding bank holidays). Most emails to our support helpdesk are answered on the same working day and many are answered within 2 hours.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: As stated above, full UK-based helpdesk services are provided Monday to Friday 09.00-17:30 free of charge. Our helpdesk is staffed by a team of experienced community managers, who are not only able to advise on functional use of the Knowledge Hub, but can also provide advice and guidance on how to run a successful online group. See information below covering onboarding for more information. Digital network clients also have access to a named account manager who supports them through the set-up process, helps with platform familiarisation for network managers and group facilitators and assists with any issues.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Digital network clients have access to a named account manager who guides them through the network set-up process, helps with platform familiarisation for network managers and group facilitators and assists with any issues. This is usually a mixture of face-to-face meetings and online webinar sessions. There is a broad range of free help resources available to all members of the Knowledge Hub via the help pages. Anyone new to managing an online group is provided with comprehensive information free of charge about how to administer their group together with helpful tips and advice on growing and managing online communities. All group administrators are invited to join the Online Facilitators Community that offers extensive advice not only from Knowledge Hub’s experienced team of community managers but also from facilitators across the wider Knowledge Hub community. Walkthrough webinars are also available for group administrators to familiarise themselves with group features. On-site, one-day training courses covering online community management and ongoing additional support packages are available at additional cost. (See Knowledge Hub Digital Community & Knowledge Management Training and Knowledge Hub Community Management Support)
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
  • Other
• Other documentation formats: Video
• End-of-contract data extraction: Any files uploaded to folders within group libraries can be easily downloaded in zip files. A network member list can be downloaded via the network management reports. Other group and network data can either be manually copied, or could be provided as an encrypted zip file (see next question for additional detail).
• End-of-contract process: When the service is no longer required, subject to legislation, including General Data Protection Regulations, a backup of all appropriate data and file content can be provided on request in encrypted zip format. Any extraction or migration of data would usually carry an additional charge depending on amount of data and format required. Once it is decided that a Knowledge Hub network should be deleted, all organisational branding, information pages, groups and their content will be removed from the site within an agreed period.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The mobile service is a responsive version of the main site. Web pages are displayed in an appropriate format for the device screen width. The service can be accessed on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: Accessible via easy-to-use interface available over the internet through web browser.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Accessibility testing: Third party testing, customer testing, internal testing.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Knowledge Hub members may use the API to display collaboration group content on external sites. Knowledge Hub Digital Network Clients may also have access to view, create, edit and delete any entity their user account has permissions to perform those actions on.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: A digital network is your own branded ‘slice’ of Knowledge Hub, meaning several site elements can be customised according to your organisational look and feel. Customisable features include the colour of the main navigation bar and home button, which take on your organisational branding and avatar when the network is activated, and when any network group is displayed. You can also add your organisational logo on your network information page along with key details about your network and your organisation. Knowledge Hub system administrators create the network with relevant colour palette and branding, but the network information page is managed by you – the network owner. These details are added via a network settings area using a full text editor to make publishing as easy as possible. In addition, group administrators may add a logo or image to their group to enable it to stand out and identify it. Uploading a logo is straight forward using an image picker to select an image file from your desktop. Other customisations such as renaming group elements, or pulling in Twitter and RSS feeds are possible on request, as they are done by a Knowledge Hub system administrator.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: The service is proactively monitored and auto-scaled.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Network managers and group administrators can add a Google Analytics code to their networks and groups in order to monitor sessions, visits, page impressions etc. They can access this through their own GA dashboard and account. Network clients can access a set of downloadable management reports within Knowledge Hub, providing details of network and group membership and social activity. Individual group administrators can also access group management reports, providing details of group membership and social activity.
• Reporting types:
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Supplier-defined controls
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest: Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: All data encrypted at rest using AES-256.
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
• Equipment disposal approach: In-house destruction process

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Any files uploaded to folders within a group library can be easily downloaded in a zip file. A network member list can be downloaded via the network management reports. Other group data can either be manually copied, or could be provided as an encrypted zip file (see previous question for additional detail). The platform also has built-in export tools to download a compressed archive of data (LAR file).
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • Zip file
  • Files can be downloaded in the format they were uploaded.
  • LAR (zip) files
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • Most file types supported for upload to group library.
  • LAR (zip) file

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: We aim to provide at least a 99.9% uptime service availability level. The service is fully resilient, with no single points of failure throughout the technology stack. The service comes with a 4-hour recovery time objective (RTO) and a 1-hour recovery point objective (RPO). This means that in the event of a major loss of infrastructure, the service would be available again within 4 hours, with a data loss of no more than 1 hour.; Availability excludes agreed scheduled maintenance events, customer-caused or third party-caused outages or disruptions, or outages or disruptions attributable in whole or in part to force majeure events. Any service-impacting planned maintenance work is always performed outside of UK business hours, with adequate notification to our clients.; Incremental database backups are taken continuously throughout the day, configured with a 35-day retention period, with support for point-in-time restore within that period. The file storage solution is backed up daily and offers support for point-in-time restore. Backups are stored across multiple data centres and are fully encrypted.
• Approach to resilience: Redundancy across all application tiers, spread across multiple physical data centres.
• Outage reporting: Incidents such as an unexpected break in service are reported on directly to network clients via email. We also use our KHub Connects group as a place for open feedback about the service. Any member of the Knowledge Hub may report a problem with the service for investigation via our helpdesk, which operates Monday to Friday 09.00-17.30.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: Users login with a username and password or sign in via federated authentication method, such as Google, Linkedin, or any OpenId Connect provider.
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: The security requirements of each business application are determined by a risk assessment.; The access rights consider:; Classification levels of information processed within application ensuring consistency between the classification levels and access control.; Data protection, privacy legislation and client contractual commitments regarding access to data or services; The “need to know” principle (i.e., access is granted at the minimum level necessary for the role); Everything is forbidden unless expressly permitted,; Users privileges needed to perform their roles, subject to it being on a need-to-use and event-by-event basis.; User access requests are subject to formal authorisation and to periodic review
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: All users have individual access through their email address and their own password, private to them. Authentication is also possible through Open ID Connect.

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: Certified by British Assessment Bureau
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: First certified 12/10/2010 recertified 26/02/2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: The scope of the certification covers all areas of security management.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: We follow ISO 27001 standards, policies and procedures encompassing all the Controls in the standard. We are audited by third party organisations, against the standard, annually.; Roles and Responsibilities have been defined and have the full backing of Management. The Chief Security Officer, and the Information Security Officers are responsible for and have the authority to implement the overall direction of all security functions within the organisation, both physical and digital. ; All Staff and associates are contractually bound to adhere to the Company's ISMS

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Change Control Policy and Procedure – Specifies the scope and process for change control of our organisation’s information processing facilities for hardware, software and devices.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Amazon GuardDuty continuously monitors our hosted services for malicious activity which sends alerts through Slack to allow us to detect unusual activity within the infrastructure.; Placecube implements BitDefender providing malware and antivirus protection on devices and includes risk analysis providing insight into vulnerabilities on a per device basis. BitDefender also provides web filtering.; Barracuda proactively scans emails for phishing emails, malware, sanctioned content etc, and quarantine emails. ; External services monitored include:; HMRC Employment Law/Security; ECSC Information/Security/Cyber; NCC Group Information/Security/Cyber; NCSC Weekly Threat report; NHS Digital cyber alerts channel Weekly Threat report; PDS National Management Centre Real Time Cyber alerts
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Services are monitored continuously, with alerting to the support team, who assess the potential compromise and undertake corrective action according to the severity threat level.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Managed through our support desk. The CSO, ISO and Management ensure appropriate action taken in accordance with ISO27001 Incident management policy.; Incident reports are communicated to interested parties via email or through the service desk.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

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

  Fighting climate change

  All employees and associates/contractors work from home, eliminating the need to travel to and from work. Travel to attend face to face meetings is undertaken only when necessary and journeys made via public transport, unless impractical to do so.; We use technology and digital tools to conduct our business, reducing the use of paper and printing. Supplies are procured from environmentally friendly sources. To tackle economic inequality, we recycle computer equipment and mobile devices to benefit those most in need.; We encourage employees to adopt environmentally sustainable working practices and to contribute ideas as to how we improve.; We have ceased the use of ‘branded goodies’ at conferences and are exploring more environmentally friendly approaches.

  Covid-19 recovery

  Minimal impact on the business as all our staff work from home

  Tackling economic inequality

  We work collaboratively and ensure that our clients never pay twice for the same development, actively promoting re-use, and repeatable services.; Digital Place is open-source, and non-proprietary, meaning that our customers can choose to resource new digital projects internally, or through local supply chains. Our promotion of local economic opportunities extends beyond the confines of the Authority, for we actively encourage collaboration by making the platform free to use for partner organisations and community groups. The product can be shared at no additional cost - delivering real economic gain for the public purse.; Supporting the development of strong integrated communities, using the Digital Place Platform delivers a meaningful impact on local employment and economy – benefiting the wellbeing of those communities.; To tackle economic inequality, we recycle computer equipment and mobile devices to benefit those most in need.

  Equal opportunity

  Placecube embraces diversity, inclusion, and equality through our people. Our actions, supported by our various policies and processes enable this. We are committed to the Living Wage movement, are Disability Confident, and support the Armed Forces Covenant.; We recognise that the social value of place-based, connected, local public service can transform the lives of the most vulnerable in communities and make best use of the public purse, so that ever tightening resources can be focused on priorities and not duplication.; We contribute to the public sector and the not-for-profit sector through our free-to-use open knowledge exchange platform. Through Knowledge Hub, we contribute to best practice sharing and collaboration, supporting sector-led improvement, knowledge retention and skills development.

  Wellbeing

  Placecube embraces diversity, inclusion, and equality through our people. Our actions, supported by our various policies and processes enable this. We are committed to the Living Wage movement, are Disability Confident, and support the Armed Forces Covenant.; We recognise that the social value of place-based, connected, local public service can transform the lives of the most vulnerable in communities and make best use of the public purse, so that ever tightening resources can be focused on priorities and not duplication.; We contribute to the public sector and the not-for-profit sector through our free-to-use open knowledge exchange platform. Through Knowledge Hub, we contribute to best practice sharing and collaboration, supporting sector-led improvement, knowledge retention and skills development.

Pricing

• Price: £3,000 a unit a year
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: A free trial network can be set up in our test site for a limited period of up to 60 days in order for potential clients to assess the network capability and tools.

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 jenny.dias@placecube.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.