Being Open to Innovation in a Small Company

Being Open to Innovation in a Small Company Frank Cooper

Cooper Software Background • • Privately owned; 20 Staff. • Systems integration specialists (Microsoft and Oracle Experts). • Niche: Professional technical servicessolutions to the IFS ERP Market (grown rapidly to be largest independent IFS consultancy in the UK). • Award Winners; Best Young Company at Scottish Enterprise Business Excellence Awards. • 2 Founded in 2005, Opened a Swedish Office earlier this month. ISO 9001: 2008 Accredited. Confidential

Delivering our Services • 90% of our revenue comes from Project Engagements. • Framework approach based on best practice, is essential. • Software re-use where ever possible. • Part of our project delivery methodology is to assess if the eventual solution has a potential wider use. • Recognised the wider opportunity with Mi. View. • Limited experience developing a product or taking one to market. 3 Confidential

Mi. View. TM 4 Confidential

Mi. View. TM Finance Design Office Flight Ops 5 Confidential Supply Chain Maint.

Mi. View Delivery Process • Repeatable, structured approach to delivery. • Focussed on solving immediate business problems while exploring wider business issues. 6 Confidential

What experience did we need? • We were embarking on taking a packaged offering to market – this was new. • It presented many new challenges, which we had to prioritise and overcome. • • 7 Licensing Model Sales Campaign Market Research Usability Testing System Testing Setting up a Support Infrastructure … Confidential

How did Interface assist us? • Introduced via Scottish Enterprise, pilot initiative called the “Commercial Breakthrough Service”. • Interface, understood our Mi. View challenges & introduced us to UWS(Specialists in Software Reporting Applications) • We decided to focus the assistance from UWS: • Usability – is Mi. View user friendly and easy intuitive to use? • Testing – is Mi. View robust? • Interface coordinated the initial sessions and provided the access and support required to establish the feasibility project with UWS. 8 Confidential

What did the study achieve? • 20 days of University time over 9 months. • The work that was carried out by UWS was valuable: • Usability • Established that Mi. View was sufficiently innovative and there is a market? • Evaluated the existing feature set, identifying some gaps • Is the Application Robust Enough? • Focussed testing of the application to evaluate the different Automated Software testing tools that are available • A recommendation of the tools and process that we could use to automate as much testing as possible. 9 Confidential

A longer term relationship • We benefited and enjoyed the experience that UWS provided. (Thomas and Robert) • We looked at ways in which we could extend this relationship. • We also became aware of the KTP programme • Recruitment of a complex role, to move Mi. View from a concept to a product: • Business Analyst; Market Researcher and Product Manager • Tap into the UWS experience and knowledge base to support how Mi. View evolves going forward. 10 Confidential

What now for Mi. View? • Mi. View is a watershed for Cooper Software: • Many bespoke sales of the system. • We have delivered our first complete packaged offering – our first true productised engagement. (this is the future) • Agreement to embed the Mi. View reporting engine as the reporting tool for a Global software provider. (as is this) • With a web based reporting tool that can be used by any business, of any size across any technology – the potential is incredible. • In these early stages, we need to take care that we do not lose focus and we prioritise. 11 Confidential

Being Open to Innovation in a small company? • We continue to Innovate, its what we do. • We already have other potential products and offerings in the pipeline. • Being Innovative is not enough on its own: • Professional: Quality, Processes, Experience, Planning • Ambition, Drive – Lots of Hard Work • Leveraging the right balance of expertise and support from the resources available: • Plug the gaps • Continue do what you are good at • Be prepared to put the effort in to make it work 12 Confidential

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Why we engaged with UWS • UWS possessed expertise in automation tools that was lacking in-house • Little to no business justification for performing the feasibility study in house due to lack of skills and lack of knowledge with available automation tools 14 Confidential

Benefits we received • An better understanding of how our product was placed to allow test automation • Implementation of certain developed features actually prohibited or hindered automation. • An clear indication of what tools would not be suitable • A massive benefit due to limited resources in house, we could now understand the tools that would be no benefit and not waste time 15 Confidential

Outcomes from feasibility study • Automation tools now considered and detailed in the Test Strategy • We will be looking to further investigate UWS’ suggested automation tool when setting up our new testing environment. 16 Confidential

Building a relationship with UWS • Investigated the KTP Programme • We were looking for a very specific individual to support us on Mi. View: • Part Business Analyst • Part Marketeer 17 Confidential

Vision and Scope • Specification; can be used internally or by other external resources if required. • Business Case. • Infrastructure and Systems Assessment • Targeted ROI. • Document of Scope, Priorities and Stakeholders. • 18 Confidential Summary Requirements & Quotation.

Project Management (PRINCE 2) 19 Confidential

Support and Aftercare • Remote Connectivity (leased lines) • Helpdesk & Service Management • Oracle Servers & Performance Management • Build and Commit Servers • Automated Test Stations & Supporting Methodology • ESCROW Agreements • Web Server Hosting 20 Confidential

Mi. View. TM delivers: • • • 21 A coherent web-based reporting environment for all data sources and all users. Personalised reports, visual dashboards and plasma displays. Easy monitoring and tracking of Key Performance Indicators. Reports that are refreshed and delivered on a scheduled basis. Integration of disconnected IT Systems into a single reporting platform. Automated and trigger based report delivery including mobile. Confidential