FARSIGHT CONSULTING:
G-CLOUD II : SERVICE DEFINITION
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Introduction to Farsight Consulting
Farsight Consulting is a SME that was incorporated in in 2010. It has a number of highly skilled and
experienced consultants, all of whom have worked or are currently working in the UK Public Sector.
Our business model allows us to provide high quality services at reasonable prices and adapt quickly
and agilely to customer requests.
We have two aspects to our business:
Firstly, we have built up a considerable body of work in the Public Sector and developed a
detailed understanding and good working relationships with a large number of departments.
We have a 100% re-engagement rate from existing customers and most of our work comes
from repeat customers and client recommendations.
Secondly, we have worked very closely with a number of the suppliers (including Microsoft,
Fujitsu, Cable and Wireless, Capgemini, Logica, ATOS, etc) working with government to help
them improve the way in which they engage and operate within the public sector and to
improve the services the government receives from its suppliers. We are also working
closely with a number of SMEs to help them improve their engagement.
As a result of the above, we are also often asked to provide corrective advice and assistance to get
things back on track when key initiatives have stalled.
Our independent status and the fact that we focus solely on consultancy (rather than providing
solutions) allows both public sector organisations and the suppliers to feel confident that we have
their best interests at heart and treat their information in the strictest confidence.
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Overview of Our Services
Farsight Consulting provides a suite of services that help our clients improve the way they operate.
We enable organisations to gain access to wider and deeper expertise when it’s needed without the
on-going costs involved in developing and maintaining that capacity in-house. We often work closely
with existing client teams, adding our expertise to theirs and effecting knowledge transfer whilst
delivering for the client.
At a high level, our services broadly break down into three categories: Analysis, Strategy and
Delivery.
Analysis
Farsight delivers a range of services which support its clients from the initial discussion on the need
for an analysis; through the scoping and design of the analysis; conducting the analysis itself;
presenting and validating the findings; and transferring knowledge to the customer.
Farsight helps its clients work through and answer their analytical questions, including:
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Deciding Strategic Outcomes – what should we set as our organisational goals? What is the
correct balance of these goals in terms of e.g. in terms of cost, quality and customer service?
Meeting Strategic Outcomes – do we need to change our service delivery model eg do we
want to provide services directly or do we want to outsource / commission locally? What is
the right balance in terms of quality services and meeting our customers’ needs, and the
need to live within our means?
Business Performance – What is our business performance now and what is it likely to be in
future? How do we optimise business performance? What factors might affect business
performance?
Use of technology and services – What options are available to us and which is the best
option for us? How can we combine different capabilities to achieve the best outcome for
the business?
The Analysis Service can be targeted by the client and can be a strategic assessment of a whole
organisation or an assessment of a core business unit. It can focus solely on internal aspects of an
organisation or take into account the broader environment within which an organisation operates.
The assessment can also focus on specific aspects of an organisation’s operating model, for example,
on finance, on information and technology, on staff; or on external factors such as suppliers and
supply chain, and customers.
A key part of the analysis service is helping clients to consider how best to harness technology to
improve the business and providing guidance on the adoption of cloud services.
Strategy
Farsight delivers a range of services which support its customers from the initial discussion on the
need to develop a strategy, through the design of a strategy, to its validation, implementation and
evaluation.
This involves consideration of the following types of questions:

Money – what is our financial position, how do we live within our means, what is the right
investment choice for us?
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


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Meeting Strategic Outcomes – do we need to change our service delivery model e.g. do we
want to provide services directly or do we want to outsource / commission locally? What is
the right balance in terms of quality services and meeting our customers’ needs, and the
need to live within our means?
Strategic Alignment – does our approach align with government strategy and policy? Does
our approach align with developments elsewhere in our sector and in industry?
Strategic Case – what is the strategic case? do we have sufficiently strong case for our
strategy?
Implementation – what risks are we prepared to take? Do we want to deliver tactical, short
term improvements and or long term strategic transformation? What are the practicalities
and organisational challenges in implementing the strategy – and can we overcome these?
Farsight does this by combining a rational planning methodology that with a more agile,
evolutionary approach. This enables our clients to keep a strong focus on the fundamentals (for
example, the strategic business case, costs and benefits, etc) yet allows them to also move their
thinking forward quickly - including testing ways to take advantage of new technologies and ways of
delivering technology.
Farsight supports its customers to decide when it is more appropriate for them to make shorter
term, tactical decisions; and when and how to take developmental steps so that immediate progress
is being made whilst ensuring the organisation remains on target towards longer term goals and
strategic outcomes.
Delivery
At the outset, we advise and agree with our customers the appropriate project / programme
methodology. As experienced practitioners in PRINCE 2, MSP and Agile, we can provide the best
approach that matches the scale, complexity and risks of the business and ICT change.
We ensure an effective mobilisation of the project / programme within an organisation ensuring the
right team is in place, with the supporting governance and appropriate ways of working.
We manage an effective transition of the business change and ICT change in to business as usual and
live service. Key to this, we provide a business change approach tailored to the needs and culture of
an organisation and that is proportionate to the scale and complexity of change.
At the end of delivery, we ensure a project / programme is closed, manage knowledge transfer to
the customer and carry out any on-going tasks in relation to benefits realisation and evaluation.
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Our Work
Our work is mainly UK Public Sector-based and we have extensive experience in working at all levels
within government departments. We have considerable experience in supporting organisations ‘join
up’ and share business functions, information and technology. We also work closely with suppliers
into government to help them define their service offerings and to improve the benefit government
gets from their services.
We are currently engaged with a number of government organisations including the Ministry of
Justice, Cabinet Office / Government Digital Service, Her Majesty’s Courts Service, NOMS, CPS, Police
Forces, the Youth Justice Board, the Supreme Court and the Office of the Public Guardian.
Our work breaks down across our three high level service offerings: Analysis, Strategy and Delivery
and a selection of engagements undertaken by Farsight and its consultants is set out below:
Production of the
MoJ ‘Digital by
Default’ Strategy
Farsight worked closely with the Headquarters, Information and
Communication Departments within the Ministry to develop its ‘Digital by
Default’ strategy. This focuses on transforming the department from a
paper-based organisation into a digital information based department,
whilst ensuring that those who have limited access to technology are not
disadvantaged. We produced the first cut of the strategy for the Ministry
and are now helping to set up the Digital Transformation Programme and
the MoJ Digital Service – working closely with Cabinet Office and the
Government Digital Service.
Farsight is currently engaged by the Ministry to provide advisory services
and analysis of Information Management across the MoJ. This involves an
analysis of the information used across the different departments and
Analysis of
supporting the production of a strategy to cover the full information
Information
management lifecycle. This will lead to replacement of the out of date and
Management across
cumbersome systems which are currently used for collaboration and
the Ministry of Justice
records management and is expected to identify significant information
that can be archived or deleted. Considerable efficiency gains and cashable
savings are expected.
Strategic Assessment
of the MoJ Internet
and Intranet
capabilities
Strategic Analysis of
the Criminal Justice
Sector
Farsight led this engagement for the Ministry of Justice, working with
Gartner to set out the products and platforms available to the MoJ and the
critical questions that need to be answered by the business before
commencing work on a multi-million pound transformation programme.
This involved working with the police, CPS, Courts Prison and Probation
Services to better understand the cross-sector business processes,
information flows and use of technology.
Farsight recommended work programmes to increase the efficiency and
effectiveness of the system. This included specific recommendations
regarding the use of technology and the business and cultural changes
required to transform the organisations from a paper-based system
towards a system which is ‘digital by default’.
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Technology Advisory
Service to the UK
Supreme Court
Farsight Consulting supports the Supreme Court in determining its future
operating model and the options available for technology provision –
including consideration of cloud technologies and how to get the best value
out of suppliers.
Strategic Options
Analysis for the
National Offender
Management Service
(NOMS)
Working across the NOMS business area, the Farsight team produced a
report for senior NOMS management regarding how best to make use of
existing technologies to improve efficiency across the NOMS as well as
highlighting gaps where additional solutions were required. One of the
new solutions identified was based around cloud technologies and this is
now being taken forward by NOMS and the YJB.
Criminal Justice Lead
Account
Management
(Delivery)
Working to the cross-CJS IT Director and with the Chief Information Officers
from each of the key Criminal Justice organisations Farsight is responsible
for overseeing the joining up of the UK Justice sector. This involves
enabling business transformation through the better use of technology –
for example by improved information sharing and communications.
Analysis and Design
of the CJS Document
Repository
The CJS Document Repository is a cloud-like service that was designed
approximately 18 months ago and is currently being delivered. The original
engagement involved working with a cross-justice sector team to analyse
the requirements and to advise on the design and supplier selection for a
secure information store which could be accessed by multiple agencies
(removing the need to courier case files and other information and making
the information available more quickly). Farsight remains involved on an
advisory basis as needed.
Analysis and Design
of the Justice Video
Service
This involved leading a cross-justice sector team to analyse the
requirements and to advise on the design and supplier selection for a
secure video service which could be accessed by multiple agencies
(removing the need for point to point video solutions and significantly
lowering costs whilst at the same time providing a more flexible platform
for change). This was the first service of its type in the UK Justice Sector
and enabled the increase of Prison to Court Video Links as well as providing
the capabilities which are currently used by the Virtual Court, Police Live
Links and for video-based Offender Management. It remains a
fundamental platform for business transformation across the CJS and is
now being expanded into other areas. It is expected to become a core part
of the PSN; and the design has remained broadly unchanged.
Introduction and
Implementation of
Conditional Cautions
We have included this to demonstrate our breadth of knowledge across the
Justice Sector and our experience in working throughout all levels of
government. This engagement involved the introduction of a new criminal
disposal (the Conditional Caution). Pete Masters (Farsight MD) led a crossdepartmental team which wrote the secondary legislation to create the
disposal; supported the passage of the legislation through the
parliamentary process; designed and implemented the phased introduction
of the disposal across England and Wales; and helped establish a number of
compensatory and rehabilitative schemes related to the disposal. At this
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time Pete Masters also served as an advisor to a number of Cabinet Office
Ministers (including the Attorney General, Solicitor General, Lord
Chancellor and Justice and Home Office Ministers) regarding this and other
non-court disposals.
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Our Approach, Pricing and Benefits
Engagement Approach
Farsight likes to take a simple approach to engaging with clients and potential clients. It breaks
down into 4 linked phases.
Before any formal engagement takes place we like to meet with our potential
clients to develop an understanding of what they are trying to achieve and how
we could help. We find that this allows us to add value from the outset and
ensure that expectations are clear.
Prior to formal
engagement
Often, at this stage, we have found that we are able to make suggestions
regarding the approach that reduces costs and decreases the effort involved.
We can put together a proposal that sets out our understanding of the client’s
aims and objectives and the services they’d like us to provide.
This work is at no charge to the client
At the outset of the engagement we agree the scope of the work, based on the
proposal which may have been revised iteratively during the prior stage.
Formal
engagement
This then forms the basis of the engagement and the formal commercial terms
and call-off contract is put in place.
We usually hold a ‘kick-off’ meeting with the client and key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is clear on the plan and their roles and responsibilities within
that plan.
During the
engagement
We usually work closely with the client, so that they are kept informed of our
progress and can get as involved as they want to with our work. The extent to
which this occurs obviously depends on the nature of the engagement. We are
comfortable working autonomously or being integrated into an existing team.
We attempt to ensure that knowledge and skills transfer occurs naturally
throughout the engagement.
We hold regular catch-up meetings with the client (and any key stakeholders)
and provide regular progress reports. At these meetings, if anything unexpected
has arisen, the client can refocus and reprioritise effort if necessary. Due to our
flexible resourcing approach this can sometimes include briefing pausing the
engagement (e.g. if the client needs time to consider emerging analysis) during
which time the engagement can be ‘frozen’ and no costs incurred.
If the object of the engagement is to produce a specific product (e.g. a strategy
document) this is presented to the client for sign off).
At the end of the
engagement
We can also produce an engagement summary report setting out the results of
our work. The content of this varies depending on the engagement but could
include a summary of progress over time, key risks and issues that we have
discovered (both historically and going forward), lessons learned, etc. We can
also include suggestions for future work and next steps.
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Pricing
Under Lot 4 of the G-Cloud Farsight provides pricing based on the SFIA Rate Card.
1.
Follow
£350
2.
Assist
£450
3.
Apply
£550
4.
Enable
£650
5.
Ensure/Advise
£750
6.
Initiate/Influence
£900
7.
Set Strategy/Inspire
£1150
Client interface
Procurement &
management support
Service management
Solution development &
implementation
Business change
Strategy & architecture
Our standard rate card is as follows:
Engaging Us: Work Packages and Ad-hoc work
The services Farsight provides can be sourced in two ways:
1. Purchased on an ad-hoc basis – for example x resources for x days.
2. As a fixed price ‘work package’ – where we agree a package of resources to deliver a specific
product or outcome by a specific date.
We have found that offering Work Packages can greatly assist with budget management and better
shares the risk between the client and Farsight – effectively allowing the client to pass some of the
risk of delay onto Farsight. We can offer the fixed price work packages because of our flexible
approach and ability to re-profile our resources internally. We believe this demonstrates the
confidence we have in our people and our abilities to get things done on time and to budget.
Often clients combine the two sourcing approaches, choosing ad-hoc support to get started and
moving to a fixed price work package when they are clearer about what they need.
Under either approach, at all times the client remains in control of the engagement and (within
reason) can reprioritise and refocus effort immediately (without penalty). This approach has
resulted in lower costs, greater value and better outcomes for our clients.
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For further information about our services, our people and the way we work, including examples of
how we have worked with public sector organisations please visit our website1.
Benefits of Working with Farsight
Here are some of the ways in which our clients say they have benefited from our services. We can
provide further details about these benefits upon request, and some are included in the case studies
on our website:
Cost reduction
Improved Efficiency and
Responsiveness
Greater Understanding of
what’s possible
Reduced Risk
Transformed Organisation
Operations

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Reduced start-up and operating costs of systems
Reduced development and configuration costs
Reduced change costs
Reduced management costs
Reduced consultancy costs


Quicker and higher quality response to business needs
Improved ability to assess and introduce new services to
transform the business
Improved ability to respond to changes
Greater flexibility in relation to services
Better quality services for end-users
More control over the services they use
Reduced time and effort to deliver
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Opportunities to leverage existing assets and services
Opportunities to leverage new services – such as cloud
services
Opportunities to share services across departments and
organisations
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
Greater understanding of the service offerings
Greater understanding of how services fit together
Greater understanding of the risks involved (and how to
manage risk)

A clear plan to transform the ICT capabilities of the
organisation
1
Note: We are currently redesigning our website to make it easier for clients to understand what we provide
and how they can get best value from our services. In the Our Services section there is a specific section for GCloud Services.
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Summary of Our Services Under Lot 4 (Cloud Support Services)
Under G-Cloud Lot 4 (Cloud Support Services) Farsight is offering the following services:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Strategy and Implementation Services
Business Analysis
Design Authority
Agile development, management or training
Project Specification and Selection
Project / Programme Management
Transition Management
Deployment
Training
A description of each of these services is set out in the following sections of this document.
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Q-LOT4-18
Strategy and Implementation Services
Related Services: Business Analysis; Project / Programme management
Overview
Farsight delivers a range of services which support its customers from the initial discussion on the
need to develop a strategy, through the design of a strategy, to its validation, implementation and
evaluation.
Farsight helps its customers work through and answer their strategic questions, including: Where
are we now? Where do we want to be? Why do we want to be there?
In doing so, Farsight helps its customers consider:





Money – what is our financial position, how do we live within our means, what is the right
investment choice for us?
Meeting Strategic Outcomes – do we need to change our service delivery model eg do we
want to provide services directly or do we want to outsource / commission locally? What is
the right balance in terms of quality services and meeting our customers’ needs, and the
need to live within our means?
Strategic Alignment – does our approach align with government strategy and policy? Does
our approach align with developments elsewhere in our sector and in industry?
Strategic Case – what is the strategic case? do we have sufficiently strong case for our
strategy?
Implementation – what risks are we prepared to take? Do we want to deliver tactical, short
term improvements and or long term strategic transformation? What are the practicalities
and organisational challenges in implementing the strategy – and can we overcome these?
Farsight’s approach to its Strategy and Implementation Services combines a rational planning
methodology with a more agile, evolutionary approach.
Together this blended approach enables clients to develop strategies for its customers that answer
their four key questions (right), and allows them to rapidly transform their business.
It enables clients to keep a strong focus on the strategic business case and the broader economic
factors on which key strategic decisions are based. However, it also recognises that today’s
organisations face new demands: They need to realise the benefits of modern opportunities if they
are to minimise costs, improve services and deliver more efficiently. They must provide their
services in ways which are relevant to today’s citizens if they are to operate effectively.
This is particularly relevant to those wanting to benefit from the benefits afforded by a Cloud
approach and to make use of new technologies and new ways of delivering services.
Farsight adapts its approach to align with organisational preferences. For example, the preference
for a top down, CEO led strategy development; or a bottom-up approach that supports staff and
customers in identifying objectives for an emergent strategy; or a combination of both.
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The Challenge and Farsight’s Response
Many of our customers need to transform their businesses more rapidly than ever before. This is
driven by money becoming tighter; greater pressure for service transformation and, as the world
opens up and information and services being more freely available, greater competition. Equally,
many of our customers now operate in environments that are vastly more complex and dynamic
than even a few years ago – where upfront, they do not have all the information they need to make
long term rationale planning choices. Waiting to have all the information has led to many businesses
becoming paralysed – prevaricating or effectively making no decisions. Conversely, some long term
decisions have quickly become redundant leading to wasted investment, last minute changes in
direction or the implementation of solutions that no longer meet the business need.
To counter this challenge, Farsight provides a number of services that enable our customers to
consider the strategic context for the decisions facing their organisation; including cross-sector
benchmarking, horizon scanning, analysis of industry and IT products & services; and customer
insight. Within this context, Farsight supports its customers to decide when it is more appropriate
for them to make shorter term, tactical decisions; and when and how to take developmental steps
so that immediate progress is being made whilst ensuring the organisation remains on target
towards longer term goals and strategic outcomes.
Farsight also monitors and analyses developments in Government strategy and policy, in industry
and broader social and economic trends. This identifies other factors that must be considered in
strategy development.
For example:

In recent years, there has been greater emphasis on individual and consumer rights and the
general social responsibility of organisations. Organisations now tend to operate in a more
connected fashion with their communities and societies. Localism is driving an agenda
which will give local people the powers and funding to deliver what they want for their
communities.

The Government’s ICT Strategy sees key benefits by enabling: access to online transactional
services, which makes life simpler and more convenient for citizens and businesses; and
using new channels to collaborate and share information with citizens and business, which in
turn enable the innovation of new online tools and services. Farsight helps its customers
meet the Government’s key strategic objectives for organisations to become digital by
default.

Cloud computing is a step-change in the economics and sustainability of ICT. Government is
committed to the adoption of cloud computing and through G-Cloud has signalled its intent
to deliver fundamental changes in the way the public sector procures and operates ICT.
Farsight helps its customers to make sense of G-cloud and to take advantage of:
o large, cross-government economies of scale;
o ICT systems that are flexible and responsive to demand in order to support
government policies and strategies;
o new technologies in order to deliver faster business benefits and reduce cost;
o methods to meet environmental and sustainability targets;
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o
Government procurement that encourages a dynamic and responsive supplier
marketplace and supports emerging suppliers.
Putting Strategy into Practice
Of course, once a strategy has been identified, it must then be put into practice. Farsight’s approach
to strategy implementation involves change management and programme / project delivery:
Change Management
Farsight supports organisations in developing a change plan to achieve the implementation of
its strategy. The plan identifies and addresses those areas that an organisation must tackle
which otherwise may obstruct the realisation of the strategy; and support areas that will enable
the strategy. Farsight ensures the change plan is tailored to the needs and culture of an
organisation, and is proportionate to the scale and complexity of change.
A Farsight change plan will consider the following:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Training – a focus on new skills and knowledge
Culture Change – including any behavioural change required
HR – any changes to roles and responsibilities, job descriptions, personal objectives
and targets, core competencies
Business Performance Framework – including new business targets
Leadership – both equipping leaders with the required skills, knowledge and
behaviours to drive change; and agreeing specific actions or methods for leaders to
implement
Stakeholder Management – taking internal and external stakeholders through the
change process
Communications – setting out clearly the vision for change, specific objectives and
milestones, creating an organisational story which demonstrates change taking
place, objectives being achieved, problems being overcome and benefits being
delivered.
Programme / Project Management
Farsight develops a programme / project to deliver the actual changes to the organisation
which will meet the strategic objectives. Further information is contained in the Project /
Programme Management section.
Managing Risk and Avoiding Issues
Farsight’s experience in the public sector has identified two critical issues that often de-rail the
effective implementation of strategy – especially where the use of technology and cloud services is
involved: security / accreditation and procurement. The emergence of cloud has meant that
organisations need to embrace new approaches, this will take time as there significant amount of
culture change needed across both Whitehall and with local areas.
Farsight’s approach for dealing with these issues is:

Farsight understands information and supports organisations to agree an information
management approach that supports their strategy. This includes an assessment and
agreement on the impact levels of data and the organisational appetite for information
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risks. During the strategic analysis phase we identify options to minimise information
risks and open up new opportunities for the organisation2.
o

Farsight is experienced at working with public sector and CESG on accreditation and
finding solutions that work at different impact levels; that enable data to be shared
securely between different IL environments; and that enables data to be shared
securely with uses accessing services via the public internet.
Similarly, Farsight’s approach to solving procurement issues is to ensure a procurement
approach that complements the strategy and takes full advantage of: G-cloud, GPS
Frameworks, In-house options and the re-use of other existing government services.
o
o
o
Farsight is experienced in working with suppliers, and in getting suppliers to work
together to deliver services.
As we have no obligation to any one supplier and do not provide technology services
we can offer an independent view to support the customer in obtaining the best
solution irrespective of supplier.
As an autonomous SME that specialises only in Strategy, Analysis and Delivery we
have found that suppliers are keen to work with us to better understand how they
can improve their services.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight develops strategy at every level of an organisation
Corporate
Strategy
Business Unit
Strategy
Functional
Strategy
Looks at strategy across the whole organisation.
In larger organisations, looks at strategy for a strategic business unit eg a Public
Body or Executive Agency within a Government Department
Looks at strategy for specific disciplines within an organisation or business unit
including: ICT, Information Management, Finance and Supply-Chain strategies.
Farsight offers the following services to develop and implement strategy
Scope
Scan
Analyse
Farsight discusses and agrees with its customer the scope of the strategy, the
approach and timescales, and shape of the outputs.
Farsight captures data, information and intelligence through (as appropriate)
interviews with internal and external stakeholders, cross-sector benchmarking,
horizon scanning, analysis of industry and IT products & services; and customer
insight. This can be a complete environmental scan to inform a corporate
strategy, to something more targeted such as how a specific product or service,
or an approach such as G-Cloud, can serve an organisation.
Farsight analyses the data, information and intelligence – against the outcomes
the organisation is trying to achieve – and presents the results in ways which
work for an organisation. This includes consideration of known facts, potential
2
For example, when working with the Supreme Court we were able to successfully reduce their Impact Level
from IL3 to IL 1/ IL2 which significantly reduce their costs and enabled them to make more use of cloud
services.
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scenarios, trends, strategic outcomes, the ‘art of the possible’ in regard to
technology, and the ‘strategic case for change’. It also looks at potential risks
and issues, scale, complexity, attractiveness and time frames.
Produce
Validate
Implement
Evaluate
This also includes options analysis – covering the suitability, feasibility and
acceptability of different solution and service options and how they can be
delivered.
Farsight will produce the strategy and prepare this in a way which works for an
organisation including documentation, web release, social media release, video
and presentations. Materials produced by Farsight include crafting vision
statements, mission statements, strategic objectives, strategy documents and
supporting communication.
Farsight will test the strategy through (as appropriate) internal and external
stakeholder engagements, customer / public engagement, peer review and any
further analytical validation eg modelling.
Farsight will manage the delivery of the strategy through change management
and programme / project management. This will include programme / project
assurance.
Farsight will evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy post-implementation.
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 16
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Business Analysis
Q-LOT4-6
Related Services: Strategy; Project Specification and Selection
Overview
Farsight delivers a range of services which support its customers from the initial discussion on the
need for an analysis; through the scoping and design of the analysis; conducting the analysis itself;
presenting and validating the findings; and transferring knowledge to the customer.
Farsight helps its customers work through and answer their analytical questions, including:



Deciding Strategic Outcomes – what should we set as our organisational goals? What is the
correct balance of these goals in terms of eg in terms of cost, quality and customer service?
Meeting Strategic Outcomes – do we need to change our service delivery model eg do we
want to provide services directly or do we want to outsource / commission locally? What is
the right balance in terms of quality services and meeting our customers’ needs, and the
need to live within our means?
Business Performance – What is our business performance now and what is it likely to be in
future? How do we optimise business performance? What factors might affect business
performance?
At Farsight, analysis means assessing data, information and intelligence to provide the customer
with insight and added value. We provide analysis to identify business problems and new ideas, or
to assess those identified by our customers. This can be a strategic assessment of a whole
organisation or an assessment of a core business unit. It can focus solely on internal aspects of an
organisation or take into account the broader environment within which an organisation operates.
The assessment can also focus on specific aspects of an organisation’s operating model, for example,
on finance, on information and technology, on staff; or on external factors such as suppliers and
supply chain, and customers.
Farsight presents the results in ways which work for the customer, including key facts and insight;
current position and future trends; as well as the art of the possible.
Farsight’s understanding and experience of Cloud services, and G-cloud specifically, means we can
help organisations to take advantage of these services, for example, by providing an analysis of an
organisations current use of technology, assessing this against G-cloud services and identifying areas
for cost reduction. Or providing an assessment of an organisation’s current service model,
compared to different service models under Cloud.
Whatever analysis we produce for our customers, it always takes into account the full operating
model of a business (its information, people, processes and technology). It always considers the
market or environmental position of a business. and providing our customers with a meaningful
assessment that provides. It is always tailored so that our customers receive the analysis they need
to help make the right business decisions for them. At Farsight, we do not just take generic
analytical thinking, top and tail this to give a sense of original thought and then present this as an
answer to our customers. Technology is not the right answer to every efficiency problem, just as
redundancy is not the answer for every ineffective workforce problem.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
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G-Cloud II
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Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight offers the following core analytical service
Scope
Discovery
Analyse
Deliver
Validate
Transfer
Knowledge
Farsight discusses and agrees with its customer the scope of the analysis, the
approach and timescales, and shape of the outputs.
Farsight captures data, information and intelligence through (as appropriate)
interviews with internal and external stakeholders, cross-sector
benchmarking, horizon scanning, analysis of industry and IT products &
services; and customer insight. This can be a complete environmental scan to
inform an analysis of an organisation, to something more targeted such as an
analysis of a core business unit, or a specific product or service, or an
approach such as how G-Cloud can serve an organisation.
Farsight assesses data, information and intelligence. It uses a range of
statistical and other analytical methods – including modelling and simulation to identify: key facts and insight; current position and future trends; scenarios
and options assessment. It provides supporting evidence including an
assessment of risks and issues; scale and complexity; costs and benefits; and
deliverability.
Farsight will produce the analysis and present this in a way which works for
the customer including documentation and presentations.
Farsight will test the strategy through (as appropriate) internal and external
stakeholder engagements, customer / public engagement, peer review and
any further analytical validation eg modelling and simulation.
Farsight will package all collateral discovered through the analysis and provide
this to its customers; it will equip the organisation’s staff with knowledge
gained through the analysis and carry out additional roles as required by an
organisation to effect meaningful knowledge transfer eg staff training,
working alongside staff etc.
Farsight offers the following specific analysis packages
(All these work packages are delivered within the same framework of the core analytical service,
described above, and are agreed and tailored with customers during the “Scoping” stage)
Initial Analysis
Detailed
Analysis
Farsight provides an initial assessment of the customer issue or opportunity
area and the potential solutions. This typically incorporates an assessment of
current and future states and an indication of costs and benefits (where
known) as well as a summary of suggested next steps. This is particularly
relevant when a customer needs a quick “heads up” without longer term or
larger scale investment in a full and detailed analysis.
Farsight provides a more advanced version of the Initial Analysis package. It
involves a more detailed analysis of new ideas and responses to business
problems. Looking at the current business, information and technical model;
and assessing changes to improve the outcomes for the business in terms of
attractiveness and achievability. It provides a detailed business solution/s
including any information and technology enablers (outline architecture
diagram and description, initial security and IA assessment); indication of
potential costs and benefits; assessment of deliverability; suggestions for
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
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G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Supplier and
Solution
Assessment
Innovation Lab
Data Modelling
- in Information
systems
prototype or pilot; and proposed next steps.
Farsight provides an assessment of vendors; vendor specific products (such as
MS Sharepoint); sector products eg collaboration products (MS Sharepoint,
Huddle etc) and products provided through G Cloud.
Farsight provides a physical and virtual environment to encourage innovation
Farsight facilitates this approach and stimulates a creative process to enable
customers to generate ideas and to encourage free thinking.
Farsight’s analysis provides a structure for data used within an organisation’s
business processes and information systems. Farsight works closely with
business stakeholders and users of the information system:
 To record the data requirements as a conceptual data model –
essentially, a set of technology independent specifications about the
business data which is used to discuss and agree initial requirements
with the business stakeholders.
 The conceptual model is then translated into a logical data model/s,
which documents structures of the data that can be implemented in
databases.
 The last step in data modelling is transforming the logical data model
to a physical data model that organizes the data into tables, and
accounts for access, performance and storage details.
Farsight also supports its customers to use data models consistently across
their systems enabling compatibility of data to be achieved.
If the same data structures are used to store and access data then different
applications can share data seamlessly internally (with users and between
systems) and externally (with customers). The results of this are:
 For an organisation’s systems and data: compatible data, simple
interfaces, systems integration, minimum redundancy of data;
 For the organisation as a whole: reduced cost, reduced risk,
responsive to change, increased effectiveness and greater business
opportunity.
Data Analysis
- in business
operations
Poor data modelling results in systems and interfaces costing more than they
should, to build, operate, and maintain - these interfaces can account for
between 25-70% of the total system cost. It constrains the business rather
than supporting it.
Farsight manages data analysis in the following key steps:
 Data capture
 Data cleansing and data quality
 Initial analysis. Farsight uses various statistical and other analytical
methods to assess and present the key findings eg statistical
methods, modelling and simulation.
 Main analysis. Farsight uses the results of the initial analysis to
answer specific research questions set by its customers, to identify
any new insights and to make any recommendations. The results are
presented to the customer in an initial draft report and, following
discussion, the report is completed and presented as a version.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
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G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Cost Benefit
Analysis
The exact approach and techniques used are tailored to the needs of the
customer and the type of enquiry eg is the analysis confirmatory, to assess
propositions put forward by the customer; or is it exploratory, where the
customer has no hard propositions; or is it a mixture of the two.
Farsight provides an assessment of costs and benefits; including an
understanding of fixed and variable costs and how these might change over
time; cashable benefits as well as qualitative benefits including contributions
to social benefits such as the Green agenda.
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 20
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Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Design Authority
Q-LOT4-4
Related Services: Strategy, Business Analysis, Project Specification and Selection, Project /
Programme Management
Overview
Farsight helps its customers work through and answer their design questions, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Is the change programme / project scoped to deliver the required business outcomes?
Are the business requirements specified in line with the business outcomes and to provide
sufficient direction for the technical solutions?
Are the technical solutions scoped to deliver the required business outcomes?
What are the technical options? What is the right technical solution/s for my organisation?
Will the required technologies work together?
How can existing technologies be extended to meet new requirements?
What are the interdependencies that will exist within existing and proposed systems to ensure
interoperability?
What are the limitations in the proposed solution?
The Challenge and Farsight’s Response
A challenge for most organisations is that they lack the expertise to understand the impact of change
to their business. They lack the experience and breadth of business and technical knowledge to
understand in detail:



the as-is business - its strategic objectives, its processes, its technology and people;
the environment within which the business operates - both the business sector and ICT
industry / ICT product knowledge; and
the impact of changes both to the as-is business and its operating environment.
Farsight helps organisations to address this challenge by establishing and managing a Design
Authority.
Farsight sees the Design Authority as the guardian of an organisation’s knowledge about its as-is
business, its operating environment and the method for assessing the impact of change. We see
the main objective of the Design Authority as developing and imposing business controls and
governance over change from an architecture and design perspective. Farsight achieves this through
the enforcement of policies, standards, methodologies, processes, tools and frameworks agreed
with the customer. Through the Design Authority, Farsight’s ultimate aim is to enhance overall
business performance and flexibility and to provide solutions which are ‘fit for purpose’, increasing
the likelihood and predictability of success whilst reducing the probability and cost of nonconformance and duplication.
Farsight tailors the Design Authority to the needs of an organisation. It responds to priorities set by
the customer or can recommend to a customer what, based on Farsight’s experience, would work
best. Typically, Farsight helps organisations to answer two questions in relation to a Design
Authority:

When do they need a Design Authority? Many organisations request a Design Authority
service to support a specific change programmes and projects. Farsight supports this
requirement and provides a Design Authority service that understands and supports change
programmes and projects. However, increasingly, Farsight has identified that organisations
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 21
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services


gain greater benefit from a permanent Design Authority capability – this supports an
organisation’s knowledge management, responsiveness to change and costs. It also avoids
the ineffective approach of establishing a Design Authority when problems arise during a
change programme. Farsight provides a range of capability to meet the different needs of
organisations - from a standing, full-time Design Authority function, to an ad-hoc managed
service.
What should be the scope of the Design Authority? Farsight provides a range of services
covering the scope of a Business Design Authority (which focusses on an organisation’s
business outcomes, business processes and information, enterprise architecture, and
conceptual design), and Technical Design Authority (which focusses on an organisation’s
information systems, logical and physical data models and supporting infrastructure and
networks).
At a strategic level, the TDA function allows organisations to overcome modern day
complexities eg of scoping and installing converged voice, data and video infrastructures by
addressing the programme / project holistically and encompassing everything from the
business requirements specification, technical architecture review and design through to
carrier and vendor selection and management.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight offers the following Design Authority services
Business Design
Authority
Technical
Design
Authority
Design
Authority
Assessments
Farsight provides a service which focusses on an organisation’s business
outcomes, business processes and information, enterprise architecture, and
conceptual design.
Farsight provides a service which focusses on an organisation’s information
systems, logical and physical data models and supporting infrastructure and
networks.
Farsight provides a service which focuses on assessing design aspects of
vendor specific products (such as MS Sharepoint), sector products eg
collaboration products (MS Sharepoint, Huddle etc) and products provided
through G Cloud.
How to engage us
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 22
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 23
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Agile development, management or training?
Q-LOT4-21
Related Services: Strategy; Project / Programme Management
Overview
Farsight helps the customer work through and answer the following questions:


Is Agile the right approach for this project / programme?
How should Agile be used to deliver a project / programme within my organisaiton?
Farsight advises and agrees with our customers the appropriate project / programme methodology.
Where agile best meets the needs of the customer, Farsight’s teams will provide an agile approach
to managing development and delivery in to the business.
Farsight’s experience is that agile techniques are best used in small-scale projects or on elements of
a wider programme of work, or on projects that are too complex to understand and specific fully at
the outset before some form of testing eg through use of prototypes.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight provides the following services:
Agree Approach


At the outset, Farsight agrees with our customers that agile is the appropriate approach
to meet some or all of their development requirements.
Farsight will tailor its role depending on the needs and capabilities of the customer.
Farsight provides a complete end to end service, leading on all aspects of project /
programme management. Additionally, Farsight can provide specific, individual services;
to support a customer’s own team, adding our experience and skills to those of our
customers, and adding a degree of independence where that is important.
Mobilisation


Farsight will establish the project / programme team, providing resources directly as
agreed with the customer. Farsight will prepare a project brief describing, in outline,
what the project is attempting to achieve and the business justification for doing so; the
overall agile approach and how this will be managed; and agree this with the project /
programme executive or governance board.
Farsight builds on the above agreement to produce supporting project / programme
materials such as the Business Case and the Project / Programme Plan; reflecting the
agile development approach.
Managing Delivery


Farsight’s agile project / programme management involves an iterative, highly flexible
approach to determining requirements and to development. Farsight’s experienced
team works with empowered individuals from the business, with supplier and customer
input.
Whilst a number of agile techniques can be used, Farsight tends to employ Scrum as the
most effective agile methodology. Farsight provides the following services:
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 24
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
o
o
o
o
o
o
Scrum Master (or Agile Project / Programme Manager) – responsible for
facilitating the overall development; removing obstacles preventing the team
from delivering their sprint goals / deliverables; and keeping the team focussed
on delivery.
Agile Team – responsible for delivering the product. Farsight provides the
appropriate cross-functional team, blended with suitably skilled resources
available from the business or suppliers, to carry out the actual development
work including research, analysis, design, development, testing, communication,
documentation etc.
Product Owner (Delivery Manager) – representing the voice of the customer; is
responsible for ensuring the Agile Team deliver the business requirements and
for producing customer-centric items (eg user stories), prioritising these and
adding them to the Product Catalogue.
Farsight manages the development through a series of Sprints: these are led by
the Scrum Master; they are time-boxed work efforts, preceded with a planning
session where tasks are identified for delivery within a sprint period,
commitment is made to goals and a review session checks progress, completion
and any further work.
Farsight manages the artefacts of the agile development, namely: the Product
Catalogue (a high level list of all required development items / actions; resource
effort; and business value / priority);and the Sprint Catalogue (the list of work
that the team must address during the next sprint, assigned to relevant work
stream leads by the Scrum Master)
Farsight manages development through a series of meetings: weekly Scrum
(team focussed to review and allocate work); weekly Senior Management
Meeting (team and senior business representatives review delivery, escalate
issues and make decisions); and Monthly Senior Meeting (with more senior /
executive involvement to resolve issues and make decisions).
Managing Change

Farsight manages an effective transition of what has been developed in to business as
usual and live service. Farsight develops a business change plan to support the project /
programme. The plan identifies and addresses those areas that an organisation must
tackle which otherwise may obstruct the project / programme; and support areas that
will enable successful delivery. Farsight ensures the change plan is tailored to the needs
and culture of an organisation, and is proportionate to the scale and complexity of
change.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 25
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 26
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Project Specification and Selection
Q-LOT4-9
Related Services: Strategy; Business Analysis, Project / Programme Management
Overview
Farsight helps the customer work through and answer the following questions:



On which project/s should I focus my money, resources and efforts?
Which project/s provide the best balance of costs and benefits; including an
understanding of fixed and variable costs and how these might change over time;
cashable benefits as well as qualitative benefits including contributions to social benefits
such as the Green agenda?
Which project/s best balance risk and benefit?
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight’s services are provided through its support of Strategy Development and Implementation;
Business Analysis and early work on understanding deliverability through Project / Programme
Management. Details of these services can be found under these relevant service headings
elsewhere in this document.
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 27
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Project / Programme Management
Q-LOT4-5
Related Services: Strategy; Agile development, management or training
Overview
Farsight’s provides project / programme management services to support our customers achieve
their desired business outcomes.
Farsight helps the customer work through and answer project / management questions, including:
•
•
Is the project / programme scoped to deliver the required business outcomes?
What is the most appropriate project / programme approach that meets my needs eg PRINCE 2,
MSP or Agile?
Farsight believes that the starting point for a successful project / programme is a solid commitment
by an organisation to the desired business outcomes, and that an organisation has based its
decisions on a sound analysis / evidence base. Farsight might have helped identify these business
outcomes through earlier work on an organisation’s Strategy Development and Implementation or
Business Analysis; or Farsight can work with assessments made by customers themselves.
Farsight provides the following specific services include:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Design, Manage and Evaluate Pilots
Design, Manage and Evaluate Proof of Concepts
Benefits Case – development
Benefits Case – approvals through Cabinet Office IT Futures and Treasury
Procurement Approach – including use of GPS Frameworks and Gov Store
Establish and run Project / Programme Management Office
Design, Manage and Evaluate Business Change
Project / Programme Governance
Project / Programme Assurance
Evaluation
Project Recovery
Project Cancellation
Farsight’s will manage delivery of the business outcomes, through the following project /
programme management phases.
Agree Approach


At the outset, Farsight advises and agrees with our customers the project / programme
methodology. Farsight’s teams are experienced practitioners in PRINCE 2, MSP and
Agile project / programme approaches and, in agreement with the customer, will apply
the approach that best matches the scale, complexity and risks of the business and ICT
change; the timescales available / required for the change; and the approach that suits
the organisation’s culture.
Farsight will also advise on the need for pilots or proof of concepts prior to delivery. In
agreement with a customer, Farsight will design and implement appropriate pilots /
proof of concepts and will carry forward the learning and evaluation from this stage in to
project / programme delivery.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 28
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services

Farsight will tailor its role depending on the needs and capabilities of the customer.
Farsight provides a complete end to end service, leading on all aspects of project /
programme management. Additionally, Farsight can provide specific, individual services;
to support a customer’s own team, adding our experience and skills to those of our
customers, and adding a degree of independence where that is important.
Mobilisation


Farsight will establish the project / programme team, providing resources directly as
agreed with the customer. Farsight will prepare a project brief (describing, in outline,
what the project is attempting to achieve and the business justification for doing so); the
overall approach to be taken and the plan for the next stage of the project - and agree
this with the project / programme executive or governance board.
Farsight builds on the above agreement to develop the Outline and (subsequently) the
Full Business Case; the Project / Programme Initiation Document; Project / Programme
Plan; the approach to ensure quality; and the overall approach to controlling the project
/ programme itself. Farsight will establish the project / programme management office
and the document / filing structure.
Managing Delivery


Farsight manages the delivery of products / tasks by allocating work appropriately;
ensuring team members and suppliers are clear as to what is to be produced and what is
the expected effort, cost and timescales; and ensuring delivery remains within agreed
tolerance.
Farsight manages risks and issues; monitors and reports on progress; and manages the
process to ensure the Project / Programme Board remains in control of overall delivery.
Managing Change


Farsight manages an effective transition of the business change and ICT change in to
business as usual and live service. Farsight develops a business change plan to support
the project / programme. The plan identifies and addresses those areas that an
organisation must tackle which otherwise may obstruct the project / programme; and
support areas that will enable successful delivery. Farsight ensures the change plan is
tailored to the needs and culture of an organisation, and is proportionate to the scale
and complexity of change.
A Farsight change plan will consider the following:
o Training, a focus on new skills and knowledge
o Culture Change, including any behavioural change required
o HR, any changes to roles and responsibilities, job descriptions, personal
objectives and targets, core competencies
o Business Performance Framework, including new business targets
o Leadership, both equipping leaders with the required skills, knowledge and
behaviours to drive change; and agreeing specific actions or methods for leaders
to implement
o Stakeholder Management, taking internal and external stakeholders through the
change process
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
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G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
o
Communications, setting out clearly the vision for change, specific objectives
and milestones, creating an organisational story which demonstrates change
taking place, objectives being achieved, problems being overcome and benefits
being delivered.
Managing Closure

Farsight ensures the effective closure of projects / programmes. This covers ensuring
acceptance in to live service de-commissioning (and resources freed up for allocation to
other activities), follow on actions should be identified and the project itself be formally
evaluated.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight provides the following project / programme management services
Mobilisation
Key activities / deliverables include:
Starting a project / programme: appointing an executive and a project manager;
designing and appointing a project management team; preparing a project brief;
defining the approach; and planning the next stage (initiation).
Managing
Delivery
Initiating a project / programme: planning quality; planning; refining the
business case and risks; setting up controls; setting up PMO; and preparing an
Initiation Document.
Key activities / deliverables include:
Delivery - accept, execute and deliver a work package / task.
Control and Direction: authorising initiation; authorising a project / programme;
authorising a stage or exception plan; and giving ad-hoc direction.
Managing
Change
authorising work package; assessing progress; capturing and examining project
issues; reviewing stage status; reporting highlights; taking corrective action;
escalating project issues; and receiving a completed work package.
Key activities / deliverables include:
Training, a focus on new skills and knowledge
Culture Change, including any behavioural change required
HR, any changes to roles and responsibilities, job descriptions, personal
objectives and targets, core competencies
Business Performance Framework, including new business targets
Leadership, both equipping leaders with the required skills, knowledge and
behaviours to drive change; and agreeing specific actions or methods for leaders
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 30
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
to implement
Stakeholder Management, taking internal and external stakeholders through the
change process
Managing
Closure
Communications, setting out clearly the vision for change, specific objectives
and milestones, creating an organisational story which demonstrates change
taking place, objectives being achieved, problems being overcome and benefits
being delivered.
Key activities / deliverables include:
Decommissioning; identifying follow-on actions; managing benefits realisation
and evaluation.
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 31
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Transition Management
Q-LOT4-12
Related Services: Project / Programme Management
Overview
Farsight helps its customers work through and answer transition management questions, including:
•
•
•
What is the appropriate transition approach for this IT service?
What are the specific risks and issues of this transition and how should they be managed?
What the specific requirements of how our users will receive this IT service; and how should
they be met?
Farsight ensures that the project / programme has an appropriate transition approach that wraps
the ICT supplier offerings and technical deployment in to the business change.
Farsight’s experience is that there is a period of intense support activity as new ways of working are
delivered in to and become embedded within an organisation. More specifically that:
o
o
o
o
Rollout is planned in line with organisational capability and requirements, risks, minimises
disruption to the organisation and the need for on-going evaluation during deployment.
Testing reflects user needs and capabilities, alignment with desired business outcomes and
the supporting business change approach.
The capacity of the support capability is sized accordingly to address the scale and
complexity of deployment and user needs.
The support desk is geared to handle an increased volume of traffic and include expert
advice during the bedding in period. Departmental champions (super users) can be used to
act as first line support to address issues as quickly as possible and provide assurance and
advice to users.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight’s service is provided through its overall Project / Programme Management - details of which
can be found under the relevant service heading elsewhere in this document.
Specific deployment products include: a feasibility assessment; transition plan aligned to the
project / programme plan; user management plan including communications, training etc (these
will also be found in the Change Management approach that Farsight produces for the project /
programme); the fall back approach and contingency plan; and service management plan.
How to engage us
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 32
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 33
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Deployment
Q-LOT4-11
Related Services: Project / Programme Management; Agile development, management & training
Overview
Farsight helps its customers work through and answer deployment questions, including:
•
•
•
What is the appropriate deployment approach for this IT service?
What are the specific risks and issues of this deployment and how should they be managed?
What the specific requirements of how our users will receive this IT service; and how should
they be met?
Farsight ensures that the project / programme has an appropriate deployment approach that wraps
the ICT supplier offerings and technical deployment in to the business change.
Farsight’s experience is that there is a period of intense support activity as new ways of working are
delivered in to and become embedded within an organisation. More specifically that:
o
o
o
o
Rollout is planned in line with organisational capability and requirements, risks, minimises
disruption to the organisation and the need for on-going evaluation during deployment.
Testing reflects user needs and capabilities, alignment with desired business outcomes and
the supporting business change approach.
The capacity of the support capability is sized accordingly to address the scale and
complexity of deployment and user needs.
The support desk is geared to handle an increased volume of traffic and include expert
advice during the bedding in period. Departmental champions (super users) can be used to
act as first line support to address issues as quickly as possible and provide assurance and
advice to users.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight’s service is provided through its overall Project / Programme Management - details of which
can be found under the relevant service heading elsewhere in this document.
Specific deployment products include: deployment plan aligned to the project / programme plan;
user management plan including communications, training etc (these will also be found in the
Change Management approach that Farsight produces for the project / programme); the fall back
approach and contingency plan; and service management plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 34
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 35
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
Training
Q-LOT4-15
Related Services: Strategy; Project / Programme Management; Agile development, management or
training
Overview
Farsight helps its customers work through and answer training questions, including:
•
•
What are the training needs for our staff?
What the training approaches that best suit our staff and the type of change involved?
Farsight designs and delivers training solutions that help managers and staff to understand the
nature of business change, what is required of them and provides them with the skills, knowledge
and behaviours necessary for an organisation to achieve its business change objectives. Farsight’s
experience is that as well as training on the use of new ICT systems; staff need to understand the
benefits of change, structural and role changes, and new ways of working including changes to
process. Farsight works with the leadership of an organisation as well as front line, operational staff,
to ensure that at every level of an organisation people are equipped with the skills, knowledge and
behaviours they need.
At the outset, Farsight conducts a training needs analysis. The analysis considers the scale and
complexity of business change; it identifies those employees impacted by this change; it considers
their current capability, compares this to what is required and identifies the “capability gap”. The
analysis informs the development of a training strategy which identifies areas for staff development
and options to deliver the required skills, knowledge and behaviours. Farsight prepares the delivery
plan for preferred training option/s. Farsight designs training solutions, making use of on-line
learning / self-learning approaches, classroom training, and on the job training. Farsight delivers
training solutions; and can train staff directly or train super users / managers to cascade the training.
Farsight evaluates training to ensure the intended outcomes are delivered.
Core Services and Deliverables
Farsight provides the following training services
Training Needs
Analysis
Training Strategy
Delivery Plan
Training Design
Training Delivery
Training
Evaluation
The analysis considers the scale and complexity of business change; it identifies
those employees impacted by this change; it considers their current capability,
compares this to what is required and identifies the “capability gap”. The
analysis informs the development of a training strategy.
The training strategy identifies areas for staff development and options to
deliver the required skills, knowledge and behaviours.
Farsight prepares the delivery plan for preferred training option/s.
Farsight designs training solutions, making use of on-line learning / self-learning
approaches, classroom training, and on the job training.
Farsight delivers training solutions; and can train staff directly or train super
users / managers to cascade the training.
Farsight evaluates training to ensure the intended outcomes are delivered.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
Page 36
G-Cloud II
Lot 4 - Specialist Cloud Services
How to engage us
The diagram below summarises our engagement model. For further information please see page 8.
Early meeting to
discuss what the client
is seeking to achieve.
Proposal from Farsight
with suggestions how
to proceed.
Indication re: pricing
and whether Fixed
Price or Ad-Hoc should
be used
Free of Charge
Agree the scope of the
work, based on the
proposal. Contract is
put in place.
‘Kick-off’ meeting
with the client and
key stakeholders to
ensure everyone is
clear on the plan and
their roles and
responsibilities
within that plan.
Farsight Consulting – Service Definition
We usually work
closely with the
client.
Knowledge and skills
transfer throughout
engagement.
Regular catch-up
meetings with the
client (and any key
stakeholders)
Client can refocus
and reprioritise
effort if necessary
(and engagement
can be frozen with
no charge).
Specific products are
presented to the
client for sign off.
Farsight produce an
engagement
summary report
setting out the
results of our work.
This can also include
suggestions for
future work and next
steps.
Page 37