DVSA: Architecture and Project Services

As an organisation, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carries out driving tests, approves people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carries out tests to make sure lorries and buses are safe to drive, carries out roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitors vehicle recalls.

When the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency(DVSA) embarked on one of its largest-ever transformation programmes, designed to deliver modernisation in every aspect of the way it works, having the right capability to support the transformation was critical.

Using tight-knit multidisciplinary teams to deliver programmes and projects across a broad-ranging portfolio, DVSA realised it needed to introduce additional resources to ensure greater cost management and improve technical delivery. Looking for highly-skilled resources, DVSA engaged with Certes to access capability-based service solutions that were flexible, scalable and cost-effective, and specialist technical teams that could be mobilised swiftly.

Some of the main programmes included:

  • Future Theory Test – Project to deliver a contract re-let and new model for delivering the driving theory test, including enhancements to candidate and trainer booking systems. Digitisation of testing was key, as well as the of research emerging technologies that supported greater flexibility in assessing those embarking on the learning-to-drive journey.
  • MOT Transformation – Project and Architecture team focused on the MOT digital service and delivered digital test capture for commercial vehicle testing. This was initiated to improve MOT test quality, resilience and performance.
  • Commercial Vehicle Services – Project and Architecture team developed modern digital services. It enabled DVSA’s commercial vehicle testing services, incrementally replacing legacy services such as VT and e-Test Booking. Commercial Vehicle Services for truck and bus testing (technical refresh, cloud hosting and testing, recording and payment transformation). Transformation for digital support to operational staff, focusing on those working remotely, with the provision of new applications and mobile solutions

Objectives

• To have on-demand architecture and project capability for the current and upcoming projects
• Gain flexible resources which were able to drive the discovery stages of a project, or drop in to in-flight projects which had lost momentum
• Reduce on-boarding time from 3 months to 10 days, reducing cost for IT expertise by eliminating an arduous recruitment process
• Provide Agile programme and project management support to a number of existing in-flight projects
• Monitor project progression and spend whilst retaining key resources and information

Having traditionally used contingent labour to resource projects, Certes was appointed at a time when a number of programmes were initiated without warning and the DVSAhad struggled to identify and mobilise the calibre of resource it needed to deliver these.

The Approach

Certes Capability as a Service (PMaaS and ARaaS) offered an attractive solution to DVSA, combining a flexible approach to Architecture and Project Management with enhanced cost control and minimal people management responsibilities.

DVSA was able to access Agile programme and project management services at a range of capability levels to support their in-flight projects, through ready-to-deploy resources. Using this flexible service, DVSA had a simple, efficient and effective route to market that had significantly reduced their onboarding time and cost whilst allowing them to benefit from a superior service. To strength their technical capability, they also utilised Architecture as a Service where by they were able to utilise a range of architecture specialisms on demand. They took advantage of the rapid mobilisation and off-boarding the service offered, with a 10 day on-boarding process and 5 day standdown including knowledge transfer.

A dedicated Service Delivery Manager (SDM) was appointed to oversee the delivery of the project resource. For DVSA, the SDM allowed them to have a single point of contact at every stage of the project as well as support to manage project progression and spend, whilst still retaining key resources and information.

The Solution

Utilising this service has allowed DVSA to engage scalable, expert, capability-based services to supplement and enhance their existing in-house teams, introducing expert talent into their programme and project teams to enhance the delivery of its transformation agenda.

Seeing the value in the capability-focused and flexible approach of the PMaaS service,DVSA awarded Certes a 3-year contract under its Capability as a Service offering.

Client Benefits

• Access to both Project and Architecture specialists
• Fast and efficient deployment – on average just 2 days from an agreed brief
• 5 major projects delivered on time involving Certes resource
• Project and performance metrics available in real time and on demand
• Overall cost control
• Key resources and information retained in-house