His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is a crucial agency within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), dedicated to managing offenders in both custody and the community. Established in its current form in 2017, HMPPS employs over 70,000 individuals who work tirelessly to ensure the effective management of prisons and probation services in England and Wales.
HMPPS focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through education and employment opportunities, aiming to reduce reoffending and protect the public. By overseeing the implementation of court sentences and supporting offenders’ reintegration into society,
Baseline of Metrics
Before the implementation of the Gateway Systems Management (GSM) app, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service operated within a decentralised system for project request management. Requests were primarily handled through manual interactions, necessitating face-to-face meetings with Kathy, the Head of Business Strategy & Change. During these meetings, project details were verbally communicated, and Kathy manually gathered relevant information. Although an in-house Canvas app existed, its capabilities were limited, especially when dealing with the intricate nature of requests spanning multiple probation regions.
The process of getting people to join focus groups wasn’t working well, as not many were signing up. Focus Group requests were typically disseminated through online bulletins, leading to inconsistent visibility and sometimes missed opportunities for engagement. Similarly, requests designated for Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) or pilot programmes often lacked formal documentation, and could have been rejected or not responded to but was not visible to managers.
Compounding these challenges was the difficulty in submitting requests with broader scopes, such as those spanning all probation areas or specific Probation Delivery Units (PDUs) within a region. The impending transition into One HMPPS, integrating both prison and probation services, further underscored the need for a centralised and adaptable system. Change Management Teams required a solution capable of effectively managing the diverse array of request types, encompassing individual prison or probation locations as well as those spanning multiple areas, whether prisons, probation centres, or a combination thereof.
The Solution
The comprehensive solution integrated the Project for the web / Planner core alongside the Microsoft accelerator solution. Customisations were implemented through a separate solution to tailor forms and views for various tables, including programmes, projects, risks, issues, and decisions. The functionality was meticulously designed to accommodate scenarios where a parent project could encompass multiple prisons or Probation Delivery Units (PDUs), with the flexibility for on-demand creation of child projects that would automatically inherit relevant project data.
Furthermore, additional automation was configured to streamline processes, such as escalating risks to issues and generating notifications upon task assignments.
In addition to the integrated solutions, a dedicated canvas app was developed to capture all necessary project request information required for project creation upon approval. This app was meticulously designed to gather comprehensive details, ensuring that the Senior Leadership Team had access to all pertinent information required to make informed decisions regarding project approval or rejection. This streamlined process ensured transparency and efficiency in project request handling, empowering the leadership team to effectively manage project initiatives within the organisation.
In addition to the previously mentioned components, the canvas app evolved into the central hub for end-users to initiate project requests. Leveraging a Dataverse data source, the canvas app facilitated seamless navigation and submission across various request types. Specific pages were dedicated to Single Points of Contact (SPOCs), data requests, focus groups, and pilot requests, ensuring clarity and efficiency in request handling.
To enhance user experience, the canvas app incorporated elements from the Creator Kit, providing a sleeker and more intuitive interface. Advanced sorting and filtering options were integrated into the canvas app using the details list, allowing users to quickly locate and access relevant information.
Moreover, SharePoint document integration was implemented to enable seamless attachment uploads directly from the canvas app or the Model-driven app. This functionality ensured that attachments were linked to the corresponding request, facilitating easy access and reference for users and stakeholders alike.
Furthermore, the canvas app served as a central repository where users could conveniently view details of all their outstanding requests across various request types. This consolidated view provided users with enhanced visibility and accessibility, empowering them to track the progress of their requests efficiently.
To further streamline communication and enhance user engagement, automated emails were configured to notify users when their requests were assigned or updated. These emails included direct links to the assignments page of the canvas app, allowing users to seamlessly navigate to the relevant section and take necessary actions. This integration facilitated real-time updates and communication, ensuring a smooth and transparent request management process for all stakeholders involved.
Given the complexity of the organisational structure within the combined Prison and Probation Service—comprising approximately 82 prisons, 12 Probation regions, multiple PDUs, and various other types of regions—the CPS Bizapps team adopted an innovative approach. They embedded a canvas app within the Project for the web / Planner Model-driven app, enabling users to make accurate selections of affected regions for the parent project. This streamlined process facilitated the creation of corresponding child projects for all selected prisons or regions, ensuring comprehensive coverage and efficient management of projects across the organisation.. Key players included 12 dedicated region teams alongside approximately 72 change managers and officers actively using the Gateway Systems Management (GSM) apps.
The combination of Project for the web / Planner, Dataverse, and Power Automate, with Power Bi reporting overlaying all the processes provided the foundation for a robust, centralised system.
says Sarah Burnett, Change Systems Manager - Business Strategy & Change at His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service
The Senior Leadership Team utilises a business process flow to navigate received project requests through predefined stages before making decisions to accept or reject them. This structured approach ensures thorough evaluation and adherence to established protocols. Upon endorsement by the Senior Leadership Team within this business process flow, a new project is automatically created using a Power Automate flow. This seamless integration streamlines project initiation processes, reducing manual effort and enhancing efficiency in project management within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.
Additionally, the Project for the web / Planner accelerator Power BI report was custom-configured to display and conceal information deemed critical by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. This tailored approach ensured that users could focus on pertinent data, enhancing decision-making and analysis capabilities.
Furthermore, to provide comprehensive insights into request management, five additional Power BI reports were developed, each catering to a specific request type. These reports were seamlessly embedded into the Project for the web / Planner model-driven app, offering users the ability to filter data based on various parameters such as organisation, area, and status. This functionality facilitated a holistic overview of request demands across the organisation, empowering users to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively.
Moreover, innovative heat maps were introduced to visualise the status and impact of projects across different probation regions. These heat maps incorporated a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) impact scoring system, enabling stakeholders to quickly assess the current status and prioritise actions accordingly. A secondary heat map depicted project requests, while a third heat map provided a combined overview of accepted project requests. These visualisations offered valuable insights into project dynamics and facilitated proactive management strategies within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.
Outcomes
With the GSM app in full swing, end-users have embraced the structured approach to project request submission and management. Kathy observes, “Demonstrations have been met with overwhelming positivity. The app has brought order where there was once chaos.”
The app’s overview feature now offers insights into the types and volumes of requests, providing a clearer picture of business demands across regions.
The apps are being regularly used by approximately 72 members of the Change Team across 12 regions. Further to this tasks can be assigned to an person in the organisation and they can view their task and update the percentage of the task complete.
Results
His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s adoption of Microsoft technology aimed primarily at
managing pressure and demands effectively. While cost savings were not the primary goal, tangible
benefits in time savings have been realized. Kathy highlights, “Previously manual processes are now
automated, saving valuable time for individuals involved in request processing and follow-ups.”
The app’s functionality has revolutionized focus group and pilot request handling, ensuring accountability
and traceability. Kathy remarks, “We now have a transparent system for tracking request volumes,
acceptances, and rejections, fostering better decision-making and resource allocation.”
In conclusion, the collaboration between His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service and Microsoft has
yielded a transformative solution that not only addresses pressing business challenges but also enhances
efficiency, visibility, and user satisfaction.
Additionally, CPS and the Change Management team at His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service have
fostered a strong working relationship. Confirming their commitment to further enhancing the Gateway
Management System Solution, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has decided to initiate a support
contract with CPS, which includes dedicated development days for future enhancements.
Moreover, discussions have been underway to expand the solution’s scope by incorporating additional
types of requests. Proposed enhancements include the integration of Portfolio Application Forms,
Commission Learning and Development, and Commission Communications functionalities. These
additions aim to broaden the solution’s capabilities, catering to a wider range of organisational needs and
facilitating more comprehensive project management and request handling within His Majesty’s Prison
and Probation Service.
Furthermore, CPS has conducted six three-day training sessions for over 60 members of the Change
Management team. These sessions were centred on empowering the team to leverage Microsoft
technologies effectively. Specifically, the training focused on building a SharePoint list tailored to the
team’s requirements, implementing automations, and developing a canvas app integrated with their
SharePoint list. Additionally, participants were guided in creating a Power BI report based on their
SharePoint list data.
The Change Management team has demonstrated a strong enthusiasm for utilising Microsoft technologies
and the Power Platform to elevate their work and enhance collaboration within their teams.
For more information on how CPS can support your business with Microsoft Power Platform and Project for the web: