The Home Court Advantage: Sport Wales’s In-House Development

July 6st, 2024

As a member of the Digital and Service Design team at Sport Wales, I'm excited to share our recent experience in developing a custom dashboard for the Governance Team. The need for a custom dashboard for the Sport Wales Governance Team presented a unique opportunity as this project marks a significant shift in our approach to digital solutions and showcases the power of in-house development. Traditionally, such projects were outsourced. But this time, we saw the Governance Team's dashboard project as a prime opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities. This wasn't just about software development; it was a chance to showcase our skills in project management, evaluation, delivery, and user testing.

Flexibility

One of the first tasks we completed was to go through the project requirement. After reflections on this project two key benefits stood out. The first was our flexibility, we were able to work in an agile way allowing us the luxury of prioritise the most important aspects, this granted the ability to ship product quickly and iterate in phases till we meet all requirements. This flexibility enabled us to get the product into users' hands faster and gather immediate feedback to improve the product.

Communication

The second benefit was our constant communication, especially early on during the data collection phase it was critical. Regular meetings with the Governance Team helped us gain a clearer understanding of their needs and iron out the requirements. Reflecting on this phase, what we could do better next time, is to encourage more free flowing conversations in between the more structured ones. Even just one or two additional informal discussions could allow for more honest communication, bringing important insights to light earlier in the project. This level of engagement and informal meetings is difficult, if not impossible to achieve when outsourcing development.

The Bigger Picture

As we continued to model and transform the data, it became evident that the data held significant importance to the broader business objectives. Our digital and service team’s work across different departments provided a greater understanding of how to align this data with Sport Wales’s overarching goals. Here, the true purpose of the Digital and Service Design team became clear: as we are aligned with the greater objectives of the company and by improving our approach to digital solutions through out digital and service design principles, we can meet the needs of those working inside or with Sport Wales. This alignment with Sport Wales' bigger picture and mission allows us to deliver solutions that not only meet immediate needs but also contribute to the long-term success and sustainability of the organisation.

In-House Is Always In-Budget

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room—cost. While the exact figures for outsourcing the dashboard development are unknown, the savings from in-house development are significant. Beyond financial benefits, having our develop team within Sport Wales enhances alignment with our company's vision and values. Our growing relationships and constant communication limited misunderstandings or lost-in-translation moments that can lead to costly reworks, or worse, finding yourself with a gaping hole in your budget and wondering where all the money went.

Home Court

In all seriousness, having our digital and service team in Sport Wales can significantly boost the efficiency and output quality of our services and products. As an in-house digital and product development team, our advantage lies in our deep understanding of Sport Wales’s unique organisational structure and goals. As no two projects are identical, our experiences within the organisation have equipped us to navigate future challenges more effectively. We've continued to hone our approach to project management and maximise our diverse set of skills and by leveraging our insights and fostering closer ties across departments, we aim to continue delivering innovative solutions that empower Sport Wales to achieve its goals and make a lasting impact.