Parity
Microsoft Portal Capability
Parity has been delivering innovative and leading edge Microsoft solutions for over 10 years. We were one of Microsoft’s first Gold Certified Partners in the UK and we are recognised as leaders in the Microsoft specialised competencies of e-business solutions, advanced infrastructure and learning solutions.
Microsoft Gold Certified Partners are the top level of Microsoft Partners and we enjoy premium benefits to help us build on our position as industry leaders. As a Gold Certified Partner, we have the closest working relationship with Microsoft and are guaranteed management and support, and other top-level benefits. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners are required to meet rigorous requirements for certification and expertise. We have reached the status of Gold Certified Partner by demonstrating increased levels of developer certification, practical experience, and by providing completed customer reference projects that were independently verified by Microsoft. Parity has won many prestigious awards for our customers based on our passion and ability to exploit Microsoft technology to deliver powerful solutions. To maximise our customers’ return on investment, we have developed off the shelf solutions for CRM and portal requirements that are industry proven, feature rich and rapid to deploy. Parity is unique in the market place as we are able to combine our extensive development capability with custom built learning solutions which result in robust and sustainable solutions for our customers. Parity is one of Microsoft’s tier 1 partners. This is reflected by our membership of the Microsoft Architects Council which guides Microsoft’s direction in relation to IT software strategy, architectural solutions and enterprise services. If you are looking to deploy Microsoft technology, supplement your team with experienced resources or increase your own Microsoft skills base, then turn to Parity; a world leader in Microsoft technology.
Parity is a tier one Microsoft portal solution provider. With the successful delivery and on-going support of several award winning national portals under our belt, our status as the portal partner of choice was further enhanced with the recent announcement that we are to develop the UK’s first national portal for the Fire and Rescue Service. Our tailored offerings include portals for customer self-service, employee self-service and partner collaboration. They provide demonstrable ROI and lower cost of operation and benefit from our continual investment in research and development of the latest Microsoft portal technologies.
Introduction to Portals
Microsoft defines a portal as: “….a website that aggregates contextually relevant information, applications, and services. It distils the complexity and variety of information and services available to a user into a single interface targeted to that user's needs and interests.” and it is in response to the compelling business need for organizations to provide aggregated, contextually, relevant information and services to their employees, clients and partners that explains the continuing growth in the following types of web portals:
At a fundamental level, portals allow for the ready accessibility of information and applications to their target audience within a single personalized user interface but the business benefits of a portal extend much beyond this to: • Better access to information, leading to improved decision making Portals provide users with a single place to access highly relevant and business critical information regardless of the format in which that information is stored. Content is targeted and personalised to each portal user thus assisting in the dissemination of relevant and key business information. By making such critical information quick and easy to retrieve business decisions can be made from a thoroughly informed perspective. • Improved productivity Key functional features of portals are collaboration workspaces, content targeting and business process automation. Such functionality not only eliminates the endemic problems of information islands and information gluts but also empowers and encourages employees to discover and share information. By then extending the application of portals externally to your organisation, portals can act as a fulcrum for connecting your employees, customers and partners. • Strengthen business relationships Portals can strengthen business relationships at both the client and partner level. By permitting secure access to your organisation's information and services to trusted 3rd parties, portals make business easier to transact, while enhancing and quickening the exchange of commercial information. cont…
Introduction to Portals
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Business processes can be streamlined with portals. Relevant content and applications are delivered through a single web browser interface, reducing the need to access multiple systems. • Rapid ROI Parity offers a portal solution based upon pre-built components that can facilitate a low risk solution implemented within a minimal lead time thus enabling businesses to exploit a ROI from the earliest opportunity. • Low cost of operation Portals can reduce operational costs but also continue to provide a return on investment in existing systems through offering the potential of integrating those systems within a portal web browser. This approach can enable the consolidation of an organisation’s disparate web sites and servers into a much more manageable and cost effective configuration thereby offering the potential of significant financial savings.
Portal Services
As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and boasting a demonstrable and successful track record of developing high value, low cost portal solutions, Parity is strategically and ideally positioned to deliver quality services in the areas of portal specification, design, build, test, training, deployment and post implementation support. This offering also extends into a number of added value service areas that ensure that our portal solutions are unique, innovative, imaginative, cost effective, low risk and deliver tangible business benefits to our clients. In order to maximise the quality of our portal solutions Parity focuses on a number of added value services that we believe significantly enrich our portal solutions beyond those offered by our competitors. These services include: • Usability Design - our portals are designed for intuitive and ease of use to ensure immediate buy-in. With this approach we place a special emphasis on ‘clickability’ to ensure that information held within the portal is readily accessed within a minimum number of mouse clicks. Taxonomy Design - in support of our emphasis on usability, close attention is paid to taxonomy design to ensure that information contained within the portal is structured intuitively, consistently and logically. Graphical Design – Parity’s team of graphic designers can assist with the conceptual development of your portal site as well as providing creative consulting services to ensure that the portal look and feel match the quality of your core services. Parity Portal+ - all Parity portal projects are undertaken against our Parity Portal+ framework. This framework comprises a series of generic pre-built components that have been previously deployed on other portal projects. As such we can deploy portal solutions at minimal risk, within a minimal lead time and thus provide our clients with the opportunity of achieving a rapid return on investment. Translation – Parity operate a translation service that can enable you to deploy your portal on a global basis and in a variety of languages. Consolidation – through the convergence of applications within a single portal solution, a technical infrastructure review can be performed that can significantly rationalise your existing hardware infrastructure and thus generate substantial cost savings. Hosting - we can offer a hosting service that provides for 24x7x365 cover including secure server backups, software installations, operating system upgrades, application of hot fixes and patches, virus protection, firewall management, deployment of resilient power supplies and total network redundancy.
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Portal Components
Parity’s Portal+ solution is based upon pre-built components that have been previously and successfully deployed on other Parity portal projects. These components are all Microsoft technology based, represent Microsoft recommended best practices for software design and development and have been developed using a combination of industry standard products such as Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server®, CMS.Rapid, Microsoft Content Management Server®, Microsoft Commerce Server®, Microsoft CRM®, BizTalk® and SQL Server®.
SharePoint Portal Server® provides the core functionality required to deliver typical portal facilities including collaborative workspaces, document versioning, document libraries, discussion lists and threads, surveys, events, announcements, shared calendars and web site and contact lists. As the first IT company in Europe to implement a portal solution based on the seamless integration of SharePoint Portal Server® and Microsoft Content Management Server®, we are ideally qualified to advise on all aspects of SharePoint Portal deployments. CMS.Rapid is an accelerated version of Microsoft’s Content Management Server® product. It is a fully integrated and 'non development' configurable content management solution that is rich in functionality and meets the vast majority of requirements 'out-of-the-box'. It manages authoring, editing and publication of the portal content in a non technical manner through an automated roles based workflow process supported by a comprehensive metadata schema that significantly aids the fast and efficient retrieval of information. Parity is one of a handful of UK companies that are accredited Rapid solution providers and is a leading contributor to its ongoing development. Microsoft Commerce Server® enables portals to profile online users, target content, create and manage product catalogues, process orders, analyze online business metrics and develop custom solutions. Totally integrated within the overall Portal+ solution, on-line business transactions can be performed within a secure environment based upon tried and tested industry leading e-business software. Parity was one of the first companies in the UK to deploy Microsoft Commerce Server solutions and this experience has enabled us to provide rich personalisation and commerce features in our customer solutions. Microsoft CRM® is a unique, added value feature within Parity’s Portal+ solution. Through seamless integration of Microsoft CRM with the other Portal+ components, our solution provides a single integrated view of all user’s transactions with an organisation and facilitates the segmentation of user data thus allowing for both very effective cross-selling and up-selling opportunities and targeting of information according to user profiles and preferences. BizTalk® is used to provide seamless integration between Parity’s Portal+ and an organisation’s other applications and systems. This level of integration allows for an enterprise wide single user sign-on and can continue the return on investment in existing systems through offering the potential of integrating those systems within a portal web browser. SQL Server® provides the database layer for Parity’s Portal+ solution and it is from this basis of a robust, resilient and highly available platform that specific client customisations can be provided as required.
Case Studies
Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board)
Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) uses the web as a major communications platform to help disseminate a range of market information and industry services to the country’s manufacturers and producers of food and drink. Following a competitive tendering process, Bord Bia selected Parity to design and implement three major online portals so industry representatives can efficiently retrieve information on a self-service basis at any time of the day or night. There is an Enterprise Portal, which focuses on providing resources to major Irish food and drink manufacturers; an internally-focused portal for Bord Bia employees; and a new dedicated Producers’ Portal targeted at Ireland’s livestock producers. The two client-facing portals are based on MCMS while the Enterprise Portal has been deployed on a Microsoft SharePoint document management based platform. Users of the new Enterprise Portal are able to set their own preferences via their user profiles, which are held and maintained in a back end CRM database. This profile information is also used to automatically identify and display documents that match a users sector, business channel and geographic interest when logging onto the Enterprise or Producer portals. The Bord Bia Employee Portal provides an inwardlyfacing application which offers a centralised means of communicating and managing documents. This internal portal is set to become the focal point for maintaining all of Bord Bia’s published documentation and has been designed so employees are able to easily browse and search through the available online resources. All these features are achieved by innovative technology integration. Parity used a group of tools including Microsoft SharePoint (document management); Microsoft CMS (Content Management Server) and CRM. The smooth integration of all these tools has allowed Parity to supply significant added value over and above a simple CMS solution. Julian Smith, Information Service Manager at Bord Bia said: “The Irish food and drinks industry is vital to the fortunes of our economy and needs to be kept well-informed about any relevant news and developments. With the help of Parity, we are creating a series of new online communications platforms which will help us to share information in a more efficient and effective way for the good of the industry as a whole.”
Case Studies cont…
Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council recognised the need to introduce a more formal control of content management for both their internet and intranet websites. Originally content was maintained by 130 web publishers as static pages or generated from SQL databases. This structure was difficult to maintain and contrary to the technical framework being imposed by Government as part of the foundation for the e-Government strategy. The Council identified a number of objectives such as improved approval process for content, corporate branding of the site, reduction of site maintenance costs, content archiving and management of currency of information. Parity was ideally placed to assist Cheshire County Council due to its knowledge of local government needs as well as the technical expertise, as a Microsoft Gold Partner, to implement a cost-effective solution based on Microsoft’s content management technology. The solution implemented consisted of Microsoft Content Management Server 2002 (MCMS 2002), Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). This solution satisfied the objectives set by Cheshire County Council. There is now a structured approval process in place which provides the staff with full editorial control based on content management roles. The site has been re-designed to promote the new corporate brand and the look and feel of the site is consistent throughout, thus supporting ease of use. The site also complies with WAI accessibility standards, which means that the needs of users with disabilities are considered and accommodated. Other features of the new website include enabling the region’s 680,000 citizens to use a more personalised service. Users can be directed to more relevant content depending on whether they are a visitor, resident or local business users. They can also register for email alerts on specific information such as road works in their local area. A new MondoSoft search facility has been implemented to allow users to search for content based on specific words. The search can also be restricted to particular categories, enabling users to access information easily and efficiently. Nickki Hughes, Customer Service and Web Manager at Cheshire County Council said: “Cheshire’s website has always received a large number of hits, but users tended to only use a limited number of services on offer. By redesigning the way in which content is presented and updated, citizens will enjoy a much more user-friendly experience, as well as gaining access to new resources.”
ODPM e-fire
Parity has scooped a project to develop e-fire, the UK’s first national online Fire and Rescue Service portal. The contract is funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Fire and Rescue Service Directorate, and is let by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority as lead authority. Parity has been selected as the prime contractor for the development, delivery and support of the portal. e-fire is a national e-government project designed to help save lives. The Fire and Rescue portal will enable the provision, acquisition and exchange of information in new or more efficient ways, provide transactional services via the internet, and prepare the ground for fire and rescue services to introduce other channels of access such as digital television. Parity will be using its expertise as a Microsoft certified Gold Partner to implement eservices based on Microsoft technology for this project. Once up and running, the portal will provide a wide range of Internet-based services for citizens and businesses. Users will be able to assess fire risks, plan control measures, prepare escape plans, apply for petroleum licences and register explosives on line. They will also be able to request services from their local Fire and Rescue Service, such as a home fire risk assessment.
Parity’s Portal Clients
Fire Service College Redesigning FSC’s website to enhance functionality and provide educational resource for trainee firemen www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk
Department for Education & Skills Creating a teacher resource portal for lesson planning and content www.curriculumonline.gov.uk NHS Designing and implementing a content management solution for a large departmental intranet. Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Building a portal to enable online submission of injury claims www.cica.gov.uk The Cabinet Office Developing and managing the Fast Stream Graduate Recruitment portal www.faststream.gov.uk
Food Standards Agency Redeveloping the existing website into a portal to disseminate information and incorporate a content management system www.food.gov.uk Commission for Social Care Inspection Development and implementation of the internet and intranet websites to disseminate news and information www.csci.org.uk
Wakefield District Council Designing and developing a portal that informs both the community and visitors to the City of Wakefield www.wakefield.gov.uk British American Tobacco Designing and implementing internet and intranet sites to inform customers and staff www.bat.com
British Association for Adoption and Fostering Building a portal to help agencies and members of the public search and contact birth and adopted relatives www.adoptionsearchreunion.org
National Community Fire Safety Centre Building an Information Portal to educate and inform the public www.firesafetytoolbox.org.uk
About Parity
Parity is a professional services company that works with organisations to achieve a step change in business performance, by ensuring the right people are in the right roles, using the right processes and technology, in the right way.
As a leading international IT solutions company, we combine the traditional elements of systems integration with e-business technology, staffing solutions, human capital management and training. Founded in 1993, Parity operates from over 30 offices across the UK, mainland Europe and the USA. Parity Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Parity offers a range of IT, staffing and learning solutions, from the development of true end-toend business systems to the resourcing of key IT skills and the training of IT and business professionals. Parity is in a unique position to assist customers increase business value from past and current investment in people and in IT. Parity Systems & Consulting, Training and Parity Resourcing Solutions work together to help our customers realise the potential within their organisations.
Vision
Parity is made up of some of the IT industry’s most imaginative, skilled and hardworking professionals. We have accomplished a great deal through our core businesses – innovative IT solutions, high quality instructor-led training and successful contract staffing. Our underpinning philosophy ensures best value and quality, and our drive for innovation enables us to break boundaries. Our customers consider us their partners because of our reputation for trustworthiness, value and quality. They maintain or extend their partnerships with Parity because they have faith in what we bring to their business, which is a strong testament indeed.
What we do
Parity has 4 core competencies:
• Systems & Consulting - developing and managing • • •
large or complex IT systems, and related consultancy services. Resources - providing permanent and temporary staff, and managing related back office activities. Training Solutions - Management and technology training and workforce development strategy consulting. Human Capital Management - Managing business processes related to the optimisation of workforce skills and utilisation.
Business Solutions
Parity Business Solutions specialises in helping organisations get the most value out of their existing technology and choosing the best solution for their future needs. Our close partnerships with industry leaders, including Microsoft and Oracle keeps us on the cutting edge of technology and ensures that our clients invest in the most suitable solution for their requirements. Parity can also add value to your organisation through sharing our vast experience in strategic client side consultancy and expertise in business process outsourcing. This has been gained through successfully project managing and delivering thousands of technology and consultancy projects. Combined with our proven delivery methodology and quality assurance processes, Parity can guide and support your organisation in achieving its business goals throughout the entire project lifecycle.
If you would like more information about Parity’s portal capability, or any of our other services, please contacts us at portals@parity.net
www.parity.net/microsoft
1 Hartfield Road Wimbledon London SW19 3RU Tel: 020 8543 5353