Institute launches new IT system

The first thing members will notice is the Institute’s new website, but there is much more involved as IT Director, John Patton, explains.

A new IT system is a big undertaking for any organisation. What was involved?

When we launched our new website in April, it was the culmination of a major IT upgrade for the Institute. We delivered new back-office infrastructure and have implemented a leading association management system called ‘Aptify’. This is essentially an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and it spans the entire Institute. Chartered Accountants Ireland is a complex organisation. We provide a number of distinct services at scale. For our 25,000 members and 6,000 students, we deliver everything from student education and examinations to admission to membership, regulation and all the services our members use  – lifelong learning, publishing, representation and practice consulting to name but a few. These areas have significant data and IT requirements. Even before we went to tender stage for the IT project, we undertook a substantial process mapping and simplification exercise, which commenced in 2011. Over the course of this transformation project, known as ‘Project Aspire’, we looked at all aspects of our business – from how we serve our members and students to the processes we undertake and how we represent and communicate on behalf of the Institute. 

Why did the Institute undertake such a complex and costly initiative?

The Institute’s legacy IT systems were nearing obsolescence and were quite inefficient. For example, the website and backend systems were not integrated. This resulted in the re-keying of a large amount of information which was time-consuming and difficult to manage. The old systems were out of line with the Institute’s ambitions, particularly under Strategy 2020. As consumers, we all have significantly higher expectations of digital service provision now and Aptify provides the Institute with the capability to better meet these expectations. This is vitally important for our members who themselves are confronted with rapid technology change and also, to be credible with our students as we seek to continue to recruit the brightest and the best into the profession.

In total, the project cost €4.6 million to April 2017. Although this is a significant investment, it represents value for money given the scale of the complexity and the degree of customisation – particularly when we look at comparable projects elsewhere. This was the Institute’s first major IT investment in over 14 years and will deliver significant efficiencies to our operations over the years to come.

What has been very helpful and important in all of this is the constructive challenge and support provided by our governance structures – Council, the Audit Risk Finance Board and the Oversight Board. In particular, the experience the Aspire Oversight Committee – Aidan Long, Keith Morrow, Robin Menzies and Chairman, Cathal O’Caoimh – brought to the project was very beneficial and hugely appreciated.

What can the Institute’s members expect in terms of functionality and user experience?

Members’ needs were at the heart of the original business case for the project – providing better service and using Institute resources more effectively. Members will see practical benefits from day one, and even more over time. These are most immediately visible with the major improvements to the website, which was designed based on user feedback. The new website is mobile-friendly, integrated with our core systems and showcases the new corporate identity. When members explore a little deeper, they’ll see that there is better access to information, seamless links to the District Societies, a fuller picture of their transaction history with the Institute and easier ways to perform some key activities such as renewing subscriptions, accessing practicing certificates and updating personal information.

How was the project delivered? 

One very significant aspect of this project is the fact that the Institute team delivered this project directly with our partners, Aptify. Institute staff took responsibility for the design and delivery of the project, with Pat Costello as the overall project sponsor. Each department had one or more “super-users”, who were the subject matter experts for their area. The system was therefore designed by those who directly serve our members and students and, as a result, is configured to meet their specific needs. It was an incredible team effort that spanned people in every department, many of whom did not have IT project experience and had to keep up the day job too. It is a huge achievement for all involved and everyone is committed now to making the system work for members and students.

What are the long-term plans for the new IT system?

While the April launch marks the close of the initial project, it is really the start of a new way of doing business. For now, our priority is to bed down the changes we have introduced. Overall, we have had a very successful launch and although there are some teething challenges, as you would expect with a project of this scale, we are getting through those quickly with the help of our members. Additional functionality will be delivered over the coming months. We also plan to use the customer relationship management capability and will be in touch with members to review and update their data so that we can deliver information and services based on their preferences. The system will also allow us to conduct more sophisticated analysis, which will help us to innovate and enhance our service to members. Project Aspire is a very significant milestone in the modernisation of the Institute. Members and students will see benefits from day one, and even more over time as we realise the full capability of the system.

John Patton is Director of IT at Chartered Accountants Ireland.