United World Colleges International
Scoping a complex new digital platform
United World Colleges International has a complex digital platform with over 150 microsites in fifty different languages which they wish to update. We worked with them to define their requirements, clarify scope and prioritise functionality to enable the team to run a clear tender process.
The challenge
United World Colleges (UWC) is a global education movement that aims to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.
Over many years, UWC International have developed a fully bespoke digital ecosystem, consisting of their main website and 150 microsites for each of their National Committees based around the globe.
They decided they wanted to launch a refreshed website but recognised that specifying their complex digital ecosystem would require a robust pitch process. The team knew they needed to specify a full set of technical and functional requirements for which identified the need for tailored functionality to enable global publishing, tailored content and translations into over 50 different languages. We worked together to deliver a detailed requirements gathering process to support the team before going out to tender.
What we did
Well defined requirements provide a clear scope for website projects, giving potential agencies a structured foundation from which to pitch and quote for the work, as well as help organisations to clearly evaluate different approaches. The process helps organisations to ensure that their new website aligns with their business goals and users’ needs, stays within budget and ultimately reduces risk over the long-term.
Our initial focus was to understand and document the entire ecosystem. We then began our work to develop the full set of detailed requirements. The process included individual and team interviews and a workshop with CMS-users from a range of different countries to help us understand more about the limitations of the current set-up.
Having developed detailed requirements, we then facilitated a session that aimed to prioritise each of the requirements using the MSCW framework (must, should, could, would not). This process gave UWC International the tools to determine which aspects of their new website (design elements, functionality etc.) were the most important and therefore allocate budget or resources accordingly during the pitch process.
The results
We delivered a clear set of prioritised and agreed requirements within a very tight timeline. The work is just the first-step in their new website journey, but has given the organisation the means to scope and cost the project before making a full investment.
What the client said
“The team at We Are MC2 were excellent, listening and working hard to understand our complex organisation and our digital ecosystem. Their structured approach helped us flesh out our many requirements into a robust technical document and also work through sometimes conflicting priorities.
The We Are MC2team are delivery focused, diligent and a huge asset to any digital delivery project, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them. Engaging them before we started the supplier selection and pitching process, ensured UWC International were prepared, focused and set up for success in the next steps of our new website development project.”
Lisa Shattock, Head of Communications & Engagement, UWC International
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