Common questions
Change is hard to get right.
One thing we've learned is that 'top-down' decisions don't always work in practice. That's why this project is a community effort, with the full backing of senior leaders.
There will be challenges and possible disagreements along the way. But transparency from, and trust for, all the skilled people involved will make this transformation the best it can be. In that spirit, we'll put common questions to the people best placed to share their insights.
“How will this affect me?”
At this stage, as we finish exploring the process challenges we share, we almost have a full understanding of what best practice we can adopt. From April to July, we'll be able to share what that looks like in practical terms, and invite departmental representatives to help their communities with testing and training.
Jenny, HR Project Officer
“How can I get involved?”
Over 800 new and returning attendees have been involved in our workshops since November 2025 – academic staff, operational staff, and plenty of others, too. We've just reached a point to widen these invitations to all departments through the Change Network, so that expertise is only going to expand from here on out.
Tom, Communications and Engagement Officer
“What will the approach to training be?”
Over the coming months, we'll be working closely with Change Advocates across the University to make sure we can create a comprehensive training plan that's as effective and convenient as possible. We'll use these conversations to shape a range of guided and self-directed options – tailored to various staff groups, and phased to make sure they're available at the points people need them.
Vanya, Development Partner
“How are decisions being made?”
We'll be adopting best practice across our processes and policies wherever possible, but everyone's insights are proving vital to make sure that any changes will work for the University as a whole. The workstream teams – HR; finance; data and tech; and change management – are discussing them every week to guide any more nuanced decisions, and to readjust where we need to.
Susan, Assistant Director of HR
“How will this help us financially?”
It's a significant financial investment. But it will cost a lot less than renewing all the expiring systems we currently use – not to mention the staff time spent grappling with them. I've been leading the cost-benefit analysis around the transformation, and we expect it to save us £36m over the next 14 years.
Charley, Senior Business Analyst
“Will the new system really deliver?”
We're confident it will. We've faced past examples of implementing technology with fixed workflows, which have then fallen short of expectations. This time, we're co-creating with staff at all levels to fully analyse our processes and policies, which allows us to configure the platform around the most effective ways of working. We can't promise everyone everything – but we will be in a position to continuously refine after we go live.
Tyrrell, Director of IT