Last year, FCDO Services managed the rollout of a new IT platform – Osprey – across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This innovative new platform allows users to collaborate much more efficiently on a single cloud-based service.

Working across two sites (King Charles Street and Abercrombie House, East Kilbride), we were commissioned to oversee the returning of old devices, the issuing of new devices and successful user support to streamline user access onto the platform. To do that, we provided technical support on the ground and worked closely across directorates, with the FCDO’s Information and Digital Directorate, the Osprey team, and a third partythird-party supplier.

We started in May 2022 and by September of the same year we’d completed the job, with more than 2,300 units deployed in the UK. Success hinged on a simple factor – making sure the devices reached the right people, at the right time.

We started in May 2022 and by September of the same year we’d completed the job, with more than 2,300 units deployed in the UK.

A great job depends on a great team, and ours consisted of apprentices, experienced installers and IT experts. This mixed approach worked well and provided an excellent learning and development opportunity for our apprentices. They were able to get hands-on project experience, meet customers and gain valuable experience and mentoring from the senior team.

And of course, our IT experts were available during the setup of the new users to resolve any issues and answer any questions. We had Microsoft 360 Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) working across a range of activities; they prepared accounts for new users, ensured the smooth migration to the new platform, and that users found themselves in the right groups and distribution lists from day one.

The expertise and experience of the team on the ground enabled them to tackle challenges under pressure in an agile way, implementing solutions quickly.

The expertise and experience of the team on the ground enabled them to tackle challenges under pressure in an agile way, implementing solutions quickly to keep the project rolling.

And once the UK teams were online, we began to support phase two – the rollout of Osprey to FCDO colleagues overseas and partners across government. This phase will see all ex-Foreign and Commonwealth Office colleagues based in the UK and overseas receiving new devices and access to the new system.

We’re proud of how our teams responded to this project; at every level, they demonstrated outstanding teamwork, collaboration and professionalism. In short, the rollout wouldn’t have succeeded without them.