1. Opportunities and Issues :
Estates’ Perspective
Grant Charman
Deputy Director of Estates
University of Leicester
www.le.ac.uk

2. Introduction
• Appointed in 2003
• Led University involvement in PFI deal
• Wider involvement from 2006
• Estates – IT issues prevalent

3. Problems
• Three main areas
• Themes
– Project Controls
– People Controls
– Building Controls
• Key message : Integration

4. Theme 1 – Project Controls
• 2003 situation
– No project management system
– Lack of management information
– Projects delivered on-time and on-budget were
the exception
– Committee reporting weak and haphazard
• Solution : Project Management system to provide
control and reporting on entire programme

5. Theme 1 – Project Controls
• History
– 2003 – search started, decision to develop
– 2007 – developed system demonstrated
– 2009 – identification of solution
– 2010 – procurement
– 2011 - implementation

6. Theme 1 – Project Controls
• The solution; Imprest ?
• System written with Higher Education in mind
• Flexible and Configurable
• Management information, project control, data
store/exchange system
• “Links to SAP”

7. Theme 1 – Project Controls
• Purchase through OGC
• Installation has been smooth
• Dedicated project manager appointed by
Datavisibility
• Decision to host off-site

11. Theme 1 – Project Controls
• Remaining hurdles
– Getting people to use it – changing the system!
– SAP integration
– MICAD integration

12. Theme 2 – People Controls
• Problem with managing maintenance requests
• Maintenance helpdesk system created in 2006 on
SAP
• Extensive development in-house by ITS
• How do we control the flow of information and the
allocation and control of the staff attending?
• Significant improvement on previous
• But still flawed

13. Theme 2 – People Controls
• Little further progress since 2006
• Now identified for further improvement
• SAP or off the shelf?
• Dare we break the link to finance system?
• How believable are claims to link to SAP?
• Can we integrate hand-held devices?

14. Theme 2 – People Controls
• Now applying Systems Thinking ideas in a review of
maintenance before finalising helpdesk requirement
• IT integration crucial

15. Theme 3 – Building Controls
• Schneider BMS
• System installed years ago
• Development has been unplanned
• Business decision to employ specialist in-house
engineer
• Transformed system

16. Theme 3 – Building Controls
• Better reporting on core functions
• Active monitoring of alarm signals
• Active link to security lodge system for critical alarms
• Resilience improved
• New installations and system growth being planned

17. Theme 3 – Building Controls
• Future improvements
– Fire Alarms
– Intruder Alarms
– LZC programme applications

18. Where Next?
• Increasing levels of integration between systems
• Hand helds, mobile devices, social media
• Estates still not fully embracing new technology