Can we do it? Yes we Kanban

It’s that time of the year again, the close of G-Cloud and this time in its 11th iteration. Here in the Client Services Team, we reflect on another season of the framework- the good, the bad and the ugly!

G-Cloud opened on the 25th of March with all our client post-its eagerly waiting to cross the threshold of the first column of our Kanban wall. This iteration, we had two newbies, Chloe and Grace in the team who were about to face their first ever G-Cloud. For the rest of the team they were geared up and ready to go!

What’s changed since G-Cloud 10? There weren’t too many changes from G-Cloud 10 however this time around CCS did incorporate additional questions regarding cybersecurity requirements for suppliers. The most prominent change appeared in the supplier declaration whereby suppliers were asked to clarify whether they meet the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act (if they have a turnover of more than £36m a year).

Over the 8 weeks the team dedicated all their time and energy (lots of good energy!) into the process- from the webinars, to the reviews and feedback with clients. Here’s some of the team’s highlights from this year’s iteration:

Grace

GC11 was my first ever framework and it was super exciting to be thrown into the mix! Everyone in the team is so clued up on the framework and it was inspiring seeing the office come to life. My second highlight was watching our colourful Kanban wall change throughout the weeks and days as the countdown the deadline loomed. We clapped and cheered as the post-its crossed over the finishing line into ‘submitted’ and the energy as well as the team spirit was great!

Elliot

G-Cloud was a significantly different framework to the ones I had previously worked on – NS2 and DAS are heavy-hitting big money frameworks, with far more document trawling than is required for G-Cloud. With this being the 11th iteration of the framework, for a lot of the team it became business as usual. The support from G-Cloud veterans Ella and Izzie was fantastic as always, and the two newest starters Chloe and Grace met and exceeded all expectations.

Hannah

G-Cloud 11 was my fourth framework experience since joining team AC at the end of last year. Compared to DAS, NS2 and NHS SBS, it’s safe to say this was my favourite! I particularly appreciated the ease of use of the Digital Marketplace when it came to inputting and uploading responses. We did however have a rather large volume of clients,  but as a team we worked extremely well together, and had no concerns about getting everyone over the finish line!

With the rising popularity and functionality of cloud technology, the scope of products and services suitable for the framework is extremely vast. So, it was certainly interesting to learn about our clients’ exciting and innovative cloud technologies. Ranging from broader network solutions, to more niche software targeted at the health sector or central government, it was encouraging to see just how much tech is out there—continually evolving and adapting—and the potential value they will add to public services.

Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding experience. I’m looking forward to see what’s next for our clients!

Chloe

As a new member of the team I was quite nervous (yet excited) to experience my first ever G-Cloud. However I was soon put at ease as everyone on the team was extremely helpful and taught me what goes into a good quality listing,  and ways to best support our clients. Learning the steps involved with G-Cloud was also aided by watching the development of the process as shown by our incredible Kanban wall, I found watching clients move from one step to the next exciting and engaging way to track our progress.

Overall what I enjoyed most about G-Cloud 11 was learning more and more about our clients and the innovative and exciting work being done within the world of tech and the positive impact had. I also enjoyed working with my very first ever clients, an experience which definitely boosted my confidence and allowed me to experience first-hand the work that goes into G-Cloud from start to finish! Even though it can’t be denied G-Cloud can be a busy time, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and feel like I have learnt so much, I am now looking forward to working with the amazing Advice Cloud team on all the upcoming frameworks and learning how they differ from G-Cloud!

That’s all for now…

From the Client Services team, we would like to say a big thank you to all our clients for their hard work and the lovely feedback we’ve received from them- and lastly, thank you and goodnight G-Cloud! However, while we say goodbye to our good ol’ friend G-Cloud, we say hello to the many frameworks lingering on the horizon- keep an eye out to hear more!