Case Study: Suffolk County Council

Client:
Suffolk County Council

Project:
Implementing a cloud-based Learning Management System for internal and external local government training.

Contact:
Sheryl Howes
Learning Systems Manager
sheryl.howes@suffolk.gov.uk

Timeline:
January 2022 – Ongoing

Scope, Relevance, and Scale

Scope

The project involved deploying Open eLMS as the core corporate Learning Management System, integrated with Suffolk's payment systems. This implementation included a commercial classroom booking system to manage registrations, cancellations, automated waiting lists, and refunds.

Relevance

Open eLMS provides a robust, cloud-based solution for internal and external training, meeting the complex operational requirements of large-scale organizations. The platform's comprehensive booking system allows staff to schedule classroom and virtual training events, simplifying administration and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Scale

The project supports over 13,000 users with a contract value exceeding £200,000.

Delivering to Specification

Open eLMS delivered the project in full alignment with the Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) established during the tender process. This included developing a smart classroom system to manage live learning events both online and offline. Key deliverables included:

Open eLMS Classroom – Smart Classroom Features:

• Trainer interface for setting up live lessons and integrating digital resources.
• Seamless integration with Microsoft Teams and Zoom for online delivery.
• Synchronous learning with automated attendance and completion tracking.
• Interactive whiteboard for collaborative learning experiences.
• Integrated gradebook for tracking and comparing performance across lessons.
• Progress monitoring for classroom events for both managers and learners.
• Moderated discussion forums for students and trainers to exchange ideas.
• Calendar-based booking interface for streamlined learner enrollment.

Reporting

• Custom reports featuring smart classroom data.
• Bespoke Power BI dashboards for advanced data visualization.

Achieving Agreed Outcomes

Open eLMS delivered all customizations within 10 weeks, meeting the scheduled launch date. The final product fulfilled every requirement specified in the RTM, on time and within budget.

Performance Against KPIs and Service Levels

Open eLMS operates under a Quality Level Metrics framework, defining service levels for system maintenance and operation. These metrics are tracked for every client and shared via transparent Power BI dashboards.

To date, Open eLMS has resolved all client-reported issues. Monthly support tickets rarely exceed five—a significant achievement for an installation of this scale. A minor spike during a recent functionality rollout was promptly addressed.

The current service satisfaction rating is 4/5.

Open eLMS has maintained a positive trend in response times, with first-response SLA levels reaching 100% this year. Resolution rates remain high, with over 96% of issues resolved within standard SLA timeframes.

The average response time is 2 hours and 3 minutes, with issues resolved on average in under 60 hours (including non-working hours).

Information Accuracy and Reliability

Open eLMS keeps stakeholders informed of system performance, maintenance, and incidents. Rigorous testing ensures high levels of reliability and accuracy.

Using the same robust infrastructure as Estio, the system maintains over 99.9% uptime, consistently exceeding SLA thresholds throughout the project lifecycle.

Stakeholder Communication

Open eLMS held weekly progress meetings for the first three months post-launch, transitioning to monthly reviews thereafter. Ad-hoc meetings are scheduled as needed for system updates and new version rollouts.

The client has direct access to a dedicated account manager via email and phone.

Social Value and Innovation

Open eLMS has significantly expanded training opportunities, providing accessible professional development for council employees across the county.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Following the model established with Estio Training, Suffolk transitioned a significant portion of its training online, substantially reducing travel and facility costs associated with face-to-face instruction.

Based on usage data, we estimate that prior to Open eLMS, only 20% of sessions were virtual. The current model delivers significant carbon savings.

Annual Carbon Savings:

• Virtual classroom sessions per year: 570
• Average class size: 12 students
• Face-to-face training sessions saved: 6,840
• Average round-trip journey: 10 miles
• Total travel carbon savings: 1,710 kg
• Total heating/facility carbon savings: 1,140 kg

Total annual carbon reduction: 2,850 kg (2.85 tonnes of CO2).

Saving 2.85 tonnes of CO2 is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by approximately 340 to 420 acres of forest annually.