Assessment
The MDS assessment stage enables you to review and understand the current document environment as well as process inefficiencies and their resulting costs. Additional interviews and user surveys allow you to capture individual needs and process workflows, all of which can be included in an analysis report.The MDS assessment phase reviews the client’s current document environment providing a baseline for future process improvements and cost savings.When you are preparing an assessment for a client there are many areas to take into consideration. A checklist that you may consider as a guideline would be:
- Fleet audit of the document estate
- Volumetric data from all installed devices
- Functional requirements of the devices
- Investigate process of document storage and management
- Understand document distribution processes
In addition to the actual audit covered in the checklist above, the following information should be reviewed:
- Current workflow and business requirements through interviews with key staff
- Any outstanding financial arrangements
- All service and consumable costs
- Current maintenance contract SLA’s and client’s actual requirements
Design
The MDS design phase focuses the solution on meeting the client’s business case. When designing a solution for a client there are number of business needs that need to be taken into consideration.
- Reduced costs
- Improved workflow efficiency
- Enhanced document security
- Increased availability of product functionality
- Reduced environment impact
- Better fleet visibility and control
In addition, the design must take into consideration:
- Fleet contingency and disaster recovery
- Commercial requirements of the client
- Print policy and executive sponsorship
- Design innovation and cultural change management
Implement
The MDS implement phase requires a project managed approach to minimise risk and impact to the client’s business. When implementing the solution for a client, we consider planning, transition and deployment. The following areas must be reviewed:
- Creation of a project plan including cultural impact
- Agreement to a statement of works (SOW), ensuring a common understanding of deliverables
- Pre-configuration and delivery of the solution
- De-commissioning and disposal of retired fleet (WEEE obligations)
- Take-on of retained legacy devices
- Cultural awareness activities
- Agreement to a roll-out schedule
- Installation and training program
- User acceptance testing
- Sign off Statement of work (SOW) process
Manage
The MDS manage phase considers both the client and the solution ensuring SLA’s are achieved and communicated. Management of the solution for a client ensures that performance stays at peak levels and the business case is being realised. This is achieved through:
- Remote monitoring of the fleet, enabling pro-active support
- Efficient consumables replenishment processes
- Flexible service delivery options
- Periodic reviews of performance
- Accurate Management Information (MI) reports
In addition, the management phase can include:
- Service escalation processes
- Management structures to meet the clients requirements
- Device specific alerts
Optimise
The MDS optimise phase ensures continuous improvement of the clients fleet and workflows. Optimising the solution will help maximise the clients’ satisfaction. This is achieved by:
- Analysing the fleet for opportunities for improvement
- Repeat the Assess and Design phases to highlight processes and cost improvements that will further deliver the client’s business case
- Creation of optimisation reports
- Client review meetings to discuss optimisation proposals
- Proceed to implement phase upon acceptance of the proposal
- Continue to follow the MDS process
