The BBC Scotland digital media project was managed through strong leadership, a unified vision, and a well-resourced program office. Siemens was contracted to take on full technology delivery risk. The new facility has transformed workflows and positioned BBC Scotland well for the future. Key success factors included early business engagement, integrated networks, and constant communication. Areas for improvement include more clearly defined requirements, workflows, and decision-making processes to minimize change requests.

1. EBU Presentation
By
Bruce Malcolm
Chief Operating Officer
BBC Scotland
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2. How was the project managed and structured?
Strong leadership/sponsorship from Ken MacQuarrie, Controller
Scotland
“One BBC Scotland” view and no competing priorities.
Well resourced Programme Management Office led by Project
Director.
Clear business accountabilities through sponsors, leads and
accountable executives.
Clear decision making process.
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3. Contractors and Budgets
Technology
One systems integrator appointed – Siemens – to take all delivery
risk.
Existing relationship as BBC’s chosen technology supplier
through their purchase of BBC T.
All subcontracting etc. done through Siemens.
Innovative cap/collar pricing arrangement to incentives cost
reduction but also cap BBC’s financial exposure.
p p
Outsourcing simultaneously of all technology support functions
in
i new digital, tapeless world.
di it l t l ld
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4. Contractors and Budgets
Property Build
Financed by off balance sheet bond to avoid capital outlays.
Built by Bovis
B ilt b B i under LST management with BBC as client under
d t ith li t d
30 year lease.
David Chipperfield – lead firm of architects designed the building.
Works very well – open plan, transparent, democratic, e.g. no
offices, parking free on first come first served basis
Use of local design companies and materials to ground building
in Scotland.
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5. Key Success Factors and Lessons Learnt
We have created one of the most advanced broadcasting centres
in the world.
We have transformed how we work across all platforms and
genres. The transformation has encompassed:
True cross platform working
Digital/tapeless workflow
HD production
Digital Library
We believe it puts us in ideal position to respond both to global
changes in the media industry and particular Scottish challenges
challenges.
We will achieve a significant cost reduction of approximately 25 –
g pp y
30%.
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6. Key Success Factors and Lessons Learnt
Structural change has accompanied the move to allow us to
benefit from new facilities.
facilities
Project delivered on time and on budget.
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7. What Helped Us Achieve This?
Strong vision for technology and transformation. We did not
deviate from this ambition which was quite far sighted at times
e.g. tapelessness HD, etc.
e g tapelessness, HD etc
Early engagement of the business i.e. production in design
process. Their requirements were built in early.
Merging of IT/Broadcast networks and support.
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DBH contract with cap/collar helped deliver on time and on
budget.
b d t
Involvement of staff from all levels and constant communication
through whole raft of means e.g. user groups, newsletters, etc.
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8. What Helped Us Achieve This?
Strong programme office (PMO) which applied rigorous
procedures but was grounded in meeting the business’s
requirements.
requirements
14 clear benefits workstreams with sponsorship and leadership to
deliver our financial targets.
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9. What Could We Have Done Better / Learning Points
Post Production solution very ambitious. Suffered from teething
and integration problems. Continue to work on this complex
area.
area Careful defining of requirements, contracting with
requirements
suppliers, involving production etc. is required here.
Dealing with Siemens – Relationship of Siemens/Avid was in our
view problematic.
Staff in certain areas attempting to impose old ways of working
on the new system. Clearer definition of required workflow
changes would have helped.
helped
Quantity and quality of resource available for project
management in Scotland was problematic.
Integrating systems across the piece was our single biggest
headache!
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10. What Could We Have Done Better / Learning Points
Can’t emphasise enough need to define workflows/deliverables
very tightly. Retrofitting workflows to given technology solutions
is difficult There is an almost linear relationship between
difficult.
success of solution and early definition of requirement.
Difficulty of engaging senior staff in decision making.
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Change requests are costly and difficult and should be
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minimised.
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