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Morning Data KTP Partnership with BU

26 July 2012

Local Software Company and BU join forces to build bigger and better system.

Academics from Bournemouth University’s (BU) School of Design, Engineering and Computing (DEC) worked with Briantspuddle based Morning Data to write and implement a new, more efficient software system, resulting in increased profit with little movement in costs.

The two organisations linked up as part of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme, helping businesses to improve their competitiveness through better use of skills, knowledge and technology available within universities.

The aim of the programme was to create a new system for Morning Data and complete the migration of one to the other seamlessly so that customers were not affected by the change. It was also important to improve software management techniques within the company and leave Morning Data with complete confidence in the system, how it works and how to maintain it.

When the project began Morning Data were using a system that had developed organically over a decade, with additions made when necessary over time. There was however, no documentation of how the programme had been developed and the changes that had been made. The University had to ‘reverse engineer’ the requirements. If there was a problem with the software it would have huge implications on the whole company and its entire customer base.

Throughout the development a key priority was to ensure that customer satisfaction was kept to the high standards Morning Data prides itself on. Working with BU allowed the re–write project to run smoothly, something that does not ordinarily happen within the software industry. Ensuring that disruption to customers was kept to a minimum.

Phil Collins Development Director at Morning Data said: “The amount of resources, time and effort put into this KTP by Bournemouth University has more than exceeded my expectations. The staff at the University have been fantastic and have helped us change the way we work for the better. Over the duration of the project we have learnt so much and introduced so many valuable new tools to our development team – we simply would not be working the way we are now without having had the involvement and the knowledge of the staff at BU.”