Advancing Cloud Application Platforms for Government Agility

A major government department required a secure and scalable Application Container Platform (ACP) to meet stringent security and assurance standards. The platform needed to support microservices application development while ensuring operational elasticity, rapid provisioning, and automation. The department also required a cost-effective, reliable framework to manage workloads across production and development cycles.

Key objectives included:

• Ensuring elasticity to handle fluctuating demand across production and development.
• Rapid provisioning and the ability to adapt quickly to business needs.
• Transparent cost structures for informed lifecycle decision-making.
• Automating tasks and integrating systems to streamline processes and reduce overheads.

We delivered agile delivery management expertise, enabling the ACP to align with departmental needs and remain a value-driven platform. Collaborating with the engineering team, we co-developed the ACP roadmap and guided its delivery. This included empowering agile methodologies, fostering collaboration, and embedding a culture of transparency and accountability.

Highlights of our approach:

• Established a clear product vision, co-created with stakeholders, and communicated effectively to delivery teams.
• Facilitated monthly “heartbeat meetings” with project and technical leadership to align roadmaps, requirements, and feedback.
• Organised the first “show and tell” event in three years, attracting 120 participants and driving positive feedback from stakeholders.

Our multi-disciplinary team used a combination of Scrum and Kanban methodologies, enabling continuous delivery of functionality. Key activities included:

• Facilitating workshops with stakeholders to prioritise user stories and map service value chains.
• Conducting user research to create detailed user journeys and service maps.
• Establishing collaborative tools like Mural and Kanban boards to streamline workflows and visualise progress.
• Coaching delivery managers and product owners in agile practices to ensure smooth backlog management and roadmap development.

The ACP leveraged Kubernetes orchestration and a curated toolset, including GitHub, GitLab, SonarQube, Docker, ELK, and KeyCloak, ensuring robust code quality, CI/CD pipelines, and monitoring capabilities.

The ACP platform became a reliable, high-performing cloud solution with 99.9999% availability, enabling the department to rapidly respond to evolving demands. Key results included:

• Improved collaboration and transparency through agile coaching and structured engagement.
• Enhanced platform adoption, with four new projects onboarded in six months.
• Continuous delivery of value through optimised workflows and agile methodologies.

Challenges and Resolutions

Managing a platform operated by a third-party consultancy posed unique challenges. To overcome this, we:

• Established regular communication between stakeholders and third-party providers to align priorities.
• Facilitated agile practices to embed values such as transparency and curiosity across teams.
• Conducted coaching sessions to address pain points and maintain a strong collaborative culture.

By embedding best practices in delivery management, stakeholder engagement, and agile methodologies, we ensured the platform remained the preferred choice for existing tenants and attracted new ones, delivering lasting value to the organisation.