Maveris is an IT and Cybersecurity company committed to helping organizations create secure digital solutions to accelerate their mission. We offer a wide range of capabilities including cybersecurity, digital solutions, software engineering, and infrastructure modernization.

The latest innovations in technology present opportunities to better serve customers by enabling greater agility, and transparency, than ever before. Maveris helps organizations navigate the complex emerging technology landscape which includes cloud technology, automation, blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Part of what we do here at Maveris is provide Program Management Support and Integration Services. Organizations seeking to increase efficiency, and automate processes, come to us for help with realizing the potential in digital solutions. Our team of highly capable technical experts can assess the current state of the organization, department, program, or product, and make recommendations based on the analysis. 

One of the first actions taken by our team once engaged, and before recommending or providing solutions, is to perform thorough assessments of the requirements and a review of the existing platforms and tools being utilized by the client. This is typically followed by a presentation of the findings to the client, along with our recommendation(s) and/or an analysis of alternatives for them to consider.

Recently, our team was tasked with identifying a solution for an  intake process for new projects which included a reporting dashboard and overall project management functionality. During our assessment we found the client was utilizing Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) as their business office solution. Armed with that information, it was natural for our team to start our solutioning process there. We investigated all the capabilities offered by Microsoft 365 and compared it to the client requirements and other information we gathered in the process.

In performing our due diligence for the client, we researched alternative solutions as well and determined there were a few commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) options readily available. As a result of our research and analysis, our team provided in-depth findings on three solutions and presented them in a way that could be easily understood, including live demonstrations of the tools. Out of the three options presented, our team recommended one that we believed was best suited to their needs and the requirements. 

In this case, the recommendations came down to:

•  Purchase one of the two COTS software options (which typically requires user licenses, a higher learning curve and security implications but, meets the minimum requirements); or
• Augment an existing tool (Microsoft 365) (which could meet the requirements, provide additional functionality the client was seeking,  and would utilize the existing team to develop it in-house.)

Our team recommended augmenting existing tools. The client agreed that the in-house development using the existing tools and team was the most effective solution because it meant they did not have to incur the cost of additional licenses or the hiring of additional team members to procure and stand up new tools. 

From there our team got to work creating a roadmap for the development using Agile methodologies and industry best practices. Building upon the existing Microsoft 365 infrastructure, the goal was to migrate the client from Microsoft Teams to a more cohesive project management tool within the Microsoft suite. Our solution was to develop a robust SharePoint site and integrate the data from MS Teams while incorporating the use of Microsoft Graph, Power BI, Power Apps, and Power Automate for project management, intake, dashboarding, reporting, and workflow management. 

What started out as a small program management effort using Microsoft Teams for simple document storage and manual project tracking, scaled into a sophisticated and centralized custom-built site with a metrics dashboard and highly-automated tools for project tracking and program management. 

None of the additional features or applications (apps) recommended by our team were being utilized by the client, yet they were right in front of them as part of the Microsoft suite they were already using. Organizations can benefit from taking advantage of existing technology, tools, and platforms before looking for solutions externally. Sometimes, the solution really is right in front of you.

Maveris is an IT and cybersecurity company committed to helping organizations create secure digital solutions to accelerate their mission. We are Veteran-owned and proud to serve customers across the Federal Government and private sector. Maveris can help accelerate your organization with secure digital solutions so you can connect fearlessly.

(Note: Maveris does not receive compensation from the companies making the products we recommend to clients. We always recommend what is best for the client.)