No barriers for this Reef

"At present it is very difficult to know exactly how long each of our processes take and what the most profitable areas are” comments Will Rockall, Director of Jellyfish pictures. “We deal in an inordinate amount of data which is stored on different pieces of software, bits of paper and in people’s heads… this programme acts as an asset tracking system that can centralise all that information. It is essential for us to have one central resource. It’s key to the smooth running our business.”

Through this new and exciting KTP, Jellyfish Pictures are developing a project management tool, ‘The Reef’ that enables the company to take on much larger projects which incorporate a lot more staff. “We are currently working on a major new documentary for the BBC, Planet Dinosaur, a 3 hour show entirely animated in house; the equivalent of two feature length films. When the software programme is complete it will be invaluable for scheduling and project management and will become the main entry point for every member on our network,” says Will.

One of the main catalysts for this collaborative project is the requirement for Jellyfish to continually hire a lot of freelancers, meaning there is a large task involved in filtering applicants information due to the amount of CV’s and DVD’s sent in. According to KTP Associate Walter Krawiec , the mastermind behind this project, “the management team at Jellyfish are already benefiting from The Reef, using it primarily as a recruitment database that works through the website which will assist with the HR function of the company.”

But it’s not just Jellyfish Pictures and their clients that are set to benefit from this new software, but a whole host of other businesses to which it may be applied. “The importance of this project is that we can use it in-house but then sell it on as a software solution afterwards,” mentions Will. “The Reef is being designed so it is open ended, meaning we can adjust it for other industries.”

The KTP has made a significant impact on both Walter and the company. “Walter can gain a wealth of knowledge and time management support from the team at LSBU, which we would not be able to do in-house,” reports Will. “We predict our profits to increase because this system allows us to take on bigger projects and therefore increasing our turnover.”

Dilip Patel, Professor of Information Systems at LSBU says “a KTP project allows the industry to draw expertise from the University; we can exchange good practice from both sides."