The Challenge
AVEO Group Limited, a distinguished leader in retirement living with a legacy spanning over 30 years, has consistently strived for excellence. In their ongoing commitment to better serve and support their communities within the ever-evolving digital landscape, AVEO embarked on a journey to modernise their internal document management practices.
Their previous platform featured two separate SharePoint ‘hubs,’ namely the AVEO Village hub and the HCC Community hub, both serving as repositories for invaluable community data and documentation. Within these hubs, distinct libraries were established for each village, with over 100 Libraries spanning over 80 villages across both hubs. However, the transfer of documents and knowledge between these communities proved to be a challenging and cumbersome process.
Recognising the need for a modernised approach to document management and an eye toward the future, AVEO sought the expertise of Antares, a renowned technology partner. Antares initiated the project with a comprehensive assessment of AVEO’s existing document management practices followed by the validation of the envisioned future state.
The Solution
With over 15 years of experience deploying Microsoft Modern Workplace solutions, Antares follows a well-honed methodology, of five essential phases: Discovery, Design, Build, Migrate, and Go-live.
AVEO had already completed the discovery and design phases, reflecting their initiative-taking approach. Antares seamlessly validated this work through two strategic workshops: the current state and future state assessments, ensuring continuity of the project and fostering alignment between AVEO and Antares.
Our recommended solution strategically optimises the Microsoft stack, with SharePoint and Teams at its core. This approach guarantees robust functionality while capitalising on the versatility of Microsoft’s suite of tools.
Within this solution, each Village now enjoys its own dedicated SharePoint Online Site, featuring consistent library and folder structures, as well as a unified security framework with unique user permissions tailored to each community. Antares introduced a template site as the foundation for all sites, promoting consistency and ease of use.
The template includes a tab displaying each SharePoint library directly in Teams, simplifying operations and reducing the need to switch between Teams and SharePoint. Additionally, a standardised channel structure streamlines document access, benefiting users moving between villages. A user-friendly training tab within each team enhances Teams users’ skillsets. Simplicity and a limited number of use cases drive adoption while maintaining ease of use for all stakeholders.
Recognising the scale of this migration endeavour, Antares devised a prudent strategy by dividing it into manageable waves, significantly mitigating potential risks. Each wave is thoughtfully segmented into two crucial phases: pre-migration and migration. The pre-migration phase lays the groundwork for a successful migration. It encompasses tasks such as generating an updated inventory report for SharePoint, configuring access, and ensuring that all components are primed for the smooth execution of the migration process.
Antares’ expertise and hands-on approach have been instrumental in orchestrating a migration that is not only smooth but also maximises the potential of the Microsoft ecosystem. Our skilled team’s dedication to best practices ensures AVEO’s document management evolution is nothing short of exemplary.
The Results
The successful completion of the SharePoint migration project has ushered in a multitude of tangible benefits for Aveo Group.
Enhanced Collaboration and User Experience: Aveo now enjoys a vastly improved collaborative environment, one that fosters seamless communication and teamwork among its communities. cohesively toward shared objectives.
Elevated Security: Enhanced security features, such as robust access controls and permission settings, ensure that sensitive data remains safeguarded.
Streamlined User Navigation: The modern SharePoint setup provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, reducing complexity and enhancing accessibility.
