Previously, the roadmap had been mostly verbal and undocumented. Digital Works Group took a data-driven approach to the project, which meant that strategic decisions could be made based on data instead of intuition. This was supported by a new Power BI dashboard being implemented simultaneously, which provided the necessary data required for strategic decision-making.

In parallel, we worked collaboratively with Alamy to create an Agile development and delivery environment, accelerating Alamy’s ability to release major proposition changes.

Creating an Agile environment

By taking a collaborative approach and working with the business, Digital Works Group established ways of working in sprints, with all teams working on the same regular cadence.

Release processes were improved and defined, shortening the time to release, putting in place cross-team coordination, and then building a quarterly planning cycle with structured prioritisation methods, and establishing a rhythm of development and delivery.

Culturally, the teams now have a level of autonomous decision-making, with a growth mindset and empowerment that has enabled them to significantly increase their pace positively.

Through implementing an Agile delivery framework, Alamy’s ability to deliver major development releases massively increased from one release in 18 months to 60 releases in one year, enabling more than one release per week.

The overall approach focused on transforming the core elements of Processes, People, Platforms and Performance:

• Processes – Designed and implemented new processes with a data-driven approach, including regular weekly and monthly performance reporting. Full planning processes and the Agile delivery methodology were defined and implemented from the ground up, including recruiting a new delivery team.
• People – Restructured the Alamy team from 5 people to 14, creating a high-performing e-commerce function, including team coaching and 1-to-1s, and establishing a key stakeholder pod for decision-making. The job description for the permanent e-commerce director was also reviewed and redefined for the newly restructured team.
• Platforms – Implemented a fully documented best-of-breed e-commerce platform, including content management and e-commerce tools, within a fully managed Agile delivery roll-out, across multiple territories.
• Performance – Advanced the team from little understanding of the key drivers of conversion or performance to increasing performance, exploiting growth, and fully utilising the affiliate channel to drive eCommerce growth through data-led reporting.

With documented processes, a new Agile delivery environment, and a leading-edge eCommerce platform established, the transformed business and delivery environment enabled the launch of Create, a specific programme of work to deliver a new business proposition for Alamy.

Digital Works Group eCommerce Transformation moved Alamy from an end-of-life technology platform in an environment with no formalised processes, a lack of data usage, and no weekly or monthly reporting to:

• A leading-edge best-of-breed eCommerce platform
• Fully documented processes and systems
• Agile development and delivery environment enabling weekly releases, across multiple teams, with structured quarterly planning, supported by business prioritisation and increasing velocity
• A delivery velocity of one release per week, up from one in 18 months
• Increased performance and growth through consistent data-led reporting
• A restructured, high-performing eCommerce function with a strong team of 14 specialists ready to drive the business forward

These measures resulted in record performance in Q3 2021 and 15-20% growth in their affiliate marketing channel in 2022, and the Create launch in June 2022 – their largest-ever single release.