The Open University and the University of London are the UK's largest distance-learning organisations - and Dotfive has worked with both of them.

The University of London came to us with a problem. They had 65,000 students worldwide, which needed managing through an online system. They had made three previous attempts to develop such a system, and in each case they had been seriously let down by the companies involved. The situation was getting grim: if the project was not complete soon, they would lose budget and also have to write off the money spent as wasted.

• Develop a new student management system to support 65,000 students globally
• Ensure that the new system was easy to use for students, lecturers, and administrators
• Test the new platform and ensure the delivery and installation was faultless
• Support the new 'Student2Student' system for the future

We worked with the UOL to establish specifications, timelines, and key milestones for delivery. Our experience of managing projects and working within set deadlines gave us an advantage over our competitors.

Having successfully scoped the correct requirements for the Student2Student system, our job of delivering the new solution was made easier as the UOL gave us access to live student records to enable us to test the data successfully. Working together closely like this is key to the smooth delivery of a project.

The Student2Student system now manages all the University of London's students, and enables them to keep in contact with their lecturers and each other, find course details and learning aids, and generally manage their studies.

Since engaging with Dotfive, the project has been saved and deemed an all-round success.

• 65,000 students globally now supported through the new software platform
• Facilities for students, lecturers, and administrators