Museum consigns manual processes to history

Business process management system reforms old working practices

The Victoria and Albert (V&A) museum is introducing business process management software to replace manual procedures.

The software is part of a project to improve the London museum’s IT infrastructure and modernise its systems.

Ian Croxford, head of information systems services at the V&A, says some of the museum’s methods have not changed for years.

‘We have been primarily a paper-based organisation, and many of the processes have lasted an extremely long time,’ he said. ‘This isn’t the fast-moving world of business; when something works, you stick with it.’

The software is being supplied by vendor Global 360.

Croxford says the museum has struggled to get some staff to accept the new systems.

‘When people are comfortable with something there will always be resistance,’ he said.

‘The carrot you give people is that it can make their life easier. The stick is that we need to be more efficient, and if people are not prepared to do that, someone else can do their job.’

Croxford says the museum has plans for more business process changes, particularly for the management of exhibitions.

‘We have art gallery refurbishment projects we want to put into this system, to make our operation more flexible,’ he said.