We've started a new blog series called 'Working on Oxford's Digital Transformation', where we ask colleagues who are enabling or delivering Oxford's Digital Transformation three questions on their past, their present and the their hopes for Oxford's digital future.
This month we caught up with Emma Hatfield a Senior Business Analyst on the programme. Continue reading to learn how Emma is supporting Oxford's Digital Transformation.
What led you to join Oxford?
My career has taken me in different directions but I seem to keep coming back to working with people and technology. I have touched on different sectors and different job roles from IT training for a privately owned company, to local government (including work on a continuous change programme) via a stint in staff development at the University of Surrey.
A brief (very brief) return to teaching (I originally trained as a teacher) followed and since then I have worked at Oxford University for over 15 years starting at the Careers Service and then moving to IT Services starting as a Junior Business Analyst.
Can you describe what a normal week working on Oxford's digital transformation is like?
I’m not sure there is such a thing as a normal week as it all depends what the priorities are and what the team is involved in from week to week. There are some consistents: Daily Scrums, Sprint Planning and Sprint Retrospectives, also team meetings. At the moment we have a focus on supporting the teams in the Education Portfolio who are piloting the new delivery approach (squads using an agile approach).
I also get involved wherever my analysis skills are of use, so for example, recently I was doing some spreadsheet work to help inform preparation work for the case of support for the Digital Transformation Programme for the next two years. We are also continuing to look at progressing Digital Services and Products.
What are your hopes for Oxford's Digital Future?
I imagine that Oxford will be making the most of opportunities to continue the never ending digital transformation journey, innovating and levering digital means to enhance teaching, research and knowledge dissemination. Hopefully with the user (staff, students, the public and collaborators) at the heart of things and using data and information as appropriate to inform decisions and progress.
