Novara News

Novara selected to participate in ICT Small Business Productivity Improvement Programme

Less than 40 companies across Ireland will participate in the first phase of this programme. The delivery consortium for the programme includes FAS, Chambers Ireland, Microsoft, Prodigy, Small Firms Association and the Affect Network.

With substantial financial support available through FÁS, and provision of the programme by industry leading business training and technology consultants, delivered on-site in a face-to-face manner with the business, participants will be able to:

Identify business improvement opportunities within the company and the related skills needs – this covers both ICT and business functional areas Assess and be coached in how to optimise technology usage in order to maximise productivity (both in teams and individually).

Through this, develop company specific ICT strategies with quantifiable productivity indicators. Receive best-in-class productivity based training right across the employee spectrum.

The ICT Small Business Productivity Improvement programme utilises a series of specially developed evaluation tools consisting of:

Small Business Check-Up Tool

Designed to assist businesses develop an action plan around improving their business operations and functions. It also facilitates the identification of management and staff skills needs. The owner-manager first answers a series of questions about their business, background, objectives, skills, strengths and weaknesses, and management practices. It provides a framework to review the operations and functions of the business, identifying opportunities for improvement.

Technology Assessment Tool

The Technology Assessment Tool offers a step-by-step guide to identifying the core technology requirements of a small business as well as those that address the business improvement opportunities identified in the Small Business Check-Up. The ICT Specialist generates a technology plan for the business based on current and future business development needs.

Productivity Assessment Tool

Designed to help businesses identify and address productivity and efficiency issues which exist at individual and team levels. The assessment looks at employee and owner-manager perceptions of their own performance and behaviours across the business. The assessment highlights the relative strengths and weaknesses of various practices within the business; provides insights and strategies for improving the efficiency and productivity of the business; and provides a useful benchmarking of your business performance.

Return-on-Investment (ROI) Tool

Used by companies to understand the business value of investments and today it's one of the main drivers behind spending money on ICT and training. Companies are demanding the proof that ICT based investments are impacting on the bottom line. The ROI tool quantifies and substantiates the costs and benefits from a potential project providing the business with a clear financial business case against the merits of a proposed project. Through the ICT Specialist, the business can consider the three key ROI measurements known as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Payback for any ICT project. This gives the owner-manager a clear, quantified report on how technology can benefit the business in financial terms.