WaterAid: Azure DevOps Training Programme

Background

WaterAid UK works with communities, supporters and local partners worldwide to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere. It is part of a federation of not-for-profit organisations with teams from 28 countries, including WaterAid Australia, WaterAid Sweden and WaterAid India. WaterAid UK collaborates with organisations on the ground and local communities to set up facilities.

As part of our B Corp pledge to support purpose-driven organisations, we were excited to work with the WaterAid Customer Relationship Management [CRM] and Data Teams. These teams sit within the Performance, Insight and Innovation Department, at WaterAid, which is part of the Communications and Fundraising Directorate.

Business Need

The CRM and Data Teams at WaterAid use Azure DevOps in two distinct areas. The first focuses on managing the technical repositories for code and data and the second area centres on functional operations, including managing change requests and bug tickets for its CRM system, built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. This involves typical front-end activities like tracking tickets, planning and executing sprints and coordinating releases.

WaterAid discovered Framework Training’s services when researching DevOps management training providers and compiling a longlist. They were drawn to our template agenda for a training session, which clearly outlined the potential content and emphasised that sessions were customisable to specific needs. They also appreciated its accessible, less technical tone which not only aligned perfectly with their needs but also stood out compared to other templates they had found in their search.

The Brief

WaterAid had been using DevOps across various capabilities, but not to its full potential. The team regularly added to the platform but found managing the content effectively could be challenging, like searching for tasks that had been assigned to them and organising backlogs.

The team was keen to maximise their current capabilities, explore the functionality in more detail and deepen their understanding of the system to improve efficiency. They also needed expert guidance to stay up to date with the latest DevOps technologies and best practices - and we were happy to help!

The Solution

During scoping discussions, WaterAid provided us with a list of requirements they wanted to cover during the training programme, which included sprint management. Using this valuable input, we designed a customised agenda that aligned with their priorities and needs in advance of the actual session and then proposed the following workshops:

· Project Management office - Azure DevOps Management

· Systems / DevOps - Technical Azure DevOps

We also suggested a follow-up session a few months after the training to give the delegates time to apply what they had learned and return with specific questions based on their personal experience. This was well-received by the team; it meant they could dive straight into the platform after initial training, identify areas where further clarification was needed and jot down queries as they became more familiar with the tools. This phased approach enhanced their overall training experience as it helped them to adapt as their needs evolved and build their knowledge.

Feedback

The team at WaterAid have provided some highly encouraging feedback, including in the following areas:

Dynamic, personalised content

The delegates liked that the content was tailored to their interests and knowledge gaps across the two-day programmes, rather than our trainers following a rigid agenda.

Effective structure and pace

Feedback from the team demonstrated they liked how our instructors used high-level summaries during the training, as it gave them an overarching view of the functionalities of DevOps and how the different components fit together. This approach enabled them to grasp the broader context and understand the "why" behind various processes before drilling down into the specifics. It also helped set the scene for upcoming content and prepare for a deeper exploration of technical details.

They also appreciated that the course was well-paced with ample time to ask questions.

Engaging trainer style

Andy is our trainer on the Project Management Office “Azure DevOps Management” course. The delegates especially liked his approachable and professional delivery style which encouraged active involvement and created an inclusive and supportive learning environment where people could ask questions without any fear of judgement. This created an open dialogue so the content could be tailored, and achieved the right balance of instruction and interaction.

Andy effectively brought the content to life (peppered with lots of humour!) and the delegates remarked on how quickly the training days passed. They also appreciated the use of live demos, which helped them see the functionality in action, plus the dedicated Q&A session at the end which provided an opportunity to address any lingering questions or topics not covered on the agenda.

Personalised training materials

One standout feature was the customisation of post-course materials to align directly with the session content, rather than relying on a generic manual.

Impact

Our training has significantly enhanced how the team at WaterAid interacts with Azure DevOps, by streamlining workflows and improving efficiency in the following ways:

· Previously, when the team was managing tickets, this required them to create several custom queries to track progress.

· Now, by leveraging task boards, backlogs and the sprint functionality covered during the training, queries have become the exception rather than the rule. Tickets are now efficiently managed within these tools, which offers greater clarity and control.

· The introduction of styles to theme tickets — such as identifying those progressing well and those encountering issues — has taken organisation to a whole new level!

· The team has also embraced the dashboard, a previously underutilised feature, to summarise sprints and ticket trends. This provides a clear, repeatable structure for weekly updates and monthly reporting.

· There is less reliance on spreadsheets and this saves time and effort by automating data pulling and setup.

Our customised training content, personalised materials and engaging, professional trainers made a positive and lasting impact on the CRM and Data Teams at WaterAid - and we couldn’t be more delighted!

Our special thanks to Cyrus Bulsara, CRM Product Owner and Team Lead and Liz Cronin, Change and Release Manager at WaterAid for their invaluable insights and feedback.

Tailored training for you

We would love to design a technical training programme catering to your specific learning and project goals - we can take into account your team's existing skills, the tech stack you've identified, and help advise on useful tools and techniques to put the finishing touches on a learning strategy tailored to meet your needs.

Get in touch below or give us a call to chat with a technical learning expert.