Softwire: Channel 5’s flexible digital engineering partner

For more than three years, Softwire has provided a variety of teams to support Channel 5’s ever-evolving digital offering, and meet high-pressure technical and regulatory deadlines.

The customer and requirement

Channel 5 provides digital services across an enormous range of platforms: from smartphones and web browsers to smart TVs and set-top-boxes. With new models being released all the time, Channel 5 has the constant challenge of making sure its services are available on new kit as soon as it’s released. This is complicated by the fact that these platforms can require very different technical expertise, some of it relatively niche.

In addition, not-infrequent regulatory changes mean Channel 5’s digital teams also face periodic deadlines to update the way its services work. All of this together means the broadcaster faces a highly variable workload.

It needed a partner to provide boost capacity at critical times, enabling it to meet key deadlines. This partner would need to be able to provide the full breadth of skills required to cover Channel 5’s large estate, and have people available at short notice, capable of hitting the ground running.

Softwire’s solution

Since starting work with Channel 5, we’ve actively built up a large pool of people with the skills and knowledge to cover its broad technology landscape. This has given us the ability to provide teams of people at short notice to deliver urgent work – wherever in the Channel 5 estate this is needed.

These projects typically last between one and three months, and are usually delivered for a fixed price. Most involve working in a multi-supplier environment, collaborating closely with Channel 5 and its other partners. The work is delivered from both Softwire and Channel 5 offices, depending on the individual project’s requirements.

The outcome

Over a period of more than three years (and counting), we’ve provided numerous teams to Channel 5 under this model.

Every time we’ve been asked to provide people with specific skills, we’ve delivered, generally kicking off the work in under two weeks. Every project has been delivered on time, helping Channel 5 successfully and continually evolve its digital offering in a fast-moving technology and regulatory landscape.

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