It might sound a bit odd but facilities management software for schools is much like a washing machine. For example, how many of you have actually used all the settings on your washing machine?

I’d be confident in guessing that like me most of you throw in your darks, measure 50ml of detergent, a bit of softener, close the door and press the same, worn button you have always pressed since you installed this great labour saving device.

Where am I going with this?

The point is that I really value the fact that it just does the simple job of washing the clothes well. Now, I’ve been involved in software in one guise or another ever since the first computers made their way into businesses and educational establishments. One of things that most frustrated me as a provider of software solutions was that users only ever used a fraction of the software features. Why was that when so much effort had gone into building them in the first place?

Well I think I have a possible answer!

The software had been designed by software developers and not by users. Sounds obvious doesn’t it. I’ve been involved in numerous development meetings and believe me it’s so easy to get carried away with the blue sky thinking. Before you know it you’ve left your users trailing in your smoke as you start hitting the bleeding edge of what’s possible forgetting the simple fact that people just want their software to work and do the simplest, most common jobs well. Which brings me neatly onto some of the core principles of Every.

When we designed Every from the ground up, on the board were the following key principles:

• It has to be simple enough that everyone involved in premises management can play their part,
• We think every school will benefit from it so it has to be at a price that’s accessible to all,
• It has to do the simple, most common jobs well

After you’ve been around the design block a few times you realise that simple and intuitive software is actually really hard to develop. It involves a lot more consultation with your users, a lot more think time and a lot less coding. So it is intensely satisfying then to hear from our users that our software is hitting all the bulls eyes. Everyone at the school from the Head, through to the School Business Manager to the Site Supervisor are all getting involved and working more efficiently together. At Academies the Finance Directors are part of the team having responsibility for the maintenance of their premises too.

To see how we have put that professional knowledge into practice you can book a free demo with a member of our team below.