Why the user journey is key to building a data services operating model 

University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) is seeking to be one of the first acute NHS Trusts to migrate their data warehousing into the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) to provide a consistent platform for all acute providers. In April 2025, a team of Hippos embarked on a series of workshops with the UHL’s Business Intelligence (BI) and Information teams to facilitate this transition. Using user-centred principles, Hippo worked to gain an understanding of the current data landscape at UHL, uncover the challenges, and deliver a vision aligned with the Trust’s future direction.

What is the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP)?

The FDP is a platform to facilitate many different NHS organisations to bring together their operational data within one single safe and secure environment, allowing staff to access the information they need quickly and easily. Historically, NHS data has been held in siloed systems, with little interoperability, often causing delays to patient care, creating administrative burden for staff, duplicating efforts, and stifling innovation. The NHS FDP has been designed as a solution to this problem, allowing separate NHS Trusts and ICBs to connect and share information.

The challenge

To migrate its data warehousing to FDP, UHL needs to re-imagine its managed data service, platform and reporting tools, and build a product and process capability around modern technologies. A smooth transition is key, so it was crucial to understand and map the current data management ‘as-is’ status and identify any challenges facing the overarching goals of the project.

Hippo‘s workshops to reveal key pain points within the UHL’s current data management processes, including:

  • Siloed expertise: Subject matter expertise was fragmented leading to duplication of effort
  • Unclear work request management: Requests were received through various formal and often went directly to developers, resulting in a lack of a clear backlog or understanding of effective prioritisation
  • Lack of standardisation: There was no standardised process to capture a consistent selection of requirements, leading to difficulties in estimation and sizing
  • Reactive not proactive: Work was largely being conducted reactively or on an ad-hoc basis, rather than through a proactive and planned approach
  • Skills gap: A skills gap in the trust hindered efficient workflows

Hippo’s approach

Three workshops delivered by Hippo allowed the project to progress with pace. The team uncovered pain points, gaps and opportunities by working out in the open with UHL colleagues:

  • Workshop 1: As-is mapping: The session focused on building a map of UHL’s current data management services and the technology currently being used, identifying workflows and investigating pain points.
  • Workshop 2: To-be mapping: This workshop’s goal was to define the desired future state for FDP adoption and create an optimised workflow that addresses all of the pain points and better aligns with UHL’s organisational and data requirements.
  • Playback session: A playback session completed the series, showcasing the Hippo team’s findings and providing carefully considered recommendations to UHL stakeholders.

The solution

Using the workshop discovery findings, a comprehensive solution was crafted and quickly outlined by the Hippo team, focused on addressing the user pain points to create better standardisation, efficiency and transparency within the service and offer solutions that UHL can adopt moving forward with the right level of support:

1. Standardisation: Establishing consistent processes

The solution proposed implementing consistent and uniform templates for data requests and the gathering of requirements. This would provide the service with clarity, predictability and reusability of data assets, limiting any ambiguity or inconsistencies in data-related workstreams.  

2. Efficiency: Optimising resources

The solution created by the Hippo team proposed the use of iterative work methods, regular feedback loops and continuous improvement processes to improve productivity and reduce delays in workflows. Assigning requested work based on capacity and expertise, and harnessing automation where possible, would allow the service to be optimised and streamlined.

3. Transparency: Open communication and oversight

By creating a ‘single front door’ or centralised system for tracking work requests, the solution would allow for clear visibility into the process. Furthermore, prioritisation of requests was key to efficiency, and by developing a transparent model for how work is scheduled would support wider trust and adoption within the organisation.

The recommendations

Equipped with an understanding of how to solve the key pain points the UHL BI teams were experiencing, the Hippo project team mapped out a phased and agile approach with high level recommendations to act as a strong foundation to guide the organisation forward in its data migration goals:

Creating clarity through structure: Unstructured processes were creating confusion. Transitioning to well-defined workflows will allow for better tracking, estimates and efficiency – and ensure that the right work was tackled by the right teams at the right time.

Shifting to proactive planning: Work requests were being responded to as and when they arose causing a reactive culture with little prioritisation. Shifting to a proactive process will transform ways of working and how requests are delivered.

Aligning teams and culture: With little differentiation between roles and responsibilities, a culture shift will support with promotion of the new service, enhancing communication, and gaining stakeholder buy-in.

Maximising resources: Embedding an iterative approach to continuous improvement and feedback will allow for the UHL to find new opportunities to maximise resources and improve productivity during and beyond the data migration.

Streamlining data management and improving patient care

University Hospitals of Leicester’s transition to the NHS Federated Data Platform will realise a significant opportunity for the Trust to streamline data management and improve patient care. By taking a user-centred approach, Hippo’s discovery workshops revealed key pain points, from siloed expertise and lack of standardisation to need for improved skills.

By harnessing a user-centred approach and uncovering the pain points facing staff within the trust, the solution and recommendations provide a fit for purpose and future proof roadmap. 

Tackling a data services support model is not only about technology. It’s about putting people first in your service design and process considerations, prioritising the user journey and building iteratively. 

By implementing this solution model, UHL can take steps towards a more efficient and data-driven approach to operations, delivering benefits for staff and patients alike.