OpenCRM has taken the sting out of Project Management and has streamlined our reporting processes to just the click of a button. The best part for us, is that we can customise it and change it when we want, without losing any functionality.
– Vee Mapunde, NIHR Clinical Research Network
Introduction to NIHR
Managing complex research projects across multiple teams requires more than basic tools. For the NIHR Clinical Research Network, improving visibility and control over project activity became essential to support how they operate.
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About the Client
The NIHR Clinical Research Network provides the infrastructure that enables high-quality NHS clinical research across the Yorkshire and Humber region. Their work supports the planning and delivery of studies across a wide network of healthcare organisations.
The Challenge
The NIHR Clinical Research Network needed a system that could bring together traditional CRM capabilities with a more tailored approach to project management.
Their projects followed varied and often complex pathways, which made standard project management tools difficult to apply. These tools lacked the flexibility needed to reflect how their work is structured.
They also required a system that could be easily adapted over time, as their processes continued to evolve. Ease of use and quick adoption across the team were important, as was the ability to maintain control over how the system was configured.
Reporting was another area of focus. Producing accurate updates needed to become quicker and more accessible to support ongoing decision-making.
The Solution
OpenCRM was introduced with an emphasis on aligning the system closely to NIHR’s existing processes.
The implementation began with detailed requirements gathering, ensuring that the structure of their work could be mapped effectively into the platform. The Project Management module became the central hub for day-to-day operations.
Using custom fields, views, and layouts, the system was configured to reflect their specific workflows. Unnecessary elements were removed to simplify the interface, helping users focus on relevant information.
Training supported the rollout, allowing the wider team to understand how to use the system and how it could support their work going forward. The flexibility of the platform also meant that changes could be made over time as requirements shifted.
The Outcome
With OpenCRM in place, the NIHR Clinical Research Network achieved a more practical way to manage projects and reporting.
- Improved oversight of project activity through a central system
- Faster and simpler reporting, accessible when needed
- A system that can be adapted as processes evolve
- Better alignment between tools and day-to-day working practices
- Easier adoption across the team due to a simplified interface
Why It Worked
The approach worked because the system was designed around NIHR’s processes rather than forcing a standard structure. This allowed the team to retain control while benefiting from a more organised and flexible way of working.
Closing
For organisations handling complex and evolving project work, flexibility is essential. In this case, OpenCRM provided a way to bring structure and clarity without limiting how the NIHR Clinical Research Network operates, supporting both current needs and future change.
