The JABBS Foundation digitises complex assessment processes with the Microsoft Power Platform

The JABBS Foundation needed to replace manual, paper-based assessments with a scalable, collaborative digital solution. Pragmatiq worked with them to build a custom platform using the Microsoft Power Platform – improving accuracy, efficiency, and insight across multiple partner organisations.

Background & Challenges

Background

The JABBS Foundation supports women and girls who have experienced violence and abuse, working alongside partners such as Nelson’s Trust, the Salford Foundation, Stockport Women’s Centre, and the University of Birmingham. While these partnerships are central to the Foundation’s mission, managing fragmented data across multiple organisations created challenges around consolidating information and providing effective support.

Challenges

Manual, paper-based assessments: Complex tools like the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) were completed on paper, requiring time-consuming manual data entry and prone to human error.
Fragmented data systems: Each partner organisation used its own CRM, resulting in siloed information that hindered collaboration and oversight.
Limited flexibility of assessment tools: Adjusting assessments was a manual and complex task, making it difficult to adapt tools to evolving needs.
Inefficient reporting and insight generation: The inability to centralise data slowed down reporting and made it harder to generate meaningful insights for decision-making and academic research.

The Solution

Pragmatiq developed a tailored system using Microsoft Power Platform to transform how JABBS managed assessments and collaborated with partners. Key elements of the solution included:

Assessments

Digital WRNA and Girls’ Women’s Assessment (GWA) tools in Power Apps: Both the Women’s and Girls’ WRNA assessments were digitised using Microsoft Power Apps, to streamline processes, reduce errors, and improve consistency.
Automated scoring and logic: Built-in calculation logic eliminated manual errors and saved time.
Custom interface built with Power Apps Component Framework PCF: We created a tailored interface to make the system easier to use and better suited to JABBS’ unique needs.

Data management

Centralised data storage: A secure, single database made it easy to store, access, and analyse assessment results.
Configurable question framework: Administrators can manage assessment questions, scoring, and logic independently, without external development.

Collaboration & reporting

Secure partner portal: Partner organisations can securely submit assessments and manage referrals within a central system.
Enhanced reporting capabilities: Centralised data enabled more accurate reporting, improved insight generation, and supported ongoing academic research through the University of Birmingham.
Scalable and adaptable model: The platform was designed to support new assessments, updates to existing tools, and future organisational growth.

The Outcomes

Assessment time reduced and consistency improved: Practitioners can complete and score assessments in real time, with standardised outputs that remove inconsistencies across services and regions.
Improved data accuracy and reduced admin burden: Automated logic and digital input prevent manual errors, while eliminating the need for rekeying data post-assessment.
Centralised data across partner organisations: Information from multiple partners is now unified, making it easier to share data, track referrals, and ensure a joined-up approach to supporting vulnerable women and girls.
Greater autonomy for JABBS Foundation: The JABBS team can independently adapt assessments as their programmes evolve, reducing reliance on external technical resources and accelerating innovation.
Insights that drive meaningful change: With high-quality data now readily available, JABBS can produce stronger reports, secure funding more easily, and better demonstrate impact.
Foundation for future growth: The scalable platform supports the expansion of JABBS’ services, the onboarding of new partners, and the development of additional tools to address emerging needs.

“The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls is part of an ambitious transformation project with the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership – which includes seven women’s centres from across England and Wales and the University of Birmingham. The project involves implementing a gender- and trauma- responsive risk, needs, and strengths assessment and case management tool into the services delivered by women’s centres for justice involved and at risk women.

The tool – the WRNA – was developed in the US for the probation service and the associated software already in existence was not fit for purpose to be used by women’s centres. As such, we embarked on an extensive scoping process to ascertain both the right software and right partner to co-produce a bespoke system which placed the WRNA assessment and case management approach at the heart of the new solution. A primary outcome we wanted to ensure through this process was that women’s centres would have opportunity to ensure their services and reporting are women-centred and data-led. The software also needed to be able to capture women’s participation in research being led by the University in Birmingham in relation to this project.

After a thorough process, involving many potential providers, we ultimately selected the Microsoft Dynamics solution, delivered by Pragmatiq. Our selection was based on a number of criteria, including but not limited to: affordability of the licenses for women’s centres who operate on strained budgets, the flexibility inherent in the Dynamics solution which allowed us to design it around the needs of the centres and to continue to iterate and improve the system, and Pragmatiq’s experience of working with others in the social sector.

We engaged in a thorough scoping process with Pragmatiq which gave us the assurance that the full scope of the ambition would be captured. Throughout the process Pragmatiq were adaptable and flexible to our needs. This was essential, as women’s centre work is complex – as they work with women across a myriad of needs – and because this is ultimately a partnership piece, meaning there were many more stakeholders involved in the design and feedback process than would usually be the case for this type of project.

Pragmatiq were propositional about potential solutions to complex requests we had and helped pre-empt some pitfalls in design that we had not thought about to ensure a better user journey experience.

We are now in the position to launch our bespoke, co-produced case management platform – designed by, with, and for women’s centres for the first time. This solution has the potential to transform the way women’s centres work – providing them the opportunity to fully capture and communicate their impact and to improve their ability to respond to the needs of the women they work with. We are excited to continue to work alongside Pragmatiq to build on and improve the software, to ensure women’s centres are able to work most efficiently and effectively.”

Chloé Geoghegan The JABBS Foundation

The JABBS Foundation digitises complex assessment processes with the Microsoft Power Platform

Background & Challenges

The Solution

The Outcomes

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