news

Customer Security

29th December 2011

Security for our customers and of our customers' data is one of our top priorities at PSS. I'd like to take a minute, therefore, to remind you about password security with these few tips:

1. The obvious things - don't stay logged in when leaving your computer without locking it, don't tell your password to anyone, etc
2. Change your password regularly - it is advised to do so at least every 3 months
3. In order to keep your password secure, aim to make it at least 8 characters in length containing at least one number and one character
4. Include symbols in your password, but not apostrphes or quotation marks
5. DO NOT use simple things like "password" or "qwerty" as your password

Observing these rules will keep your password safe and your mind at ease. Many thanks

James

PlaySafe Customer Countdown

29th December 2011

As more and more of our customers migrate their data from PlaySafe to the web-based PSSLive, there are now less than 20 reamaining PlaySafe customers. Development of PlaySafe ceased in 2009 and since then our entire team has been devoted to working on PSSLive - there will be no further upgrades of PlaySafe, but while we do recommend migrating as soon as possible, support will continue to be offered to those customers who wish to remain using the old system for the time being.

If you are one of the remaining customers still using the PlaySafe system and would like to find out more information about PSSLive, visit our website. Alternatively you can get in touch with our team at any time for friendly, helpful advice on migrating.

The latest customers to migrate to PSSLive are:

• West Dunbartonshire
• South Ribble
• Rushmoor

Avoiding Android Development

29th December 2011

There are currently four main operating systems on the mobile market: iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry OS - the PSSLive smartphone app is only available on Windows Phone. While we have been looking into expanding our development across a wider variety of smartphone operating systems, after considerable thought, we will not be starting development on Android at this time. The reason for this is best explained by an article in TechRepublic:

"These days, it seems all you need is a developer account, that is relatively easy to anonymize, pay $25 and you can post your applications. With no upfront review process, no one checking to see that your application does what it says ... Sure, your application can be removed after the fact ... But, how many unsuspecting people are going to download it before it is identified as malicious and removed? This is precisely what is playing out in the mind of mobile malware developers today."

The article also mentions how the most popular malware apps target GPS data - a feature we use in PSSLive for adding geolocations to Sites and Assets - so with the amount of danger our customers would be put in by using our app on Android, we simply cannot take that risk.

Christmas Message

22nd December 2011

(click to enlarge) Once again, we find ourselves at the end of another year. It is a time to review our challenges and accomplishments and, most importantly, thank our customers, many of whom have had to manage their resources with limited budgets. The PSS Team will continue its mission to harness information technology for the benefit of our customers.

This year our charitable donation goes to Cancer research, though as in previous years a smaller donation will also go to Help for Heroes who continue to do such great work.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

David

We will be available for support over Christmas and New Year. Our telephone support hours will be as follows:

• Friday 23rd Dec: 9am - 12pm
• Saturday 24th Dec (Christmas Eve): CLOSED
• Sunday 25th Dec (Christmas Day): CLOSED
• Monday 26th Dec (Boxing Day): CLOSED (Email support available)
• Tuesday 27th Dec (Bank holiday): CLOSED (Email support available)
• Wednesday 28th Dec: 9am - 5pm (Staff briefing - Email support only)
• Thursday 29th Dec: 9am - 5pm
• Friday 30th Dec: 9am - 5pm
• Saturday 31st Dec (New Year's Eve): CLOSED
• Sunday 1st Jan (New Year's Day): CLOSED
• Monday 2nd Jan (Bank holiday): CLOSED (Email support available)

Better, quicker, cheaper...

23rd September 2011

Public sector managers need to work out how best to lower costs and then just do it. But it also requires a new style of thinking about service futures, says Barry Quirk, chief executive of Lewisham Council.

Public sector managers need to make sure that public services are appropriate and relevant to customer needs (better and quicker) and they need to do so while lowering their cost (cheaper to the taxpayer).

Managers are experiencing a "new normal" in how they manage services, projects and budgets. In the past they were challenged to deliver the best results feasible out of an allocated budget. Budgetary control amounted to little more than making sure that spending had been properly authorised and that arrangements were in place to ensure that costs were controlled.

Over the past decade public managers have become used to squeezing "efficiencies" out of their budgets by a blend of smart management and clever accountancy. So called "cashable" efficiencies have released monies from some areas of spending so that it could be redirected to meet other more pressing public needs.

And in local government this drive for reaping annual efficiencies resulted in real savings being made, resources being redirected to front-line services and/or council tax levels being pegged down or even lowered. But a focus on making services more efficient or even making them more productive is no longer enough - we now have aggressively to lower service costs.

In much of the public sector, costs need to be substantially lowered this year, next year and for the foreseeable future. Efficiencies help; as do measures to improve productivity. And reducing management overheads and sharing the cost of support service overheads across organisations will also help. But to be frank, the combined impact of these approaches will not generate enough savings. The new normal involves the management of a "downward flight path" of service spending over a four-to-five-year period. This requires a new style of thinking about service futures. It requires innovation about how to manage both the demand for public services and their supply.

Read the full article

Taking a balanced approach to risk in childhood: Why and how

16th September 2011

Where was your favourite place to play as a child? The chances are, it was out of doors, and out of sight of adults. A place where you felt a sense of freedom and possibility. Where you could follow your impulses and your imagination, even if that led you into situations that were scary, challenging, perhaps even downright dangerous.

It is not mere nostalgia to revive these memories. Of course, we should not fall for the myth that there was a 'golden age' for growing up. But if we all agree that a taste of freedom and adventure are vital ingredients of a good childhood, then surely we should see to it that children today are able to enjoy similar experiences.

Sadly, these experiences are under threat. When people say that children grow up faster today, they are confusing appearance with reality. Children may be avid consumers of adult culture. They may adopt adult mannerisms and styles. They certainly get to grips with new technology far more easily than we grown-ups. But when it comes to everyday freedoms - like walking to school alone, or meeting friends in the park - a very different picture emerges. The fact is that for the last thirty or forty years, across the developed world, the horizons of childhood have been shrinking, and adult control and oversight is becoming the norm. For instance, here in the UK, in 1971 almost 90 per cent of eight-year-olds went to school without their parents. By 1990 it was just 11 per cent.

Read the full article

PSSLive has the map co-ordinates for over 7,000 playgrounds

14th September 2011

No comprehensive map of UK play provision exists, but PSSLive already has the geodata for about 25% of the UK's playgrounds and we'll be working with our PSSLive users to increase this to 75% as soon as possible.

Play England Chair - Applications Invited

8th September 2011

Applications are invited for position of Play England Chair, to be appointed in November 2011 (Voluntary position, expenses paid)

What was your favourite play memory as a child? Do you champion children's play in your current senior role? Would you relish the opportunity to foster the next stage of growth of Play England, England's foremost organisation for children's play?

Play England campaigns for all children to have the freedom and space to play throughout childhood, as well as working alongside all those who have an impact on children's lives to support and champion play as an essential part of childhood.

Developed five years ago from the Children's Play Council and hosted since its inception by the National Children's Bureau, Play England is now, with the support of the National Children's Bureau, working towards independence. Finding the right person for this role is crucial to the successful future of Play England and, through them, for children across England.

Our work includes leading the longstanding Playday campaign, promoting play outdoors in nature, Quality in Play, and working closely with local authorities and voluntary sector groups across England to improve local opportunities for play. We publish internationally recognised guidance around managing risk, design and maintaining play spaces, support influential networks and events, and deliver well-respected training and consultancy. With the seismic changes in the sectors over the last year we are transforming our business model so we are less reliant on large grants and contracts - could you help us in that process?

If you are convinced of the fundamental importance of play for children's development and well being throughout childhood and would relish the challenge of taking Play England to the next stage, we would welcome your application.

The Role Description and Person Specification are available by emailing hr@ncb.org.uk or calling 020 7843 6321. Applications will be by covering letter and CV, submitted by email or post to 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE, with interviews to be conducted in London on 26 October.

If you would like an informal conversation with the current acting Chair or a member of staff please email playengland@ncb.org.uk and we will call you back.

Closing date: 5pm, 7 October 2011

Windows Phone will be No. 2 smartphone OS by 2015

6th September 2011

According to research reports from Gartner and IDC, Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system will grab about 20% of the smartphone market by 2015, enough to propel the OS past Apple's iOS platform to take the No. 2 spot globally. Research firm Gartner believes Android will have a 49% market share in 2015, followed by Windows Phone at 19.5%, and Apple's iOS growth will slow so much that it will only maintain a 17% share. IDC believes Windows Phone will have a 20.3 percent share in 2015. During the IFA trade show in Berlin on Friday, Windows Phone marketing head Achim Berg told Bloomberg those Windows Phone growth estimates are conservative. "This is a completely new platform, it takes time," Berg said. "It took time with Android, it took time with Apple. We have to show that we're very capable and that we have the fastest and easiest phone." Gartner suggests Windows Phone's growth is expected to surge thanks to help from big-name manufacturers such as HTC. The analyses from IDC and Gartner aren't the only such reports that project explosive growth for Microsoft's emerging mobile platform. Pyramid Research is even more bullish on the OS, having said in May that Windows Phone will surpass Android's market share as soon as 2013.

Live PSSLive training over the internet for only £99 for a one-hour session

5th September 2011

We know our customers are busy. That's why we're launching one-hour training courses via the internet. There's no need to install any software. All you do is click a link in an email that we'll send to you and you'll be able to see our training computer. Our training director, Margaret Baker, will then make a hands-free phone call. It'll be just like sitting next to Margaret. And, because there's no travel, we can offer these courses for only £99 plus VAT at any time that suits you. As many of you know, Margaret used to be a director of the Association of Play Industries and she was involved in setting up the RPII. She's the ideal person to train you in using PSSLive. To book your course or any of the sessions listed below, email Margaret now.

Prices:

• 1. Training
• 1.1 Desktop Basic (1 hour) - £99
• 1.2 Desktop Intermediate (1 hour) - £125
• 1.3 Desktop Advanced (1.5 hours) - £250
• 1.4 Desktop Export to Excel and Pivot Analysis (1 hour) - £175
• 1.5 Mobile (45 minutes) - £75
• 2. Consultation (As required) - £125 per hour
• 3. Account management (30 minutes) - Free
• 4. Demos (About 1 hour) - Free

Please book a one-hour training course for me

August has been our busiest month in 22 years

5th September 2011

For 22 years, August has been a quiet month. We thought this August would be particularly quiet. But, it's been our busiest since we started business in 1989. We installed six new PSSLive licences and provided desktop and smartphone training for three new customers.

HTC releases new Windows Phone 7 smartphones

5th September 2011

Smartphone manufacturer HTC has released two new handsets compatible with Windows Phone 7 mobile. The Radar, described as having a "premium design, crafted from a single piece of metal", has the following features:

• 3.8" screen
• 1 GHz processor
• 5 Megapixel camera

The Titan boasts a "huge screen for everything you do" and is described as the "most amazing thing you've ever held". Its features are:

• 4.7" screen
• 1.5 GHz processor
• 8 Megapixel camera

PSSLive for Phone 7 approved by Microsoft

5th September 2011

PSSLive has been approved by Microsoft for inclusion in their WindowsPhone Marketplace. Our beta testing should be complete by the end of September.

Move to the Cloud completed

5th September 2011

PSSLive's move to the Cloud took place on 2nd September. We are using Microsoft's state-of-the art Hyper-V software that gives our customers two significant benefits:

1. Dynamic server-load balancing to ensure maximum performance
2. Automatic failover so we can guarantee 99.99% uptime.

Walsall Council buy three PSSLive licences to manage and inspect their playgrounds; parks & open spaces; and grounds maintenance

26th August 2011

Walsall Council has bought 37 smartphones to truly embrace paperless inspections of their playgrounds, parks, open spaces and grounds maintenance.

Torbay Council sign licence to manage and inspect their playgrounds and parks using PSSLive

16th August 2011

PSSLive will make a significant contribution to Torbay's play strategy. This excellent strategy is an exemplar.

Beta version of PSSLive for Windows Phone 7 released for testing

12th August 2011

Microsoft insists that all apps are distributed via the Microsoft Marketplace (similar to the iPhone app store). PSSLive will have to go through a certification process and will eventually be available for download direct from the Marketplace. We are unsure how long this will take as it is not a process we have gone through before. In the meantime, we are permitted to release a beta test version and we are inviting some of our customers to join our testing programme. We want to ensure that the Windows Phone 7 version of PSSLive is a product that inspectors feel happy to use.

PSSLive is moving to the Cloud

10th August 2011

PSSLive is being used to inspect 75% of the UK's playgrounds. The database has over 26,000 sites with 380,000 assets, 1 million inspections and links to 750,000 images. In addition to 500 users of the desktop app, there are 1,200 inspectors, most of whom are using PDAs and smartphones. To ensure that our servers can meet your demands, PSSLive is moving to the Cloud. The changeover will take place between 7pm and 10pm on Friday 2nd September

Serco sign licence to use PSSLive for operational playground inspections and maintenance for Woking Council

5th August 2011

This is our first contract with Serco and we are already discussing their use of PSSLive on other contracts.

Over 75% of the UK's playgrounds are now being inspected using PSSLive

1st August 2011

PSSLive is the de facto standard for inspecting the UK's playgrounds. It is being used by providers, their contractors and most of the RPII Annual Inspectors.

Enterprise plc sign licence to use PSSLive for their Daventry contract

4th July 2011

Yet another major contractor selects PSSLive to manage its operational playground maintenance.

RSS Playmakers using PSSLive to manage all its playground contracts

30th June 2011

We are proud to be selected as a strategic partner for the world's top playground manufacturer's UK maintenance company. Visit the RSS Playmakers Website

PSS wins Portsmouth City Council's contract to provide playground management and inspection software

24th June 2011

We are proud to have won Portsmouth's exacting tender. A 5-year licence has been signed.

PSS has its best PlayFair Show ever

23rd June 2011

A five-year PSSLive licence worth £100k was signed at the show by Louisa Hill the MD of Digley Associates. RoSPA extended its licence to cover non-annual inspections. And, three major councils confirmed they will be ordering PSSLive soon. We were kept constantly busy with visitors and enquiries from all corners of the UK we also enjoyed enquiries from the USA and Europe on both days. For 2012, we'd prefer the Show to become a 3-day event to ensure a more relaxed pace!

RoSPA extend their licence to use PSSLive for operational playground inspections for MODern Housing Solutions

22nd June 2011

RoSPA use PSSLive for all their annual playground inspections, so it was natural to extend its use to operational inspections for this large play provider.

Digley Associates signs 5-year licence to use PSSLive for all its inspections

21st June 2011

We have been working with David Houghton and Louisa Hill for several years. We are pleased to have played a role in Digley Associates' exceptional growth.

Glendale sign licence to use PSSLive for Surrey Heath contract

20th february 2011

Glendale use PSSLive for its contracts with Waverley Council, and PlaySafe for its contracts with Lewisham Council and Warwick District Council. We are delighted that they chose PSSLive for their contract with Surrey Heath Council.

ICT Excellence Awards 2010

6th december 2010

We are the proud winners of three prestigious, nationally-recognised Information, Communication and Technology Excellence Commendations (including two High Commendations) for our work with PSSLive. When the event organiser told us we had been selected as finalists in all three of our chosen categories, we prepared ourselves for some Dragon's Den-like questioning on our history, current market conditions, future plans and growth strategy. The Awards Ceremony was co-hosted by Doug Richard, one of the original "dragons" and the large room was packed to capacity with national and international companies. For most of us, this was like being at the Oscars. Being awarded these Commendations in such difficult times confirms that we have a great team and great customers, so thanks to everyone.

PSSLive is...

24th august 2010

Why tell our customers how to use PSSLive when we could show them? Over recent weeks we have been working on a number of videos which will show you what you can do with PSSLive and how to do it. We can now proudly announce that these videos are online and can be viewed here. When you visit the videos page you will find an introductory video explaining the benefits of PSSLive, as well as a wide range of 'how-to' videos which will teach you everything you need to know about our desktop system (including Bing Maps). We hope that by the end of the year this page will also feature more videos which will provide an in-depth look into using the PDA application.

now available: a RoSPA read-only version of PSSLive

10th august 2010

Shortly all RoSPA Playsafety inspection reports will be provided through PSSLive - The asset management and inspection software. The reports will be read-only but will include the fully sortable asset register and the particularly useful "To Do" list keeping you up to date with all outstanding actions. RoSPA, the largest play area inspection service in the UK, and PSSLive have worked together to make sure you get the information you need, as quickly and simply as possible. Customers who wish to include their own routine inspection reports or update the asset register can upgrade to the full PSSLive. Video screencast overviews of PSSLive are available by clicking on the image above.

a new partnership with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

20th april 2010

See the original RoSPA press release

A new partnership between the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and PSS, the leading provider of asset management technology, will help councils develop playgrounds which are both safe and challenging for children.

PSS (Public Sector Software Ltd) has designated RoSPA Play Safety its principal safety inspection partner. The arrangement will see RoSPA's team of play inspectors using PSSLive - software that enables data and photographs from annual safety inspections to be gathered using a hand-held device and uploaded instantly to the internet. Inspection reports will then be accessible to playground providers on any computer or device with internet access at any time. As well promoting greener management practices through paperless safety inspections, the aim is to remove the administrative barriers to playground management that are sometimes cited by providers, enabling them to concentrate on developing and maintaining play areas that are challenging and as safe as they need to be.

As well as RoSPA inputting the results of its inspections, play providers, if they opt for the complete PSSLive package, can use the system for all aspects of playground management - logging regular safety checks and requesting repairs, for example. By offering this digital and joined-up approach to playground management, RoSPA and PSS hope to demonstrate that providing high quality play areas does not have to be an overly burdensome task.

RoSPA Play Safety carries out thousands of annual play inspections across the UK each year, at the request of playground providers. An independent view is taken of the risks at a site, and all inspections are carried out in accordance with RoSPA's overriding principle that play should be as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible. PSS has been helping councils manage and inspect their assets for more than 20 years. Its software solutions have evolved during that time and have become the most effective asset management tools available today.

David Yearley, head of RoSPA Play Safety, said: "RoSPA has long said that good playgrounds offer children fantastic opportunities to experience risks, push their developmental boundaries and have fun. But playground providers sometimes tell us that too much administration is involved in making sure that high standards are maintained. We are delighted to have been chosen as PSS Ltd's principle inspection partner and hope the roll out of PSSLive will break down the barriers to good playground management."

David Gent, managing director of PSS, said: "We are privileged to work with RoSPA Play Safety at a time when public sector finances are under pressure to deliver value in the most cost-efficient manner possible. This partnership will combine the best practice of the UK's largest team of professional inspectors accredited through the Register of Play Inspectors International with PSSLive, our widely-used asset management and inspections software. This will ensure that a council's play assets are inspected and managed in the most cost-effective way.

"By harnessing the latest mobile working technology running on smartphones, RoSPA's inspectors and clients can reduce their carbon footprint. Administration will be cut by at least 30 per cent, mainly as a result of annual inspection reports being emailed to RoSPA's clients but also by giving their clients webbased access to the source data and photographs."

PSSLive is building up a good user base

15th july 2009

Our current user-base includes: Bournemouth Borough Council, Cardiff County Council, Chelmsford Borough Council, Digley Associates Ltd, Lewes District Council, London Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Hounslow, Continental Landscapes, London Borough of Islington, Medway Council, Medway Council Greenspaces, Melton Borough Council, Milton Keynes Borough Council, Newport County Borough Council, Poole Borough Council, Continental Landscapes, Record RSS Ltd (North), Record RSS Ltd (South), Renfrewshire Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Safeplay, Sligo County Council, Spelthorne Borough Council, Lotus Landscapes, Waverley Borough Council, Glendale, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council & Wolverhampton City Council.

a message from Trevor Baker

1st july 2009

Trevor Baker, CEO of PSS says, "We developed PSSLive to meet the different needs of parish and town councils. We want to make asset management and inspections easier than ever before at the lowest cost possible. Our aim is for all councils to use PSSLive for their assets. It helps manage, maintain and inspect all assets from allotments to war memorials.

For example, playground assets are covered by all the relevant European Standards: BSEN 1176/7 Playground Equipment & Surfacing; BSEN 14974 Wheelplay; and BSEN 15312 Multi-use Games Areas. And, we keep these standards up-to-date and add new ones when they're published."