Triad Wins Digital Transformation Project of the Year at the UK IT Industry Awards

  • Client: Triad Group Plc in partnership with The Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Service

  • Industry: Digital Transformation / Public Sector Technology

  • Award Won: Digital Transformation Project of the Year, UK IT Industry Awards, 2023

  • Services Provided: Strategy. Project management. Award submission support

  • Success: Delivered vital digital transformation in UK prisons during Covid-19, winning national recognition

The Challenge

Triad faced an extraordinary challenge: Transform the daily lives of prisoners by installing technology that would modernise communication, education access, and daily services — during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Specifically, the goals were to:

  1. Deploy 15,000 rugged laptops and 300 self-service kiosks across 15 prisons.

  2. Transition away from paper-based processes to digital self-service.

  3. Enable secure communication with families and support rehabilitation.

  4. Modernise operations under extreme logistical, safety, and timeline pressures.

The stakes were high: keeping prisons operational, safe, and humane during a national crisis.

The Solution

🧠 Strategy & Execution
Triad’s expert project management and PMO services, supported by Justice Digital & Technology, tackled the complexity head-on.

Key achievements included:

  • Building a consistent digital platform across all sites.

  • Installing secure Wi-Fi networks linked to internal content hubs.

  • Deploying an Azure pre-production and production environment.

  • Designing prisoner-accessible services with accessibility adjustments (language, literacy support).

  • Working with prison staff to ensure safety, security, and minimal disruption during installations.

✍️ User-Centric Focus
This project transformed the inmate experience:

  • Prisoners could now order personal supplies, book education activities, arrange visits, email and call approved contacts — all digitally and securely.

  • Staff saw their administrative burden reduced dramatically, freeing up 2–3.5 hours per week per officer.

All of this was achieved during Covid lockdowns — navigating site restrictions, limited access, supply chain delays, and strict prison security protocols.

The Result

🏆 Triad won Digital Transformation Project of the Year at the 2023 UK IT Industry Awards.

But the transformation didn’t stop at the award:

  • 📈 Productivity soared across the prison system, with faster service response times (from 1–2 weeks down to 1–2 days).

  • 🧠 Prisoner digital literacy improved, supporting rehabilitation and reducing isolation.

  • 🤝 Staff satisfaction increased, thanks to reduced paperwork and better inmate relationships.

  • 🏛️ The project's success unlocked additional funding for a Phase 3 expansion to more prisons.

  • 🔒 Operational security improved with the move to Azure-based systems.

Key Takeaways

✅ Successfully delivered digital transformation under extreme conditions.
✅ Modernised UK prison services with secure, scalable tech.
✅ Dramatically improved staff efficiency and prisoner experience.
✅ Set a new standard for future prison innovation projects.

Want to deliver award-winning transformation in your organisation?

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