As we begin 2026, I want to look back on my favourite Interserv successes from 2025, then follow through on my commitment to assess our progress with clear analysis and an overall grade.
Successes
Looking back on our deliverables for the year, it’s clear our talented team continues to punch above our weight. We shipped new features for a complex distributed passenger information system used across multiple transport networks, created and updated several mobile apps, and still found the time to weave the "6-7" meme into a yearbook cover to support our community.
We also produced a huge amount of content, including some of our own: the ADDIE – A Practical Example video and our instructional design series; a steady stream of professional development content; and a range of talks for clients, including sessions with high-profile leaders such as the Chief of Army.
On the GovCMS SaaS platform, we delivered some of my favourite work this year, including the Chief of Army’s Professional Study Guide, major improvements to Cove 4.0, and new community features for The Cove, The Forge, and Horizon.
Overall, we delivered a lot for our clients in 2025 and strengthened their products, setting us up well for an even stronger 2026.
If I had to call out my top three successes from 2025...
3. Content Review
This was one of the simpler things we delivered in 2025, but we designed it well, delivered quickly, and made life easier for the client. They needed a straightforward way to ensure content was reviewed and maintained in line with their content management plan.
GovCMS already provides most of what’s needed through content revisions and revision log messages. All we really had to do was use Views, one of Drupal’s strongest features, to build a tailored interface that surfaced the right information at the right time in a usable way. A simple solution, with excellent results.
2. PME Link Library
As we develop and maintain several similar websites for the same parent organisation, it makes sense to share code and features between them. The key way we do this is through the PME Link Library, which we significantly improved over 2025 into a well-designed, well-tested, and properly engineered set of tools that underpins these sites and lets each one benefit from the others’ progress.
What puts this on the list is the work end users don’t see: high-quality reusable code, automated tests, a reliable release process, and the ability to rapidly maintain and improve the library over time.
1. Highlighting and Citation Tools
If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the new highlighting and citation tools for The Forge. While similar plugins exist elsewhere, the value of this capability in The Forge context has been fantastic. It’s made it much easier for students and staff to save, reference, and return to key materials, and it improves the usefulness of The Forge for study and research. The Forge exists to support the College, and these kinds of practical features make a real difference for the people using it day-to-day.
I especially like that the work also demonstrates the value of continuous improvement. We introduced the Cite tool and refined it based on user feedback. We then added the Highlight tool, improved that through feedback as well, and ultimately integrated highlighting and citation into a more seamless and valuable user experience.
Opportunities and Progress
Last year, I made a commitment to write a follow-up post assessing the progress we’ve made against the opportunities outlined in the blog linked above.
Interserv must do more to be known
Grade: C+
There’s no doubt we’ve made progress in this area, but it’s also clear that we still have work to do.
We now have a defined brand anatomy which we worked with a co-located business Brand for Brands to produce.
We have developed our YouTube presence and amassed thousands of views and a few subscribers. We published highly valuable content for our EdTech clients and stakeholders. We also published more totally original blog posts than ever, averaging well over one a month. Building a library of relevant content that we’ve created ourselves is a major step forward. It supports our community, demonstrates our expertise, and helps more people discover Interserv.
We've continued to grow our social presence, particularly on LinkedIn, and committed to exhibit at two industry trade shows in 2026 EduTech and Tech in Government. Please come and see us.
On a personal level, I’ve contributed through internal pieces for camera and letting organisers know I’m open to public speaking opportunities. These are small but meaningful steps forward, with plenty of room to improve.
I’ve also prioritised face-to-face engagement with our key clients, which remains critically important.
Importantly, word-of-mouth continues to win us new clients, but we need to be more deliberate about creating opportunities that extend our reach. I expect the trade shows will help.
Awareness will not grow passively and we must continue to do more in this regard.
Interserv must launch products
Grade: B
Our commitment to delivering quality for our clients and building long-term relationships remains paramount. This continues to be the foundation of everything we do.
Last year, I spoke about identifying opportunities to develop products that complement our services. Since then, we’ve implemented simple products that immediately benefit existing clients and begun the work required to bring a more fully-fledged product to market.
Bringing a product to market is a calculated risk: investing time and resources into something that may not succeed, but one that has the potential to be genuinely transformative for us and our clients. The early signs are encouraging, and I look forward to sharing more soon.
Get even better at what we do
Grade: B+
Unsurprisingly, this is where we’ve made some of our most meaningful progress.
We’ve advanced significantly in how we work by creating and refining processes, and automating more wherever it makes sense. As a team, we’ve continued to upskill and innovate. These improvements are making us more consistent, more scalable, more productive, and ultimately better for our clients.
Progress, then proof
My promise from last year is what got this blog post over the line, so I’m committing to another update next year. I expect I’ll have much more to say.
There’s still room to improve, but the trajectory is strong. See you next year.
