What We Do

Turning best thinking into practical action

..we provide a clear, visible structure and framework for

ACTION

and results delivery

Our sector specific experience combined with our expertise in the use of leading edge methodologies, enables us to offer a comprehensive service to our clients. We address the 'people' issues as well as the logistics of transformation. Amongst the key services we offer are:

Scenario thinking - mind-maps to the future
Business strategy development
Developing customer focused enterprises
Business process improvement and re-engineering
Capacity planning and resource optimisation
World class operations management
Skills evaluation and development
ICT strategy development
Strategic partnership development
Procurement and outsourcing
Business case development
Project management
Organisational and culture change management
Managing creativity and innovation
Performance management
Management development and coaching

Scenario Thinking

Mind-maps to the future…

…an increasingly vital preface to formal strategic planning

Fast, simple and cost effective workshops
Used over the past 14 years in over 500 occasions around Europe and the USA
Least 'blue-sky' – practically based
Making sense out of uncertain futures
Supported by group workbooks
Facilitated by our chairman, Professor Bill Weinstein

Business strategy

Business strategy development..

..ensuring alignment of purpose and strategic intent

Examination of external pressures and internal capabilities
Developing a collegiate approach
Structured evaluation of strategic options
Focusing on the true priorities
Defining the key work-streams
Implementation planning

Customer Focus development

Developing customer focused enterprises..

..to create the right experiences, at the right time, in the right way, for the right cost

Understanding customer demographics
Understanding the customers' needs and expectations
Managing multiple access channels, frontline employees and customer diversity
Shaping the customer experience – the 'logistics' and emotive behaviours
Transferring customer experience ideals from the drawing board to real-life operations
Interactions – 'the moments of truth' in delivering real customer service

Business process review

Business process improvement and re-engineering..

..creating the platform for change - thoroughly and rapidly

Process Mapping and Review

Active staff participation throughout
Comparing processes / working practices across sites / locations
Identifying the current problem areas
Reviewing the effective use of IT and e-enablement
Establishing common understanding
Communicating the issues - widely
Providing the platform for change
Confirming the improvement potential

Business process re-engineering

Business process improvement and re-engineering..

..creating the platform for change - thoroughly and rapidly

Re-engineering

Structured workshops
Strategic context
Level of change : incremental or radical
Employing leading edge thinking and techniques (Lean / Six Sigma / Risk Management / Kaisen / etc)
Turning best thinking into practical, implementable solutions
Outsourced options / partnership working
Agreed process definitions
Implementation planning

Capacity and resource planning

Capacity planning and resource optimisation..

..to achieve maximum value for money

Enabling organisations to understand where, how and why resources time and effort are consumed
Measures the effect of poor or non-standard processes
Enabling comparisons of performance and output, in particular across multi-site organizations
Identifying 'core' and 'non-core' workloads, tasks and activities and value for money achieved
Involving staff - coaching in effective and efficient use of resources
Challenging currently accepted practices and norms, in an open and objective manner
Assessing the impact of re-engineering and improved Operating models
Raising both team and individual performance towards 'Best-of Best' levels

Operations management

Develop a culture of continuous improvement..

..to achieve BEST-OF-BEST PERFORMANCE

Leadership and vision
Planning, scheduling and capacity utilisation
Supply chain management – supplier reliability
Materials flow and utilisation
Line efficiency, productivity and yield
TPM implementation
Quality and reliability
Skills and competencies of employees
Change management processes
Team-work – problem identification and elimination

Performance management

Performance management..

..building high performance cultures

Expectation and objective setting
Performance planning – roles, responsibilities, standards
Turning raw data into actionable intelligence
Developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Measuring what is important at the right process stage
Performance reviews mechanisms and action planning
Effective performance appraisals
Reinforcing effective behaviours

Skills evaluation and development

Skills evaluation and development..

..investing to get the best out of people

Who is currently doing what within each key process
The current skills levels available
Current skills gaps and training needs
Skills required – re-engineered solutions and new operating models
Flexible working

ICT Strategy Development

ICT Strategy Development..

..turning ICT into a competitive advantage

Understanding the key business drivers
Systematic audits of hardware and software
Understanding user requirements
Developing / organising information that is shared and processed in a common way
Integrating enabling systems that provide the right information at the right time
Having reliable systems work when they are supposed to
E-enablement – based on business drivers as well as technical capability

Business Case Development

Business Case Development..

..making the case for action explicit

Clear rational / reasons for priority areas of focus
Identifying the impact of direct interfaces and indirect influences on current performance
Identifying and using appropriate data – building the business case
Demonstrating thoroughness – all key areas of concern have been covered
Clear finding, conclusions, recommendations - what are the key messages to get across
Investment required : financial / time
Expected RETURN ON INVESTMENT – the financial benefits
The non-financial benefits
Implications of not acting

Procurement and outsourcing

Procurement and outsourcing..

..to optimise service delivery and reduce costs

Supplier evaluation and contracting
Managing supplier performance
When to outsource – evaluation mechanisms
Market testing and evaluation
Where to outsource in the value chain for maximum benefit
Managing outsourced performance and delivery

Strategic partnership development

Strategic partnership development..

..identifying the right people to do business with

Shared service options
Commonality of:
- Purpose and strategic thinking
- Business processes
- IT systems
- Values / cultures
Developing effective partnership agreements
Effective implementation
Delivering shared benefits

Organisational Change Management

Organisational and culture change management..

..creating the culture, capacity, and internal team dynamics to take the whole organisation to the next level of transformational change

Rationale for change
Developing clear vision, values, mission and strategy
Mobilisation – gathering the positive forces for change
Focus on value driven leadership, well versed in the dynamics of change management
Recognising the barriers and blockages
Change at the organisational level
Change at the individual level
Structural changes
New roles, responsibilities and accountabilities
Best possible communications

Managing creativity and innovation

Organisational and culture change management..

..doing it differently to create 'step' changes

What do we mean by creativity and innovation
Where to apply c&i for maximum effect
Creative and innovative organisations
Creative and innovative individuals
Harnessing ideas – testing them out – ideas 'banking' and selection
Implementing creative and innovative solutions

Personal Profiling

Individual behaviour and impact..

..How people meet challenges, influence people and interact with colleagues

Natural and adaptive leadership styles
Exploring at both group and individual level
Dominance / influencing / steadiness / compliance
Emotional intelligence
Dealing with sensitive issues
Strengthening group and individual understanding
Applying learnings – to the live arena

Project management

Project management..

..implementation – making it happen!!

clear and visible project plans
accountabilities and timescales
appropriate resources – people / financial
review mechanisms
project mobilisation – winning internal backing and support
identifying and dealing with barriers / blockages
managing the logistics
managing the people
celebrating success – extending the 'wins'

Management development and coaching

Management development and coaching..

..in the live environment

development needs identified
comprehensive training and development options
we develop the skills and competencies of your managers and staff enabling them to become fully effectively within the new business / organisational environment
we coach, train and mentor your people in applying their new skills

terms & conditions