Transformation Classification

Description

Requests for change or development often reach the Property Division informally, through known contacts rather than a formal process. It is essential that as part of early information gathering it is established what type of work the request is categorised as, because this will have an impact of how the work is managed and governed through its lifecycle. 

The main categories work requests fall into are: 

  • Continuous Improvement Works (generally low complexity and/or <£350k)
  • Capital Projects
  • Development Projects
  • Transformation Projects

Some of these projects across all categories may come under the Great Environment Portfolio and will require additional methods of working. 

Transformation Portfolio

Includes items such as: The Academic Building, South Kensington Redevelopment etc. 

Transformation Portfolio (Tier 1)

These projects are selected by the Operations and Infrastructure Committee (OIC) as the highest risk transformational delivery, considering the following:

Change Risk
  • Significant shift in the organisation operating model (includes processes, organisation structure, technology and data, people and skills)
  • Widespread behavioural change across multiple teams or departments 
  • Multiple groups of users as "clients", requiring balancing needs of multiple teams
  • Success depends on users embedding and adopting new ways of working
Strategic Risk
  • Critical to deliver in the next 5 years to achieve our Enabling Roadmap strategy and KPIs
  • Carry reputational, financial or operational consequences if delayed
Dependency Risk
  • Are enabling or interdependent on other Transformation Portfolio activity
  • Have complex interdependencies across systems, processes or departments
  • Could cause cascading issues if activities become misaligned or delayed 
Wider Enabling Roadmap Portfolio (Tier 2)

Beoynd the Transformation Portfolio are a significant breadth and depth of activities which do not meet the Tier 1 criteria. These may be driving localised change, incremental improvements or they may be in early shaping and be considered for inclusion in the Transformation Portfolio at a later date. They may still have significant levels or cost, but are not overseen as part of the Transformation Portfolio, though may still be overseen by OIC (for example via Capital Projects and ICT) or another part of University governance. 

Process

  1. A request is placed with a Capital Project Manager via the Director of Projects Delivery or Capital Programme Directors.
  2. A summary of the request (see criteria below) is compiled by the Capital Project Manager and shared with the Director of Project Deliver or Capital Programme Directors.
  3. The Director of Projects Delivery circulates the request with the Chief Development Officer and Great Environment Transformation Portfolio Director. *Occassionally, this request may come in via the Chief Development Officer or Great Environment Transformation Portfolio Director - in this case treat this step as the first.
  4. The Chief Development Officer, Great Environment Transformation Portfolio Director and Director of Project Delivery will refer to the Transformation Team's guidebook tiering definition. Tier 1 projects are delivered by (or in collaboration with) the Transformation Team. They'll also assess current conditional factors as part of their decision making. 
  5. *Conditional step. If during stage 4, the project is defined as Tier 1, the Great Environment Transformation Portfolio Director will provide a named contact from the Transformation Team. 
  6. The Director of Project Delivery will feedback the outcome to the Capital Project Manager. This will include the named contact from the Transformation Team if the projectr is defined as Tier 1, in scope with the Great Environment Transformation Portfolio.
  7. The Capital Project Manager proceeds to the next step in the Process Map sequence, this will differ according to the portfolio decision made. 
  8. *Conditional step. Collaboration with the Transformation Team commences. 

Key Inputs

A summary of the project request (recognising this will be refined over time), should include: 

  • The current condition and location of the space
  • The vision and overarching scope/goals for the change
  • The expected benefits the changes will bring
  • Estimated timeline and budget available
  • Key risks to the change happening
  • Key internal and external stakeholders currently identified

Approvals and Compliance Review

The Chief Development Officer, Great Environment Transformation Portfolio Director and Director of Project Delivery have authority to classify the project and will consult other colleagues if required.

Repeated Subsequent RIBA Stages

As projects can evolve during the development of the Client Brief/Design, it is recommended classification is revisited at each RIBA stage until the end of RIBA Stage 4. 

For example, if a Change Impact Assessment reveals the change is isolated to a smaller group than originally anticipated or the developed risk mitigations greatly reduce any exposure for ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, a project could be de-scoped from the Great Environment Transformation Portfolio.