Te Kōhanga Reo
National Trust

Engagement: Business change /
Digital Transformation

Sector: Education

Client: Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust

Digital Transformation Programme IQA,
Post Implementation Review
and Benefits Review

Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust plays a crucial role in revitalising and preserving the Māori language and culture through early childhood education across New Zealand. The Trust manages an extensive network of Kōhanga Reo, or language nests, where young children are immersed in the Māori language and cultural practices from birth through to school age.

Outline

Rawson Consulting Limited (RCL) was engaged by the Board and Executive Leadership Team of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust (TKRNT) for a comprehensive evaluation of their Technical Transformation Programme (T3). This critical programme aimed to update aging hardware and replace most legacy applications over several years. After the initial deployment, RCL conducted a Post-Implementation Review (PIR) to assess the immediate outcomes and later a Benefits Review to provide a detailed analysis of the achieved benefits and highlight any outstanding areas needing attention. This series of reviews ensured that the TKRNT's leadership received thorough guidance and clear insights at each step of the transformation process.

The engagement

Rawson Consulting undertook a detailed IQA (Independent Quality Assurance) review of the T3 programme using our established IQA methodology, tailored to TKRNT’s specific needs. Through extensive documentation review and targeted interviews with stakeholders, the IQA reviewed the core programme and project management elements including:

Benefits Realisation - Evaluated the alignment between projected benefits and actual outcomes, assessing the efficacy of strategies employed to capture and measure these benefits.
Governance and Project Management - Analysed the structural framework and oversight mechanisms to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and compliance with established governance standards.
Scope Management - Reviewed the processes in place for defining and controlling the scope of the project, ensuring all deliverables were accounted for and met project specifications.
Time/Schedule Management - Investigated the methods used to plan, coordinate, and track project timelines, evaluating their effectiveness in ensuring timely project delivery.
Financial Management - Examined the budgeting, expenditure tracking, and financial reporting systems to ascertain financial integrity and transparency throughout the project lifecycle.
Quality Management - Assessed the quality control measures implemented to maintain the standards of deliverables against the project requirements.
Risks and Issues Management - Scrutinised the processes for identifying, analysing, and mitigating risks and issues, enhancing the project's resilience and ability to meet its objectives.
Resource Management - Evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of resource allocation and utilisation, ensuring optimal deployment of human, technological, and material resources.
Change Management (Change Readiness) - Analysed the readiness and responsiveness of the organisation to implement and manage change effectively, facilitating smooth transitions and minimising disruptions.
Communications Management - Reviewed the communication strategies employed to ensure clear, timely, and effective dissemination of information to all stakeholders.
Vendor Project Management and Engagement - Assessed the management and integration of vendors, focusing on their performance and alignment with project goals.

The findings from this comprehensive analysis were compiled and presented to the Executive Leadership Team, highlighting a scoring matrix against the evaluated project management elements. These insights led to the formulation of a series of actionable recommendations, prioritising high-impact and immediate interventions, articulated within a structured delivery plan.

Upon the completion of the programme, RCL was commissioned to conduct a Post-Implementation Review (PIR) to critically assess the outcomes relative to the project management frameworks, identifying both achievements and gaps in delivery, with a particular emphasis on execution quality. Findings were presented to the Executive Leadership Team with a series of recommendations targeting outstanding activity.

One year subsequent to the delivery of the T3 programme, RCL undertook a Benefits Review to evaluate if the anticipated benefits outlined in the original business case had been delivered. This review also aimed to identify any outstanding needs to fully deliver on the promised benefits. The results, accompanied by targeted recommendations for addressing any unmet objectives, were again presented to the Executive Leadership Team, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with strategic goals.

What we delivered

The IQA conducted by Rawson Consulting highlighted several critical areas requiring immediate attention to realign and steer the T3 programme towards its intended trajectory. The execution of these strategic recommendations was pivotal in addressing immediate concerns and setting the stage for subsequent evaluations.

Following the implementation of these critical steps, the Post-Implementation Review (PIR) was initiated to evaluate the efficacy of the delivered recommendations. This review offered a detailed analysis of the elements that were successfully executed at the programme's Go Live stage. It critically assessed the level of completion and the quality of the deliverables, providing a clear depiction of the programme's status.

Building on the insights from the PIR, the Benefits Review was conducted to affirm the actualisation of the business benefits outlined in the programme's initial scope. This review not only confirmed which benefits had been realised and the quality of those benefits but also highlighted any outstanding benefits yet to be delivered. It provided strategic guidance on effective methods to achieve these remaining benefits, ensuring that the programme could fully meet its original objectives and deliver value to the organisation.

These three engagements—each a strategic checkpoint in the lifecycle of the T3 programme—garnered significant positive feedback from both the Board and the Executive Leadership Team. The comprehensive and thorough nature of the reviews, coupled with the actionable insights they provided, cemented RCL's reputation as trusted advisors to stakeholders, reflected in the tangible successes observed in various facets of the T3 programme, directly attributable to the strategic guidance and oversight provided by Rawson Consulting. RCL played a pivotal role in ensuring that the programme not only met its immediate goals but was also positioned for sustained success in the future.

Benefits delivered

Rawson Consulting's engagement was instrumental in the early identification and management of significant risks and issues, which were critical to the success of the organisation's most ambitious ICT change initiative in more than twenty years. Our involvement ensured that targeted, measurable recommendations were made, setting a clear path toward achieving the project's goals. Specifically, the contributions from our consultancy included:

Enhanced Visibility at Board Level - We provided the Board with a transparent and independent assessment from an experienced consultancy regarding the likelihood of success of this significant ICT change. This visibility allowed the Board to grasp the full scope and scale of the initiative, fostering an informed oversight environment.
Comprehensive Understanding of Project Deliverables - Our analysis offered a clear distinction between what would be delivered and what would not, pinpointing gaps and areas of concern. This insight was crucial for crafting a costed remediation delivery plan aimed at addressing any identified risks and issues. The plan laid out specific steps needed to realign the project with its original success criteria, ensuring that the programme was put back on track.
Clarity on Benefits Realisation - We provided a detailed account of what benefits had already been achieved by the programme and which were still outstanding. This evaluation was again supported by a costed remediation delivery plan. The plan not only outlined the costs associated with delivering the outstanding benefits but also strategised how to effectively achieve them, ensuring that the project met its full potential.