The Context

The council had identified in a weakness in the consistency and quality of business case writing. This was particularly important for Cheltenham who have an ambition commercialisation programme, including partnering initiatives at a regional level.

The Requirement

The council required a two-staged approach to training aimed at two different cohorts – an introductory level course for officers new to business case development and an intermediate course for officers to progress their skills.

The Programme

Human Engine delivered two one-day courses from our Commercial Academy. Firstly, Business Case Basics, which was targeted at officers who were new to business case development. Secondly, Better Business Cases which was targeted at middle management, senior leaders and partner organisations, such as Gloucestershire Airport.

The sessions were delivered through a combination of lecture-style presentations and activity-based workshops that enabled delegates to practice skills learnt during the session.

The Outcomes

83% of delegates across both cohorts rated the courses as good or excellent for meeting the stated learning objectives

8/10 delegates across both cohorts rated the courses as good or excellent for the usefulness of the course content

97% of delegates across both cohorts said they can practically apply the course learning to their daily work

8/10 delegates across both cohorts rated the pacing of the course as ‘just right’

97% of delegates across both cohorts said they would recommend the course to a colleague

About Us

Human Engine is a Financial Times top-ranked management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, people and performance.

It was founded by a group of former local government officers who think the public sector deserves better than it gets from traditional consulting firms – more human, more personal and more knowledgeable of the reality of delivering modern public services.

We have worked with dozens of public sector organisations to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures to be more agile, commercial and entrepreneurial in order to achieve financial sustainability and improved outcomes for local people and communities.

We are currently writing our latest report, The Commercial Edge, in partnership with leading think tank Localis, making the case for entrepreneurialism in public services and local investment as a catalyst for economic recovery and growth.