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Explore our case studies across strategy, digital, procurement and programmes, delivering improved outcomes for organisations and communities. Case Studies Strategic Transformation Programme Read More ICO Target Operating Model Read More Smarter Commissioning, Better Contracting Read More IT Optimisation Review Read More Developing a Commercial Strategy Read More Resident Experience Transformation Read More Portfolio Management Maturity and Benefits Realisation Read More Contract Management Framework Read More Transactional Support Services Review Read More Communities First Read More Delivering Value from Procurement and Contracts Read More ICT Rationalisation and Commercial Improvement Read More First Prev 1 Page 1 Next Last Filter by Area of Expertise Commercial Customer Experience Healthcare Housing Local Government Procurement Programme Delivery Technology Transformation

Procurement Target Operating Model The Context Luton Borough Council is undergoing a significant transformation, with procurement identified as a key area for improvement. In anticipation of the Procurement Act coming into force in February 2025, the council sought to modernise its procurement function to enhance efficiency, strengthen governance, and ensure compliance with new regulatory requirements. The Requirement Human Engine was commissioned to conduct a comprehensive review and develop a new Procurement Target Operating Model (TOM) that: Aligns with best practices and regulatory requirements, including the Procurement Act 2023. Enhances governance and clarity in roles and responsibilities. Maximises value for money while ensuring flexibility to meet service delivery needs. Supports the organisation in achieving its Luton 2040 aims. Improves efficiency and strategic procurement capability. The Programme We followed a four-stage process throughout the project, detailed below: 1. Engage and Explore Collected data/information relating to procurement activities across LBC. This included insights into existing processes, governance structures, policies, performance metrics and team structures. Engaged in over 20 targeted interactions with key stakeholders across the whole council, including those in the Corporate Procurement team, regular users of Corporate Procurement and senior stakeholders. Undertook benchmarking analysis of processes, thresholds, team sizes, structures, and practices against industry best practices and those of neighbouring and statistically similar local authorities. 2. Devise and Develop Assessment of the previous procurement operating model to review alignment with best practices and strategic objectives, adaptations required to ensure compliance for the Procurement Act, while also identifying avenues for improvement. Synthesised findings to develop a set of recommendations for operating model development, focusing on: - The Procurement team’s strategic objectives and policies to guide procurement activities in alignment with organisational goals. - Establishing transparent governance mechanisms and streamlined processes to ensure compliance and efficiency in procurement. - Team structure and size – definitions of roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures to optimise performance and resource allocation. Feedback session held with key stakeholders, including project sponsors and senior leadership, to explore recommendations and ensure alignment with LBC goals. 3. Iterate and Improve: Developed a plan for transitioning to the recommended operating model including clear timelines, milestones, and resource requirements. Collated all findings and recommendations into a comprehensive draft report, including team structure, roles and responsibilities, governance processes and thresholds. Presentation of draft report to project sponsors and leadership for feedback, ensuring agreement of recommendations and alignment with LBC goals. 4. Confirm and Conclude Secured sponsor and senior leadership buy-in and sign-off following the previous engagement session. Delivered the final report containing all findings, recommendations and the implementation plan. The Outcomes Key Outcomes: A new procurement operating model agreed upon by key stakeholders and adopted by the council. A recommended Corporate Procurement structure, including an additional 7 posts. A recommended change in approach towards procurement activity – to category management. This is important in supporting the delivery of over £2m savings Human Engine have worked with the council to identify. A new governance process to streamline requirements and ensure a proportionate approach is applied to procurement and contract management related governance. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Procurement Target Operating Model The Context Westminster City Council spends over £600m a year with third party suppliers, from services that keep the city’s streets clean to providing care for some of London’s most vulnerable residents.  Add to this one of the most ambitious regeneration programmes the city has ever seen, with a capital investment programme of £2bn over 5 years, and it is clear that getting value from every pound it spends is vital for the council’s sustainability and future ambitions. The Requirement The council recognised that its procurement and commercial capability as an organisation was not delivering the full value it could. For an organisation that spends around 70% of its budget with third party suppliers, this represented a significant lost opportunity. One of the main drivers for this project was to transform the capability of the central commercial service to better support stakeholders, while enhancing the skills, capabilities, tools and resources of staff in commercial and contract management roles across the organisation. The Programme Our team led a first review to identify opportunities to improve capability and performance. This identified significant weaknesses that had developed over a number of years, including: Significant gaps in capability , leading to an over-reliance on high cost interim workers to fill not just specialist positions but undertake routine activity that a well-functioning central commercial team should be able to deliver itself. A focus on procurement activity in the narrowest sense (i.e. quotations and tendering) with huge amounts of value lost through a lack of ongoing robust contract management once a contract had been awarded. Lack of organisational capability around contract management ; there had been a legacy programme intended to enhance skills, processes and performance but this had experienced several ‘false starts’ and not been successfully embedded. Major weaknesses in the quality and completeness of data ; less than 50% of the organisation’s third party spend was represented on the contracts register, dropping to 4% for discrete blocks of spend below £100k. Technology infrastructure that was not supporting high performance – with existing functionality being under-utilised and key elements of the required functionality missing. Employee engagement in a critical condition – with only 7% of staff reporting that they feel valued for the work they do as part of the corporate staff survey. Crucially, a lack of stakeholder understanding of what a well skilled, commercially minded service should be able to do for them – and no confidence in the existing team to deliver. Having presented these findings back to the Executive Leadership Team and Elected Members, we were able to galvanise broad organisational support to implement radical change. We then worked with the central procurement team to develop a programme of change that would transform every aspect of the organisation’s commercial capability. The programme was made up of five workstreams: 1. Strategy and Performance – including the harmonisation of processes (thresholds, gateways and approvals) to standardise working, simplify processes and create productivity efficiencies. 2. Policy and Governance – including development of clearer and more meaningful performance measures, moving from a compliance focus to adding measurable commercial value to the organisation. 3. Systems and Processes – including the development of a new Contract Management Framework to secure ongoing value from the full commercial lifecycle and the development of a new system to support this; development of an online resource hub to improve access to information, training, tools and templates across the organisation. 4. Structure and Skills – including detailed workload analysis and resource modelling, the design of a new organisational structure to support services across both organisations, creation of new job descriptions and development of new skills. 5. Culture and Engagement – working with all stakeholders to improve relationships and develop more collaborative working, moving to a more customer-focused culture to strike a better balance between ensuring compliance and enabling the organisation to act quickly and take calculated risks. The Outcomes A new operating model with a clearer service offer between the central team and rest of the organisation Clear roles and accountabilities for commissioning, procurement and contract management in the organisation A new organisational structure with a full suite of new role profiles and job descriptions, followed by a large recruitment campaign to fill vacant posts. Data quality improved significantly. At the start of the project, only 47% of the council’s spend was reflected on the contracts register; this is now at 76% and climbing. The service is significantly more attuned to organisational priorities – and pace, productivity and collaboration have increased as a result.  As an example, although the council is far from the first to achieve Living Wage accreditation, it is now the organisation that moved from application to accreditation in the shortest time. Stakeholder feedback and customer satisfaction drastically improved.  Stakeholders who were previously critics of the service are now advocates, and we are implementing formal measures of this as part of a new performance framework. Employee engagement has more than doubled – from 38% to 77% overall, and from 37% to 80% of staff saying their role gives them a sense of personal achievement. Improved quality and a clear service offer so compelling that services are ‘opting in’ to it – other business areas are now choosing to pay to have the central commercial team manage contracts on their behalf. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Income Generation Client Context Shropshire Council faced increasing pressure to balance its budget amid constrained resources and growing demand for services. Recognising the need for innovative solutions, the council sought to build upon its existing commercial activities to ensure sustainable public finances. To support this ambition, Human Engine was engaged to identify and evaluate opportunities for additional income. This included a detailed review of existing fees and charges, exploration of new revenue streams and assessment of long-term opportunities such as energy generation and assistive technology. Our Approach Human Engine adopted a structured and data-driven approach to identify opportunities for income generation, align the council with market standards and enhance its commercial acumen: We began with an analysis of the council's current fees and charges, comparing them against geographical and statistical neighbours. Based on this benchmarking, new fees were proposed for each identified service area. Further analysis identified where the council was not charging for services from which other authorities were receiving income, presenting different choices to Members as an alternative to service cuts. We also assessed the council's income from schools, uncovering key insights and opportunities for improvement. A focused review of the council’s school cleaning and catering services resulted in actionable recommendations to enhance efficiency and profitability. The team presented case studies of successful income generation initiatives from other councils to Shropshire’s leadership team, sparking discussions about new opportunities. Using our experience of working with public authorities nationally, we created a best practice Commercial Toolkit to help council officers sustainably embed rigorous commercial discipline in the organisation. Outputs and Outcomes Human Engine identified £2.1 million in opportunities for new or increased income, exceeding the council’s target. Our recommendations aligned Shropshire with its comparators, ensuring its income generation strategies were evidence-based and market-competitive. Beyond financial outcomes, the project delivered practical tools and recommendations to improve the council's commercial acumen, providing a foundation for sustainable income generation and informed decision-making on an ongoing basis. Key deliverables included: 1. Business cases for shortlisted opportunities, supporting immediate implementation. 2. A detailed inventory of all opportunities explored, to provide a pipeline of initiatives. 3. Opportunity Sizing: A comprehensive document outlining recommendations, risks and implementation considerations for opportunities in each service area. 4. Commercial Competency Framework: A tool for assessing and improving the council's commercial acumen and maturity. 5. Commercial Toolkit: A comprehensive suite of tools and templates to support officers in commercial projects on an ongoing basis. 6. Commercial Cost Calculator: A practical tool for calculating product and service costs to ensure full cost recovery at a minimum when setting prices. This project not only delivered immediate financial benefits but also equipped Shropshire Council with the tools and frameworks to embed a culture of commercial thinking, ensuring long-term benefits and organisational resilience. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Resident Experience Transformation Client Context Luton Council recognised that to deliver its 2040 strategic vision, there needed to be a significant transformation of its frontline customer services and internal processes to modernise the resident experience. As the council’s strategic transformation partner, we worked with residents, staff, Members and local groups to develop a new customer access model, underpinned by widespread improvements to technology, training, processes and ways of working. Our Approach We undertook a comprehensive diagnostic to identify the strengths and areas for improvement in the existing model. Evidence was drawn from: User Research: Interviews, focus groups and surveys with residents, community groups and Members Staff Input: Interviews and workshops with Customer Services and middle-office teams Maturity Assessment: Collaboratively assessing the council’s current state using our CX Maturity Model Data Analysis: Building up a holistic picture of demand and cost-to-serve, including the cost of failure demand Channel Diagnostic: Assessing cost and outcomes across every access channel Process Mapping: Identifying duplication and unnecessary hand-offs in the customer journey This diagnostic provided an evidence-based report that supported the development of a new, customer-centric Target Operating Model. Outputs and Outcomes Created a single, integrated contact centre resulting in savings in excess of £970k through consolidation of resources, streamlined processes and reducing unnecessary hand-offs. This produced a model that allowed customers to resolve more at the first point of contact , providing a better service to residents at lower cost to the council. Created a blueprint for a new Housing Hub, delivering savings of £225k while improving the experience of tenants through a single phone number and customer portal for all services – rent and arrears, repairs and other requests. Deep dives into high volume services like Parking, Licensing and Revenues & Benefits delivered cashable savings, while reducing call waiting times , increasing responsiveness and freeing up officer time to work on more complex cases. A new Resident Promise , a public commitment by the council to putting residents first and making it as easy as possible to do what they need. This was underpinned by a culture change programme to ensure a customer mindset throughout the organisation and a Digital Inclusion Strategy to ensure no resident is left behind. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Tackling Modern Slavery in Supply Chains The Context Modern slavery is one of the great evils of today’s world. It is a complex, and often hidden, crime that is estimated to affect around 40 million people around the world. As the authority responsible for prosecuting modern slavery cases in the UK, it was imperative that the Crown Prosecution Service identified and managed the risks in its own supply chain. The Requirement We supported the CPS and the Attorney General’s Office to both meet their legal obligations in respect of modern slavery and to implement best practice supply chain monitoring processes. This included identifying and investigating the organisation’s highest risk contracts to identify specific risks and issues, while developing a thematic roadmap to embed best practice. The Programme We supported the organisation to implement the Government’s strategic approach to tackling modern slavery, across five priority areas: 1. Contract Categorisation: we assessed the risks in the organisation’s procurement footprint by looking both at its existing approach to contract classification, based on financial value and business criticality, and the specific risks of modern slavery, based on industry type, global distribution of workforce and supply chain and nature of services. 2. Raising Awareness: we developed briefing packs for the executive team and other senior managers, securing their support to roll out training and awareness building across the organisation. 3. Supply Chain Mapping: we assessed 27 medium- and high-risk contracts and their supply chains using the Government Modern Slavery Assessment Tool (MSAT). This identified that all suppliers had met their legal obligations and a number had gone beyond the minimum requirements to incorporate best practice risk management into their own operations and their procurement and contract management processes. 4. Risk Mitigation: because the supplier assessment identified no urgent issues for resolution, we were able to focus on supporting suppliers to introduce best practice, based on a thematic analysis of the greatest opportunity areas. Across all suppliers, approach to KPIs and due diligence were identified as the greatest areas for improvement. We supported contract managers to engage their suppliers in improvement planning and, where suppliers were already high performing, encouraged them to share best practice. 5. Procurement and Contract Management Processes: the review identified a number of opportunities to improve CPS’s own approach to tackling modern slavery throughout the procurement and contract management process. These were developed into a phased roadmap, with a number of improvements being incorporated into a wider contract management development programme we subsequently worked with the client to deliver. The Outcomes A published Anti-Modern Slavery Statement , meeting the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act and drawing on best practice from across UK Government and global industry Detailed risk assessments for 27 high risk contracts , accompanied by a summary report for executive stakeholders, highlighting urgent actions and follow-on priorities A phased improvement roadmap , setting out improvement actions in four prioritised waves over 12 months Collation of best practice from across Government and a range of industry sectors to improve performance both within the client organisation and across its supply chain Contract managers gained knowledge and confidence in engaging with their suppliers on modern slavery risks and working with them to address improvement issues generally Guidance, tools and training to help contract managers further improve their confidence and embed the de-risking of modern slavery into their contracts in a systematic way About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Thriving Communities Programme Evaluation Client Context Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council and its partners through the Oldham Cares Partnership launched the Thriving Communities Programme, a £2.69m system-wide initiative designed to reduce reliance on high-cost public services by strengthening community-led prevention and intervention. The programme sought to tackle social isolation, mental and physical wellbeing and wider social determinants of health through a place-based, partnership-driven approach involving local government, health and the voluntary sector. Our Approach Working across a complex multi-agency landscape, Human Engine was commissioned to evaluate the programme’s impact, return on investment and effectiveness of delivery. Our process included: Stakeholder Engagement: We conducted over 100 engagement sessions with stakeholders, including local government leaders, NHS commissioners, frontline health professionals, VCFSE sector partners, housing associations, police and community organisations. This enabled us to understand cross-sector motivations, challenges and success factors. Data Analysis: Our evaluation incorporated a complex analysis of over 75,000 quantitative data points to assess programme outcomes and effectiveness. We also applied the ONS4 wellbeing methodology to measure changes in life satisfaction, happiness and community resilience among service users. Social Return on Investment (SROI): We developed a robust impact assessment framework to quantify the economic, social and financial benefits of community interventions. Evidence-Based Recommendations: Our findings led to an eight-point set of conclusions and recommendations, tailored for different system partners, including OMBC, the local VCFSE sector and public sector system leaders. Outputs and Outcomes Our evaluation demonstrated the tangible impact of the Thriving Communities Programme, providing an evidence base for securing future investment. Key outcomes included: 1. Community-led interventions supported thousands of residents, improving resilience and reducing reliance on statutory services. 2. Wellbeing measures showed significant positive changes, with participants reporting increased confidence, social connection and mental wellbeing. 3. Developed a measurable ROI on preventative interventions such as befriending schemes, mental health support and employment initiatives by calculating the deflected cost from higher levels of social care, mental health and benefits. 4. The programme’s success informed strategic funding decisions, ensuring the sustainability of place-based community approaches. Client Feedback "Human Engine were an excellent partner to work with. They were mindful of, and flexible to, the expectations of a range of senior stakeholders. They always had a professional approach to their work, and with the large number and range of local stakeholders engaged. The final reports were well presented and clear." Thriving Communities Programme Lead About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Community Renewal Programme Management The Context Barnsley MBC had bid for £2.3m funding from the Government’s Community Renewal Fund to deliver an innovative programme of interventions to help communities recover from the impact of COVID-19 and build back better, aligned to the Sheffield City Region’s priorities for economic growth and the council’s Place of Possibilities strategy. The aspiration was to create a programme that directly worked with communities to understand what good growth means to the local area. This understanding would then help delivery partners remove the barriers to employment and growth to enable businesses to flourish, creating good quality skills and employment opportunities that all residents can access. At the same time, the council wanted to make a step-change in how it worked with partners, moving from traditional models of consultation and engagement to genuine co-production and partnerships. Ultimately, the council and partners wanted to use the learning from this programme to review and refine the delivery model across the Borough and the Sheffield City Region. This stood out as an innovative and creative solution which put communities at the heart of achievable and sustainable renewal. The Requirement After a later-than-expected funding announcement from Government, the Human Engine team worked at pace with the council and partners to rapidly set up the programme management office (PMO) and mobilise projects for delivery. Following a speedy and successful mobilisation, we are now working with partners to deliver 20 projects throughout their full lifecycle, from mobilisation to conclusion, supported by a full suite of programme management tools, including a tailored balanced scorecard for senior stakeholders to use to track project progress, financials, risk and programme benefits. The team is also leading stakeholder engagement and management across a diverse set of delivery partners. This includes working with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Housing Associations, not-for-profit business growth hubs, the local Chamber of Commerce, private contractors and consultants, the voluntary and community sector and colleagues across different council departments. The Programme The £2.3m programme comprises 20 projects across 4 thematic workstreams: Supporting Businesses: projects that champion net-zero business plans; local business travel plans; business start-up; and tailored business grants. Communities and Place: projects that engage and listen to seldom-heard cohorts across the community; deliver free broadband, equipment and training to social housing tenants; and co-delivered Public Arts initiatives with vulnerable sectors of society. Supporting People into Employment: projects that listen and co-design interventions for the individual and provide skills opportunities; initiatives that allow individuals to ‘dip-their-toe’ into new career pathways; providing free public transport opportunities. Investment in Skills: projects that provide school-age children with access to career pathways and to develop high-employability skills for the future including cyber security; projects that allow the working-age population to build digital, creative and public art skills. Upon commencing the programme, the Human Engine team completed our mobilisation checklist to swiftly move the programme forward. This included meeting with key stakeholders to fully understand programme requirements from their perspective, including both hard and soft objectives. In addition to this, we delivered drop-in sessions for all project leads and stakeholders across the programme (approximately 40 stakeholders from partner organisations across the region). Once initial ‘lay of the land’ activities were complete, the team established clear governance and reporting arrangements and built a programme management and reporting framework that was both flexible and cohesive, allowing each project to deliver against its agreed objectives, but with a centrally managed communications and delivery plan. The team undertook project initiation activities with each of the project leads through compiling project initiation documents, project plans (that fed the overall programme plan), benefit realisation plans and resource forecasts. This documentation was critical in securing the delivery partner agreements with external delivery agencies and has been used to develop the balanced scorecard to show an overview of the programme as a one-page dashboard. The Human Engine team has planned a mid-programme conference, bringing together all stakeholders and agencies involved in the programme to share best practice and share lessons learned which can positively influence the second half of the programme. The Outcomes The success of the programme will be measured by achieving the following outcomes by June 2022: An increase in people in education and training An increase in people engaged in life skills An increase in people engaged in job searching A total of nearly 2,000 engagements with economically inactive participants The creation of Business Innovation Plans and Decarbonisation action plans An increase in new businesses created An increase in the number of businesses supported An increase in the amount of inward investment attracted We are also capturing wider benefits and opportunities through qualitative analysis, participant feedback and locally driven insight. This will allow key findings and lessons learned from the programme to be incorporated into future initiatives, to ensure maximum return on investment. This includes: Building a rich picture of understanding – identifying barriers to engagement and how to overcome these with hard-to-reach groups for future programmes of employment and wellbeing support An increase in the number of people engaged in their communities and contributing to local activities and initiatives An objective assessment of the pilot co-production model and the practical steps needed to scale-up community engagement programmes across Barnsley’s communities About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Efficient and Automated Process Delivery The Context The council were delivering a complex programme to move the whole council tax service back in-house after being delivered by an outsourced company for a number of years. As part of that programme, there was a need to redesign the recovery process for council tax arrears. This focused on the recovery process from the point at which the Liability Order is obtained to the case being closed (either payment collected or written off). This included a caseload of c.85,000, some of which are historical, dating back up to 20 years. The Requirement The Human Engine team supported the in-house council tax team redesign a process to improve the efficiency of the recovery process. The team identified two key issues to overcome: 1. Inconsistent process: There were a number of parts of the processes that had no end points which meant cases effectively hit a dead-end or dropped out of the recovery process 2. Correspondence with residents: Unclear information in letter correspondence with customers led to increased calls into the contact centre and non-mandatory appearances at court, which causes delays in the process The project formed part of the wider in-house programme and the ongoing system improvement work. All changes from this project had to align with these workstreams. The Programme The Human Engine team used our signature Improvement Drive methodology, designed to deliver fast and sustainable employee-led improvement. The Improvement Drive is a four-step methodology delivered over 12-weeks to facilitate employee-led change and coaching to leave teams with the skills and tools to deliver continuous improvement. We work with teams, not doing to them, to increase employee ownership and engagement. It is an approach to improvement that avoids ‘change fatigue’ and supports teams to design their own solutions to specific business problems. The four stages are: Discover: Build a knowledge base about the business problems we want to solve. This is gathered through the use of data about the service, basic process mapping and using anecdotal evidence / ‘lived experience’ of officers in the frontline teams Design: Once business problems have been identified, work to design solutions that will help overcome these. Understand the complexity of potential solutions – can these be delivered within 12 weeks? Deliver: Test solutions with major stakeholders through pilot schemes, focus groups or workshops. Begin rollout testing basis to increase uptake of new ways of working Determine: Review the impact of each solution. Rollout solutions to all users of the service during this period. The Outcomes Within the 12 weeks of the Improvement Drive , the project had implemented changes in the two key areas identified: Process Map of ‘as is’ and ‘to be’ process A new process was designed and implemented to ensure better use of the system and better oversight of debt. Maximising functionality and automating elements of the process was central to this. There were three key improvements to the process: 1. New thresholds were introduced which changed the level of debt at which each stage of the process is launched to increase the likelihood for recovery and avoid some debts ‘falling through the net’ 2. The profiling of cases has been simplified and reduced from 42 possible profiles to 5, reducing drop-out rates and improving data clarity 3. New sub-processes were created for cases that do not follow the normal summons process (such as housing associations, care leavers, vulnerable, deceased and student halls). Each of these cases now has a process that clarifies the correct method of collection for recovery officers and shows at what stage the case realigns the standard process Letter Redesign In addition to the main objective of redesigning the process, a new summons letter was designed which more clearly presented key information to residents. The redesign of this communication uses principles of Nudge Theory. Once implemented, the team quickly experienced the benefits of the changes, with reports that attendances at court had almost halved. In addition to this, the number of telephone queries received by the team had also significantly reduced. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Customer Services Operating Model Client Context Customer service at Hackney was fragmented and split between four contact centres in different directorates. The council had an ambition to create a new TOM for customer access and create efficiencies while improving the experience for residents. Our role was to lead the service and organisation through a transformation programme, to map customer contact through the organisation in order to identify opportunities for efficiencies alongside optimising channels for improved outcomes, while supporting staff and residents through the pandemic. Our Approach We conducted a series of workshops and interviews that incorporated customer teams and officers from all services to identify opportunities, discover pain points and to ensure a one organisation approach. We developed an “As Is” blueprint of the service that mapped all incoming contact. We worked with residents by attending panels, conducting user research and implementing a feedback tool. We analysed data sets to identify high cost and high volume areas of demand, opportunities to do more at the first point of contact, create new digital services and reduce both internal and contract spend. Outputs and Outcomes Created a single, integrated contact centre resulting in immediate savings of £220k through resource efficiency and a further £500k through management restructure, while joining up the E2E experience for customers and reducing unnecessary hand-offs. Integrated new services to the contact centre, including Adult Social Care and Council Tax to create efficiencies in the back office and do more for customers at the first point of contact. Created a pilot that used data to proactively identify vulnerable residents and provide highly skilled, relationship-based customer service to remove barriers to access services, in order to get more residents the right support at the right time. Introduced a strengths-based approach to deliver preventative services at first point of contact. Designed and delivered "Every Conversation Counts" training to all customer-facing staff and developed a tool to create referrals to partners and other services to provide holistic support to residents. Amazon Connect pilot to assist with transactional queries, including "find my rent balance" adopted by 50% of customers in first two months. Web Chat service that handled over 5,000 queries in the first month with a 90% customer satisfaction score. Procured and implemented new Out of Hours service to manage emergency contacts, streamline customer journey and provide better insight, at a lower cost and with performance targets set that align to organisational values. Client Feedback "I’m really grateful to Human Engine for the work they did helping us to bring our customer services teams together and managing the unprecedented challenges. Human Engine led our customer services teams through extraordinary challenges, built an impressive team culture, and made sure that our residents received a high quality experience despite the circumstances. The team also built excellent working relationships with colleagues across the Council's services, using these to deliver continuous improvements to the end-to-end customer journey.” Rob Miller, Strategic Director Customer & Workplace About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Target Operating Model Development The Context In 2020 the Nursing and Midwifery Council published a new strategy that fundamentally changed how the organisation needed to function. The vision was for a ‘safe, effective and kind nursing and midwifery practice, improving everyone’s health and well-being’. The strategy clearly clarified its primary functions. The organisation’s core role is to regulate; to regulate well, they made the commitment to support professions and the public; regulating and supporting our professions would allow them to influence health and social care delivery. The NMC’s previous iteration of the Target Operating Model, written in 2018, was now outdated. The Council had already begun to change its approach to delivery, by initiating an organisational restructure, to better deliver the new strategy; however, to help the organisation re-set how it regulates, supports and influences, the NMC needed a new Target Operating Model. The Requirement Human Engine were engaged to work with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to develop a new Target Operating Model. We worked with the NMC, focussing on the following deliverables: An organisational blueprint for delivery which sets out the main principles about how the organisation will deliver its strategy and the implications for change A target operating model which reflects the delivery blueprint and which highlights the key organisation design principles A high-level delivery plan for the implementation of the above, including the key activities and decision making that would be required to move the organisation from current state to future state The Programme Our team led a range of engagement and development methods to engage, co-design, refine and deliver the TOM. Working with the NMC, we followed the following process: Data Gathering and Fact-finding – We conducted over 25 hours of 1:1 stakeholder interviews, reviewed key organisational policy and strategy documentation and analysed organisationally critical datasets Design Principles and Approach – Co-produced and agreed on a set of organisational design principles that helped guide the programme team when making important decisions. The design principles guided us towards the sort of Target Operating Model we needed to create Operating Canvas – We used an operating canvas approach to cover all the key aspects of the TOM. This built on the strategy and organisational restructure work already underway TOM Development: We lead 24 hours of workshop activity across 4 working groups, and using online collaboration boards to gather additional colleague engagement, before we drafted the TOM, building on the TOM components identified in the Operating Canvas Review and Approve – We lead a series of additional workshops and follow-ups with subject matter experts to refine the TOM, before it was shared and approved with the Executive Group The Outcomes The Target Operating Model, and supporting Implementation Plan, provided the building blocks for the NMC to deliver their current strategy, which expires in 3 years, but also provides the foundations for the organisation to transform and deliver against its new Regulatory Redesign requirements. The Target Operating Model bridged the gap between strategy and delivery, configuring the organisation’s resources and ways of working in a way to best support the delivery of the strategy The TOM was structured into two delivery phases: - The first was making the NMC function better across the same size and shape of organisation - The second will change the shape of the organisation ; growing it’s influencing function, and reducing it’s regulation capacity For NMC Strategy , the TOM provided the framework for leaders to be more comfortable interpreting high level outcomes and translating these into clear, measurable actions For NMC Governance , the TOM provided the blueprint for a new Accountabilities Framework For Internal Communications , there is a roadmap a towards creating a Centre of Excellence For Customer Access , a new model to better manage demand was created for Registrants, there is a programme of work to improve registrant experiences For data management , the TOM provided a maturity model and development pathway for better data management and insight For talent management , there is now an environment to create a feedback culture and a blueprint for a career roadmap throughout the organisation For employer brand , we developed a shared vision that meant the NMC is recognised as a great place to work, including external recognition About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies

Developing a Commercial Strategy The Context Essex Partnership University Trust is a mental health and community healthcare provider covering a population of more than 2 million people across Essex, Sussex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The organisation operates in a highly complex local healthcare system, with 7 Clinical Commissioning Groups, 3 upper tier local authorities, 12 district councils and 3 Integrated Care Systems. The way the NHS is funded and does business was about to dramatically change and the Trust wanted to develop a modern strategy for both its commercial relationships and local partnerships, while putting patients at the centre of everything it does. The Requirement The Trust had been successful at winning contracts on a competitive tender basis. While it had experienced some challenges, it had also won new business including Immunisation Services across multiple geographies and Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. However, the organisation faced increasing competition from both private providers and other NHS providers from out-of-area. The Trust Board was concerned that they were losing market share and were no longer perceived as the provider of choice for local services. They also recognised that the future commercial environment would be more complex and more nuanced than those of the past, with Integrated Care Systems bringing commissioners (in both the NHS and local government) and providers closer together and asking them to take shared accountability for population health outcomes. The Trust Board asked us to help them develop a modern commercial strategy that was fit for the new commissioning and operating environment of the NHS. This was to make the most of the existing successes and commercial capabilities in the organisation, while enhancing the focus on local partnerships and becoming the provider of choice for mental health and community services. The Programme We began by speaking to stakeholders across the organisation to understand the Trust’s existing commercial strategy and how this was perceived and understood by people in different roles. The project began at the onset of COVID-19 so, to mitigate the pressure on clinical and operational staff, we undertook this work in two parts. We first engaged with the Executive Team, Non-Executive Directors and staff in corporate roles to understand the corporate view of the strategy. Once pressures on frontline staff had begun to ease, we then engaged with the medical, nursing and operational teams to learn how they interpreted the strategy and its relevance to their roles. At the same time, we undertook a detailed analysis of the local healthcare market . This included developing a clear picture of an incredibly complex and fragmented local commissioning landscape , with services commissioned by seven CCGs, three local authorities and NHS England. We analysed contracts registers and commissioning forward plans for all of these organisations and built up a comprehensive picture of how services were provided. This allowed us to produce a strategic forward plan for the Trust, based on local commissioning intentions and contract expiration dates, supported by detailed competitor analysis of incumbent providers, identifying their strengths and weaknesses and how the Trust should position itself to regain market share for each service in each local area. We also looked at the national picture, assessing both the existing policy context and political direction of travel for the NHS. This led us to recommend to the Trust that it reframe its commercial strategy as a commercial and partnerships strategy , which would best position it as the provider of choice in an Integrated Care System model. The Outcomes A clear strategy with buy-in from across the organisation. The Trust Board previously had different ideas about what it means to be commercial in the NHS; the new strategy helped to unify the board around a shared vision to work towards together. A strategic forward plan of commercial opportunities, built from a comprehensive picture of local commissioning intentions and contract arrangements. This has allowed the Trust to plan for upcoming opportunities and better mobilise its resources to develop compelling and innovative proposals. Enhanced market insight , including an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of competitors. This will help the Trust to balance quality, price and innovation in future tenders in a way that meets commissioners’ requirements, beats competitors and regains market share. Opportunities Qualification Process – a more systematic approach to assessing the commercial viability of contracts and qualifying these opportunities to ensure the organisation is focused on services where it can provide value and deliver within budget. A new capabilities framework , identifying the knowledge, skills and resources the Trust will need going forward to maximise the opportunities that exist locally and nationally. This is supported by a plan for a ‘commercial culture’ that is aligned to the organisation’s other change initiatives and culture roadmap. About Us Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects. Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures. Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership. Back to Our Case Studies