The Challenge

The organisation had invested in foundational data and reporting capabilities, including a modern data platform and new reporting tools. However, the value of these investments was not yet being fully realised.

Key challenges included:

• Siloed data, reporting and analysis activities across the organisation

• Reporting focused on “what happened” rather than “why” or “what to do next”

• Limited insight capability and no formalised approach to insight activation

• Inconsistent KPIs and reporting between Board, Executive and operational teams

• Heavy reliance on spreadsheets for critical reporting

• Limited ability to use data to improve student experience, operational performance, and strategic decision-making

There was strong executive appetite to become a data-led organisation, but no clear, shared blueprint for how to get there.

The Goal

The objective was to create a practical, prioritised Performance and Reporting Blueprint that would:

• Define a clear future state for data, reporting and insights

• Align executive, operational and strategic reporting

• Establish insight as a core organisational capability

• Enable better decision-making across strategy, operations and service delivery

• Provide a realistic, phased roadmap for delivery

The strategy needed to balance ambition with delivery reality in a complex public-sector environment.

Our Approach

We acted as an independent expert partner, working closely with executives, strategy, reporting, data and operational teams.

The engagement followed a structured but pragmatic approach:

1. Discovery Assessment

A broad, evidence-based assessment of current Data, Reporting, Insight and Activation capabilities, including:

• Review of existing platforms, reports and processes

• Stakeholder engagement across strategy, operations and service delivery

• Capability maturity assessment against best-practice benchmarks

This phase created a shared, fact-based understanding of strengths, gaps and opportunities across the organisation.

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2. Blueprint Development

Discovery findings were translated into a clear future-state Blueprint, including:

• Strategic objectives for performance, reporting and insights

• Defined capability areas and operating model principles

• Prioritised initiatives aligned to organisational goals

• Clarity on roles, governance and ways of working

The focus was on enabling insight-driven decision-making, not just improving reports.

3. Roadmap & Prioritisation

A phased, high-level roadmap was developed to:

• Sequence capability uplift over time

• Balance quick wins with longer-term transformation

• Align organisational change with technical delivery

• Support investment and funding decisions

The Solution

The engagement delivered a Performance and Reporting Blueprint that provided:

• A clear purpose and vision for data, reporting and insights

• Defined future-state capabilities across:

  • Data foundations and governance

  • Reporting standards and alignment

  • Insight generation and activation

• A prioritised set of strategic initiatives aligned to organisational objectives

• A practical delivery roadmap spanning multiple horizons

Rather than focusing on tools alone, the Blueprint emphasised:

• Organisational alignment and capability

• Clear accountability and governance

• Embedding insight into decision-making processes

• Building sustainable internal capability over time

The result was a strategy designed to be executed, not shelved .

Results & Impact

The engagement delivered several important outcomes:

• A shared, organisation-wide view of what “good” looks like for performance and reporting

• Clear alignment between strategy, reporting and operational decision-making

• A shift from fragmented reporting to a single, consistent performance narrative 

• Greater confidence in how data and insights could support student-centric and outcome-focused decisions

• A realistic, prioritised roadmap to guide investment and delivery

Most importantly, the organisation moved from viewing reporting as a compliance function to treating insight as a strategic asset.

Key Takeaway

Becoming data-led is not about dashboards alone.

It requires clear purpose, aligned reporting, and the ability to turn data into insight, and insight into action.

By focusing on outcomes, capability and delivery, the organisation established a strong foundation for sustained, insight-driven performance improvement.