The authority was responsible for delivering complex transport and infrastructure outcomes across a large and diverse portfolio, requiring coordination across policy, planning, delivery, and operational functions. While significant effort was invested in improving performance and capability, the absence of a stable reference point made it difficult to assess progress consistently over time.
Measures tied too closely to organisational structure or process maturity shifted as reforms occurred, limiting their usefulness as a long-term performance benchmark. What was needed was a more enduring foundation that could support meaningful comparison, guide improvement efforts, and provide leadership with a clearer line of sight between capability, performance, and outcomes.
What Prompted Change?
Existing performance measures were tied to organisational structures and processes that were continually evolving. As responsibilities shifted and reforms progressed, it became increasingly difficult to compare performance over time or assess whether improvement initiatives were delivering lasting impact.
This lack of a stable reference point limited leadership’s ability to track progress, prioritise improvement efforts, and make informed investment decisions. The authority recognised the need for a more enduring, capability-based yardstick that could remain consistent despite ongoing organisational and process change, and provide a reliable foundation for performance management going forward.
Strategy in Action
Fragile to Agile was engaged to establish a Business Capability Model as a stable foundation for planning and measuring strategic change. An executive-level capability model was developed for the authority, with deeper focus applied to the people and performance domain where consistent measurement was most critical.
Key Result Areas were aligned directly to business capabilities, with performance calculated from underlying role-level measures. This enabled performance to be visualised as a single, coherent capability heat map, providing leadership with a clear and consistent view of organisational performance across the enterprise.
In parallel, a dedicated capability model was developed to support the Portfolio Management Office, informing the assessment and procurement of portfolio and project management solutions. The capability footprint and integration requirements of these solutions were mapped to ensure future investments aligned with enterprise priorities and delivered measurable value.
Delivering Meaningful Impact
The introduction of a capability-based performance model provided a stable and repeatable foundation for measuring business performance over time. Leadership gained the ability to track and compare results across key result areas consistently, even as organisational structures and processes evolved.
By applying the same capability-led approach to portfolio management, the authority was able to select PMO tools with a clear understanding of required functionality and integration needs. This reduced duplication, improved solution fit, and ensured future investments could be implemented with greater confidence and alignment to enterprise priorities.
