Delivering defence differently: meeting government targets through collaboration and systems thinking

New ways of thinking and working are required to implement the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review

Delivering complex defence projects on time and to budget in the face of increasingly serious and diverse threats requires a change in both approach and mindset, according to Mott MacDonald principal account lead for defence John Hansford.

Numerous reforms introduced in the UK’s recently published Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set out the clear need to deliver new or upgraded critical military equipment and infrastructure over the coming months and years. Delivering these projects at the pace, scale and quality required, however, will call for a step change in the way the sector approaches infrastructure projects because, as stated in the SDR, “business as usual is not an option”.

Image credit: UK MOD, reproduced under the terms of OGL

Failure to meet the SDR’s recommendations could not only lead to lengthy delays, cost overruns and increasingly obsolete infrastructure, but would also undermine the UK’s defence capability and NATO commitments. It’s too important to fail.

Meeting these delivery challenges within the defence sector will require a refreshed approach to procurement that speeds the pace of decision making, budget allocation and approval and draws in private-sector expertise and capital as quickly as possible.

This refreshed approach must be developed collaboratively between stakeholders in order to recognise the difficulties of operating in today’s increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) environment. This requires continual adaptation to meet ever-changing challenges and it’s clear that a complete shift is essential to achieve the SDR’s timeline targets.

Collaborative versus transactional

Historically many projects within the defence sector that have suffered from cost and schedule overruns. These projects have been characterised by a transactional approach where each party involved focuses on fulfilling their specific and individual contractual obligations with limited collaboration evident in practice between parties. While contract forms are based on the principle of “mutual trust and cooperation”, often the opposite behaviours prevail day to day in projects that face the greatest problems.

Defence infrastructure contracts and behaviours must evolve from a transactional model, focused on rigid deliverables and predetermined outcomes, to a more collaborative approach. This change will foster and incentivise long-term value creation, innovation and resilience while continuing to maintain the strict cost control necessary to deliver results and remain affordable. Agreements should emphasise early and continuous engagement between government, industry and stakeholders, enabling shared understanding of objectives, risks and constraints. This approach demands and encourages joint problem-solving, transparency and collaboration, built on a foundation of mutual trust, which are all essential for managing complex, long-duration projects that are typical in the context of defence infrastructure projects.

Mott MacDonald is already using more collaborative ways of working with defence clients – and the results are clear. As delivery partner for the F35 Beddown Programme at RAF Lakenheath for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) we embedded collaborative principles, including co-located delivery “clusters” comprising representatives from key stakeholders and contractors. This improved communication, decision making and delivered complex new infrastructure on time despite schedule changes due to the pandemic, rare bird discoveries on site and differing demands from multiple stakeholders.

Seeing the bigger picture

Part of the success of this, as well as others we have delivered across various sectors, is taking a systems thinking approach. This looks at interdependencies and long-term impacts throughout the lifecycle of a project and the interconnected nature of defence infrastructure assets with the operations that are mounted from the Defence Estate. The Built Environment Connective’s Connect to Change report, which is a cross-industry initiative, sets out a shared understanding for the built environment sector for how systems thinking can be applied.

Projects also need to be adaptable to change, so we are moving away from traditional linear delivery models to align with a spiral development model. Adopting a spiral development approach supports the UK’s ambition to respond more rapidly to infrastructure solutions associated with emerging challenges, particularly in areas like cyber, autonomous systems, and electronic warfare. It aligns with the SDR’s emphasis on moving at “wartime pace” innovation and segmented procurement through tranches of delivery.

With such high stakes and against an increasing threat, it’s not surprising that many defence clients have ended up with risk-averse cultures that can resist innovation. Our experience has shown, however, that having agile, multidisciplinary teams which actively promote a culture of collaboration, mutual trust and cooperation are vital to improve delivery confidence in increasingly complex projects in an increasingly unpredictable world.

The SDR sets out to reduce the security and defence risk from that unpredictability. Drawing on broader industry expertise means that we can also support the defence sector to reduce the risk on the projects that will achieve the SDR’s aims.