1. Delayering the organisation
in a radically open way
The University of Hertfordshire Agile Programme
Alan Combes – Head of Improvement and Planning

2. The case for change
`The current structure has worked well and as a university we
are achieving great things. This change is about ensuring the
University stays ahead of the game and is able to adapt and
move with agility as demands from students and changes to
the sector become apparent.’
`The aim of the change is to reduce complexity and improve
the effectiveness and agility of the organisation’
Quintin McKellar,
Vice Chancellor, July 2011

3. Initial Feasibility –
analysing faculty
roles, processes and
activities

4. Devolve to
Schools or
Centralise?

5. Overall aims of the Programme
• Consolidate emerging Strategic Business Unit model
establish consistent roles in each management team
• Devolve responsibility/governance where possible
• Reduce organisational/process/decision complexity
enabling more decision making at a local level
• Enhance strategic focus and leadership
Delivering a more focussed, clearly led and agile
organisation

6. How?

7. The Approach to change…
1. The VC addressed the community immediately with key principles:
 We believe this is right, we want staff involved in developing the solutions
 The key driver is agility and effectiveness not cost reduction
 Roles and reporting lines may change but no-one will be at risk of redundancy
 The Programme will be cost and headcount neutral
 There will be no new SBUs
 Both operational management and governance needs will be met
2. Team/project oriented within an overarching programme of works
 Dedicated programme management group established
3. Opportunities for process and operational improvement will be maximised
4. Very regular and consistent communications

8. Programme Management – APMG / IPO
Champion - VC
Infrastructure: IT-Systems / Estates
People
Communications and Involvement
Finance
Work
streams
Impact
Assessment
Work stream 1 Work stream 2 Work stream 3 Work stream 4 Work stream 5 Work stream 6 Work stream 7 Work stream 8
Finalisation of
Top Level
Organisation
Technicians
Review
Procurement
Centralisation
Health Schools
Reorg
Faculty
Academic
Roles
Governance
(Committees
and Policy)
Faculty Admin
Reorganisation
PVC /
HOS/AHOS
Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
Work stream
Project Team
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
HR Business
Partner
Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator
RTU rep RTU rep RTU rep RTU rep RTU rep
Other
specialists
Other
specialists
Other
specialists
Other
specialists
Other
specialist
Other
specialists
Other
specialists
Other
specialists
Wider engagement activities and inclusion of volunteers
Management
Agile Programme

9. Timescales and phasing
Engagement and
Design
Review and formal
Consultation
Implementation
July 2011 September 2012
VC’s
announcement
Proposals published
Structures agreed
Organisation in place
January
2012
May
2012
1st Sept
2012
Autumn 2011
Feb - April
May - Sept Embedding
2013-14

10. Engagement statistics
• Programme Management Group = IPO head plus 5 senior staff
 Met weekly or fortnightly for the whole year
• More than 500 staff were directly affected
 by either organisational or role change
• 75 members of staff supported the core work streams
• More than 300 staff attended over 40 ‘involvement meetings’
 facilitated by the work streams
• More than 600 staff attended 40 `briefing meetings’
 chaired by line managers, supported by HR and attended by Trade Unions.
• Over 200 written consultation responses were received,
 summarised WITH RESPONSES and published openly

11. Impact of the change
• Substantially flatter structure
 entire layer of faculty meetings, reviews and double checks removed
• Improved line of sight - Deans of Schools to the Deputy Vice Chancellor
 leading to substantially communications and decision making
• Improved autonomy and accountability for Deans of School
 managing technical staff, school based administration teams
 a greater sense of ‘my school’ and improved pastoral care for every student
• Introduction of Strategic PVCs linked to specific named roles present in all management teams
• Establishment of maximum spans of control requiring PLs to take on line management
• Improved and more consistent job descriptions

12. Managed in an Open
Engaged Planning Process
Strategic Plan
Expressed in our
Organisational Structure
PVCStudentExperience,PVCBusinessEnterprise
PVCResearch,PVCInternational
PVCRegionalandCulturalAffairs
UH Embedded Strategy
Professional SBUs – services and advice
Academic SBUs*
1. Business School
2. Education
3. Law
4. Humanities
5. Engineering & Technology
6. Computer Science
7. Physics, Astronomy and
Maths
8. Creative Arts
9. Life and Medical Sciences
10. Health and Social Work
DVC / OVC 5 Year Targets
Traffic Light Report
2 x per year
Measured in KPIs and
Targets
October/November
• Look back at previous year
• Performance review
May / June
• Late mid year
• Commentary based
LeadingonStrategic
Goals
Management / Leadership
Oversight / Balance
Annual Planning
Round
Parallel, Integrated
Capital Investment
Process
Transparent
Overhead Allocation
Feb: Planning Conference
• Context, constraints
April: Submissions
May: 1-1 Planning Meetings
• For all business units
• Focus on goals and aspirations
• Resulting in Budget and Capital
investment
PVCs
* Management roles aligned to PVCs
Clear budget position

13. Dean of School
Associate Dean
Learning &
Teaching / Student
Experience
School
Administration Manager
Associate Dean
Research
Associate
Dean
Academic Quality
Associate Dean
Business
Innovation
Associate Dean
International and
Recruitment
TBC
Head of Screen
Head of Visual Arts Head of Design Head of Music Academic Group
Leader Postgraduate
Technical and
Resources Manager
School Typical
Structure
Profs/Subject Group Leaders

14. Feedback – good and bad…
• Of 468 staff affected - one official grievance registered by a group of 5 staff
• Clearly some staff found the change very challenging
• Genuine effort to encourage staff to participate and influence the change
• Workstreams effective - but some inconsistency in approach
• Temprorary Transition resources required - not sufficiently considered
• Aggressive timescale and ‘big bang’ change created strain alongside business as usual
• Equally – not knowing the outcome for six months created tension
• More time needed for implementation – has led to a number of post Agile challenges
• Accept that the change isn’t finished when the Programme ends

15. Key Success Factors…
• A project oriented approach
• Sub-dividing the task into manageable pieces
• Active – very present Programme management
 providing an effective focus for leadership, governance , decision making and communication
• Provision of clear leadership briefs for each stage
• IPO Facilitators and HR Business Partners for each project
 encouraging dialogue and consistency
• A heavy emphasis on communications and dialogue
We didn’t achieve all of these!!

16. Next steps
• Embedding the change through:
o Understanding the new roles
o Defining and refining the processes
o Developing staff
• Internal (IPO) Process Review of the Agile process
• SUMS-led B independent review of benefits/outcome
• Admitting something could have gone better

17. Any questions or observations?