Budget and Finance Case Study with a Global Defence Agency

Challenge

A global defence agency was tasked with combining key programme schedules from across the defence portfolio and generating a configured network model of the enterprise. This network needed to be structured around the key build components, infrastructure development, and cross-cutting functions. Its purpose was to help identify gaps, issues and dependencies across the whole enterprise.

Cause

The enterprise spanned government, industrial and global boundaries in a multi-national community. Its mission was a national endeavour as complex and challenging as landing a man on the moon. The network solution needed to have scheduling and visualization tools to link complicated schedules, visualize the enterprise as a whole, and simplify complexity. The agency was dealing with matters of national security and multi-billion dollar investments, so the accuracy and reliability of decision-making was critical.

Solution

SharpCloud’s visualization tools enabled them to meticulously plan ahead and accurately forecast the repercussions of events such as supply chain delays on their own timeline. They became able to easily forecast future needs years in advance with a precision akin to knowing the day or week. The power of having a network like SharpCloud also helped the agency harness collective learning and leverage the vast pool of inside knowledge. They could share thousands of storylines with every part of the agency and each storyline could be actively engaged with, viewed, or updated by the relevant individuals.

Benefits

SharpCloud effectively communicated complexity in a simple, compelling narrative, making it accessible to senior decision makers who were not experts in technical domains. This helped leadership focus on what truly mattered in a complex enterprise, resulting in better-informed and more efficient decisions. Having transparent, rich storylines meant they couldn’t hide from any problems. This proved enormously helpful when handling tricky stakeholders and complex subject matters. It also created a network that captured institutional learning, helping to increase transparency and mitigate risk.

Success

SharpCloud led to significant financial opportunities and decisions for the agency, such as identifying missed opportunities worth over £1 billion and quickly recognizing the need to commit over £500 million to essential infrastructure capabilities. It also provided a clear rationale behind the decision to allocate an additional £3 billion over the next two years. Despite the initial investment, the value delivered by SharpCloud has far outweighed the costs for the defence agency, with many significant financial commitments made off the back of its implementation.

“SharpCloud is the only platform I have seen that has the ability to solve difficult project challenges quickly and help identify blockers to delivery. It really is a cutting-edge use of roadmapping and visualization technology.”

Solution

SharpCloud serves as a powerful visualization tool, adept at transforming complexity into a clear and compelling narrative. Its visual data capabilities have elevated discussions with senior stakeholders, providing them with more informed insights. Additionally, SharpCloud facilitates the forecasting of event impacts and offers strategies for mitigating risks effectively. Moreover, it fosters collective learning and collaboration across the entire organization, enabling teams to work together seamlessly towards common objectives.