The 7 Lenses of

Transformation
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Published December 2024.
Reporting to Cabinet Office and HM Treasury
Contents
Introduction6
Overview of the 7 Lenses 8
7 Lenses 12
Using the 7 Lenses 16
Lens 1: Vision 20
Case Study: Digitising Social Care 22
Case Study: Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage 23

Lens 2: Design 24
Case Study: The Passport Service Transformation Programme 27

Lens 3: Plan 28
Case Study: Universal Credit Programme 31

Lens 4: Transformation Leadership 32

Case Study:Transformation Leadership 35

Lens 5: Collaboration 36
Case Study: The Cabinet Office Borders Group 39

Lens 6: Accountability 40
Case Study: The ONS Integrated Data Programme 43

Lens 7: People 44
Case Study: Psychological Safety in Programmes 47

4
Enabling Environment 48
Case Study: Places for Growth  50
Case Study: The Government’s Digital Transformation Roadmap 51

Community Feedback 52

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 5

Introduction

The government’s transformation portfolio includes over 60 major

projects, spanning nearly all departments and agencies, and
representing roughly a quarter of the Government Major Projects
Portfolio (GMPP).
This portfolio is continually evolving, but at present, it will
potentially deliver over £500 billion1 in benefits and is scheduled to
deliver well into the 2030s. These projects plan to transform the
relationship between citizen and state, harness new technology to
improve public services and make government more productive.

1
Data correct as of Q3 23/24. Data source transformation programme data from GMPP.

6
The IPA hosts the Transformation working, and experimenting
Portfolio Board, Transformation with innovative technology.
Practitioner Community and Importantly, much of this needs
the Transformation for Senior to be delivered at the same time.
Leaders Programme, which
brings together the wider The 7 Lenses provides a practical
government community guide for understanding complex
to support the successful transformations. It is the result
delivery of these projects. of extensive collaboration
At the IPA, we are continually between colleagues from
impressed by the community’s across government who have
passion for strengthening the first-hand experience in leading
government’s transformation large-scale transformations,
expertise and the Civil Service’s supported by external experts.
long-term commitment to this We have consolidated this
transformation journey. expertise into a simple tool
to guide your organisation’s
In programmes as diverse as transformation journey.
Digitising Social Care, Carbon
Capture, Usage and Storage, The 7 Lenses has gained
Single Trade Window and a following within the Civil
programmes to reform the Service as a tool to refer to
welfare system, the combined when planning and delivering
scope and scale exceeds a GMPP transformation
anything we have previously programme. The IPA has seen
seen and demonstrates what the the transformation community
government aspires to achieve. grow within the Civil Service
and creating tools like the 7
While the benefits of Lenses gives high confidence
transformation can be huge, that we will continue to improve
delivering these projects can our ability to deliver the
be incredibly challenging. transformation of government
By their very nature, complex for the benefit of citizens
transformations usually involve and businesses.
significant organisational and
cultural change, new ways of

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 7

Overview of
The government is focussed on
delivering major transformation,
and since 2018 nearly a third of

the 7 Lenses all GMPP programmes have been

identified as transformational.
The sheer scope, scale and
complexity of this portfolio
is extraordinary. We have
identified a number of ways
in which transformation
programmes differ from
others, namely:

8
■ large transformation ■ typically need longer in
programmes differ from the OBC to FBC stage than
large change programmes infrastructure projects to
in terms of scope, develop and agree defined
complexity, and impact outcomes and bring all
■ require a broader and stakeholders on board
strategic perspective, ■ change programmes, on the
emphasising holistic other hand, are more specific
changes that have significant in nature, focusing on
impact on an organisation, individual areas or processes
unit or service within the organisation
■ often involve a more agile and
adaptive approach, requiring
cultural change and have
long-lasting effects on the
organisation’s direction

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 9

Five Characteristics of through a different channel)
and public servants need to
Transformation work differently to provide
In line with this, the IPA those services – often
digitally enabled – this will
has identified common
mean new ways of working
characteristics across the
GMPP transformation portfolio ■ operational environment and
that allow us to explore the organisation design: there
unique nature of these projects will be changes in operating
and categorise accordingly. models, behaviours and/
or organisational changes,
The IPA has agreed with the
including changes in the
Transformation Portfolio Board
organisation design
and the Major Projects Portfolio
Board (MPPB) the following five ■ digital, technology and
characteristics that determine business processes:
whether or not a programme is there are significant new
transformational: technologies, innovations
and/or processes which have
■ people and citizen: the public not previously been used
interact with government within the organisation and
differently to receive have widespread impact
government services
differently (e.g. faster, or

10
■ connected locations: the Technological advances,
workforce will change the innovation and improved
dynamic of their interactions data usage are a key element
and ways of working – this of transformation, and the
may be driven by changes in government will need to improve
the workforce estate, either the use of all three to achieve
in location, size or space the outcomes expected across
■ multi-stage: functionality transformation programmes.
or outcomes evolve on
an iterative basis, and The 7 Lenses is a holistic tool
plans need to be flexible that enables senior leaders to
– programmes may run reflect on key areas of their
for longer than a single programme to ensure they have
administration or Spending covered all angles and that no
Review (SR) period red flags have been sidelined.
The guide can be used in
Transformation programmes
conjunction with the 7 Lenses
are extremely challenging
Maturity Matrix, a practical tool
in any environment but
for programmes to determine
are becoming increasingly
where they are with their
complex as we face further
transformation and measure
delivery challenges, including
their maturity. The framework
supply chain restrictions
enables you to evaluate the
resulting from COVID-19,
current state and set goals for
an increasingly contested
improvement.
international environment
and the challenge of net zero.
Successful delivery requires
us to work across government,
to share experiences and learn
collectively to improve our
delivery capability and capacity.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 11

7 Lenses

The 7 Lenses is still as relevant as it was when launched in 2018,

and updated research supports the original findings of the
cross‑government transformation community. This community
was established to share experiences of transformation and work
together to improve delivery. We wanted to learn from successful
examples across government and identify areas that we collectively
need to tackle to improve our chances of delivery.

“The 7 Lenses has been an invaluable tool for me to periodically

assess my programme(s) against and ensure they remain on
track for success. I commend it to all programme directors as
an impartial and ‘psychologically safe’ way to identify and agree
areas for improvement that leave teams feeling supported,
not challenged.”

Jason Yaxley,
Programme Director, Integrated Data Programme (delivering the
Integrated Data Service), Office for National Statistics (ONS)

12
The 7 Lenses of Transformation 13
The 7 Lenses emerged from right priorities and will help you
discussion with experienced to identify which areas need
practitioners from within and more attention.
outside government from
a variety of roles, including The 7 Lenses have proved
programme directors, senior successful because, although
responsible owners and chief there is no single formula for
digital officers. We are grateful success, users have found
to them for being very candid that a framework of common
in sharing their experiences language, themes and success
of what has gone well, and criteria allows leaders to drive
less well, in the past. All these a collective conversation and
programmes are very different, teams to build consensus about
but we were able to identify what is required to deliver.
common themes that you need This enables transformation
to get right. We have distilled this leaders and their teams to
mass of learning experience into collaborate around a shared
a tool that is straightforward to vision and set goals that
apply in your environment. empower team members to
easily identify potential red flags
Using the 7 Lenses will give you and communicate these to the
confidence and reassurance right people.
that you are focusing on the

“With responsibility for a department-wide transformation

portfolio, I used the 7 Lenses to provoke a conversation with
our Executive Committee about the conditions for successful
transformation. The Lenses made us focus on more than just the
individual change programmes and helped us to understand what
we needed to do to set the conditions for success.”

Suzanne Newton,
Director General Strategic Change, HMRC

14
This publication supports would value feedback based
ongoing work to help people on your experience of using
understand what the 7 Lenses them. You can join the cross-
are and how they can use government transformation
them. Across the government, community (more information
we’ll be continually developing can be found on the Government
tools and products to support Project Delivery Hub – https://
transformation delivery. projectdelivery.civilservice.
We built the 7 Lenses with gov.uk) and find more
the community, and we community resources.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 15

Using the
7 Lenses

16
The 7 Lenses are helpful when applied at different stages of your
transformation journey to develop ideas and assess progress within
the boundaries of an established framework to enable healthy
debate. The Lenses can be used individually or collectively to
ensure that all key areas have been considered when planning and
delivering the transformation programme.

This tool is primarily aimed at How the 7

departmental change leaders,
including major programme Lenses can help
project sponsors, senior The 7 Lenses are particularly
responsible owners (SROs), useful to give teams a common
programme directors, chief language and consistent
digital officers and chief framework for talking about
information officers. It has transformation. They are useful
proven to be equally applicable to throughout the transformation
any size of organisation. life cycle.
The 7 Lenses are part of a When setting up your
package of resources available transformation, the 7 Lenses can
from the IPA to aid successful help you to:
project delivery. Other
products include Bad Omens, ■ structure your work and
Transformation Diagnostic get started
Tool, The Art of Brilliance ■ define success and secure
and the Transformation for commitment and support
Senior Leaders programme – from senior leaders
again, more information can ■ make sure you have
be found on the Government considered all the things
Project Delivery Hub – you will need to do to
https://projectdelivery. be successful
civilservice.gov.uk

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 17

The Lenses can be used at The 7 Lenses Maturity Matrix
any time as a health check sits alongside the 7 Lenses. It is
to establish: a practical tool to enable teams
to assess the progress of their
■ how you are doing
transformation programme,
■ what should you focus on identify which areas need more
next – will you get there attention and agree on a goal
(is it realistic)? over the next 6–12 months.
■ are you missing anything? Using both 7 Lenses and the
■ are you communicating matrix together helps ensure the
with the right people at the transformation is delivered in the
right time? best possible way.

People who support and assure

projects have found the 7 Lenses
“In a complex
helpful to:
transformation, like
■ learn about transformation Universal Credit, the 7
programme management
Lenses give me, as SRO,
■ provide methodologies a way of ‘seeing the wood
■ speak the same language and from the trees’ and making
reduce the time required to sense of complex and
become productive
detailed challenges.”
The 7 Lenses can be used as
part of delivery assurance at Neil Couling
different stages of the project, Director General, Universal
and especially at major project Credit Programme
review points. Familiarising
yourself with the 7 Lenses and
where you are will enable you
to have better conversations at
these review points.

18
The 7 Lenses of Transformation 19
Lens 1:
Vision

The vision gives clarity around Why you need this

the social outcomes of the
transformation and sets out Having a single view of the
the key themes of how the future can motivate people to
organisation will operate. collaborate towards shared
outcomes, set the direction
The vision is a compelling for subsequent transformation
picture of the future that aligns activities and provide a tool to
stakeholders around the purpose ensure consistency between
of the transformation, the scale organisations.
of the ambition and the nature of The vision should be owned
the benefits. It creates the case by those at the top of the
for change and describes user organisation but created
needs and the social and policy by people who represent
outcomes of the transformation. the breadth and diversity of
It defines how the organisation the business.
will operate.

20
How to do this Trade-offs
When creating a vision: You may need to find a balance or
compromise between:
■ take time to understand
the minister or most senior ■ short-term political
leader’s full vision (it is rarely aims versus long-term
written down from the start) transformation objectives
■ use a number of different ■ evolving the vision in
ways to articulate the response to external events
vision (e.g. pictures and versus staying aligned with
words) – have more than a the original vision
vision statement (although
■ being ambitious versus
this is useful)
creating a vision that you
■ allow space for the vision to have very high confidence in
evolve as learning is built up being able to deliver
during the transformation
(e.g. how human behaviours
change with a new system)
Red flags
■ allow space for the vision to Watch out for:
evolve as learning is built up
■ rushing to action before there
during the transformation (for
is sufficient clarity
example addressing evolving
user needs) ■ proceeding with a vision
which is either undeliverable
recognise that
or not sufficiently challenging
■
transformation programmes
of the current service model
typically take longer than a
single Parliament – political ■ business leaders not seeing
and organisational priorities the need to change
will change over the course ■ lack of focus on the user (be
of a 5-to-10-year programme, that either the citizen or users
so the transformation internal to the organisation)
will need to adapt as the when the vision is not
work progresses talked about consistently
by the senior leaders in the
organisation

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 21

 Lens 1: Vision Case Study
Digitising Social Care

Digitising Social Care (DHSC/NHS England) is helping

thousands of adult social care providers move from paper to
digital care records to improve the quality and safety of care
and improve productivity. At the start of the pandemic the low
utilisation of digital social care records meant that data was
not available on the quality and safety of care.
We undertook user research, stakeholder engagement and
benefits analysis to understand the nature of the problem.
We then worked with providers, local government, regulators,
technology suppliers, charities and people with lived
experience to co-produce a vision with strong support and
buy-in from partners.
The shared vision was formalised in the adult social care
reform white paper ‘People at the Heart of Care’ that would
transform the services provided to citizens needing support.

22
Lens 1: Vision Case Study
Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage

Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) will be a

game-changer for the UK’s energy transition, with potential
capacity to safely store up to 78 billion tonnes of CO2. This
could be one of the largest storage capacities in the world,
helping us reach net zero and boosting our economy by up to
£5 billion per year by 2050.
To achieve our outcomes, we set out a vision of what a
market-focused CCUS sector will look like, tapping into
innovation and business knowhow to drive the scale-up
and acceleration of CCUS deployment. Our vision for CCUS
starts with a market creation phase, transitioning into a
competitive market that will ultimately transform to become
a self-sustaining global industry in the future. The realisation
of this vision will lead to job creation, growth in our industrial
heartlands and a world-leading CCUS supply chain with strong
export lines.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 23

Lens 2:
Design

The design sets out how the Why you need this
different organisations and
their component parts will be If you don’t have a design in
configured and integrated to place, it can result in missed
deliver the vision. opportunities, disconnected
work in different areas of your
Having a coherent design is organisation, duplication and
important because complex wasted effort through teams
transformations need a view working to different goals.
of how the whole picture fits Operating model and agile
together to deliver the vision approaches are useful tools
– for example service design, and are complementary – the
technology architecture, design approach must adapt
people structures, processes to the context and operating
and contracts – and how the environment. It is important to
transformation fits more broadly understand which elements need
with other elements of the to be defined in advance and
organisational context. which must be iterated as the
design progresses.

24
How to do this Trade-offs
When developing a design: You may need to find a balance or
compromise between:
■ have clarity around the
design intent and intended ■ ambition versus achievability
outcomes, and understand of implementing the design,
the boundary of where the considering cost and timing
design effort stops and how it constraints
interfaces with other designs
■ longer-term needs
■ before starting the design versus shorter-term
journey, understand and political objectives
agree the level of ambition
■ consensus across
■ include people from a range stakeholders versus letting
of functions in the design the design become watered
team (policy, strategy, down – building a shared
operations, digital and data) understanding and trusting
■ remember there is rarely each other versus dividing
one single ‘perfect’ design up the work
– instead, understand and
agree where there are Red flags
potential trade-offs and
compromises Watch out for:
■ bear in mind organisational ■ getting lost in the detail,
readiness and capability losing sight of the
to transform along transformation outcomes
with implications for
■ insufficient detail to fulfil the
implementation of the
intended purpose, like having
design, such as weighing the
no actionable examples to
advantages of a big-bang
bring the design to life
implementation against an
incremental approach

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 25

■ focussing on the parts of the ■ not having consensus around
design we are comfortable the point in time we are
with (like process design or designing for
technology) rather than what ■ not having the appropriate
actually matters (for example governance to make
the design of the service as a timely decisions
whole, what this will mean for
the customer and the existing
organisation, or how the
design fits together)

“I have found the 7 Lenses of Transformation to be a practical

guide and a useful reminder of the key success criteria and on the
things to avoid”

Tamara Finkelstein
Permanent Secretary, Defra

26
Lens 2: Design Case Study
The Passport Service Transformation Programme

The Passport Service Transformation programme

demonstrates the value of getting design right early in
the programme life cycle. The programme aimed to allow
all British passport applications to be submitted online,
processed digitally and automated where possible.
This needed an architectural approach to policy to understand
exactly what checks were needed for each application type to
preserve the security and integrity of the end product.
Design and delivery were integrated throughout the
transformation with teams working together through a
‘quartet’ of business design, technical design, operational
service management and digital service management.
The design was optimised by driving absolute clarity on the
vision, policy and scope of the whole programme. This allowed
the team to focus on the service design, organisational design
and the technical architecture. Business change and delivery
teams worked with design colleagues from the start, meaning
that they could ensure the design was deliverable.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 27

Lens 3:
Plan

The plan needs to retain Why you need this

sufficient flexibility to be
adapted as the transformation All projects need a plan, but for
progresses while providing transformation the plan must
confidence of delivery. reflect the complexity of the
programme and accommodate
The plan provides a roadmap the fact that not everything can
for identifying the sequencing be known upfront. It is not just
and interdependencies between about creating the roadmap as
the different elements and a one-off activity, but about
responsibilities across the the process of iterating and
transformation programme maintaining it within a constantly
or activity. This helps you to evolving environment that cuts
understand where you are across organisations. This
heading and have a way to takes skill. To be successful,
measure that the transformation organisations need to invest in
is on track, while understanding both adaptive leadership skills
how any critical services will be and intelligent programme
sustained during the change. management capability.

28
How to do this reviewing progress against
this data, as well as regularly
Invest time and effort upfront analysing the environment the
in developing a credible plan. project is operating within and
This will save time and avoid agreeing if work should continue
delay at a later stage. Plan or evolve as a result.
the transformation in chunks
or phased outcomes that are
achievable and can demonstrate
Trade-offs
incremental success – you can You may need to find a balance or
rarely do everything at once. compromise between:
Ensure that the plan is ■ keeping flexibility to adapt the
achievable given the constrained plan to emerging changes in
delivery capacity. Use the the design versus maintaining
planning process to detail key milestones and managing
the resourcing requirements, more immovable targets such
support understanding of the as people relocations
readiness of the organisation to ■ making plans easy to
transform, and plan internal and communicate versus
external communications. providing detail to gain
deliverability confidence
Join project plans up within
responding to the pressure
and across the organisation.
■
to start delivering versus
Operating model changes
the need to take sufficient
and other transformational time to develop a robust,
changes need to map to policy deliverable plan
commitments.
Regularly review and update Red flags
the plan in response to user
feedback, technological Watch out for:
advances and societal changes. ■ organisations or business
This can be achieved by areas working towards shared
agreeing a set of core measures outcomes not aligned on the
of success and continually same roadmap

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 29

■ only focussing on the start ■ potential tension between
of the plan and losing track political imperatives and
of the end of the plan (the wider transformational
outcomes and benefits) priorities attempting to
■ the plan not being owned at a predict the future with too
senior enough level much accuracy and detail, or
onerous bureaucracy which is
not justified

“The 7 Lenses of Transformation has helped support a collective

vision for digital transformation across government, and is a useful
framework for assessing success”

Mike Potter
Government Chief Digital Officer

30
Lens 3: Plan Case Study
Universal Credit Programme

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Universal Credit

programme replaces six previous benefits to support people
who are unemployed, need employment support or receive
tax credits.
The programme originally suffered from having delivery
timetables and costs committed to and announced before
having properly engaged with delivery teams. This resulted
in an over-ambitious plan that did not fully recognise what
was required to achieve its transformational aims on the
scale envisaged.
This led to a reset and a rethink of the entire delivery approach
to enable a more realistic prospect of successful delivery. Its
deadline was changed from a complete roll-out within two
years to a new ‘test and learn’ approach built into the plan.
This enabled the project to be successfully rolled out, safely
and securely, in incremental stages, iterating the plan and the
service based on what they learned.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 31

Lens 4:
Transformation
Leadership

Delivering a transformation Alongside specific programme

often means motivating into delivery, transformation leaders
action a large network of need to bring together multiple
people who are not under the interrelated disciplines, which
direct management of the will typically include organisation
transformation leader. design, culture change and
human resources (HR) activity.
Whereas leadership of There is greater recognition
traditional projects tends of the complexity of delivering
to be about minimising transformation programmes
uncertainty, transformation and the leadership qualities
leadership is about creating required to achieve success.
the right amount of uncertainty IPA has introduced a number
to generate productive of initiatives to instil the
organisational distress. This leadership characteristics
requires a higher appetite for needed in future SRO and project
risk and an understanding directors through various
that transformation can take training pathways.
a significant amount of time.

32
The IPA Transformation Practice that sustains energy, manages
runs the Transformation for uncertainty and drives a
Senior Leaders programme for common purpose.
SROs and project directors.
This immersive, two-day How to do this
course provides a deeper
understanding of the challenges The transformation leader:
faced within transformations
■ forms a compelling vision
and how to resolve them with the
application of core government ■ aligns people around the
transformation tools and vision and builds community
techniques. To develop a pipeline ■ is highly digitally aware
of qualified and experienced ■ is appropriately disruptive but
transformation leaders, recognises where structure
the IPA has commissioned is required
a dedicated module for the
creates momentum and
government’s Project Leaders
■
demonstrates early wins
Programme (PLP).
■ supports people in navigating
Contact the Government ambiguity and uncertainty
Project Delivery team for more
information: For PLP email – One leader cannot do everything.
plp@ipa.gov.uk and for MPLA – Good leaders are aware of their
mpla@ipa.gov.uk capabilities and bring in the
right people to support them to
generate better solutions than
Why you need this they could on their own.
Strong leadership is critical
Leadership consistency through
to the effective delivery of
the pivotal transformation
transformation. The complexity
phases is critical.
of transformation places a
high demand on the leader and Leaders need to be supported by
transformation leaders need a strong enabling environment
to recognise this by employing with strong sponsorship from the
an adaptive leadership style top. The senior team needs to be

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 33

in agreement around what the Red flags
transformation vision is and lead
from the front in communicating Watch out for:
this to the organisation and its ■ leading the way we
stakeholders. have always done, not
acknowledging that
Trade-offs transformation needs a
different, more adaptive
Leaders are often required leadership style
to deal with other business
■ leaders not being open
pressures outside their
to support, coaching and
transformation role. authentic conversations with
This competition for peers about what is and is
focus and time can be a not working
distraction to successful
programme leadership. ■ insufficient support for the
transformation from the
There are not yet enough executive team
experienced transformation ■ external, newly promoted or
leaders in government to meet inexperienced people being
current demand. Very senior expected to hit the ground
leaders must balance the needs running without enough
of getting early momentum on support around them
the programmes with the need to ■ senior leadership not
secure the right calibre of SRO or being willing to encourage
programme director. or tolerate productive
organisational distress
as necessary

34
Lens 4: Transformation Leadership Case Study

Transformational leaders need to inspire and motivate

team members to achieve exceptional results and adapt to
changing circumstances. A skilful leader also enables and
empowers others within their team to act as leaders and carry
the vision forward.
The transformation portfolio exhibits a large number of
programmes that have exceptional leadership – a few
examples that stand out are Universal Credit, Farming and
Countryside, and Digitising Social Care. These programmes
are led by people who embody the qualities and behaviours
of transformational leaders and have significantly enhanced
the performance, engagement and satisfaction of their
project teams.
These programmes have achieved success by the leaders
clearly articulating a strong vision which was easily
understood by all and inspiring their teams by clearly
communicating high expectations, fostering optimism and
providing meaning and purpose to their work. These leaders
take time to engage and work in close partnership with those
affected by their programmes and their delivery to ensure that
user needs are considered and included.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 35

Lens 5:
Collaboration

Collaboration is key Assurance at GOV.UK One Login

to transformation in a (https://www.sign-in.service.
multidimensional environment gov.uk/). Sharing components
that increasingly cuts across may be an opportunity to be
organisational boundaries. more efficient and deliver a
better outcome for users of the
People’s expectations are service. Delivery teams need to
high, and they often require be incentivised to collaborate to
services from different parts of build these once, in a way that
government at the same time. works for everyone.
It is critical that leaders from all Successful outcomes can only
the organisations involved design be achieved when people across
shared outcomes and services organisational boundaries are
together. This means their vision doing the right work at the right
and plan increasingly need to time. This requires a shared view
be actively shared and joined up of sequencing and prioritisation.
across multiple organisations. This will help avoid the unintended
Sometimes, different parts consequences which can arise
of government require the when ongoing active collaboration
same component to deliver the is not in place.
service, for example Identity

36
Why you need this the right context for others
in the organisation to follow.
Within an ambiguous and Transformation leaders need to
changing environment such be skilled at leading beyond their
as the delivery of government formal authority, influencing
services, successful people who don’t report to
transformation requires them directly.
effective collaboration across
multiple different groups, Collaboration is about supporting
such as other government teams to have authentic and
departments, agencies, third and open conversations with
private sector partners, citizens, stakeholders. This can help
service users, suppliers and unlock challenges through
international partners. different perspectives
and insights that move the
programme towards its intended
How to do this outcomes. Ideas and lessons
There is no single formula for from other transformational
how you should collaborate leaders are often a valuable
across stakeholders. However, source for effective
the first step is understanding collaboration.
the stakeholder and Structured collaboration
organisational landscape, whom will identify opportunities to
you need to collaborate with, share across organisations by
how and when. You’ll also need to mapping out and comparing
acknowledge that ‘you may not the components required for
know what you don’t know’ and services. Doing this will help
recognise that it can take time to avoid duplication and repetition,
identify stakeholders. and deliver the transformation
Ministers and senior officials more quickly and cheaply.
play a very important role It can also help achieve a more
in encouraging leaders consistent experience for users.
to collaborate across
organisational boundaries – they
role model behaviours that set

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 37

Collaborating and testing Red flags
services with users is key to
success as it increases the Watch out for:
likelihood of acceptance when in ■ not considering the end-to-
the implementation and delivery end customer journey and not
phase of the programme. paying sufficient attention
to the wider context or
Trade-offs operating environment
collaboration being an ‘add-
Collaboration requires
■
on’ rather than being central
compromise by its nature.
to the project plan and
Different parties with different explicitly included in relevant
priorities and perspectives will roles and processes
need to take joint decisions.
■ few incentives to
Collaboration takes time and collaborate across
effort – this can feel like a organisational boundaries
compromise between making and accountability, lack of
tangible programme progress meaningful conversations
and building consensus. across organisations and
Experience shows that teams other bodies to ensure
that invest in collaboration operating models and change
portfolios align
from an early stage of the
project life cycle invariably have ■ only investing in
better outcomes. collaboration for key pain
points and missing out
on the full benefits of
collaboration throughout the
project life cycle

38
Lens 5: Collaboration Case Study
The Cabinet Office Borders Group

The Cabinet Office Borders Group drives the design and

delivery assurance of a modernised UK border. The border
is critical national infrastructure, with over 30 agencies and
government departments involved in a complex combination
of processes and systems.
The Borders team convenes interested players across
Whitehall and beyond, promoting the shared goal of a border
that does its job – keeping us safe from a range of harms –
while minimising costs and burdens for those who use it.
The border worked after Brexit through collaboration with
all partners to make sure it worked from an ‘end-to-end’
perspective. Strategy is now being driven to transform the
border, using joined-up policy, data and technology through
the Borders Target Operating Model.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-border-
target-operating-model-august-2023)

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 39

Lens 6:
Accountability

Having clear accountability Why you need this

for transformation within
an organisation enables Every organisation needs
productivity and improved clear, dedicated senior
decision-making and leads to accountability for the leadership
better outcomes. and organisation of any
transformation activity. Having
Accountability is about clearly the right organisational and
defining the roles within transformation programme
the organisation and the structures in place will help you
transformation – knowing who is make faster, better decisions as
ultimately accountable for what, well as making it easier to involve
empowering people to deliver the right people throughout
and holding them to account, the process. The governance
internally and externally. As structure needs to encourage
complexity goes up, the need the flow of information vertically
for clearly defined governance and horizontally and provide
becomes more important to incentives for different parts of
deliver a successful outcome. the organisation to behave in a
collaborative way.

40
How to do this to build an operating and
accountability environment
People will be accountable for that supports ownership of
delivering specific outcomes. transformation outcomes across
Over time, other people may be organisations, with a shared
made accountable for the overall understanding of the boundaries
transformation. In complex and interdependencies.
transformation programmes,
it is essential to be clear how
the accountabilities work
Trade-offs
with each other, particularly Senior leaders are often
when programmes straddle simultaneously accountable
organisational boundaries. for transformation initiatives
and delivery of critical day-to-
It is important to create a culture
day services. This tension can
which empowers people to make
produce conflicting priorities.
appropriate decisions and make
Organisations should expect
progress themselves – while at
to compromise when defining
the same time keeping senior
accountability in an environment
leaders and ministers informed.
that cuts across organisational
Accountability for spending
boundaries.
money, allocating people and
resources, and managing risks
needs to be articulated clearly. Red flags
Accountability is not just about Watch out for:
taking responsibility at the end of
the process or when something ■ not having accountability for
goes wrong. It is about taking transformation at board level
ownership throughout and ■ spending more time
collaborating transparently discussing who is
and openly. accountable than delivering
An increasing number of ■ having lots of people with
programmes require cross- shared responsibility
department collaboration. but no one with ultimate
accountability for outcomes
In these cases, it is essential

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 41

■ having multiple roles within ■ not giving the accountable
an organisation delivering person the right levers to
transformation (like change the status quo (for
transformation director, example not having flexibility
chief digital officer and chief to change supplier contracts
operating officer) without or to control budgets)
clarity around their specific
responsibilities (for example,
separating responsibility
for developing strategy
and for the delivery of
transformation)

“Carbon capture technologies will transform the way we produce

and use energy in the UK. As a ‘first-of-kind’ complex programme,
we found the 7 Lenses of Transformation to be a valuable guide
at the design stage, and continue to use its methodology as we
progress through delivery.”

Alex Milward, Paro Konar and Stef Murphy

Joint SROs Carbon Capture Usage & Storage Programme, DESNZ

42
Lens 6: Accountability Case Study
The ONS Integrated Data Programme

The ONS Integrated Data Programme is a good example of

integrating accountability holistically into the programme to
achieve delivery aims.
Inwardly, within the programme, accountability was promoted
alongside empowerment by creating multi-disciplinary teams,
bringing together diverse but complementary subject matter
experts who were empowered to make decisions in alignment
with strategy. This demonstrated the trust and confidence
that programme leadership had in their team of experts,
improving the quality and pace of delivery.
Outwardly, the programme leads engaged the partners and
government departments, seeking shared accountability for
the design and delivery of the Integrated Data Service, while
also identifying, defining and realising programme benefits for
the public good.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 43

Lens 7:
People

Transformation will require people in your organisation to

be engaged and to change their ways of working – you need
to communicate effectively with them at every stage of the
transformation. If the transformation affects wider society, thought
needs to be given to the end users and how effectively they are
being engaged in the complete process, from design to testing.

Engagement starts with those like policy, finance, project

people who are affected by the delivery, commercial and
programme and those that are digital to work together on your
supporting the transformation. transformation. Multi-functional
Planning and implementing a and multidisciplinary teams with
comprehensive communication the right qualifications, skills
campaign is essential to and experience are fundamental
keep internal and external for success. Successful
stakeholders engaged. transformation needs innovative
thinkers who are willing to listen,
It is important to have the right challenge and break groupthink.
people with the appropriate Diversity of thought is crucial
skills and mindset to support to building a successful team.
your transformation. You will People need to feel heard,
require skills from a number trusted and given autonomy to
of government functions deliver at their best.
44
Why you need this ■ draw on expertise from
outside government. There
Leaders cannot do are innovative models and
transformation on their own. approaches we can take to
They need to bring those support those delivering
affected by the change with transformation
them, making sure they have the ■ people need to feel safe,
right skills and are able to work respected and heard in the
in new ways. This often requires transformation process
long-term culture change, ■ develop a learning
which takes time and requires environment where
active listening and feedback on taking risks is seen as an
both sides. opportunity to learn and grow
■ ensure that teams are
How to do this diverse, multidisciplinary
and multi-functional to
■ transformation across
enable innovation and avoid
government takes a lot of
groupthink and stagnation
people power – over time,
government needs to invest
in building a pool of people Trade-offs
capable and confident in
delivering transformation You may need to find a balance
or compromise between:
■ the skill set and behaviours
required to support ■ recruiting talent versus
transformation can be very upskilling employees –
different from the skills for where do you focus your
traditionally highly valued civil effort? Individual career
service roles (like policy) development versus your
organisation’s desire to hang
■ transformation requires
on to skilled people – what is
judgement, the ability to deal
the right balance?
with ambiguity and above all
the ability to guide people ■ having the right people
through evolving thought and in the right roles to drive
changing contexts the transformation versus
maintaining business as usual

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 45

■ recruiting what is familiar
versus taking a risk on
new thinking
■ governance and
accountability versus
allowing people to be
innovative and learn from
taking risks

Red flags
Watch out for:
■ having people carry out ■ no consistent,
transformation roles as well strategic approach to
as business-as-usual roles workforce planning
selecting the same team of ■ groupthink and a lack
‘the usual suspects’ to work of diversity of thought
on every critical project in your team
people being reassigned
to work on transformation ■ tightly controlled working
projects but continuing with environment that does
established ways of working not allow for innovation or
contrary views to be heard
■ teams talking in different
languages and working ■ psychological welfare of
to different programme your colleagues – is there a
objectives or functional high staff turnover rate or
norms – for example policy sickness absence?
versus digital versus
programme management
– without a common
understanding of the
desired outcomes

46
Lens 7: People Case Study
Psychological Safety in Programmes

Recognising the importance of psychological safety for

team performance and wellbeing, the Ministry of Defence
commissioned research into the impact of psychological
safety in major programmes. One team involved, Programme
HYDRA, went on to commission support to identify
opportunities to use psychological safety to deliver sustained
high performance.
Initiatives introduced included development of a team charter
which they integrated into team inductions and applied every
day, team profiling focused on how to best work together,
and coaching for team leaders. As a result, the team not
only delivered critical infrastructure against significant
challenges, but sustained high wellbeing and positive
relationships throughout.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 47

Enabling
Environment

Transformation does not happen in isolation but as part of a broader

environment. Creating an enabling environment is crucial for the
successful delivery of a transformation programme. An enabling
environment provides the necessary conditions and support
structures that empower teams to carry out their roles effectively
and to successfully implement and sustain transformative changes
within an organisation.

When we created the 7 Lenses, ■ governance, approvals,

the community found that the scrutiny, assurance and
broader environment for every support functions, including
transformation in government the National Audit Office and
has common features which Public Accounts Committee
affect all of us. The enabling ■ the Civil Service modernisation
environment includes: and reform programme
■ the political environment, The enabling environment is
ministers and Parliament the foundation of a successful
■ central government, transformation programme as it
including HM Treasury and the fosters a culture of collaboration,
Cabinet Office innovation, learning and
adaptability. It addresses the
48
human and cultural aspects as part of this work, CDDO is
of change, ensuring that the delivering against a digital and
organisation is well-positioned data transformation plan for
to navigate challenges and government, Transforming for
fully realise the benefits of the a Digital Future. This focuses
transformation. on improving digital, data
and technology foundations
The Cabinet Office’s Modernisation across central departments, as
and Reform (M&R) team and well as changing Civil Service
the functions are leading on processes and ways of working
initiatives that will improve the to ensure digital and data can
enabling environment required be used effectively
for successful transformation. ■ innovation: rewards and
The M&R team is focusing on five encourages our staff to
key missions for reform which will find innovative solutions to
unlock improvements across the problems to deliver better
Civil Service: outcomes for the public.
The cross-government
■ capability: a skilled Civil Transformation Portfolio
Service that is able to Board is working to make
adapt to the needs of the systemic improvements to the
public we serve enabling environment across
■ place: representative of the government. Contact the
communities we serve and Transformation Practice for
with a thriving presence across advice on engaging with the
the country broader cross-government
community: transformation@
■ delivery: collaborative, ipa.gov.uk. The team runs
routinely working across events to help share where
organisational barriers, with transformation is working well
a culture of excellence in and welcomes contributions to
service delivery the reference library of good
■ digital and data: able to work from around government.
harness the power of digital and They are also able to help with
data to make better decisions, specific issues your GMPP
improve service delivery and transformation programme
enhance user experience, and may be facing.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 49

 Enabling Environment Case Study
Places for Growth

Places for Growth (PfG) is delivering the government’s

commitment to move 22,000 Civil Service roles from London
and the Southeast by 2027. PfG is led by a Cabinet Office
team at the centre of government which acts as a lynch pin
for delivery by supporting, challenging and collaborating
with departments. Robust multi-layer governance systems
provide scrutiny of policy and departmental performance,
while feedback loops at a regional and working level amplify
effective practice across departments.
These mechanisms ensure strong relationships with
departments and strong ministerial and permanent secretary
support. Cumulative, quarterly data returns provide a
rigorous assurance mechanism for delivery. The programme
successfully relocated more than 16,000 roles within the first
three years of delivery.

50
Enabling Environment Case Study
The Government’s Digital
Transformation Roadmap

The government’s digital transformation roadmap is a

collaborative effort between the Central Digital and Data
Office (CDDO) and government departments, championed
by ministers and senior civil servants across HMG, aiming to
achieve a common vision for 2025 by taking specific actions
to improve the way the government uses digital and data.
The roadmap has been developed with government leaders
and digital experts, and it includes commitments that are
concrete, measurable and ambitious.
These include transforming digital services and products to
be user-friendly and cost-efficient, and working to empower
delivery teams and establishing the right structures to ensure
accountability. Using digital and data more effectively will
help departments deliver their priorities faster and more
effectively, and to operate more efficiently, with the roadmap
commitments holding departments to account.

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 51

Community Feedback
We built the 7 Lenses with the
community, and we welcome
feedback on:
■ how using the 7 Lenses
has helped you with your
transformation
■ how we can iterate the
7 Lenses to help the
transformation community
■ examples of work you have
done in your transformation
which we can share with
the community
Join the community mailing
list by contacting the
Transformation Practice:
transformation@ipa.gov.uk

52
Notes

The 7 Lenses of Transformation 53

Notes

54