Recommendation 21

Given a reset may involve different activities, or a different focus, to how the programme was being managed it may require specific skills and expertise such as around planning, negotiation, political engagement, or stakeholder management.68 As such, the skills and leadership for long-term major programmes, may need to change to reflect the stage of the programme.69 The SRO for Crossrail reflected on the importance of bringing in the right people with the right skills, even when things may look to be progressing well. Very different skills were needed at the end of the programme to the start.70 The SRO for Universal Credit spoke about considering carefully the value of a dedicated reset team, giving leadership back to the programme as soon as possible, and whether the current SRO should do the reset.71 A dedicated reset team could bring in the necessary skills and help step back from the programme.72 On Universal Credit, the head of the then Major Projects Authority (now incorporated into the Infrastructure and Projects Authority) headed up the first reset.73 The IPA spoke about more recently being deeply involved in providing expertise and short-term resources to some programmes, including for the Ajax programme.74