Case Study: Forging a Path from IT Complexity to Strategic Value in Defence

When Barkers was appointed, the consultancy focused on stabilising the programme by creating clarity, alignment and control. The approach was to address the client’s operating foundations, rather than adding more technology. In doing so, the team delivered structured outputs.

These included:

1. Developing a programme integration plan that mapped dependencies across enterprise IT projects to identify how system changes could affect asset management.
2. Producing a detailed risk and governance review, exposing decision gaps and delivery challenges.
3. Assessing the impact of a major multi-supplier outsourcing transition, ensuring new providers aligned with ITAM processes and common data standards.
4. Defining job descriptions for senior roles that needed to sit within ITAM.
5. Designing a centralised structure for the future organisational state for ITAM and the client, including how to consolidate their business into a centralised function and creating an ITAM organisation to support the overall strategy.
6. Implementing an iterative operating model covering processes, governance and ways of working to support both current delivery and future change.

Throughout, Barkers aligned fragmented teams, integrated internal stakeholders and suppliers, and supported service transition planning. By shifting the focus from tools to outcomes, we established a coherent, strategic framework with which the programme could deliver measurable business value going forward.

Within six months, the programme shifted from a tools-led initiative to a strategically focused transformation, centred on measurable outcomes.

At the end of the contract, Barkers left the client with a clear, sustainable foundation to continue independently. This included a comprehensive operating model, defined processes and governance structures that clarified responsibilities and standardised ways of working across teams. We created detailed plans for how the service would function end-to-end, giving delivery teams practical guidance and a shared framework for decision-making. Additionally, we embedded benefits tracking to help the client monitor progress and continue focusing on outcomes after the handover.

As a value-add, asset management policies were created and contractualised for suppliers on the client’s IT outsourcing project, to ensure they continued to add value.

Together, these changes placed the programme on a stable footing, equipped the client to drive ongoing improvement and positioned ITAM to deliver benefits.