High-Profile
UK University
Digital Transformation
Cloud Migration
Replatforming
Information Technology
Programme Readiness
Technology Governance
An anonymous high-profile UK university was preparing to begin a significant multi-million, multi-year transformation programme to modernise its technology and digital capabilities.
Before committing to full delivery, the University engaged Maxica to assess whether the technical, operational and organisational conditions needed for successful transformation were in place, and to identify actions required to strengthen programme readiness.
The University needed evidence-based answers to five critical questions before progressing its transformation programme. These covered technical and operational capacity, capability gaps and priorities, critical technical dependencies, the effectiveness of technical governance, and additional skills or capacity needed for programme execution.
The assessment therefore needed to look beyond technology alone. It had to consider whether the organisation could deliver the programme, integrate the resulting changes into normal operations and manage the dependencies and governance required for a complex transformation.
Maxica used its Transformation Readiness Assessment Model, TRAM, to provide a structured and holistic review of programme readiness.
Delivery: Assessed the capabilities and capacity needed to execute the programme successfully.
Operations: Considered whether transformation outcomes could be integrated effectively into regular operations.
Technical: Reviewed technical dependencies, architecture and other technology considerations that could affect delivery.
Organisation: Examined governance, skills, capacity and organisational factors needed to support the programme.
The assessment also benchmarked the University against comparable institutions within and outside the sector.
Maxica translated the TRAM assessment into a detailed report and stakeholder presentation. Each evaluated area received a RAG status supported by clear rationale and actionable recommendations.
The output gave the University a prioritised view of readiness gaps and practical next steps. It also included a proposed implementation timeline and high-level cost estimates for delivering the recommendations, helping stakeholders understand both the actions required and their delivery implications.
Clear Readiness View: The University gained a structured assessment across Delivery, Operations, Technical and Organisation capabilities.
Prioritised Action Plan: RAG-rated findings, recommendations, a proposed timeline and high-level cost estimates provided a practical route for addressing readiness gaps.
Reduced Delivery Risk: The assessment identified technical, implementation, governance, skills and capacity considerations before full programme delivery.
Programme Plan Improved: The University adjusted its original implementation plan to support earlier value realisation, reduce technical and implementation risks, and make greater use of internal capability to optimise costs.
TRAM gave the University a consistent framework for examining transformation readiness across delivery, operations, technology and organisation rather than assessing individual issues in isolation.
Combining structured assessment, benchmarking, RAG-rated findings and actionable recommendations made the output practical for programme decision making. The University could use the findings to reshape its implementation approach before major delivery commitments were made.
If your organisation is preparing for a major digital transformation, Maxica’s Transformation Readiness Assessment Model can help identify capability gaps, dependencies and governance priorities before full-scale delivery begins.
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