THE CHALLENGE

We partnered with a council as it introduced a new asset management governance structure.

The new structure clarified roles and responsibilities across the asset management lifecycle, but implementing it required more than updating accountabilities. It asked people from different teams and functions to work together in new ways, make decisions through different channels, and take a more connected view of asset management across the organisation.

For many stakeholders, this meant adapting established patterns of work. Asset ownership, communication pathways, decision-making processes, and collaboration expectations were all changing. At the same time, the council wanted to improve asset management knowledge and maturity across the organisation.

The challenge was to support the governance transition in a way that helped people understand not only what was changing, but how they needed to work differently. The council needed practical change support that could build understanding, strengthen collaboration, and help teams translate the new governance model into everyday practice.

THE SOLUTION

We designed and delivered a change management approach that supported both the structural and behavioural aspects of the governance change.

The work began with change impact and readiness workshops involving stakeholders from across the organisation. These sessions helped identify how different groups would be affected, where support was needed, and what could help people adopt the new asset management governance structure with greater clarity and confidence.

We also worked directly with Executive Leaders to help them prepare their teams for the transition. This included clarifying the change story, identifying likely questions and concerns, and supporting leaders to communicate the purpose and practical implications of the new governance model.

From there, we developed a Cultural Change Roadmap, Change Strategy, and supporting Change Implementation Plans. These provided a practical pathway for implementation, including stakeholder engagement activities, communication priorities, and actions to support the behavioural shifts required.

A key part of the work was the development of an Asset Management Governance Playbook. Rather than creating a technical document that simply described the new structure, the Playbook used real stories, case studies, insights, and worked examples to show what the governance model looked like in practice. It helped staff understand their roles and responsibilities, see examples of collaboration, and navigate the new ways of working required across the asset lifecycle.

Following the initial rollout, we also supported follow-up engagement to help reinforce the new behaviours and identify opportunities to continue embedding the governance model over time.

THE RESULTS

The project helped the council move from a new governance structure on paper to a clearer, more practical understanding of how that structure could work in day-to-day operations.

Through the change impact and readiness work, leaders and stakeholders had structured opportunities to explore what the new model meant for their roles, responsibilities, and relationships across the asset lifecycle. This helped surface questions, clarify expectations, and identify the support needed as people adjusted to new ways of working.

The Cultural Change Roadmap, Change Strategy, and implementation planning gave the council a practical pathway for supporting the transition. These tools helped connect the governance change with the behaviours, communication patterns, and collaboration practices needed to bring it to life.

The Asset Management Governance Playbook became an important resource for ongoing implementation. By capturing real examples of collaboration in action, it provided staff with practical guidance they could return to as they navigated their roles under the new structure.

The project was also recognised externally, with the work selected as a finalist in the Asset Management Council’s 2024 Asset Management Excellence Awards.

By creating these foundations, the council is better prepared to embed its new governance structure, strengthen asset management maturity, and support more connected ways of working across the organisation.