NZS 3910:2023 Contract Administration and Governance

📢 Introducing MOPAN's updated methodology: MOPAN 4 The multilateral system is evolving rapidly – in its complexity, funding dynamics and the challenges organisations face. MOPAN is adapting to these changes. MOPAN 4 represents a significant update to how organisational performance is assessed. It reflects a more comprehensive understanding of performance and a more robust way of measuring it.  The updated MOPAN methodology recognises that results are not only shaped by organisational effectiveness, but also by factors beyond an organisation’s control. It brings these considerations into the assessment process, offering a more context-aware and structured analysis. By evolving its methodology, MOPAN ensures that its assessments remain timely, relevant and credible. The goal remains the same: to provide impartial, evidence-based insights that support accountability and learning across the multilateral system.  🔗 Read more about MOPAN 4 on the MOPAN website: https://lnkd.in/ebVsUM5u

For over 25 years, IOD PARC has provided high-quality evidence, insights and learning, and organisational change services to a range of multilateral organisations and their member states, including the delivery of MOPAN assessments across multiple cycles. This experience has informed our recent support to MOPAN as the multilateral system navigates a period of wide-ranging uncertainty and change, creating opportunities for reflection and evidence-based dialogue between multilateral organisations and their stakeholders. Against this backdrop, IOD PARC has supported the MOPAN Secretariat to revise its assessment methodology. MOPAN 4 represents a significant evolution in how organisational performance is understood and assessed, and we look forward to continuing our long-standing collaboration with MOPAN as the new methodology moves into implementation. Thanks to Mark Singleton, Dorte Kabell, Matthew Crump and Enrique Young for their work on this project. Read more about the new methodology: https://lnkd.in/eUQmNG2T #Multilateralism #Evaluation #OrganisationalPerformance #InternationalDevelopment

Having worked with Mopan in different roles over more than two decades has been a constant reminder of how quickly the global environment sometimes changes and how slowly our economic and organizational theories evolve to match these changes. The latest Mopan framework captures some of this in a number of innovations. These have made the framework more robust to change and help capture the diversity of Development and humanitarian oriented organizations. It has also made the framework more complex. It is now up to implementing teams to make the best possible use of it and make sure to feed back lessons and experiences with applying it, so that the unique feature of constant adaptation and upgrading of the framework ensures its continued relevance and credibility.

really looking forward to presenting alongside the wonderful Sarah Knight and Prof Helen King today at the UHR: Universities Human Resources annual conference on 'cultivating collaboration for strategic change-building digital confidence and adaptability of staff using Jiscs framework and maturity model for digital transformation'. It's a jam packed week of presentations,calls and conferences this week and look forward to gaining insights and sharing practice with the sector on digital capabilities using our Jisc Discovery Tool

Really enjoyed being part of this discussion with The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) on “Building the Future: Closing the Skills Gap in Construction.” One thing I kept thinking about during the session is that the skills gap is not only about technical knowledge. The industry also needs people who can communicate, collaborate, adapt, think critically, and continue learning as the industry evolves especially with technology. As someone working between academia and industry, I see how important it is to help students and young professionals develop both technical and soft skills early on. Degrees are important, but curiosity, professionalism, problem solving, and the ability to work with people are what help someone grow continuously long term. Grateful to have shared the panel with such insightful panelists and thankful to everyone who attended and contributed to the conversation. #CIOB #Construction

Across stronger economic development programmes, certain patterns tend to repeat. Not only in what is delivered. But in how delivery is structured. Stronger programmes usually share a few common characteristics. Objectives are clearly defined. Roles and responsibilities are understood. Monitoring is consistent. Reporting is credible. And outcomes can be evidenced over time. These elements do not guarantee impact on their own. But they create the conditions for programmes to remain coherent, measurable and defensible in practice. This is particularly important in environments where multiple stakeholders, reporting requirements and implementation pressures must all be managed at once. The programmes that hold up best are rarely the ones doing the most activity. They are usually the ones built on the clearest structure. #EconomicDevelopment #IPP #ProgrammeDesign #ImpactMeasurement #BestPractice

New paper on 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲! Concept researchers Morten Welde and Vedran Zerjav have just published a paper in Project Leadership and Society. The paper uses the 𝗛𝗦𝟮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 in the UK as a case example. Morten and Vedran argue that weak front-end governance, poor concept selection, and immature planning contributed to cost overruns, delays, and broader governance failures. By benchmarking against the 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹, it highlights how structured front-end assurance (QA gates) can strengthen decision-making and reduce long-term risk. A key takeaway is that these challenges are not unique to HS2: 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀, 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗲𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, and 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 can override technical caution. The paper concludes with policy recommendations on institutionalising governance, strengthening independent assurance, and building public-sector capacity. The paper is Open Access and can be read here: https://lnkd.in/eG-qr-YA #PublicInvestment #Governance #PublicPolicy #HS2

📊 MOPAN 4: A more connected way of analysing performance. The multilateral system has changed and so has the way MOPAN assesses it.  MOPAN 4 moves from a linear assessment model to a system-based approach. It reflects the interdependence between different aspects of organisational effectiveness and results. It recognises that results are shaped by multiple interacting factors, not all of which are within an organisation’s direct control. A new feature is horizontal analysis. This allows selected themes to be examined across the framework, highlighting connections between governance, operations, partnerships and results.  By bringing evidence together in this way, MOPAN 4 provides a more integrated and comprehensive assessment of organisational performance. 🔗 Read more on the MOPAN website: https://lnkd.in/ebVsUM5u

Pleased to have led the IOD PARC team that supported the MOPAN secretariat in designing the revised methodology. We introduced new features (including contextual “enabling environment” drivers of performance, horizontal linkages), streamlined and redrafted the performance areas and indicators, and enhanced consistency by making it applicable to all multilateral organisations (MO), while appreciating their differences. A MOPAN assessment can’t just be about the MO; it must include an understanding of the roles and behaviour of other stakeholders in the multilateral system, now more than ever.

Output vs Outcome: a fundamental concept in M&E, yet one that is frequently applied incorrectly. Outputs are the immediate results of programme activities. They are measurable, tangible, and largely within the control of the implementing organisation. Outcomes go a step further. They reflect the changes that result from those outputs in behaviour, knowledge, or conditions. In many cases, reporting remains heavily focused on outputs, while outcomes are less clearly defined or measured. This creates a gap between what is done and what is achieved.