Project Initiation Routemap – Building credible delivery plans for major programmes
HM TREASURY
During her time at HM Treasury, Built Confidence’s Hannah Vickers led the government’s Project Initiation Routemap team, working towards providing a proven, evidence-based method for establishing the foundations of successful delivery.
We explore how this expertise and Routemap-based approach can take your idea from insight to delivery confidence.
Major programmes often begin with ambition that outpaces capability. Delivery chains are complex, risks are poorly understood, and early decisions lock in cost, schedule, and performance outcomes for decades. Without a structured approach to diagnosing readiness, programmes can quickly inherit the same failure modes that are seen across the UK’s major project portfolio.
The Project Initiation Routemap provides a proven, evidence-based method for establishing the foundations of successful delivery. Built Confidence brings deep expertise in this approach, drawing on experience leading the UK Government’s Routemap team within HM Treasury, where the methodology was developed, refined, and applied to some of the country’s most complex programmes, such as Sellafield and Crossrail 2.
Our Approach
Built Confidence works with senior leaders and key stakeholders in a collaborative environment to test delivery readiness, identify capability gaps, and shape the strategic architecture of major programmes before key investment decisions are made.
The Routemap is a structured process that draws on resources from across the Government’s major project portfolio, considering capability across people, processes, systems, governance and ways of working. It enables learning to be applied during initiation, ensuring that mistakes from previous programmes are not repeated.
The approach can be tailored to each project depending on the scope and development of the programme, with 10 key areas of good practice available for consideration:
Rationale - Governance - Systems Integration - Execution Strategy - Organisational Design & Development - Procurement - Risk Management - Asset Management
Our approach is designed to bring key stakeholders together to help identify and manage challenging problems during the early stages of project development. Early collaboration helps to mitigate risks and ensure alignment across the supply chain.
Early Diagnostic Insight
The early diagnostic exercise profiles the risks and complexity specific to each programme and maps client, market, sponsor and asset manager maturity. The result is a unique profile and gap analysis that can be used to strengthen the programme.
Capability-led Planning
Built Confidence works closely with programme teams to design delivery plans grounded in real-world experience and lessons learned from other major projects. Utilising the relevant areas from the Routemap’s ten key project modules, programme complexity can be appropriately aligned with supply chain roles, responsibilities and commercial strategies.
Outcomes → From Insight to Delivery Confidence
Programmes gain stronger governance, clearer scope, and more credible delivery plans, building confidence and reducing risk before they escalate. The result is an aligned supply chain and a clear vision for delivery.
Relevance to Today’s Clients
For organisations embarking on complex programmes, the Routemap provides a proven pathway to align ambition with capability and set up delivery for success from the outset.
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