Case Study: Enterprise ERP Programme Rescue

The Situation

A mid market enterprise had engaged a system integrator to implement a new ERP platform. Twelve months into the programme, it was running 40 percent over budget and at least 12 months behind the original timeline. The system integrator was leading the programme with no independent oversight, scope had expanded significantly beyond the original business case, change management had been deferred repeatedly, and the board had lost visibility of true programme status.

The organisation recognised that continuing without independent programme governance would result in further cost escalation and an even longer timeline. They needed someone who could provide an honest assessment of programme health and take control of recovery.

What Elisabeth Did

Elisabeth conducted an independent programme review in the first three weeks. She assessed every workstream, interviewed key stakeholders, reviewed the system integrator's delivery plan and resource allocation, and audited the programme financials against the original business case.

Her review identified that approximately 35 percent of the scope expansion was not supported by approved business cases and had been added through informal requests that bypassed change control. She also found that the system integrator's resource plan was front loaded with junior consultants who lacked the domain expertise needed for critical configuration decisions.

Elisabeth restructured the programme around a revised scope baseline that reflected genuine business requirements. She renegotiated the vendor contract to align commercial terms with the revised delivery plan. She implemented formal change control that required business case approval for any scope additions. She established weekly delivery reviews with the system integrator's delivery lead and monthly programme boards with the client's executive sponsor.

She also introduced a change management workstream that had been entirely absent, ensuring that end users were engaged, trained, and supported through the transition.

The Results

• Programme recovered and delivered within 9 months of intervention
• Final budget within 10 percent of the revised baseline
• 35 percent of unapproved scope removed through formal change control
• System integrator contract renegotiated with performance linked milestones
• End user adoption rate of 87 percent within the first month of go live
• Board confidence restored through transparent governance and reporting