Turning ambitions into outcomes at a world renowned university
PQ helped a leading university align disconnected departments to a unified and effective planning approach. Working with over 300 staff we replaced fragmented efforts into a clear, shared approach which motivated teams and delighted leaders.
300
25
1
Motivated team members
Unified leaders
Planning framework
The Challenge
Every year, departments at the university put time and effort into the planning process. Yet something was off.
Teams were chasing different versions of “important.”
Plans didn’t talk to each other, nor align.
Progress was hard to track or explain.
Priorities set by leaders didn’t reached the teams doing the work.
Collaboration across teams was like pushing through fog.
What they had wasn’t a lack of ambition — it was friction: too many systems, too little connection, and no shared rhythm for execution.
The Approach
PQ worked alongside divisional leaders to co-design a planning framework that people could actually use and trust.
Together, we:
Aligned priorities and plans by connecting the strategy cycle with quarterly planning.
Created an easy to use, common planning language for describing plans based on objectives and key results written in plain English, so everyone could understand the target and progress.
Introduced digital templates and a single platform to make planning visible, not bureaucratic.
Brought teams together through “Big Room” sessions that put people at the centre of planning and moved the focus from spreadsheets to discussion.
Built routines and habits with leaders and teams and used a network of champions to sustain the change.
This wasn’t about adding another framework — it was about creating a unified rhythm for the whole system.
The Outcomes
Within months, the divisions had shifted from parallel effort to collective progress:
Sharpened focus. Teams set the right goals for the right reasons, and everyone was aware.
Strengthened line of sight. Everyone’s work now connected clearly to strategic and departmental goals.
Elevated transparency. Leaders could see what mattered, what was moving ands what was stuck.
Deepened understanding. Teams saw how their work fit into the bigger picture.
Accelerated momentum. Wins were celebrated, risks surfaced early and delivery became deliberate.