Why choose us?

Intelligent Linking are privileged to work in support of clients from a broad spectrum of industry sectors. Click on the areas opposite to learn more about our track record.

Please contact us if you would like to hear more about any specific example.

Professional Services

Clague Architects

Developing a dynamic vision and strategy for Clague
Intelligent Linking were commissioned to conduct a snapshot, strategic review in partnership with the Clague leadership team. Clague is a hugely respected “top 100” architecture practice with bases in Canterbury, Ashford and Harpenden. They have a strong track record of delivering traditional design values for a range of clients.

Intelligent Linking conducted a series of leadership workshops and led discussions to uncover some of the challenges facing Clague today. We established a progressive programme of work that will deliver both short and longer terms benefits to the business, through the implementation of an interactive “step based” change management approach that is unique to Intelligent Linking. Intelligent Linking continue to work as partners and advisors to Clague Architects.

Andrew Clague (Senior Partner) of Clague says of Intelligent Linking:
“We were delighted with the insights and energy Intelligent Linking brought into our business. It set alight our thinking and left us feeling inspired.”

Ryhurst (part of Rydon Group)

Conducting a Strategic Review and developing a Performance Management Framework
Intelligent Linking were commissioned to conduct a strategic review of Ryhurst’s evolving “Service Targeted Estates Partnership” (STEP) strategy. This strategy is based on securing support for and delivery of a new, innovative and equitable public/private partnership model to support healthcare organisations to achieve their clinical objectives. This approach focuses on the important role to be played by the efficient and effective use, and management of, physical assets, with the aims of delighting customers, maximising service revenues and minimising the costs of occupation.

Intelligent Linking worked with the leadership team at Ryhurst to break down the overall vision and to analyse stakeholder and process  business perspectives using a 3-dimensional strategic planning toolkit developed by Intelligent Linking. Our approach allowed us to map out and simplify what is a complex proposition and ensure that relevant actions/outcomes were being planned to achieve a successful execution of the strategy. Intelligent Linking continue to work as a partner/advisor to Ryhurst as the STEP approach continues to roll out.

David Hay (CEO of Ryhurst) says of Intelligent Linking:
“Working with Intelligent Linking proved an intelligent choice for Ryhurst. Having reached a key stage in our development, we wanted to create a robust, challenging and flexible strategy that would serve as a reference point and guide our activity over the next few years. Their 3-dimensional strategic planning toolkit almost immediately proved of immense value by highlighting where our strategy and related service offers could be improved to better meet the needs of our internal and external stakeholders – who are often thought of as having competing and conflicting demands. As a result we have taken actions to address these gaps which are already proving productive. I would recommend their services to anyone who is conducting a strategic business review.”

Learning Light

Creating a New e-Learning Business
The team led a programme commissioned by Yorkshire Forward, supported by ESF funding, to create a "new kind of business" in South Yorkshire that would act as a network hub and promote the use of e-Learning. The objective of the business would be to provide sources of research, insight, business development and value added support to regionally based e-Learning Businesses (supporting a strong hub of e-Learning business in South Yorkshire).

We scoped the requirement and created a new business from scratch. In a nine month period we found premises, developed the brand and goals, created an initial portfolio of services, conducted new "primary" research (to act as initial delivery collateral), defined all roles and business processes, launched the website, hired and trained all staff and initiated a business pipeline for Learning Light (http://www.learninglight.com/). All of this was conducted with a parallel and continuous dialogue with the local e-Learning business community.

Successfully launched in 2005, Learning Light continues to be a local hub for e-Learning development in South Yorkshire.

Healthcare

The Department of Health

Knowledge and Information Management
The Department of Health "Knowledge and Information Management" team (KIM) commissioned us to design, develop and then deliver a staff development programme that would help all staff to apply compliant and effective processes in the way they manage departmental information and knowledge.

Working with the KIM team, we conducted a short review of current information management practices, applying recent insights from an information commission audit and an understanding of working practices which resulted in two actions that will help to improve staff capability in handling data, information and knowledge. With over 2,000 staff trained and all information and records management guidance updated, the staff within the Department are now significantly better placed to manage electronic information and records.

The Department of Health

Collaborative Working
The Department of Health had complex working relationships within their organisation and were increasingly challenged to work collaboratively - either with other teams within the organisation or across organisational boundaries. We developed a framework that helped the Department of Health to create a stronger foundation and relationships around the points of interaction in collaboration to ensure that both parties effectively shared their capacities and capabilities. This helped to develop a common culture that would underpin effective working relationships to support this collaboration.

Through our approach we were able to help break down complex collaborative working into a far more manageable set of "interactions" that took place between collaborating teams. We then helped to capture and define the capacities and capabilities required to make these interactions a success, often identifying gaps or unused resources that, when addressed, could significantly improve outcomes for both parties. Importantly, the approach also brought the quality of relationships into focus, which created the trust, respect and empathy required to help collaboration to work.

NHS

Front Line Engagement
The Intelligent Linking team was commissioned by an NHS services team (Smoking Cessation Teams) to develop an approach that can be used by delivery teams to create better results during engagement with customers. Intelligent Linking formulated a four-stage, progress and client-focused process - Engage, Communicate, Internalise and Act - which follows the service users journey through quitting smoking and provides the delivery team with inspiration and ideas to support their customers through this journey.

The delivery process steps were designed by the Intelligent Linking team who are working with the NHS team through a series of workshops to develop personal action plans and a greater team-based/collaborative approach to problem solving that contributes to the continued success of these high performing teams.

This process can be adapted and delivered to all front line health teams and other sectors where individuals are required to work with large groups of customers (or users) to drive forward a collective plan.

GSK

Foundations for Global knowledge management in R&D
GSK are one of the world’s most successful Life Sciences organisations (consistently in the top 3). The R&D function is the "engine room" of any Pharmaceutical company conducting critical research, often on a 24-7, continuous basis. To work effectively as a globalised, multi-site team, GSK worked with members of the Intelligent Linking team to lay down the foundations for an international knowledge sharing and collaboration framework. This groundbreaking framework addressed the technical, cultural and process issues faced by the organisation, as well as providing the early definition of an international R&D knowledge base.

Consumer Focused

Munters, (Moisture Control Services)

Strategy, Blueprint and Business Change programme
Munters MCS are a Swedish headquartered global leader in energy-efficient air treatment solutions based on expertise in humidity and climate control technologies. The Munters MCS board commissioned us to help facilitate the development of their global strategy, and to support the actions required to deliver improved global performance. Our work enabled MCS to have stronger, strategic market focus providing them with a healthier and a more sustainable business.  

Market Intelligence
MCS went on to commission us to conduct a market intelligence and market sizing exercise to support global business target setting and to create a common understanding of market share. Our work provided Munters with far more accurate understanding of their business potential that was translated into plans for development and growth per country underpinned by indicators of the baseline for growth across the four key market sectors that provided the focus for MCS. MCS subsequently was floated as an independent organisation and now trades as “Polygon” upholding and continuing to develop on the strategy we helped to put in place.

AON

European Product Strategy
AON are one of the worlds largest financial services, re-insurance and risk management organisations. Members of the Intelligent Linking team worked with the European Product Portfolio managers over a series of meetings to formulate a cohesive, integrated management strategy that aligned products and services to a stronger customer focus. This helped to identify and eradicate much duplication across the AON European product teams, while facilitating a detailed and collective view of the needs of clients that helped AON to establish a strong, customer-focused, product strategy.

Virgin Atlantic Airlines

IT strategy
Virgin is one of the world’s most recognisable brands and Virgin Atlantic Airways have transformed international travel through the development of a strongly customer-focused strategy, where the service in effectively "wrapped around" the journey of the customer.

Members of the Intelligent Linking team were employed by the commercial director of Virgin Atlantic Airways to develop an IT strategy in line with the transformational business model being designed to support the future of air travel. The Intelligent Linking team consulted with the leadership of the Virgin Atlantic Airways team to identify the key challenges in providing effective IT support and developed a strategy that underpinned the business vision. This included laying down the foundations for, and specification of, a future role of IT Director to support the business going forward.

Manufacturing

GM Europe

Vehicle Platform Management
The Intelligent Linking team led a programme to develop an approach to sharing data, information, insights and knowledge across multiple Vehicle Platform Managers working in different divisions and locations across General Motors Europe. The objective was to simplify the manufacturing process and to collaborate effectively to reuse valuable knowledge within the vehicle manufacturing process. This innovative approach, at the time, provided the GM team with a unique capability to collaborate across many traditional organisational boundaries and provided a unifying framework that contributed to the foundations for modern car manufacturing today.

Communications & Media

Erisa

Developing European Broadband Portal
Erisa are a Brussels-based not-for-profit organisation that was formed to support the development of the 2020 European Digital Strategy and agenda. Erisa itself is a membership-based organisation that leads and manages major cross-EU development programmes related to the information-based society.

Intelligent Linking are key partners for Erisa in designing, developing and delivering major EU programmes and are directly engaged with them in managing European Broadband Portal (phase II). Intelligent linking are providing design and support to strategic campaigns to engage national, regional and local authorities in developing and deploying VSDL (Very-high-bitrate DSL) infrastructure and solutions that directly contribute to the economic wellbeing of that locale.

Intelligent Linking continue to operate as a key partner for Erisa supporting both them and other European partner organisations to develop the case for and submit applications to receive support funding for major investment programmes linked to broadband infrastructure and applications. One such example is a hugely exciting strategic research initiative to identify EU-based infrastructure suitable for future Internet experimentation that will provide the foundation for the next generation Internet services.

Charles Watt (CEO) of Erisa says of Intelligent Linking
"Intelligent Linking bring a huge amount of experience and expertise to bear that helps us to simplify complex issues and prepare and plan a path to execute business and programme strategies. They have a knack of quickly understanding issues and working with us on a path to action that is hugely refreshing. This is one management consultancy that is not afraid to get its hands dirty and work side-by-side with its clients."

Government

National Assembly for Wales

Business Transformation Strategy
Following the devolution of regional government powers, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) brought together operations from multiple Welsh office departments with existing and new departmental responsibilities to form its new core governing body. Members of the Intelligent Linking team worked with WAG to conduct a major departmental review with the aim of producing a foundation document upon which the development of WAG and several £m’s of public funding were based, to ensure the delivery of the most effective and efficient government solution for the people of Wales. WAG is now held as an exemplary model of "lean" and highly effective government.

Scottish Enterprise

e-Business Strategy for Scotland
Working with the National e-Business team at Scottish Enterprise, members of the Intelligent Linking team developed a national strategy focused on e-Business, infrastructure and e-Learning that focused on economic growth, development and wellbeing for the people of Scotland. Supporting a revolutionary approach to infrastructure-funding that was driven by the SE team, and providing strategic guidance on e-Business and e-Learning, the SE team achieved a high profile as one of the few countries to achieve a national/inclusive broadband strategy, and created the template for future infrastructure development that has been applied time and again across the EU.

Isle of Man

e-Business cross sector review
Working with the e-Business Director for the States of the Isle of Man, members of the Intelligent Linking team formulated a strategic review of e-Business capability and development with businesses based on, or working through, the Isle of Man. We produced a cross-sector review that provided the evidence-base to support decision making on development investments (including infrastructure) across the Isle of Man. As an off-shore hub with the potential to support several e-Business-based industries, the work informed policy that has subsequently allowed the island to maintain a very high profile, both in terms of capability and range of services offered.

Community Focused

Yorkshire Forward

Regional Portal for Business and e-Commerce
We worked again with Yorkshire Forward to develop a regional business portal that would accelerate the growth of e-Business engagement for local businesses, providing a hosted platform to support business development and engagment for multiple small and medium-sized businesses. The project was phased to ensure strong local business engagement and see that their requirements would heavily drive the portal development.

We conducted a survey (through a combination of telephone and face-to-face interviews) with over 500 local businesses, analysed the data and concluded that the local market was unprepared for a transition to e-Commerce. The portal had the potential to destroy local business value unless a good understanding of, and engagement with, e-Commerce could first be developed. Despite the funding to develop the portal being available, within the project we recommended the suspension of the programme and the diversion of funds into other activies that would bring economic benefit to Yorkshire and Humber.

North West Development Agency

Regional ICT Study
We led a programme for the North West Development Agency to design, develop, implement and analyse a new data resource that provided a statistically robust analysis of the engagement with and use of ICT by businesses, public sector and households in the North West of England.

We created a data resource and evidence-base that formed the foundation for long term investment in ICT and ICT infrastructure in the region as part of the regional economic strategy (approximately £100m of spend). In the study over 8,000 businesses, 8,000 households and 1,500 public sector organisations were interviewed by telephone, street-based and door-to-door interviews in the most extensive survey of its kind. The survey revealed many new insights and requirements that have subsequently been the subject of major regional investment and the development of an improved economic future for the North West.

World Bank

Strategic Programme Review Framework
With multiple programmes of work established across the globe wherever poverty or social conditions demand it, the World Bank provides essential support, funding and guidance to help improve the lives of the people it supports. The Intelligent Linking team developed a strategic review framework that can be applied to assess the potential strategic impact of their investment programmes.

This 3D strategy modelling tool looks at business strategy from the perspective of stakeholders, processes and the business strategic goals to develop an implementation plan that truly aligns the organisation to the business vision and supports the development and planning of change management activities. Over 120 World Bank Programme Managers were trained in the use of the framework through a range of intensive seminars based in Washington DC.

Scottish Council Voluntary Organisations

Knowledge Management
Focusing in on the cultural aspect of knowledge management, members of the Intelligent Linking team developed an intervention to work alongside the SCVO team to deliver knowledge management advisory support to multiple SCVO projects, including housing associations, rehabilitation centres and community support programmes

IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance)

Global knowledge management
Working with IDEA, the Stockholm-based international institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, members of the Intelligent Linking team provided development support and team-based interventions to provide the foundations for the development of international knowledge management capability.

The project addressed issues of cultural and language boundaries, the development of an internationally acceptable taxonomy structure, and set a framework for action that brought together IT, processes, people, information and culture to formulate an international action plan.

Education

The National College

Strategy, Blueprint and Business Change
The National College had existed as an organisation for approximately 10 years when, in 2009, members of its Leadership Group commissioned a review to identify how it might work more efficiently and effectively, and to highlight areas where more aligned working would bring benefit to the college and its customers.

Working through our business partner, Promus Services Ltd, we worked with the Leadership Group to design a "Blueprint for 2014" that described a future way of working for the National College. The Blueprint design helped to identify areas of current strength that could be more widely adopted, as well as weaknesses that needed attention, and initiated an improvement programme that delivered, through a steady transition from current working practices, a far more (Blueprint) aligned model of working by 2014.

The Blueprint also provided the organising principle for the National College’s knowledge base of its capabilities, tools, insights, information and data, which provided the basis to capture, organise, share, develop and apply organisational best practice.

The London South Bank University

Strategy and Business Innovation - Visiting Fellowship at the London South Bank University.
London South Bank University continually seek "real world" and innovative input to their full time and international MBA programmes. Intelligent Linking are a regular contributor to these programmes and other developmental or innovative events associated with the university.

We provide innovative lectures and insights into Business Strategy Formulation, Organisational Blueprints, Information Age insights and Collaborative Working, combining real world insights with new, often leading edge models and frameworks for analysis and development.

Intelligent Linking also works collaboratively with the London South Bank University to create a focus on new research and to bring research insights or new "thought leadership" into common business practice. We provide real world input to education, development and research programmes that help advance positive outcomes for the University.

Becta

ICT toolkit for FE and Skills - Generator/Self Review Framework for Schools
Members of the Intelligent Linking team worked with Becta leading the design of a new toolkit that can be used by FE and skills colleges to improve the application of ICT in support of their educational goals. The toolkit was designed following extensive research of the potential user-environment and engagement with multiple FE and skills sector-based stakeholders to identify a clear set of requirements and an approach that would be inclusive of multiple strategies for improvement in FE and skills.

The project progressed to develop and implement the online assessment and ICT development framework (branded as Generator) http://www.generatorfeandskills.com/ which is now employed by thousands of FE and skills organisations to improve the use of ICT and, most importantly, the learning outcomes for their students.

Additionally, the Intelligent Linking team worked with Becta to analyse and develop the "self review framework" - a similar toolkit designed to help schools get the best from ICT investment.

Department of Education

Digital Content Strategy
Working with the Department of Education and Becta, members of the Intelligent Linking team worked on the Strategy for Digital Content for Schools. Engaging over 150 content providers through innovative work sessions and facilitating discussions, the Intelligent Linking team supported the development of the digitial content strategy for schools at a vital point in the inception and widespread acceptance of e-Learning. The work included the definition of an engagement framework with multiple content providers and set down all important standards, goals and objectives for digital content provision that now form part of the learning environment applied in schools today.