The Hidden Challenge of Quantifying Benefits in Higher Education Transformation Projects

At Agility X LTD, we work across the higher education (HE) sector to support transformational change projects — from automating complex student record processes to enhancing governance frameworks. One area that deserves much more open discussion is the challenge of quantifying benefits after transformational change, particularly when implementing new systems for progression and awards.

Many institutions are eager to demonstrate immediate cost savings, time efficiencies, and improvements in student experience following the introduction of new digital tools. However, the reality is often more complex.

We believe it's important to be honest about these complexities — not to downplay the impact of successful transformation, but to set realistic expectations for institutions embarking on similar journeys.

Data is King!

Good News: Early Feedback Is Often Positive

In many transformation programmes, qualitative feedback from users is an early positive indicator of success. For example, following a rollout of a new academic assessment tool across multiple faculties, we saw hundreds of administrators and academic staff expressing optimism about improved workflows, greater data confidence, and reduced manual handling.

User acceptance testing (UAT) and early adoption stories often highlight clear improvements in staff experience and operational clarity.

The Challenge: Quantitative Proof Takes Time

Despite strong qualitative feedback, quantitative, measurable benefits are often not immediately available. To accurately quantify improvements in efficiency or cost-effectiveness, an institution would typically need to:

• Conduct a time and motion analysis across each faculty or department.

• Understand FTE salary costs linked to specific tasks (e.g., assessment preparation, manual award checking).

• Compare pre-implementation manual effort with post-implementation effort using the new tool or system.

This type of deep analysis across hundreds of administrators and thousands of student outcomes is a significant operational task, not easily achieved during the initial project phase.

Additional Complexity: Many Factors Influence Outcomes

Another important reality is that project outcomes — such as fewer academic appeals or more accurate awards — are rarely the result of a single intervention.

Outcomes depend on multiple interconnected factors, such as:

• The quality of curriculum management processes

• Accurate entry of student marks into the system

• Staff training and data confidence

• Robustness of the business logic built into progression and awards algorithms

• The effectiveness of student services handling edge cases

Attributing a reduction in appeals or complaints solely to the implementation of a new tool is often unrealistic. A whole ecosystem of improvements needs to be in place to drive genuine, measurable change.

Who is your Benefits Owner?

Another key learning: Benefits realisation is primarily an operational responsibility, not just a project one. While transformation projects enable benefits by delivering new tools and processes, the tracking and ongoing measurement must be embedded into business-as-usual (BAU) activities and governance structures.

Institutions should plan for this early by:

• Assigning benefits owners within operational teams

• Designing data capture mechanisms during the project phase (not after)

• Building benefits tracking into service management or quality assurance cycles

• Being clear that trend analysis (e.g., comparing year-on-year appeals data) will take multiple academic cycles to fully mature

  
  

What Institutions Should Consider

For HE institutions embarking on large-scale system or process transformations, we recommend:

1. Set Realistic Expectations for Benefit Measurement

Recognise that while qualitative wins can be felt early, quantitative proofs will lag behind full rollout by at least one full academic cycle — often 12–18 months.

2. Invest in Operational Benefits Frameworks Early

Ensure operational teams, not just project teams, are equipped and resourced to track and report benefits. If possible, integrate benefits tracking into standard faculty or professional services reporting rhythms.

3. Accept and Manage Attribution Complexity

Design your benefits framework to acknowledge multiple drivers of success. Be honest that some outcomes will stem from combined improvements, not a single project deliverable.

4. Be Ready to Course-Correct

Benefits plans should be living documents. As data becomes available (e.g., in September 2025, after a full cycle of system usage), update assumptions, measures, and success criteria accordingly.

Embrace the Long View

Transformational change in higher education is complex — not just technically, but culturally and operationally. At Agility X LTD, we believe that true success comes not from early headlines, but from sustainable improvements embedded over time.

By being honest about the realities of benefits realisation, setting realistic timelines, and investing in operational ownership, institutions can ultimately deliver the outcomes that matter most: better staff experiences, stronger student outcomes, and more resilient governance models.

If your institution is embarking on a transformation journey and wants to strengthen your benefits tracking and operational readiness, we'd love to talk.

👉 Contact us at Agility X LTD to find out how we can help you deliver lasting impact.

Eugene James - Principal PPM Consultant, Agility X LTD