4.5.3 Niteworks: Systems thinking and methods within a collaboration paradigm

Abstract

AbstractLike many complex enterprises, UK Defence is struggling with a series of frustrating organisational, system and technology problems, including: increasing scale and complexity, increasing need for continuous capability evolution and increasing need to optimise at the system of systems level. Within this context, Niteworks provides flexible decision support to address three priority areas: support to current operations; support to decision making by the Joint Capabilities Board (JCB), and; support to complex acquisition. This paper describes Niteworks' unique collaborative partnership construct that allows UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and industry engagement in a neutral, consensus‐based, yet agile manner to address a wide range of complex decision support activities. It details the enabling commercial arrangements, the underlying principles for success and a generic decision model. This approach, the ‘Niteworks Way‘, has been designed by applying systems engineering thinking and methods to the Defence Enterprise and Niteworks within it. The approach has been demonstrated to be flexible and responsive by addressing issues across the range of the UK Defence Enterprise. It has also delivered sizeable value to both UK MOD and industry, demonstrating that collaborations can work effectively and that both industry and the MOD can benefit from embracing new concepts and commercial arrangements.