Case Study: A new regulatory model for maritime operation

A diverse enterprise was seeking to strike the balance between operational performance and the inherent risks of maritime operations to personal and public safety, as well as to the environment. An equally important balance was sought between regulations which guide and empower good decision making versus regulations that create a box-ticking mindset and administrative overhead.

The project outcome was to transform the enterprise into a modern outcome-focused and risk-based operator at all levels of the organisation, not just at the regulator level. After all, the ultimate challenge faced by every leader and every operator is to achieve the operational outcome while intentionally and transparently managing risks.

In achieving this outcome, it was crucial to consider the entire operating model of the enterprise –processes, systems, competency development, accountabilities, behaviours and management controls or incentives.

Working as part of the Brooke Global team, we brought an iterative, co-created method to the operating model design and implementation

We worked agilely with leaders and subject matter experts drawn from across the enterprise to:

• Facilitate design workshops.
• Leverage leading practice in governance, risk management and goal-centred leadership
• Assess the change readiness of the different parts of the enterprise and help prepare for the organisational change.
• Conduct pilot field testing and adjust based on feedback.
• Establish two-way communications for listening, communication and education.

The operating model comprised the management system of systems, as well as a new regulator organisation. Rather than replace existing systems that already provide degrees of assurance, the operating model created the means to provide coherent assurance by joining up all of the component parts in a consistent manner across all operations and throughout their life cycle.

What you can learn from this project

• Whole of enterprise and whole of asset lifecycle thinking is essential for coherent system of systems thinking.
• Best-practice regulation is outcome-focused and risk-based, adjusted to the specific operational context – ‘more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules’.
• Evidence-based and fully transparent decision making reinforces accountability.
• Iterative co-creation not only designs solutions but creates user stories and engages change champions to help make it real for all levels of an organisation.
• Consultants have a role to listen, co-create customised solutions and to be counter-cultural at the right time.

What the client shared about the work

Director of Regulation: ‘You clearly have a very good mind for this reform and sensitivity for the very human aspects of our activities.  A person who grasps overall what we are trying to achieve and who can also meaningfully engage, co-ordinate and encourage the people necessary to realise our objectives is rare and valuable. You also play a wonderful devil’s advocate and can quickly get to the heart of a matter to bring clarity.’