The challenge
Practice leadership at Brackenridge guides support workers in delivering best-practice support. At the time, the team was over-stretched, supporting more than forty teams across multiple locations with limited capacity. They were spread thin, responding as best they could but lacked a clear, shared strategy to focus, prioritise, or use their time and skills for the greatest impact. The brief was to reset the strategy and develop a more targeted, deliberate approach to deploying resources.
How we helped
We used the DUCTRI model approach to rapidly develop and test a new practice leadership strategy and toolkit, while respecting operational pressures and keeping staff involved throughout.
In the Discovering and Understanding phases, we conducted semi-structured interviews with Service Managers, Support Workers, and Practice Leaders. We also performed desktop research on practice leadership and how similar services are structured and delivered in other organisations. A developed a visual snapshot of the current state and the work’s focus.
We held joint workshops using co-design tools to identify drivers and blockers, and used strategy frameworks to clarify direction. Ideas were refined in-session, with time for reflection between meetings.
We then tested the most promising elements in simulations and in practice. Several tools and processes were tested first in workshop scenarios, then in a two‑month pilot to see how they worked with real teams and real constraints.
Finally, in the Resourcing and Implementing phases, we agreed on what to commit to, using an impact/effort lens to decide which ideas would deliver the most value for the least additional load. We turned those decisions into concrete assets:
- A mission canvas to articulate how the new practice leadership strategy creates and delivers value.
- A deployment matrix to identify which teams to prioritise and where practice leadership would be most needed.
- A summary document capturing the key decisions and the new strategy.
- A discovery document to help practice leaders understand each team’s needs before engaging.
- A coaching plan to guide how practice leaders would plan and deliver coaching.
- A simple process visual to support training and communication as the new approach was rolled out.
We presented the new strategy and tools to Service Managers to confirm alignment and build ownership of the changes.
The impact
The practice leadership team shifted from being spread thin across 40 teams to deploying a focused strategy and practical tools for targeting high‑impact areas. They now allocate limited resources deliberately, prioritising the teams most in need rather than stretching to cover all. Staff satisfaction rose, supported by a clear vision, approach, and expectations. Practice leaders became more confident using new assets. Stakeholder confidence increased as they observed a transparent, co‑designed process and a clear rationale for targeted support.
“The process Vaughan took us through helped the team to clarify our thinking from where we have been to where we want to be. The design Vaughan used made it easy for everyone to understand and articulate, with no one being left out of the process. The end result has provided the team with the direction and resources they need to succeed in their roles. If you are contemplating a redesign of a service, I highly recommend Vaughan to take you through the process.” – Julie Hampton, Practice and Quality Manager, Brackenridge