When you’re brought in to deliver a specific piece of work – like a system migration, a new platform, or an analytics upgrade – it’s easy to stay focused on the brief. Deliver the task. Hit the deadline. Move on.
But some of the most valuable work you can do for a client happens when you look beyond the task at hand and help them move closer to their long-term goals.
That’s what happened when we supported a major data migration for the NHS. The initial ask was simple: move teams from one data platform to another. But by stepping back and asking the right questions, we helped turn a technical migration into something much more valuable: a shift toward a more joined-up, confident and strategic approach to data.
And this kind of shift isn’t unique to healthcare. It’s something we see across sectors. When delivery teams engage with strategy, even small projects can have a lasting impact.
From system migration to mindset shift
The NHS needed to move several analytical teams from the National Commissioning Data Repository (NCDR) to a new platform called the Unified Data Access Layer (UDAL). The platform holds data used to track waiting times, monitor maternity care and plan where new services are needed, amongst many other use cases. It’s vital that this data is accurate, up to date and easy to share across teams.
The technical goal was to migrate users and decommission the old platform. But the real opportunity was to improve how the NHS managed, trusted and made use of its data – not just move it from A to B.
As we got into the work, we saw ways to make things better. The process was manual, so there was a clear opportunity to bring in automation and reduce errors. Some teams didn’t fully trust the new platform’s maturity, so we needed to focus on building their confidence and understanding. We also found that if something went wrong with the data pipelines, no one was immediately alerted. This left teams unaware they were not using the most recent data before accessing it.
So we asked a bigger question: how could this system migration help build a stronger, more strategic NHS data platform?
3 things we did differently
1. We asked strategic questions early
Instead of just working through a task list, we opened up conversations with technical and non-technical teams. We wanted to understand what success looked like. Not just for this migration, but for the organisation’s wider data ambitions.
This helped us reframe the project. Rather than just completing a handover, we started helping the NHS explore how this platform could support shared metrics and future platforms like the Federated Data Platform (FDP).
Why this matters
Taking time to understand the bigger picture can transform your role from supplier to strategic partner and help ensure the work delivers more than just its headline outcome.
2. We co-designed realistic solutions
We brought in experienced data consultants straightaway. People who had delivered government-scale platforms before. Their insight helped us quickly spot the real trade-offs, avoid unnecessary complexity and focus on what would actually work.
One of the biggest improvements was helping the NHS choose a single, consistent approach to future migrations. UDAL offered two options: a familiar but inefficient datamart route and a newer, faster Lake Mart route using Databricks. The Lake Mart option was more scalable and cost-effective, but less familiar. We worked with the client to show how a bit of upfront training could give them long-term benefits. After our contract ended they adopted this approach as their standard.
Why this matters
Clients often need support making decisions that balance familiarity and future value. If you can bring that confidence and co-create the answers, you’ll leave them stronger and more self-sufficient.
3. We built trust in the system
A big blocker was trust. Many teams were understandably nervous about switching to a new platform without knowing it was reliable. One issue was that there were no alerts when something went wrong with the data. We helped fix this by training NHS engineers and improving how the system flagged errors, so if something broke, teams would know straight away and could fix it quickly.
We also looked for quick, practical improvements so teams could see immediate improvements to their old ways of working. For example, replacing manual Excel forms with a digital request tool to speed up the process and reduce mistakes.
Why this matters
Whether it’s data, infrastructure or services, people need confidence in the systems they use. Even small changes that improve visibility, usability or feedback loops can make a big difference to adoption and effectiveness.
The kind of value every project should aim for
By going beyond the original brief, we helped the NHS set stronger foundations for its data strategy. But the value we delivered, strategic alignment and practical improvement isn’t unique to healthcare. It’s what happens when delivery teams lean into strategy.
Here’s what that can look like across any organisation:
- Clearer direction Helping teams align delivery with long-term goals, not just immediate outputs
- Better decisions Supporting choices that balance short-term ease with long-term value
- Improved efficiency Streamlining processes and reducing friction along the way
- Greater confidence Making systems more transparent, usable and trusted
- Stronger partnerships Working alongside teams, not just delivering to them
Don’t just deliver – help define success
Every project is a chance to go beyond delivery and shape something better. That doesn’t mean scope creep or going off-brief. It means being curious, asking better questions and spotting where your expertise can add real, lasting value.
So next time you’re working on a system migration, platform build, or system change, take a moment to zoom out. Because sometimes, the biggest opportunities are the ones hidden just behind the task list.
For a deeper look at some of the work we’ve been doing with the NHS browse our Health and Care case studies.
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