Smart governance driving community development transformation.
How did a government entity overcome operational challenges and build an intelligent system aligned with the Kingdom's major projects? Discover the full story inside.
Client Background:
A Saudi government entity responsible for overseeing community development and resident relocation in regions impacted by national development projects. The entity's mission is to restore and enhance the quality of life for affected communities through a holistic suite of development services delivered in line with human rights principles and global standards.
Business Challenge:
Despite the rapid growth of its project portfolio, the entity faced several structural and operational gaps, including misalignment between planning and execution, weak governance, role ambiguity, and lack of reliable performance metrics. Additional challenges included poor institutional data documentation, unstructured handling of closed projects, limited internal strategic awareness, and dependency on manual, non-integrated tools.
Solution Overview:
elm Consulting delivered a transformational program to support project and portfolio governance and execution. The engagement started with a comprehensive diagnostic phase, followed by the design and activation of a new operating and governance model tailored for development project delivery. A unified project and portfolio management framework was implemented, drawing on global best practices, with the full engagement spanning over two years.
A performance management ecosystem was built with actionable KPIs, smart dashboards, and automated reporting mechanisms. Standardized tools and templates were deployed to reduce manual effort and enhance efficiency. Additionally, workshops and training sessions ensured effective knowledge transfer and team readiness.
To support implementation, a smart monitoring system was introduced to track performance across key indicators such as:
- On-time handover of regions and properties to project owners
- Accuracy and efficiency in property enumeration and valuation
- Timely and accurate compensation disbursement
- Grievance rate and handling effectiveness
Business Impact:
- Unified governance framework for project and portfolio management
- Improved alignment between planning and execution
- Clear definition of roles and governance accountability
- Data-driven decision-making through enhanced transparency
- Reduction in project delays via structured methodologies and compliance protocols
- Increased operational efficiency via automation and business intelligence
- Strengthened institutional performance culture
- Improved team capability through structured enablement programs
- Better stakeholder engagement through structured information and accountability