Tool note · 18 July 2026
What a Compass is for
A Compass should not tell you where every organisation must go. It should help people see where they are, compare bearings and choose a next move.
Not a maturity model
Maturity models imply a common ladder and a destination already known by the designer. That can be useful for a narrow technical capability. It is a poor fit for a complex public service system in which different actors have different purposes, knowledge and power.
The Commissioning Compass is not a scorecard for ranking organisations. It is a structured way to create differences worth discussing.
Use disagreement
If a director rates provider relationships highly and a frontline commissioner does not, the answer is not to split the difference. Ask what each person can see, which relationships they mean, and where the consequences appear.
A Compass earns its name when it helps a group orient itself. It should reveal where there is energy, where the map is thin and where a small move might teach the system something.
Keep judgement in the room
The tool can structure attention. It cannot replace local knowledge, ethical judgement or responsibility. The people using it remain accountable for what they notice, whose voice is absent and what they choose to do.
Start with the work
Tell us what is happening, who needs to act, and what cannot wait.
We will help you decide whether a short diagnostic, an in-house cohort, a place-based academy, or an existing programme is the sensible next move.