National Commissioning Academy applications are open: September 2026 to February 2027View dates and fees

Free team tool

Commissioning Compass

A free system assessment tool that helps commissioners, leaders and partners see how commissioning is really working and decide where to act next.

Free

Look beyond the formal cycle

The Commissioning Compass helps a group explore what is shaping outcomes across relationships, capability, insight, policy, process and delivery models.

It is useful when a team can describe the formal process but still cannot explain why the system keeps producing the same results.

What it helps you do

  • Build a shared picture across different roles and organisations.
  • Notice strengths as well as blocks.
  • Separate a process problem from a relationship, power, information or capability problem.
  • Find where there is energy and room to act.
  • Agree a small number of next moves and owners.

The Compass is not a benchmark, maturity score, inspection or performance judgement. Its purpose is better conversation and practical action.

Use it with a group

The value comes from differences between people’s answers. A score is less interesting than the reasons behind it. Use the tool to make those differences discussable, then decide what to test or change.

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.