The PSTA / Commissioning Compass / Reading
Key questions
Aspect of Commissioning 5: Information, insight, and innovation. Teaching text from June 2025.
June 2025 teaching template, slide 56
Information, insight, and innovation (1/2)
Do we really understand all the needs in our place, including the unmet need?
Do we have an ambitious and clear adaptive route map for change?
Do we practice active learning and insight development?
Do we have a culture of innovation, experimentation and learning from failure (and success)?
Do we commission from a values-driven position, taking responsibility for outcomes while avoiding the ‘heroic’ mode of ‘fixing everything’ in favour of an enabling approach where people feel involved and part of designing and implementing things that matter to them? And we involve the workforce in design.
Are we using approaches that harness complexity and an appreciation of whole systems?
Give each question a score and once completed document some observations and examples for each aspect 0 – 24 Poor (significant risk), 25 – 49 Fair (lesser/lower risk, improvement required) ,50 – 74 Good (shortfalls identified/need to be addressed) 75 – 100 Excellent (no action required)
June 2025 teaching template, slide 57
Information, insight, and innovation (2/2)
Do we work across different paradigms as appropriate, based on multiple perspectives?
Do we have an understanding of and great leadership of transformational change?
Are we able to connect small-scale tests of change with larger strategic bets?
Are quality, social value, and value for money evaluated proportionately and evidence-based?
Do we have and share data from across the whole system, including identifying gaps and unmet needs that will result in demand?
Do we seek external challenge, peer review, coaching, development, and reflective practice?
Are we powerfully advocating for commissioning and leading by example?
Give each question a score and once completed document some observations and examples for each aspect 0 – 24 Poor (significant risk), 25 – 49 Fair (lesser/lower risk, improvement required) ,50 – 74 Good (shortfalls identified/need to be addressed) 75 – 100 Excellent (no action required)