Making the Games

What can we learn from London 2012?

Emma Norris, Institute for Government

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Introduction

“It was a surprise, wasn’t it? There we were, little old us, the country that made such a Horlicks of the Millennium Dome celebrations in 2000, putting on a flawless performance of the most logistically difficult thing you can ask a country to do in peacetime. …I want you to remember that feeling of surprise because that surprise is revealing of our chronic tendency in this country to underestimate what we can do. We now need to learn the lessons of the Olympics and the Paralympics.” (Boris Johnson)

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London was the underdog

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The UK track record on major projects was mixed

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The scale and complexity was huge

11 ‘Olympic hospitals’ on standby to provide free medical care for the ‘Olympic Family’

52 every police force in the country provided security for the Games

200 extra buses provided in London for the Games

4,000 extra Games-time train services provided over the Olympics and Paralympics

15,000 police officers deployed on the Olympic operation on peak days

18,200 troops required to provide security for the Olympics at peak times

There were serious challenges along the way

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• May 2010

• September 2008

• July 2005

• May 2008

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But the Games has been judged a success

“It has lifted the cloud of limitations.”– Emily, Games Maker

Guardian/ICM: more than 75% of people say the Games were ‘well worth the cost’

YouGov: 83% of the public thought the Games were a success

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How did they do it?

1. New ways of working

2. New modes of engagement

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New ways of working

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Our analysis: the building blocks for success

1. Politics

Challenge: changes of administration present danger for major projects

Analysis: politics was dealt with head on - using its advantages and minimising the risks of administration change through transparency. But there were still challenges - for instance on reshuffles, and unusual advantages – for instance the guarantees.

Leadership

GuaranteesCooperation

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Our analysis: the building blocks for success

2. People and skills

Challenge: capability gaps and changes in personnel are regular problems for major projects in government

Analysis:

• world-class recruitment and leadership

• creating and embracing mixed teams who were skilled at commercial and policy/political work

• stability in personnel – politicians, civil servants and private sector staff stayed the course

“The most important thing was never physical things; the most important thing was always people” - David Higgins, ex-Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive

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Our analysis: the building blocks for success

3. Institutional design and governance

Challenge: delivery bodies built from scratch; complex role of government as guarantor but not the only client; the hardest of deadlines

Analysis:

• institutions had clear roles and responsibilities, and the right powers

“The correct answer to ‘Who’s in charge of the Olympic Games?’ is ‘Nobody’” – Jeremy Beeton, former Government Olympic Executive Director-General

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Our analysis: the building blocks for success

4. Programme management and delivery

Challenge: the delivery environment was complex and government track record on commissioning and procurement mixed

Analysis:

• focus on getting the scope right and high bar to change in ODA and LOCOG

• investment in project management

• the use of NEC3 contracting

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But one warning:

Challenge: the scale of the Games meant the project was fraught with risk

Analysis:

• G4S failure – failure to adapt to new working environment; Games was no ‘business-as-usual’

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New modes of engagement

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Our analysis: the building blocks for success1. Budget

Challenge: budget overruns are very common on Olympics and on government major projects

Analysis:

• transparency – quarterly reporting that drove efficient behaviour and kept press and public informed

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Our analysis: the building blocks for success

2. Vision

Challenge: there were a huge range of interests in the Games and the possibility of conflict loomed large

Analysis: the bid company developed a vision that tied everyone together – whilst allowing flexibility to meet subsidiary objectives including the benefits for London, the country and sports participation

A great Games for everyone

Regenerate East London

Regional benefitsTourism

££ for small businesses

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New skills sets

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Once developed, make the most of new skills

• Civil servants developed new expertise in major project management and delivery

• Commercial skills and ‘intelligent client’ role developed in partnership with private sector recruits

• Are these skills being redeployed?

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Overarching lessons from London 20121. Project trumps silo“There was only one brand – London 2012” – David Higgins

2. Bring together the right people in effective teams“That’s the most important thing – the team” – Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison

3. Personnel stability and personal relationships matter“It’s really about the ability of the people in those organisations to be open and honest and to have relationships that work, and they did in large part.” – Seb Coe

4. Political cooperation creates space for project success“The big thing on political transition was transparency. There were no surprises when the new government came in or when Boris took over from Ken” – Jonathan Stephens

5. Change and time discipline are crucial“Many projects start with a scope that’s not buttoned down, a lack of clarity over the programme and therefore a budget that isn’t defined” – Dennis Hone

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Lessons for government6. Budget transparency brings benefits“Transparency forced everyone to cut costs” – David Goldstone

7. Arm’s length bodies and the public sector can deliver[London 2012] “brought out the public services and the civil service at their very best” – Jonathan Stephens

8. Beware false economies“That front end costs money. Whether its private sector or public sector clients, they don’t like spending money at the front end.” – John Armitt

9. Be bold and ambitious“Blair and Jowell were right about the Olympics and all the officials who advised them not to do it were wrong.” - former DCMS official

Download the report from: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications