Metronet – Stakeholder engagement – user requirements and their expectations of service delivery

Client challenge

Prior to contract signature, as one of the contractors to Transport for London in delivering the upgrade to the underground, Metronet wanted to establish where the areas of conflict were within the boroughs the lines passed through and served. There was also a great need to get the Borough on board at various levels and enable a clearer route of communication, managing conflict in this very controversial project. 

What did we do?

Article 13 mapped the Boroughs likely issues, in the context of the overall Borough objectives and how the underground could help deliver these objectives. Following the mapping exercise, Article 13 contacted the Directors of the Borough councils asking for a face to face meeting to learn how they would like Metronet to work with, and communicate with them. This discussion was not set to influence the contract set by Transport for London, but would influence a new way of working.

Article 13 subsequently met with each Borough. The Directors were required to invite all the relevant personnel, thus enabling Article 13 to build a contact list. From the Borough consultation output, Article 13 was able to build a strategy for Metronet called ‘the new way of working’, as well as a rapid response to mechanism and a tool kit of communications.

Article 13 carried out the initial feedback to the Boroughs, meeting with the CEO of Metronet. This enabled the building of trust.

How did we break the cycle?

Article 13’s participative process enabled engagement beyond the ‘usual suspects’, forming part of communication policy and strategy. We were able to develop a new way of working with very clear lines of communication.

© Article 13 2005