Programme rescue
When a technology programme goes wrong, we help you get it back on track.
Over budget, over time, over-promised or under-delivered. Senior people step in, find out what is really happening, and tell you honestly what to do next.
01 The short answer
An honest answer first. Then momentum.
Artimus programme rescue steps into over-budget, late or under-delivering technology programmes to get them back on track. Senior people review the plan, code, architecture, supplier contract and team, stop the damage, re-anchor the work on the business outcome, and tell you honestly whether to fix, rebuild or stop. Then we run the recovery and step back.
Rescue is where the fractional model earns its keep. You need a lot of senior attention for a short time, then much less. We dial up while we stabilise and dial down as the programme recovers. Only pay for what you need, when you need it.
02 Our method
Stabilise. Reframe. Restore.
Three stages, run by senior people, each ending in a clear decision you can see and question.
- 01 Stage
Stabilise.
Stop the damage and get the facts.
- An independent review of the plan, the code, the architecture, the supplier contract and the team
- Immediate actions: pause non-essential work, secure access to code, data and accounts, and fix what is actively causing harm
- An honest written picture of where things really stand
DecisionWhat to protect, and what to stop now.
- 02 Stage
Reframe.
Re-anchor the work on the business outcome.
- Go back to the outcome the programme was meant to deliver, not the spec from two years ago
- Separate what must work from what was nice to have
- Decide honestly whether to fix, rebuild or stop, with the reasons in writing
DecisionFix, rebuild or stop.
- 03 Stage
Restore.
Run the recovery, then step back.
- Senior people run the recovery, with clear checkpoints you can see
- Short, visible releases instead of one big reveal
- Your team and suppliers back in control, and us stepping back once it is steady
DecisionWhen it is safe to step back.
03 Reframe
Fix, rebuild or stop. How we decide.
The most valuable thing in a rescue is an honest decision. We make it on evidence, and we put the reasons in writing.
04 Why Artimus for rescue
Called in when others have not delivered.
- 01
We have done this before
We have been brought in after another supplier or team has not delivered. We know how to walk into a low-trust situation and get to the facts quickly.
- 02
Senior people only
The people who review your programme are the people who run the recovery. Everyone who works on your engagement is named in your statement of work.
- 03
An honest answer on fix or rebuild
We tell you honestly whether to fix, rebuild or stop, and why. Our bench builds production systems, so the advice is grounded in what delivery really takes.
- 04
Capacity that follows the recovery
Heavy senior attention while we stabilise, then less as the programme recovers. One lead, one contract, and specialists only when the work needs them.
How do we know if our programme needs rescuing?
If the date has moved more than once, releases keep breaking things, or you cannot see what the money has bought, it is worth an independent look. An early review shows where things stand before another quarter of drift, and sometimes the answer is that the programme is fine.
Should we replace our current supplier?
Not automatically. Many programmes recover with the existing supplier once scope, ownership and checkpoints are fixed. We review the supplier contract and the team during stabilise, and recommend keeping, changing or supplementing them on the evidence, not on blame.
Will you tell us to rebuild everything?
Only if that is the honest answer. Rebuilding is expensive and risky, so we look first for what can be kept. When a rebuild is right, we carry forward what you have already paid to learn: the requirements, the data, the designs and any parts that work.
Who owns the code, and why does it matter?
It matters a great deal. Early in stabilise we check who owns the code, the data, the cloud accounts and the domains, and whether the work could move to another team tomorrow. If it could not, securing that access is one of the first actions.
Can you take over delivery, or only advise?
Both. We can advise while your team and suppliers deliver, or run the recovery ourselves with senior engineers from our bench. A rescue can mix the two, and the mix changes as the programme recovers. You only pay for what you need, when you need it.
What do you need from us to get started?
A sponsor who owns the business outcome, access to the people, code, documents and supplier contract, and candour about what has happened so far. We keep the review confidential and focused on facts.
