RPNA 12P: The Framework Every Leader Needs for Digital Transformation Success

The RPNA 12P Assessment is a strategic diagnostic tool created to help leaders understand and manage the full scope of digital transformation not just technology upgrades, but the entire ecosystem that makes transformation succeed. It evaluates 12 interconnected dimensions, from governance and workforce capability to user experience and cost efficiency, giving you a clear, data-driven baseline for decision-making.

Why it matters for leaders

Business transformation today is inseparable from digital enablement. Every major initiative whether improving citizen outcomes, reducing costs, or redesigning services relies on digital capability. Yet, many organisations still equate “digital transformation” with buying new technology. The reality? Success depends on orchestrating budgets, technology, processes, people, and partnerships in a way that is measurable and aligned with corporate strategy.

Why was it created?

The motivation for the RPNA 12P Assessment comes from the pressing challenges facing local government. Councils are at a crossroads:

• A projected £2.3 billion funding gap in 2025/26, rising to £3.9 billion by 2026/27.

• Growing demand in Adult Social Care, Children’s Services (especially SEND), and Housing.

Digital transformation has long been seen as a route to balancing fiscal priorities, but the evidence shows that most efforts fail. Surveys reveal that only 17% of public sector leaders consider their digital transformation successful, and McKinsey reports that 74–80% of public sector transformations fail to meet objectives. Why? Because transformation is often treated as a technology project rather than a holistic change in how resources, processes, and people are managed.

The RPNA 12P Assessment was designed to change that narrative. It provides a rapid, structured way to assess your starting point, identify gaps, and create a shared understanding between IT/Digital teams and business leaders. This enables data-led decisions, predictable outcomes, and a consistent digital vocabulary across the organisation.

The RPNA 12P Framework: A Rapid Baseline Assessment

The RPNA 12P Assessment is not just a checklist it’s a best-practice framework designed to give leaders a clear, data-driven picture of their organisation’s digital foundations. It recognises that digital transformation is complex and multi-dimensional, and that success depends on more than technology alone. The framework evaluates 12 interrelated elements, each representing a critical lens through which digital maturity should be assessed:

• Pledge – How well does your digital function align with corporate strategy?

• People – Do you have the right skills, capacity, and workforce development plans?

• Policy – Are governance frameworks and standards robust and consistently applied?

• Process – How mature and efficient are your operational processes?

• Partners – Are external relationships and supply chains delivering value?

• Product – Is your infrastructure and application roadmap fit for purpose?

• Performance – Are service delivery metrics clear and outcomes measurable?

• Perception – What is the user experience and perceived service quality?

• Productivity – How effectively are resources utilised and capacity planned?

• Proficiency – Do you understand your technical skills gaps and strengths?

• Price – Are costs and value properly assessed and benchmarked?

• Planning – Is governance, authority, and insight enabling informed decisions?

Why is this important?

Digital transformation often fails because organisations lack a baseline understanding of where they are starting from. Without this, priorities are unclear, investments are misaligned, and outcomes become unpredictable. The RPNA 12P Assessment solves this by providing a rapid, structured evaluation that focuses on the elements that make the most difference.

What makes it different?

This is not a lengthy, resource-heavy exercise. It’s designed to deliver 80% of the benefit for 20% of the effort, giving leaders actionable insights quickly. The output is a clear picture of strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities enabling you to prioritise actions, justify investment, and communicate a consistent digital narrative across the organisation. In short, the RPNA 12P Framework creates a common language for digital transformation, bridging the gap between technical teams and business leaders, and ensuring decisions are based on facts, not assumptions.

Why Now?

Local authorities face unprecedented challenges:

• A projected £2.3 billion funding gap in 2025/26, rising to £3.9 billion by 2026/27.

• Rising demand in Adult Social Care, Children’s Services (especially SEND), and Housing.

Digital transformation offers a way to reimagine services and reduce costs but only if it’s managed holistically. Currently, 74–80% of public sector transformations fail to meet objectives. The RPNA 12P Assessment helps break this cycle by creating a shared understanding between IT/Digital and business leaders, enabling predictable, data-driven decisions.

Expected Impact

The RPNA 12P Assessment is designed to deliver tangible, measurable benefits that go far beyond technical improvements. For Chief Executives and Transformation Directors, the impact is strategic and operational:

• Efficiency gains worth millions through smarter resource management

  By identifying duplication, inefficiencies, and underutilised assets, the assessment highlights opportunities to optimise budgets and resources. Early adopters have uncovered savings in the millions funds that can be redirected to frontline services or innovation.

• Shift from “keeping the lights on” to value creation

  Too often, IT and Digital teams are consumed by maintenance and firefighting. The RPNA 12P framework enables a pivot toward activities that create real business value improving citizen outcomes, accelerating service redesign, and supporting organisational priorities without additional investment.

• A consistent digital vocabulary that defines the “so what” before decisions are made

  One of the biggest barriers to transformation is misalignment between technical teams and business leaders. This process creates a shared language, making it clear why certain actions matter, what benefits they deliver, and how they connect to corporate objectives. Decisions become faster, clearer, and based on evidence rather than assumptions.

• Reduced risk of boom-and-bust investment cycles and technical debt

  Many authorities experience cycles of heavy capital investment followed by years of stagnation and mounting technical debt. The RPNA 12P Assessment helps break this pattern by embedding continuous insight and governance, ensuring investments remain sustainable and aligned with long-term goals.

In short, the expected impact is greater efficiency, stronger alignment, and more predictable outcomes, all achieved with minimal effort compared to traditional transformation approaches.

Who Benefits Most?

The RPNA 12P Assessment is designed for organisations facing complexity, change, and financial pressure where clarity and control over digital foundations can make the difference between success and failure. It is particularly valuable for:

• Authorities undergoing transformation programmes

  When you’re redesigning services or implementing new operating models, understanding your digital baseline ensures that transformation is built on solid foundations, not assumptions.

• Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

  Merging structures, systems, and cultures is challenging. The 12P framework provides a clear, data-driven view of where each legacy organisation stands, helping leaders plan integration without unnecessary duplication or risk.

• Devolution changes

  As responsibilities shift and new governance arrangements emerge, the assessment helps identify capability gaps and opportunities to leverage digital for better outcomes.

• Insourcing from previous outsourcing arrangements

  Bringing services back in-house requires confidence in your internal capacity and clarity on what needs to change. The RPNA 12P Assessment highlights risks, resource requirements, and quick wins.

Beyond these scenarios

Any organisation planning major change or simply wanting to identify risks and opportunities before committing investment, will benefit from this approach. Unlike opinion-based reviews, the RPNA 12P Assessment delivers fact-based insights, enabling leaders to make informed decisions, prioritise effectively, and communicate a clear digital strategy across the business.

Bottom Line

The RPNA 12P Assessment isn’t just a diagnostic tool; it’s a strategic enabler for sustainable digital transformation. It gives leaders clarity, confidence, and control helping you make data-driven decisions that deliver measurable outcomes and long-term value. If your organisation is planning transformation, facing financial pressure, or simply wants to identify risks and opportunities before committing investment, now is the time to act. Contact Ashley Roper today to discuss what the RPNA 12P Assessment can do for you and how it can accelerate your journey toward smarter, more sustainable digital delivery.