One of the things I've noticed in conversations with clients over the last few years is how much more important it has become to demonstrate the value of what we do.
Budgets are tighter, decisions are scrutinised more closely, and there's increasing pressure on our clients to show that the money they've invested has been well spent. Whether you're accountable to a Board, an executive team, shareholders or taxpayers, simply saying that a project was successfully is no longer enough. People want to know what was achieved, why it mattered and whether the investment represented value for money.
In two recent articles, we explored the importance of looking beyond outputs to the outcomes we're trying to achieve and why choosing suppliers who are a safe pair of hands is so important when managing risk. Both are about getting better value from the resources we invest in. But there's another dimension to this conversation: how do we make that value easy for others to see, understand and, importantly, trust? Because there's a difference between saying you delivered value and demonstrating it.
It starts with knowing what matters
Most projects begin with a problem to solve, a budget, a set of deliverables and a deadline. But in our experience, what's often unsaid is how the work connects to the organisation's wider priorities and what success will look like.
We've learnt to spend more time at the beginning of projects exploring these questions. Why is this work important? What strategic objective does it support? What needs to change as a result? And what evidence will demonstrate that the investment was worthwhile?
These questions connect the work to the things that matter to the organisation, and how our clients’ bosses will judge success and value. Understanding that bigger picture determines how we think and approach the brief, and ultimately what solution we recommend.
Delivery is only part of the story
Most organisations are good at reporting what they've delivered - a campaign, a website, a report or something else. We can demonstrate that the agreed deliverables were completed on time, and within budget. These are important measures of good delivery, but they don't necessarily tell us whether the investment achieved what it was intended to.
The more meaningful question is what changed because of the work.
We see this through our ongoing relationship with NZ Post, where our insights and sales support communications have helped strengthen its positioning as a preferred delivery partner for online retailers. NZ Post's research shows that retailers value the work, contributing to them having a stronger perception of NZ Post. Importantly, it's also contributing to their commercial results.
In this example, value comes from connecting what was delivered with how audiences responded and the difference the work is making to the business.
Other kinds of less visible value
Organisations sometimes underestimate the value created through the way a project is delivered, not just what it produces.
Experienced suppliers bring judgement, perspective and proven processes that make a difference. They identify potential problems early, challenge assumptions, simplify complicated decisions and help teams avoid unnecessary work. They bring lessons from other projects that clients might not otherwise have access to. In these cases, the greatest value comes from things that never happen.
A potential problem is identified before it becomes a costly mistake. A better approach saves weeks of work. A difficult decision is made earlier because the right information was available.
These contributions can be difficult to quantify because there's no obvious before-and-after measure. But anyone who's managed a complex or high-profile project knows how valuable they can be in avoiding rework, unexpected costs or delays, unnecessary pressure and unhappy stakeholders.
The challenge is making these contributions visible without turning every project update into a lengthy justification of activity. Sometimes it's as simple as documenting the decisions made, risks avoided and reasons behind a recommendation. That creates a clearer picture of the value being added throughout the process.
Accountability needs evidence, not just assurance
For procurement teams, budget holders and project owners, accountability doesn't end when the supplier delivers the work. They still need to demonstrate that the investment was justified, risks were appropriately managed and the organisation received value for money.
This is particularly important in the public sector, where spending decisions may be reviewed well beyond the people directly involved. It's not enough to believe the right decision was made. There needs to be a credible basis for explaining why.
That's where good measurement, transparent reporting and critical assessment become important. Evidence of progress, clear links to organisational priorities and a record of key decisions help people demonstrate that resources were used responsibly. And when things don't go to plan, being open about what happened and what was learnt is far more credible than presenting an artificially positive picture.
Trust isn't created by claiming success. It's earned by showing the evidence, acknowledging the limitations and allowing others to reach that conclusion.
Make it easy for others to tell the value story
Perhaps the biggest lesson for us is that demonstrating value shouldn't be something we leave until the project is finished. It needs to be built into how we plan, deliver and report on the work from the beginning.
The aim isn't to produce more reports but to make the important information easier to understand and use, across multiple stakeholder needs.
Ultimately, our clients need to be able to tell the story of their investment to their bosses and it’s our job to help them. They need to explain what was achieved, why it mattered and how it contributed to the organisation's priorities. The easier we make that story to tell, supported by credible evidence, the easier it becomes for them to meet their own accountability obligations.
Value that stands up to scrutiny
As suppliers, we have a responsibility to do more than deliver what's in the brief. We need to help clients achieve the outcomes they're investing in, protect them from unnecessary risks and make the value of our contribution clear.
In an environment where accountability and trust matter more than ever, delivering good work is only part of how we build long lasting trusted relationships with clients. The other part is making it easy for them to demonstrate the right decisions were made, resources were used wisely, and the investment achieved the things that really mattered.
