Case Studies
Case Study: College Strategy
This case study demonstrates the speed of response and quality of work that can be achieved when integrating AI into human-centric strategic processes.
Background
Capital City College is one of the largest FE colleges in the UK, occupying 12 campuses across London, with 35,000 students, 2,000 staff, and a turnover of £130m. Despite facing challenging market disruptions and shifting economic paradigms, it remains in a strong position.
Pablo Lloyd OBE has been steering the college for the last few years and has handed over to Angela Joyce, who has restructured and created a unified brand, 'Capital City College', emphasizing unity and diversity within each of its centers of excellence.
The Challenge
Angela Joyce is embarking on a 5-year strategic planning process, and Pablo Lloyd reached out on a Wednesday evening to request urgent education sector market analysis needed by the end of the following week. The goal was to inform the opening of strategic dialogue with the Capital City College Board of Governors.
Approach
A meeting was held to discuss the brief in detail. By Monday morning, a playback and proposal fitting the budget and timeline were provided and approved.
"It's always a delight to hear from past clients again. I worked alongside Pablo some years ago when he was leading a training provider in Oxford. This project was different; Pablo needed something high-level to stimulate strategic dialogue among a mixed board of Governors. Drawing from my industry knowledge and board experience, I aimed to present the information clearly and effectively."
Execution
That afternoon, Pablo and Emily met with internal stakeholders to define sectors of interest and gather data. Project partner Dr. Mike Jackson at PreEmpt.life ran their AI system on the challenge topic, providing detailed analysis in just four hours. This process exceeded the expectations of Capital City College.
Over the next two days, nine sectoral analyses were conducted using Preempt's strategic foresight tools. The draft research was completed by Friday, along with a slide deck highlighting considerations and risks for the College.
Feedback and Outcome
Stakeholders were impressed with the direction and quality of the output, noting that it was richer than expected. It was emphasized that the analysis did not account for future market conditions or strategic intelligence essential for decision-making. As a result, the College adjusted their approach for future Board meetings to allow for deeper strategic dialogue.
"I think this is one of the most exciting innovations I can offer clients right now. With margins being squeezed everywhere, we can now deliver what traditionally would have taken weeks or months, freeing up more energy for strategic dialogue and gathering stakeholder commitment."
Client Testimonial
"I really appreciate the quality of Emily's insights and PreEmpt's analysis. I was unsure about using AI but trusted Emily's judgment and guidance. The output exceeded my expectations, and Emily's skills in managing stakeholders and staying on track were invaluable. We are hoping she will continue to support us in the corporate planning process." — Pablo Lloyd
Conclusion
The project was completed within a week, achieving what would traditionally take six months. Capital City College now expects to complete their plan within eight weeks instead of the original six months, saving time, reducing costs, and enhancing critical thinking efforts.
Emily King