How this works
Set your programme details on the left and the estimated exposure updates instantly on the right.
Governance Engine · Diagnostic Tool
What is weak ERP governance likely costing you?
A conservative executive estimate across delay, SI extension, rework, and unrealised value. Move the sliders and the number updates instantly.
Deliberately conservative. This tool excludes legal costs, board time, and reputational exposure. Real exposure is typically higher than what appears here.
Approximate exposure estimate
£0
Move the delay slider to estimate exposure
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GovernedConfidence DriftMaterial ExposureGovernance ErosionValue Destruction Risk
Direct delay costMonthly burn × delay months£0
SI extension exposure~52% of monthly burn, extended by delay£0
Rework exposureConservative %, capped at 10%£0
Internal capacity drainSME opportunity cost at 25% allocation£0
Operational disruption riskModest % of gross margin at go-live£0
Unrealised transformation value% of expected annual value, capped at 30%£0
Move the delay slider to see the governance payback calculation.
What does this mean?
Suggested reading
Twenty minutes is usually enough.
If the exposure feels uncomfortably plausible, the next conversation is usually straightforward.
Request a Governance ReadNo deck. No pitch. A direct view on what the calculator may be surfacing.
Delay is the primary driver
Every month of delay extends the SI contract, consumes internal capacity, and defers transformation value. Four of the six exposure categories are directly linked to delay.
Budget sets the cost baseline
Your programme budget determines the monthly burn rate and sets the baseline for rework exposure.
Programme confidence is a governance signal
Low confidence adjusts the overall exposure score upward. When the people closest to a programme cannot explain their confidence, the gap typically reflects something real.
Governance factors determine the cost multiplier
The six governance factors determine which exposure band applies. A well-governed programme carries a lower multiplier. A poorly governed one carries a higher multiplier.
Why this estimate is conservative
Rework capped at 10% of budget. Value-at-risk capped at 30%. Legal costs, board time, and succession costs excluded. Real exposure is typically higher.
Your programme
Four inputs for an instant read. Add governance detail below to refine the estimate.
£1m
Total approved budget including SI fees, licences, and internal costs.
£1m£100m
6 months
Board-approved timeline from start to go-live.
6 months48 months
0 months
Current slippage, or your honest estimate.
None18 months
0%
Not whether it feels busy. Whether it is genuinely governed.
Not confidentFully confident
Advanced Governance Factors
Move each slider to reflect the current state of your programme.
Critical
Delivery team marking its own homeworkIndependent governance trusted by leadership
Critical
Governance theatreClear visibility of operational reality
Critical
Likely late-stage blockerControlled and governed
Critical
Customisation pressure dominatesStrong standardisation discipline
Critical
Business case effectively forgottenBenefits actively governed and tracked
Critical
Support defined, governance is notGovernance continuity clearly defined
Programme detail
Additional inputs to sharpen the estimate.
5 people
Business users in design, testing, data, and decisions.
5200
£10m
Used to model operational disruption risk at go-live.
£10m£2bn
5%
Directional estimate is sufficient.
5%75%
£0
The annual benefit the programme was justified to deliver.
£0£50m
About this calculator
Is this a formal financial valuation?
No. A conservative executive estimate to support governance discussion, not an audited valuation.
Why are these numbers conservative?
Rework is capped at 10% of budget. Value-at-risk is capped at 30% of expected annual benefit. The SME cost proxy is below market. Operational disruption uses a fraction of gross margin, not revenue. If the number looks significant, real exposure is typically higher.
Why include unrealised transformation value?
ERP programmes are justified by outcomes. If those benefits are no longer actively governed, value is at risk even when the system goes live on time.
Does a high score mean the programme will fail?
No. It means the cost of unresolved governance weakness is material enough to deserve independent attention.