Northwest SME Delivers Tactical Change Modelling Capability to Babcock International
How Xacom’s delivery is setting a standard for agile project control in UK defence programmes
Northwest based consultancy Xacom has successfully delivered a tactical change modelling and impact assessment capability to Babcock International, providing a robust and repeatable framework for managing real time schedule adjustments on complex defence programmes.
In a sector where late changes and evolving requirements are inevitable, Xacom’s engagement demonstrates how agile, data-led tools when combined with embedded process thinking, can shift the needle on programme certainty and delivery assurance.
Capability, Not Just Consultancy
Babcock tasked Xacom with solving a familiar challenge: how to understand and control the impact of change across multiple workstreams, with confidence, speed, and traceability.
Working in close collaboration with Babcock’s scheduling and delivery teams, Xacom deployed a structured four-phase approach centred on Deltek Acumen 360 and Fuse, resulting in:
- A live schedule aligned to the project baseline
- Simulation of acceleration scenarios
- Standard outputs for option comparison
- Repeatable processes and user guides
- Embedded capability across internal teams
The result? Change control moved from reactive firefighting to proactive scenario planning—with internal teams now equipped to manage it autonomously.
An SME Shaping National Programmes
This project is a clear example of how innovative Northwest SMEs like Xacom are not only delivering specialist expertise into Tier 1 primes but shaping the way major defence programmes are run.
“We’re not just solving today’s problem,” said Michael Higgins, Director at Xacom. “We’re building tools and skills that live on in the business long after we’ve stepped away. That’s what value looks like.”
The capability uplift included targeted training for delivery teams, post-implementation support, and documentation robust enough for business-as-usual transition, without ongoing reliance on external consultants.
A Playbook for Wider Adoption
For the NWAA community, the success of this project holds broader relevance. As aerospace and defence programmes face increasing scrutiny on schedule performance and delivery risk, tools like Acumen when delivered with the right expertise offer a proven path to greater control and responsiveness.
This work represents not just a local success, but a model of how the region’s knowledge base is helping to modernise and futureproof the UK’s most complex programmes.
About Xacom
Based in the Northwest, Xacom supports aerospace, defence and infrastructure programmes with integrated planning, earned value management, and risk management expertise. The firm specialises in schedule-driven change control and capability transfer to client teams.
