One Year In: Research Designed for Action, Not Archives

As we mark the first anniversary of the CCM Institute, one thing is clear: this was never intended to be a traditional research body.

The past year demanded something very different. Market volatility, cost inflation, delivery risk, social expectations, and the rapid advance of AI created immediate, real-world questions that organisations and governments could not afford to wait years to answer. The Institute’s role was to provide dynamic, applied intelligence, research that informs decisions, underpins capability development, and translates directly into better commercial outcomes.

Looking beyond the amazing achievement of the global Contract Management Standard, a defining focus of the year was contract models, particularly Outcome-Based Contracting (OBC). Rather than promoting OBC as a policy aspiration, the Institute examined how it actually works in practice – where it delivers value, where it fails, and why. Our work highlighted the challenges: incentive design, outcome definition, data requirements, governance, and capability on both sides of the contract. This proved especially relevant for public agencies seeking better delivery without sacrificing affordability or accountability.

Equally important was our exploration of adaptability. As instability became the norm rather than the exception, the Institute examined how contracts can be designed to flex to changing conditions and reduce the likelihood of dispute. From pricing adjustment and hardship mechanisms to structured change control and shared governance, this work helped organizations move beyond rigid, risk-transfer models toward contracts that sustain performance under pressure. Allied to this, there was tremendous interest in how to better capture and retain value: we published extensive material on tightening the connection between contracts and financial performance.

Alongside this, the Institute delivered practical insight into the impact of AI on commercial and contracting practice. We investigated where AI already adds value – contract intelligence, obligation monitoring, risk identification – and where it depends on us overcoming weaknesses in data, process design, and ownership. A consistent message emerged: AI accelerates good commercial design, but magnifies poor design.

What has set the Institute apart is speed, relevance, and access. Through close connection with WorldCC and NCMA, the Institute can test ideas, validate findings, and respond quickly to practitioner and policy needs, drawing on the lived experience of more than 200,000 professionals worldwide. This ensures research does not sit on the shelf, but feeds directly into guidance, training, and decision-making.

Looking ahead, the demand for this kind of intelligence will only grow. Business and market conditions demand fresh thinking and fresh approaches to operating models, capability development, process design, skills deployment – not to mention the need for functional and behavioral shifts such as adaptive pricing, AI-enabled governance, outcome-based public delivery, and collaborative working models that drive transparency and trust.

One year on, the lesson is simple: in today’s environment, research must move at the speed of the market. The CCM Institute exists to make that possible.