A complex post-M&A integration program with 15 workstreams and 30 representatives typically takes months just to plan.
We compressed the entire planning process into a single day using neuroscience-based collaboration methods.
Here’s how we revolutionized program planning and stakeholder alignment in record time.

The Challenge

An insurance company’s post-acquisition integration involved 15 different workstreams with 30 representatives from various functions and organizations. Traditional planning approaches would have taken months to achieve alignment on timelines, dependencies, and resource allocation.

The Traditional Problem:
Post-M&A integration planning typically involves endless meetings, multiple draft plans, and months of coordination before any real work begins. Meanwhile, business disruption continues and costs accumulate.

The Stakeholder Challenge:
30 people from different organizations, functions, and priorities trying to coordinate complex interdependencies and agree on realistic timelines.

The Solution

Our Approach: Single-day intensive using advanced collaboration methodologies and structured facilitation.

The Innovation

Application of neuroscience-based collaboration tools (LEGO Serious Play, Design Thinking, Visual Facilitation) to complex business planning — unprecedented for M&A integration at the time.

Key Components Delivered:

• Comprehensive Integration Plan: 15 workstreams mapped with timelines, dependencies, and resource requirements
  
  
• Stakeholder Alignment: Unanimous agreement from all 30 representatives
  
  
• Risk Mitigation Strategy: Identified issues with contingency plans in place
  
  
• Communication Framework: Clear roles, responsibilities, and coordination protocols
  
  

The Results That Mattered

Quantified Business Impact:

• Planning Speed: Compressed months of traditional planning into one day
  
  
• Stakeholder Buy-in: 100% agreement from all 30 participants
  
  
• Implementation Readiness: Plan was ready to execute immediately
  
  
• Cost Savings: Eliminated months of planning costs and accelerated value realization
  
  

The Methodology Innovation:
Demonstrated that complex business planning can be dramatically accelerated through structured collaboration and professional facilitation, challenging traditional project management orthodoxy.

The Long-term Impact:
This approach became a model for rapid organizational alignment and highlighted the power of human-centered collaboration tools in business transformation.