Building practical capability through tailored, scenario-based learning
The Challenge
MPI manages a wide range of provider contracts that are critical to the delivery of its services. While central government offers standard procurement training modules through MBIE, these were not suited to MPI’s specific context.
In many cases, procurement and contract management are not dedicated roles within MPI. Staff handle procurement and contract management engagements alongside their primary responsibilities.
As a result, uptake and application of procurement training in MPI were limited.
The opportunity was to focus on the practical challenges of procurement and contract management that are part and parcel of life at MPI. MPI needed a solution that recognised the nature of its workforce, acknowledged competing demands on time and attention, and supported better outcomes across the full spectrum of its provider relationships.
The goal was clear: deliver better outcomes for contracts by ensuring staff had the right understanding, tools, and support to manage procurement and contract responsibilities effectively, regardless of their role or level of prior experience.
Our Partnership
Synapsys partnered with MPI to co-design a learning solution that would work in the real world of government operations. The Synapsys team worked closely with MPI to understand the specific challenges staff faced, including the fact that procurement and contract management were rarely primary job functions.
The learning solution included two e-learning modules with distinct purposes and approaches.
Procurement: Buying at MPI
To to help staff understand and correctly navigate MPI’s procurement process, we focused on introducing MPI’s intranet-based procurement tool and showing how it could be used to support every stage of the procurement journey.
Rather than expecting staff to memorise procurement rules and thresholds, the module positioned the tool as a practical, everyday resource.
This approach reinforced MPI’s intent to embed the tool into everyday business activity and helped ensure staff felt confident using it, even if they had limited prior procurement experience.
Contract Management: Managing Contracts at MPI
To build staff awareness of their responsibilities after a contract is in place, we help them to explore what good contract management looks like in MPI’s context, emphasising roles, accountability, and consistency.
To help learners recognise how the concepts apply to them, the learning uses scenario-based activities and storytelling drawn from familiar MPI settings. Characters and situations help learners recognise real-world challenges and apply appropriate responses. Staff work through typical contract situations, such as managing risks or dealing with underperformance, and receive immediate feedback on their decisions through embedded quizzes.
This approach brings the content to life and moves beyond compliance, helping staff build confidence in exercising judgement and fulfilling their contract-related responsibilities with purpose.
Our Impact
The partnership with Synapsys allowed MPI to move quickly and thoughtfully, delivering targeted, context-aware learning that met people where they were. This collaborative approach ensured the content was relevant, usable, and well-integrated into the organisation’s broader operational goals.
This initiative contributes to better outcomes for MPI and for New Zealand through the holistic management of procurement and contract processes. It ensures that public sector investment is backed by strong, consistent practices that deliver greater value across services, providers, and communities.