Managing project complexity: A study into adapting early project phases to improve project performance in large engineering projects

Engineering projects become increasingly more complex and project complexity is assumed to be one of the causes for projects being delivered late and over budget. However, what this project complexity actually comprised of was unclear. To improve the overall project performance, this study focuses on identifying the potential causes of complexity in projects. Moreover, it is investigated how the early project phase could be adapted to the complexity of the project. The research is performed with companies of the NAP network, which brings together companies from the entire value chain in the Dutch process industry. The study is structured in four phases and included exploratory case studies, a quantitative survey, explanatory case studies and an evaluative survey. By combining qualitative and quantitative work, this study is an example of successfully applying a mixed methods approach in project management research. The main results of this study are the TOE (Technical, Organizational, External) framework to grasp project complexity and recommendations on managing project complexity in the early project phase. To improve project performance the role of integrated teams (joint owner / contractor teams) as well as thorough application of risk management is shown to be crucial.TSETechnology, Policy and Managemen

Four stages of Making Project Management Flexible: Insight, Importance, Implementation and Improvement

Increased project complexity, project dynamics and changes in clients’ requirements are a few examples that suggested the necessity of flexibility in project management to deliver successful projects. Despite the fact that literature suggests adding flexibility to project management, there is no existing framework which provides a practical process of how to add flexibility into the practice of project management. Therefore, this research aimed at investigating how project management could become flexible and whether such flexibility would improve project performance. The research question is: how to embed flexibility in the practice of project management in early project phases? To answer the research question four sub-questioned were formulated which have been separately researched. This main question was answered by proposing a flexibility framework. This framework comprises four stages: understanding the current situation, practitioners’ perspectives on flexible project management, choosing enablers to become flexible, applying selected enablers to improve project performance. It can be concluded that trust appears not only to be an enabler of flexibility in project management but an existing perspective among the practitioners regarding the concept of flexibility. This perspective puts the emphasis on ‘trust’ as the most important enabler of flexibility. Moreover, the positive contribution of ‘trust’ to project performance is acknowledged in this research. Considering the movements towards flexibility and adaptability concepts, this research fills the gap in the literature by providing a practical project management flexibility framework. Moreover, it provides a step-by-step guideline for practitioners to embed flexibility in practice

Virtual testing of driver OOP scenarios: effect of modeling detail on injury response

This study investigates the relevance of certain parameters for virtual testing of the driver's side OOP problem and attempts to answer the following questions: Which level of detail is needed in the airbag models to assess occupants' injury values for OOP scenarios? What is the influence of the airbag cover on the occupant response for OOP situations and how to accurately model the airbag cover? Are current dummy models suitable to assess the localized human injuries and/or is it beneficial to include human models for injury assessment? The combined multibody-FE code MADYMO was used. A virtual set-up of a folded driver airbag including cover, steering wheel and a simple seat forms the base model. Occupants were positioned according to the two OOP driver positions defined in FMVSS 208, i.e. chin on module to maximize neck injury risk and chest on module to maximize chest injury risk. The 5th percentile Hybrid III. dummy model as well as the 5th percentile human model were used and different airbag inflation and cover modeling techniques were investigated. Attention was focussed on analyses of the injury values obtained from the simulations of the different situations (with / without cover, use of gasflow, human / dummy model). From this study, it is concluded that it is important to take into account the geometrical effects of the airbag cover on airbag deployment and hence injury generation in OOP simulations. Adding a gasflow description to the airbag deployment simulation resulted in differences in the early deployment phase. If the dummy's injuries are determined in this phase (dependent of scenario), gasflow contributes to improved airbag modeling at the cost of higher CPU times. From the human model simulations, it is concluded that for this specific scenario, using dummy models could lead to underestimation of human injuries in the chest region, in contrast to overestimation of the head acceleration and the neck loads in the rebound phase. Therefore, human models could provide additional value compared to dummy models. Copyright © 2004 TNO-Automotive

Evaluation Of Managerial Flexibilities In Critical Path Method Based Construction Schedules

Scheduling of a construction project can be done by using the Critical Path Method (CPM) in case the project is composed of interrelated activities that can be combined through a network. Given uncertainties nowadays and the related need for project schedule adaptations, the question is raised whether and how “traditional” CPM based schedules allow for flexibility in project planning and management.In order to give an answer to this question, firstly the managerial flexibilities provided by CPM were evaluated at three levels, i.e. activity, path, and project. Afterwards, the CPM schedules of two different projects were examined. Finally, the first conclusion arrived was that, in spite of its criticized deterministic features, CPM contains various flexible aspects from a managerial viewpoint. Second, potential flexibilities in CPM are mainly associated with resource levelling, uncritical activities, uncritical paths, activity float times, activity float types, and float times of uncritical paths. Third, CPM contains complete flexibility through independent floats and resource levelling capability.Investigating the flexible features of CPM in its traditional form, this study aims to open the way to develop a more flexible scheduling approach based on CPM and its extensions, which future self-organizing teams can adjust or apply

Risk management maturity of construction projects in the Netherlands

Construction projects are bounded with uncertainties and therefore, the occurrence of risks in these projects is unavoidable. Literature confirms that risk management increases the possibility of project success. A Risk Maturity Model (RMM) is a tool, which can help projects measuring the maturity of risk management and plan for risk management improvements. This research implements a Generic Risk Maturity Model (GRMM) in one contractor and two public organizations in the Netherlands. By means of individual and group interviews, 19 experts in 11 construction projects are asked to assess the risk management in their projects. The results show that risk management is properly performed in these projects, however, the organizations seem better in identifying risks rather than mitigating risks. Experts assessed their organizations high in performing 'Risk Assessment'. The results show that the experts in the public organizations evaluate 'Policy and Strategy' of risk management and 'Management Commitment' towards risk management low. The contractor could improve its risk management by giving more attention to evaluation of the risk management process. Further research into the ambition level of risk management is suggested.</p

Measuring Project’s Team Culture In Projects Using The Last Planner® System

At this stage, construction industry is known for bad project performances and a culture characterized by adversarial behaviours. The Last Planner System (LPS) is designed to improve these circumstances through the enhancement of workflow reliability by involving various disciplines in joint planning processes and a culture of collaboration. How to actually measure related project team culture (PTC) is unknown at this stage. This paper tries to close this gap and compares two defined versions of the Ideal Lean Culture for organizations with the actual PTC in projects using the LPS. It first presents the two Ideal Lean Cultures for organizations, based on a framework developed for organizations (the Competing Values Framework - CVF). Next, it examines on the basis of three case studies the applicability of the CVF for measuring the actual culture in project teams using the LPS and compares it with the named Ideal Lean Culture conditions. The paper concludes that the CVF is a suitable tool to take a snapshot of the PTC and that the comparison to the Ideal Lean Culture can give conclusions about the current project team’s maturity in projects using the LPS.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Integral Design and Managemen

Four stages of Making Project Management Flexible: Insight, Importance, Implementation and Improvement

Increased project complexity, project dynamics and changes in clients’ requirements are a few examples that suggested the necessity of flexibility in project management to deliver successful projects. Despite the fact that literature suggests adding flexibility to project management, there is no existing framework which provides a practical process of how to add flexibility into the practice of project management. Therefore, this research aimed at investigating how project management could become flexible and whether such flexibility would improve project performance. The research question is: how to embed flexibility in the practice of project management in early project phases? To answer the research question four sub-questioned were formulated which have been separately researched. This main question was answered by proposing a flexibility framework. This framework comprises four stages: understanding the current situation, practitioners’ perspectives on flexible project management, choosing enablers to become flexible, applying selected enablers to improve project performance. It can be concluded that trust appears not only to be an enabler of flexibility in project management but an existing perspective among the practitioners regarding the concept of flexibility. This perspective puts the emphasis on ‘trust’ as the most important enabler of flexibility. Moreover, the positive contribution of ‘trust’ to project performance is acknowledged in this research. Considering the movements towards flexibility and adaptability concepts, this research fills the gap in the literature by providing a practical project management flexibility framework. Moreover, it provides a step-by-step guideline for practitioners to embed flexibility in practice.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Integral Design and Managemen

Exploring the realities of opportunity management [PPT]

Project Risk Management helps with achieving project objectives, especially those concerning cost, time and quality. In the current APM definition, project risks are uncertain events or circumstances that may or may not happen. Risks are either threats that hurt the project objectives, or opportunities that are positive for the project objectives. Over time, project professionals have expressed concern with the idea that risks can be ‘positive’, since it does not align with the thinking in the non-project world, where risks are always negative. There was also the feeling that opportunities are often not identified, or treated differently from threats

Developing a generic risk maturity model (GRMM) for evaluating risk management in construction projects

The literature on risk management acknowledges a growing number of Risk Maturity Models (RMM). However, for the construction sector, there is no validated RMM that is based on both theory and experts’ opinions. In this article, a Generic RMM (GRMM), inspired by the EFQM model, is developed and validated to remedy this shortcoming. The GRMM uses a list of statements extracted from risk management literature by means of qualitative content analysis. The statements and the model are both validated by means of two focus group sessions, based on which the statements and the model are improved. According to the experts, the GRMM is easy to use and provides projects with a clear picture of potential improvements regarding risk management. Project managers can use the GRMM for planning and improving risk management, as well as for cross-project analysis for learning purposes. Further research on application of the GRMM in real projects is recommended.Integral Design and Managemen

Extending the View on Project Performance

The main aim of this study is to gain insights into project management professionals’ perception of how project success can be achieved. The Q-methodology was followed in this research. Based on an extensive literature review and validation through expert judgment, a framework consisting of 33 factors increasing the likelihood of success was developed. A total of 34 practitioners in three different sectors (real estate, urban development, and infrastructure) in the Netherlands were asked to rank the statements contributing to the success of their projects. Four different perspectives of how project success can be achieved were distinguished in this study: “seeking the best match”, “being adaptive and open”, “keeping the team focused”, and “preparing for opportunities”. The perception of different practitioners of how success can be obtained may stem from factors of project context rather than sector and complexity. This highlights further research opportunities in taking a contingent approach when investigating project performance. The study helps to grasp the subjectivity of practitioners’ viewpoints regarding the potential ways to enhance project performance by understanding the similarity and differences of these viewpoints.Integral Design and Managemen