An early-stage project complexity assessment tool for the AEC industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Vaz-Serra ◽  
Peter Edwards ◽  
Guillermo Aranda-Mena
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
Project Complexity ◽  
Complexity Assessment

Purpose Complex projects require careful management. They may expose stakeholders to greater risks and place additional demands upon resources. In the initial stages of project development, however, little may be known about the nature and magnitude of such complexity. This paper aims to ensure that this gap is at least subjectively assessed and addressed. Design/methodology/approach Research, using focus group workshops with a convenience sample of construction professionals, was carried out to test the validity of a Project Early Stage Complexity Assessment Tool (PESCAT). The PESCAT concept brings together selected complexity theories and uses subjectively based measures for assessment. Findings The findings confirm that an early-stage project complexity assessment tool is practicable and can contribute to project management practice in the construction industry. It should be applied by individual project stakeholders using small teams of experienced staff. PESCAT explores project complexity through “filter” sets of perspective factors which should be customised to reflect the stakeholder’s role and processes in a project. Originality/value In the initial complexity assessment model, resolution space and uncertainty were tested as project complexity parameters. However, in subsequent versions of the tool, four measures (differentiation and differentiation uncertainty; interdependency and interdependency uncertainty) are used in an innovative way that focuses users’ attention more clearly and points to a more targeted approach for addressing project complexity. The value of our model lies in its practical application and the project management benefits it can deliver.

scholarly journals Measuring the Project Management Complexity: The Case of Information Technology Projects

Complexity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocio Poveda-Bautista ◽  
Jose-Antonio Diego-Mas ◽  
Diego Leon-Medina
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Information Technology Projects ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
Management Association ◽  
Project Complexity ◽  
Complexity Assessment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Specific Project

Complex projects require specific project management (PM) competences development. However, while no complex projects have standards that are recognized to guide their management, complex projects do not have guides to deal with their complexity. To lead complex projects to success, this complexity must be measured quantitatively and, in our opinion, project management complexity assessment should be based on existing PM standards. In this work, the main project complexity assessment approaches based on PM standards are analyzed, observing that International Project Management Association (IPMA) approach is the closest to a tool that can be used as a complexity quantitative measurement system. On the other hand, several authors have shown that the inherent complexity of specific kind of projects must be measured in a particular way. The main objective of this research is to propose a project management complexity assessment tool for IT projects, providing a Complexity Index that measures the impact that complexity factors inherent to IT projects have under a specific complexity scenario. The tool combines the use of complexity factors defined by IPMA approach and the use of complexity factors found in the literature to manage inherent complexity of IT projects. All these factors were validated by expert survey and the tool was applied to a study case.

Empirically validating five propositions regarding 3D visualizations for subsurface utility projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mechiel van Manen ◽  
Léon olde Scholtenhuis ◽  
Hans Voordijk
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
3D Visualization ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complexity Level ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
Project Complexity ◽  
Multiple Case

PurposeThis study aims to empirically validate five propositions about the benefits of three-dimensional (3D) visualizations for the management of subsurface utility projects. Specifically, the authors validate whether benefits from 3D in the literature of building construction project management also apply to subsurface utility projects and map them using a taxonomy of project complexity levels.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study of three utility construction projects was carried out during which the first author was involved in the daily work practices at a utility contractor. 3D visualizations of existing project models were developed, and design and construction meetings were conducted. Practitioners' interactions with and reflections on these 3D visualizations were noted. Observational data from the three project types were matched with the five propositions to determine where benefits of 3D visualizations manifested themselves.FindingsPractitioners found that 3D visualizations had most merit in crowded urban environments when constructing rigid pipelines. All propositions were validated and evaluated as beneficial in subsurface utility projects of complexity level C3. It is shown that in urban projects with rigid pipelines (project with the highest complexity level), 3D visualization prevents misunderstanding or misinterpretations and increases efficiency of coordination. It is recommended to implement 3D visualization approaches in such complex projectsOriginality/valueThere is only limited evidence on the value 3D visualizations in managing utility projects. This study contributes rich empirical evidence on this value based on a six-month observation period at a subsurface contractor. Their merit was assessed by associating 3D approaches with project complexity levels, which may help utility contractors in strategically implementing 3D applications.

scholarly journals Four stages of making project management flexible: insight, importance, implementation and improvement

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 2117-2136
Author(s):  
Afshin Jalali Sohi ◽  
Marian Bosch-Rekveldt ◽  
Marcel Hertogh
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Project Complexity ◽  
Project Phases ◽  
Management Flexibility

Abstract Increased project complexity, project dynamics and changes in clients’ requirements are a few examples that suggest the necessity for flexibility in project management in order to deliver successful projects. Despite the fact that literature suggests adding flexibility to project management, there is no existing framework that provides a practical method for adding flexibility into the practice of project management in the construction industry. Therefore, this research is aimed at proposing a practical framework that helps practitioners in embedding project management flexibility into their project management practice. The research question is as follows: how to embed flexibility in the practice of project management in the early project phases? To answer the research question, four sub-questions have been formulated, which have been separately researched. The main question is 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 and applying selected enablers to improve project performance. The framework is validated using the examples given by practitioners from 24 cases. Considering the movements towards flexibility and adaptability concepts, this research fills the gap in literature by providing a practical framework for project management flexibility. Moreover, it provides a step-by-step guideline for practitioners to embed flexibility in practice.

scholarly journals Place crowd safety, crowd science? Case studies and application

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Still ◽  
Marina Papalexi ◽  
Yiyi Fan ◽  
David Bamford
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Evidence Based Model ◽  
Ice Model

Purpose This paper aims to explore the development and application of place crowd safety management tools for areas of public assembly and major events, from a practitioner perspective. Design/methodology/approach The crowd safety risk assessment model is known as design, information, management-ingress, circulation, egress (DIM-ICE) (Still, 2009) is implemented to optimise crowd safety and potentially throughput. Three contrasting case studies represent examples of some of the world’s largest and most challenging crowd safety projects. Findings The paper provides some insight into how the DIM-ICE model can be used to aid strategic planning at major events, assess potential crowd risks and to avoid potential crowd safety issues. Practical implications It provides further clarity to what effective place management practice is. Evidence-based on the case studies demonstrates that the application of the DIM-ICE model is useful for recognising potential place crowd safety issues and identifying areas for require improvement. Originality/value Crowd science is an emerging field of research, which is primarily motivated by place crowd safety issues in congested places; the application and reporting of an evidence-based model (i.e. DIM-ICE model) add to this. The paper addresses a research gap related to the implementation of analytic tools in characterising place crowd dynamics.

Adoption and implementation potential of the lean concept in the petroleum industry: state-of-the-art

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 311-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andika Rachman ◽  
R.M. Chandima Ratnayake
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adoption And Implementation

Purpose A systematic literature review is performed to reveal the state-of-the-art in the implementation of lean principles in the petroleum industry. This paper aims to generate a conceptual framework and reveal research gaps with respect to lean concept application in the petroleum industry. Design/methodology/approach After formulating research questions, the search strategy is generated, followed by data extraction, literature review and synthesis of the results. The search covers any studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals and conference proceedings in the period 1990-2017 that discuss the implementation of the lean concept in the petroleum industry. Findings The lean concept has been used to improve operational and technical aspects, contractor/supplier relationships, team organization and project management practice in the petroleum industry. Based on the literature review, a conceptual framework is generated comprising four main elements: leadership and commitment from management, employee involvement, cooperation and trust with contractors/suppliers and lean project management. These elements are the pillars that are founded on lean philosophy and principles to support technical/operational improvement in the organization. The types of literature identified indicate that the subject of the study is still immature. Research limitations/implications This study focuses only on the upstream sector of the petroleum industry, which restricts the generalizability of the results to midstream and downstream businesses. Practical implications This paper provides knowledge and information regarding the current state of lean implementation in the petroleum industry. The developed conceptual framework provides general guidance for practitioners regarding lean implementation in the petroleum industry, and is also expected to support research on theory building. Originality/value Few studies have discussed the application of the lean concept in the petroleum industry. This paper contributes a platform for researchers and practitioners to comprehend how the lean concept has been applied in the petroleum industry, and provides a foundation for further studies on lean implementation in the petroleum industry.

Toward a regional ontology for information systems project management

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 681-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosheek Sewchurran ◽  
Derek Smith ◽  
Dewald Roode
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Social Construction ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Relational Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Underlying Theory

PurposeThe paper aims to paper an overview of a completed doctoral thesis which pursued the development of underlying theory (ontology) to give coherence to research in the information systems (IS) project management space.Design/methodology/approachAs a result of the considerable concern about a lack of underlying theory in project management the author has chosen to investigate the development of underlying theory to serve as a regional ontology to give debates undertaken to improve IS project management coherence. The thesis is a critical interpretive a priori effort. In the pursuit of the goal of developing a regional ontology, the notions, concepts and theories related to existentialism and social construction were investigated. These were investigated because the research literature places considerable emphasis on the need to understand as‐lived project experiences.FindingsOne of the significant outcomes that results from this research is the development of a proposed regional ontology. This was achieved by fusing the theories of Heidegger's Dasein, Bourdieu's “Theory of practice” and Maturana and Varela's “Theory of living systems”. The regional ontology is a consolidation of the various concepts defined by these researchers. These theories complement each other to give rise to a relational model of social construction which also has related phenomenological, existential and biological perspectives.Practical implicationsThe proposed ontology was interpreted using the popular alternatives that have recently emerged alongside the established best practices such as project management body of knowledge. The perspectives of complex, responsive processes of relating, the temporary organisation, agility and organisational becoming were reviewed using the regional ontology. The interpretation process illustrated that the regional ontology is able to provide a more fundamental and coherent context to subsume and delimit these emerging new frames.Originality/valueThe thesis also discusses the researcher's view of contemporary project management practice that accords with the regional ontology principles. Through argument and the contemporary context of IS project management practice that was sketched, the principles of the regional ontology are illuminated. Through this process it was possible to claim that established best practice modes of education should not exist in isolation but should instead be situated within a wider analogical context that embraces the values of learning, becoming and innovating.

Quality infrastructure improvement: using QFD to manage project priorities and project management resources

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
James LePrevost ◽  
Glenn Mazur
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Technical Skill ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Customer ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Project Complexity ◽  
It Department ◽  
Infrastructure Improvement ◽  
Quality Infrastructure

PurposeA common difficulty for an information technology (IT) department is to focus resources (people) where they can deliver the greatest benefit for the efforts made. It sometimes happens that a bias develops where some departments insist that their projects are more critical than others and they demand not only that their projects be attended to immediately, but also that the most senior people be assigned to them. To better utilize resources, it makes sense to prioritize projects on their benefit contribution to internal and external customers, as well as to assign skill‐appropriate people to work on them. National City has applied QFD to help them in identifying and prioritizing the needs of their customers and then using these to evaluate each project for its benefit contribution and for its degree of complexity, which will help assign appropriate resources to the project.Design/methodology/approachThis paper will show how we customized the QFD process through the QFD Green Belt® training of the QFD Institute. It is shown how the list of internal customer needs, which became the criteria for determining project benefit, and then developed another set of criteria to judge the project complexity and the required technical skill level to work on the project, were developed. The paper includes charts and matrices defining the process.FindingsNational City can now prioritize its internal IT projects and assign the most appropriate people to them in order to deliver the greatest value to National City's customers.Originality/valueQFD helped National City to manage internal initiatives by prioritizing them according to the benefits they had. Project management and technical resources can now schedule their time according to priority, which reduces non‐effective multitasking and will allow for more initiatives to be completed in the long run.

scholarly journals The Application of Systems Engineering to Project Management

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-106
Author(s):  
Brian J. Galli
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Successful Completion ◽  
Complex Problems ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
Project Complexity ◽  
Credible Information

This study investigated the application of systems engineering to project management. There is an increasing complexity to modern projects, and lifecycle-focused project management displays the inability to manage the risks associated with increased project complexity. A more adequate approach to these issues is presented in the systems engineering processes. It was proposed that the application of systems engineering concepts will allow improve the management of complex projects and the mitigation of risks. Additionally, qualitative research conducted via the collection and analysis of credible information yielded data that supported this proposition. Since systems engineering processes are adaptable, they are suited to manage complex problems. It was concluded that applying systems engineering to project management was beneficial, and the integration of methodologies was valuable to the successful completion of large scale, complex projects.

Managing projects in war-torn societies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-602
Author(s):  
James Earnest
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Sovereign State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Actual Application ◽  
Post Conflict

PurposePlanning and implementing reconstruction projects in areas that are affected by conflict has proven to be far more challenging than expected and has often been considered to be inappropriate response from practitioners, aid agencies and government. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore reconstruction and development projects in Kosovo given its history of non-sovereign state under United Nations administration and analyse how they were planned and executed that would more likely yield progressive outcomes for the society.Design/methodology/approachThe study was designed to explore how projects are planned and implemented, as well as help in understanding the phenomena in the historical, social, cultural and governance context within the project implementation practices of multilateral agencies in Kosovo. Applying action research principles and using a detailed case study approach to the interviews, the study identified programme strengths, weaknesses and implications of project management practice and theory and differences of opinion within the project team in project planning and implementation in their wider sense.FindingsThere is evidence that both aid organisations’ constructed project management processes and international aid agencies practices do not work effectively in a community service delivery setting. The study showed that there continue to be challenges in project processes, implementation, stakeholder coordination, communication, cost, quality, procurement and risk management.Practical implicationsForward looking and grounded in traditions, the study indicated a need to promote a better understanding of how reconstruction and development projects are undertaken at all levels of the organisation and to describe processes, procedures and tools used for the actual application of projects in war-torn societies.Originality/valueThe study is among the first academic research worldwide to examine traditional practices of project management which are wildly applied and to explore if the same processes can be applied in post-conflict settings. This study is timely and beneficial in fulfilling its responsibility to post-conflict communities.

Forty criteria based agility assessment using scoring approach in an Indian relays manufacturing organization

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakthivel Aravindraj ◽  
S. Vinodh
Keyword(s):  
Research Study ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Agile Manufacturing ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agility Assessment ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Manufacturing Organization ◽  
Agile Model ◽  
Practical Feasibility

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to develop a 40-criteria agility assessment model and explore its practical feasibility in an industrial scenario. Design/methodology/approach – Agile manufacturing (AM) principles enable organizations to understand customer needs and incorporate the necessary changes in product- and processes-oriented approaches. In this research study, a 40-criteria agility assessment model was developed. The agility assessment model was subjected to investigation in an Indian relays manufacturing organization. Findings – The research study indicates that the organization is agile. Besides computing agility level, the gaps across agile criteria have been identified and actions for agility improvement were subjected to implementation in the case organization. Research limitations/implications – The 40-criteria agility assessment model was subjected to investigation in a single manufacturing organization. In future, more number of studies could be conducted. Practical implications – To acquire agile characteristics, modern organizations should assess the agility level at which they operate. In this context, the agility assessment model was developed. Originality/value – The agility assessment tool presented in this paper consists of 40 agile criteria, which are well supported by the research findings reported in literature. Hence, the developed 40-criteria agile model is original and novel.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document