SHRP 2 R10 Project Management Strategies for Complex Projects

Federal, State, and local agencies and private sector personnel employed in inspecting, designing, or managing construction programs. Participants must have at least several years of experience and have decision making power for best results. If possible participants should also represent a variety of disciplines (i.e., design, right of way, environmental, construction, planning, programming). Module 0 – 5 are more suited for program manager level and webinars are more practical tools for project execution level.

The shift in U.S. infrastructure needs has largely been from building new infrastructure to replacing, expanding, or renewing existing infrastructure. The project management issues involved with infrastructure renewal are markedly different than the issues for new construction, furthering the need for a change in project management approaches to the nation’s infrastructure. Not only are infrastructure renewal projects more complicated by their nature, the situation has been exacerbated by years of under-funded maintenance and replacement. In other words, what would have been a complex process under ideal circumstances has been made even more challenging because of the need for rapid renewal to avert infrastructure failures. Adding to the challenge is the fact that complexity can evolve from the interaction of many factors, not all of which will manifest themselves on each project. Rapid renewal projects will cover a wide spectrum of project types, varying in engineering complexity, size, modality, jurisdictional control, financing approach, contract type, and delivery method. Each project will call for a distinct project management style with teams comprised of different resident skill sets required to successfully complete the project.

To begin this project the research team conducted a literature review to investigate what makes projects complex and what are some ways that this complexity is being managed. Following the literature review the research team decided to visit a variety of projects to find out about more ways of managing complexity. Fifteen projects in the United States and three international projects were investigated through in-depth case studies to identify tools that aid project managers of complex projects to successfully deliver projects. These eighteen projects represent a number of different project types, locations, project size, and phases of project development. The methods and tools identified from these projects fall into two different areas, Project Development and Project Execution.

This course is split into two different phases, as shown below. The first phase is a 1.5 day training session that will cover 5DPM and the Project Development Methods. The second phase is a series of webinars that are available via the internet. The participants will be expected to have some experience on projects but will be introduced to the complex project strategies through the course. Once participants have completed this 1.5 days they will then be offered the option to watch 1 hour webinars which will be available via the web for each of the execution tools or ask that one of their project team members watch the webinar and become responsible for that tool.

SHRP 2 R10 training outline

Presentation

• Module 0: Introduction and 5DPM
• Module 1: Method 1- Define Critical Project Success Factors
• Module 2: Method 2- Select Contract Based on Project Outcomes
• Module 3: Method 3- Assemble Owner Driven Project Team
• Module 4: Method 4- Prepare Early Cost Model and Finance Plan
• Module 5: Method 5- Define Political Action Plans

Webinar

• Incentivize Critical Project Outcomes
• Develop Dispute Resolution Plan
• Perform Comprehensive Risk Analysis
• Identify Critical Permit Issues
• Evaluate Applications of Off-Site Fabrication
• Determine required level of involvement in ROW/Utilities
• Determine Work Package/Sequence
• Design to Budget
• Co-Locate Team
• Establish Flexible Design Criteria
• Evaluate Flexible Financing
• Develop Finance Expenditure Model
• Establish Public Involvement Plan

Upon completion of the training course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the characteristics of the complex projects
• Understand the development concept of five dimensional project management
• Discuss the differences between traditional projects management and five dimensional project management
• Identify required resource allocation to complex projects using complexity mapping
• Understand the process of mapping the complexity using five dimensional project management
• Name and understand the factors affecting complexity in the five dimensions of the project management
• Discuss the development methods that involve executive-level personnel as well as project level personnel
• Understand that these methods should be implemented at the very earliest stages of the project life cycle to effectively manage complexity
• Understand that the development methods are also intended to assist project leaders in identifying which execution tools are needed to effectively manage any specific complex project
• Name the execution tools for project management
• Understand when the execution of the tools are required
• Understand that outcomes from implementation of individual tools may interact with outcomes or implementation of several other tools and methods

If you have questions or need more information, contact the course workshop instructors.

Jennifer S. Shane, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
Iowa State University
498 Town Engineering
Ames, Iowa 50011-3232 USA
515.294.1703
jsshane@iastate.edu

Kelly Strong, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Construction Management
Colorado State University
Guggenheim Hall
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 USA
970.491.7353

Doug Gransberg, PE, Ph.D.
Professor
Donald F. and Sharon A. Greenwood Professorship in Construction Engineering
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
Iowa State University
494 Town Engineering
Ames, Iowa 50011-3232 USA
515.294.4148
dgran@iastate.edu