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September 3, 2023

Checklist for setting up project controls function

Setting up a project controls function is essential for effective project management. This checklist outlines the key steps and considerations for establishing a project controls function within your organisation. Customise it to suit your specific project and organisational needs: 01. Define Objectives and Goals: 02 Allocate Resources: 03 Develop a Project Controls Plan: 04 Select Project Controls Software: 05 Define Reporting Structures: 06 Set Up Data Collection and Management: 07…

August 10, 2023

Shift your perspective

“If you think you are going in a circle, just shift your perspective.” In the realm of project delivery, it’s not uncommon to find ourselves trapped in a repetitive cycle of stagnation. However, breaking free from this cycle is possible through a simple shift in perspective. Explores the power of perspective in project management and emphasises the need to recognise the loop and challenge assumptions. Seeking diverse inputs, fostering a…

August 10, 2023

Dear Project Manager, what is your Ikigai?…

The Concept ✔️ This Japanese concept diagram below shows ikigai as the convergence of four areas of life: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. The very center, where each area overlaps, is your ikigai – your reason for getting up and where you should focus your efforts to find ultimate fulfillment. Ikigai and Your Career✔️ Taking the cue…

March 2, 2022

How can you make time and be productive?

As we all know time plays a significant role in our life. Time helps us make a good habit of structuring and organizing our daily activities. If you understand the value of time better, you can gain experience and develop skills over time. Time is the most valuable resource because you cannot take it back. As said “you can’t manage time but you can manage priority” Saying that there are…

January 5, 2022

Every Risk Models are “wrong”

“Every risk model is wrong but some are useful” this famous remark by a statistician, George E. P. Box in 1976 is still valid in the world of project risk management. His point was that we should focus more on whether something can be applied to everyday life in a useful manner rather than debating endlessly if an answer is correct in all cases. Having seen Monte Carlo simulation for…

July 22, 2021

S-Curve in Project Management

If you are a project manager, you may have heard of S-Curve, which shows progress, cost, manhours, and quantity. As said, “trend is your friend”, most Project Managers are interested in seeing S-curves in project reports. S-Curve is a mathematical graph or illustration that properly illustrates the appropriate cumulative data for a project or task. This data can be the cost or man-hours plotted against time. The reason why it’s…

April 29, 2021

Tips for setting up Project Controls Function

Are you in the process of setting up a project controls function for your project or organisation? It is a challenging task. Let’s talk about the tips for objectives, success factors, risks, and issues that can help you with the task. Setting up a project controls function is a critical step in ensuring the successful execution of projects within an organization. Here are some tips for defining objectives, success factors,…

March 11, 2021

Power Interest Grid for Stakeholder Prioritisation

Have you felt that you are spending more time managing stakeholders than managing your project? As said, most time you can not manage time but you can manage priority. The key to success in stakeholder management is to know your stakeholders and priorities them based on their influence on your project success based on their power and interest. Stakeholder Management is the process by which you identify your key stakeholders…

February 16, 2021

The project management terms

WHEN YOUR PROJECT MANAGERS START TALKING… You are not alone. Most executives and team members advance through the ranks of management and have little education in the philosophy and language of project management.Most technical, non-technical and commercial team members deal with project managers who have very little understanding of project management terms. When project managers start talking about their work, they speak in a specialized lingo that could be confusing…

February 5, 2021

EPC vs. EPCM – Contractual Aspect

The following is a simplified comparison of key (major) differences between EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) and EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) contracts. The contractual type issues can be modified during contract negotiations to suit the situation and overall goals of the project. Let’s check some contractual aspects of EPC vs. EPCM this time. Type EPC EPCM Equipment Supply Contracts Negotiated & Signed solely between EPC contractor & Supplier…