Mission-led major projects
The role of major projects in delivering the Government’s mission and the impacts the mission may have on how major projects are governed and delivered.
Topic: Stakeholder engagement
It’s about time – The role of timing and timescale in major projects Full Report
When projects have lifespans that stretch across decades, timing of when to start and how quickly to proceed can be as critical as funding or technical ability. From projects delivered at break speed pace (such as the vaccine taskforce), an asset designed for 100+ years (such as a tidal barrage or tunnels) or projects themselves that are century spanning in construction (such as cathedrals) – the timeline of a major project fundamentally shapes its deliverability, approach, and long-term impact.
This virtual seminar will explore how timing, timescales, and momentum influence project success – and what happens when a project moves too early, too late, or fails to move at all. Understanding how to time and pace a project is crucial. Move too early, and you risk running out of pre-project money before the planets align for project funding, finance and political will. Move too late, and the alignment may have already passed and the momentum may be lost entirely. Is there a better way of understanding when the timing right to get started and to understanding a project’s optimal pace?
The programme will also explore whether it's time to add a sixth lens to our business cases—a temporal case—to help future projects better articulate timing, longevity, and strategic alignment over the long term. Join us as we explore these very questions.
Taking place after our site visit to Liverpool on Wednesday 18 June (click here for more information), this seminar will build on those insights and reflections to deepen the conversation around strategic timing in project delivery. The event will take place virtually on Tuesday 15 July, with further details and a full programme to be announced soon.
It’s about time – The role of timing and timescale in major projects Highlight Report
When projects have lifespans that stretch across decades, timing of when to start and how quickly to proceed can be as critical as funding or technical ability. From projects delivered at break speed pace (such as the vaccine taskforce), an asset designed for 100+ years (such as a tidal barrage or tunnels) or projects themselves that are century spanning in construction (such as cathedrals) – the timeline of a major project fundamentally shapes its deliverability, approach, and long-term impact.
This virtual seminar will explore how timing, timescales, and momentum influence project success – and what happens when a project moves too early, too late, or fails to move at all. Understanding how to time and pace a project is crucial. Move too early, and you risk running out of pre-project money before the planets align for project funding, finance and political will. Move too late, and the alignment may have already passed and the momentum may be lost entirely. Is there a better way of understanding when the timing right to get started and to understanding a project’s optimal pace?
The programme will also explore whether it’s time to add a sixth lens to our business cases—a temporal case—to help future projects better articulate timing, longevity, and strategic alignment over the long term. Join us as we explore these very questions.
Taking place after our site visit to Liverpool on Wednesday 18 June (click here for more information), this seminar will build on those insights and reflections to deepen the conversation around strategic timing in project delivery. The event will take place virtually on Tuesday 15 July, with further details and a full programme to be announced soon.
When we get it right a spotlight on success Highlight Report
While projects are often perceived as late and over budget, most actually meet intended outcomes and deliver to expectations. By reframing our thinking to focus on the successes, rather than just the failures in infrastructure delivery we can foster a more positive, solution-oriented approach that drives improvement and innovation.
This half day seminar will explore how highlighting successes can build delivery confidence, and encourages excellence, creating a replicable model for future projects. Bringing the public and politicians along on this journey is crucial for sustained support and investment confidence.
This event will help to challenge the perceptions of infrastructure project delivery. It will demonstrate how offering stakeholders a greater understanding of both the challenges and tangible benefits of projects creates a new level of trust that helps professionals navigate complex projects more effectively and secure vital support for future infrastructure.
Useful links mentioned in the ‘Project delivery performance reality check’ presentation by Dr. Paul Chapman OBE:
English Roads Major Schemes
Paper: Chapman, P., (2024) Project delivery performance: Insights from English roads major schemes, Project Leadership and Society Journal
Major Projects Association podcast hosted by Andy Murray with Paul Chapman and Nirmal Kotecha, former Head of Major Projects at National Highways: Project delivery performance: we’re actually quite good! Who knew and what changed? Sep 18, 2024
Public Accounts Committee (2007) Estimating and monitoring the costs of building roads in England
Nichols (2007) Review of Highways Agency’s Major Roads Programme
Swedish Rail and Road Project Performance
Chapman, P. (2024) Revisiting project delivery performance: Evidence from Swedish transport infrastructure, Project Management Journal
When we get it right – a spotlight on success Highlight Report
While projects are often perceived as late and over budget, most actually meet intended outcomes and deliver to expectations. By reframing our thinking to focus on the successes, rather than just the failures in infrastructure delivery we can foster a more positive, solution-oriented approach that drives improvement and innovation.
This half day seminar will explore how highlighting successes can build delivery confidence, and encourages excellence, creating a replicable model for future projects. Bringing the public and politicians along on this journey is crucial for sustained support and investment confidence.
This event will help to challenge the perceptions of infrastructure project delivery. It will demonstrate how offering stakeholders a greater understanding of both the challenges and tangible benefits of projects creates a new level of trust that helps professionals navigate complex projects more effectively and secure vital support for future infrastructure.
Useful links mentioned in the ‘Project delivery performance reality check’ presentation by Dr. Paul Chapman OBE:
English Roads Major Schemes
Paper: Chapman, P., (2024) Project delivery performance: Insights from English roads major schemes, Project Leadership and Society Journal
Major Projects Association podcast hosted by Andy Murray with Paul Chapman and Nirmal Kotecha, former Head of Major Projects at National Highways: Project delivery performance: we’re actually quite good! Who knew and what changed? Sep 18, 2024
Public Accounts Committee (2007) Estimating and monitoring the costs of building roads in England
Nichols (2007) Review of Highways Agency’s Major Roads Programme
Swedish Rail and Road Project Performance
Chapman, P. (2024) Revisiting project delivery performance: Evidence from Swedish transport infrastructure, Project Management Journal
Consents and Stakeholders – Embracing the planning process Full Report
Achieving planning consent is an integral and essential part of the successful delivery of major infrastructure projects. It is often a challenging, time-consuming and costly process, the success of which can be heavily influenced by stakeholders and how projects manage these relationships, but also how they engage before, during and after the process. Many projects struggle to complete the process in a way that is experienced positively, by both the promoter and their stakeholders.
Utilising and drawing upon expert knowledge and best practices can be invaluable as projects across all industries face similar challenges. How do we take our stakeholders on the journey with us? How do we minimise the risks of objections and delays to the planning process and maximise the likelihood of success? What does success look like?
Speakers at this event will focus on the changes to planning policy and legislation as well as exemplars of good practice. In addition, the seminar will present the findings from a study and interviews with industry leaders across Government, transport, nuclear, renewable energy, engineering, construction and utilities – which have been undertaken by CJ Associates on behalf of the Association. Delegates will hear valuable insights directly from these industry leaders and experts about the challenges they face in the planning process and in engaging stakeholders and the community to learn about their greatest successes.
Join us for an afternoon of informative, insightful and lively discussion.
Consents and Stakeholders – Embracing the planning process Highlight Report
Achieving planning consent is an integral and essential part of the successful delivery of major infrastructure projects. It is often a challenging, time-consuming and costly process, the success of which can be heavily influenced by stakeholders and how projects manage these relationships, but also how they engage before, during and after the process. Many projects struggle to complete the process in a way that is experienced positively, by both the promoter and their stakeholders.
Utilising and drawing upon expert knowledge and best practices can be invaluable as projects across all industries face similar challenges. How do we take our stakeholders on the journey with us? How do we minimise the risks of objections and delays to the planning process and maximise the likelihood of success? What does success look like?
Speakers at this event will focus on the changes to planning policy and legislation as well as exemplars of good practice. In addition, the seminar will present the findings from a study and interviews with industry leaders across Government, transport, nuclear, renewable energy, engineering, construction and utilities – which have been undertaken by CJ Associates on behalf of the Association. Delegates will hear valuable insights directly from these industry leaders and experts about the challenges they face in the planning process and in engaging stakeholders and the community to learn about their greatest successes.
Join us for an afternoon of informative, insightful and lively discussion.
Project closure and operational readiness Highlight Report
In the late 1980 Jan Carlzon transformed SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) into the best in Europe from what had been “the sickest of sick men”. He said, “the first 15 second encounter between a passenger and the airline sets the tone of the entire company in the mind of the customer, it is the ‘moment of truth’”.
Similarly, in whatever industry a major project is undertaken, however well the project is delivered, irrespective of time and budget savings, there will come the ‘moment of truth’ when the project becomes part of everyday life and almost instantaneously will become a success or labelled as a failure. The opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow is a classic example – the well-executed project was overshadowed by problems with baggage handling. So much so that the BBC asked: What went wrong at Heathrow’s T5?
Success of transition will be dependent on numerous factors including design, construction, testing and commissioning, recruitment, training and planning. Key questions must be answered to achieve a smooth transition:
• How soon should the planning for the transition from project to operation/daily use start?
• Who should be involved?
• How does the risk profile change during that period?
• How do we manage stakeholders, media and end users?
• How do we obtain safety assurance?
• What lessons can be learned from past projects and the people who delivered them?
This seminar will examine the critical success factors, and some of the less obvious, for Project Managers, Project Directors, Financiers, Project Sponsors, Politicians and many other key stakeholders.
There is no charge to attend this event.
Project closure and operational readiness Full Report
In the late 1980 Jan Carlzon transformed SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) into the best in Europe from what had been “the sickest of sick men”. He said, “the first 15 second encounter between a passenger and the airline sets the tone of the entire company in the mind of the customer, it is the ‘moment of truth’”.
Similarly, in whatever industry a major project is undertaken, however well the project is delivered, irrespective of time and budget savings, there will come the ‘moment of truth’ when the project becomes part of everyday life and almost instantaneously will become a success or labelled as a failure. The opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow is a classic example – the well-executed project was overshadowed by problems with baggage handling. So much so that the BBC asked: What went wrong at Heathrow’s T5?
Success of transition will be dependent on numerous factors including design, construction, testing and commissioning, recruitment, training and planning. Key questions must be answered to achieve a smooth transition:
• How soon should the planning for the transition from project to operation/daily use start?
• Who should be involved?
• How does the risk profile change during that period?
• How do we manage stakeholders, media and end users?
• How do we obtain safety assurance?
• What lessons can be learned from past projects and the people who delivered them?
This seminar will examine the critical success factors, and some of the less obvious, for Project Managers, Project Directors, Financiers, Project Sponsors, Politicians and many other key stakeholders.
There is no charge to attend this event.