Featured Articles

3 limitations of PMBOK and how to overcome them

PMBOK is one of the world’s most popular project management approaches but it still has its limitations, writes J Jameson. Here are three issues and how to overcome them.

January 19, 2022

Project skills shortage a catalyst for digitisation and collaboration

Skills shortages in construction projects have become a catalyst for innovative ways of doing things, from digitisation of the sector to new forms of collaboration, writes Rob Bryant.

January 17, 2022

Can project managers succeed at complexity?

The hardest projects used to be about leading-edge engineering in harsh conditions. These days the complexity comes from, among other things, the diversity of stakeholders and the chance of decisions being revisited, writes Kieran Duck.

October 18, 2021

Managing the hybrid workplace

The remote office, and with it, the hybrid office, have created new opportunities and challenges. Here is Nina Fountain of Transformed Teams on how to navigate them.

September 23, 2021

A project manager’s guide to digital transformation

Emerging technologies have propelled digital transformation in business, however, the project management required is still nascent. This guide by Mahendra Gupta gives an overview of the skills needed to work with new technology.

September 2, 2021

The increasing need for project managers in the legal sector

The demand for project managers in the legal industry has surged. Dee Tamlin explains what is required as a legal project manager.

August 25, 2021

BIM and the modern project manager

Building information modelling (BIM) has the potential to transform project management, given that it brings never-before-seen efficiency. Here is Anna Liza Montenegro on how it will affect the modern project manager.

August 11, 2021

Managing infrastructure projects of the future

With major infrastructure spending comes the need to manage the benefits post-project. David Jenkins argues that a commitment of this size needs to be matched by an investment in the training of the professionals who will bring these projects to reality, and safely.

August 5, 2021

Why technology is the path to project recovery

While COVID-19 restrictions have caused construction project delays, they have also accelerated digital transformation. Rob Bryant of InEight discusses how technology can be the solution to project recovery.

September 27, 2021
Latest Posts

The importance of effective knowledge management and conversion—Alice Chivell

The importance of effective knowledge management and conversion: A reflective paper drawing on lessons learnt from a case example

This paper highlights the challenges projects can face when there is not sufficient monitoring, planning and action taken regarding knowledge management and conversion. Explicit knowledge is seldom enough in the project management arena and tacit knowledge is also required for optimum performance. Tacit knowledge comes from a combination of experience, values, context and intuition and is not easily or readily shared. This paper uses a case example to highlight project setbacks and barriers experienced when important tacit knowledge is not effectively harnessed, converted and shared amongst the project team. Reflecting on the case example, the lessons learnt and actions taken, provides examples of how projects with knowledge conversion issues can overcome the barriers and improve performance. The paper discusses the complexities of power, insecurity and trust when it comes to harnessing and sharing knowledge and ways to address this. It explores a systematic and deliberate way to effectively manage knowledge, drawing on models and processes such as the SECI Knowledge Conversion Process. The paper concludes by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of knowledge management and conversion in projects, acknowledging that despite challenges a focus on these processes ultimately leads to performance improvement and increased project success.

Author: Alice Chivell
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

February 18, 2018

Why do projects not succeed when project governance is not formalised?—Vanessa Sore

Why do projects not succeed when project governance is not formalised?

Barriers exist at both the project and organisational level. These barriers influence the organisation’s aptitude to successfully implement and execute projects, as well as the overall performance and market penetration of the organisation. This paper aims to critically reflect upon the current barriers at the project and organisational level within a large Australian financial services organisation. The reflection identifies three key barriers at the project and organisational level concerning the lack of: formal project-based structure; project methodology familiarity and skilled project managers; and open dialogue prohibiting collaboration. Moreover, this reflective practice has allowed recommendations to be made to adjust governance structures to improve project performance and progress towards achieving organisation objectives. A new governance structure is recommended in pursuit of: implementing a formal project-based structure, embodying support from a Strategic PMO to bring accountabilities and opportunities amidst the organisation into line; aiding better education and appreciation of project management methodology with ongoing support from a Tactical PMO; and adopting effective communication. Thus, the paper outlines the importance of these recommendations to assure project governance ownership and liability across the organisation to achieve project success.

Author: Vanessa Sore
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

February 18, 2018

Conceptual model of performance measurement – Ali Naseri Gigloo

Conceptual model of performance measurement for power plant projects

This study is focused on the importance of performance measurement in projects. Projects are considered as temporary organizations with specific goals and objectives. Generally, power plant projects are considered as high-tech and large-scale projects and construction of them require a great amount of financial resource, human resource, materials and equipment. Also, they are considered as one of the strategic infrastructures of a country and any delay in these kinds of projects results in huge cost overrun as well as negative social and economic impacts. So, it is important to use a robust performance measurement system to help project managers to manage them effectively to achieve goals and objectives of projects. In this study, by using literature, a conceptual model of performance measurement was developed and then by using the company vision, the KRAs of the project were identified. Also, according to the project contract, the long-term and short term objectives were identified. To assess the performance of process and systems a set of KPIs identified.

Author: Ali Naseri Gigloo
Review status: Postgraduate assignment (University of Technology Sydney)

February 18, 2018