How do you prevent project delays and overruns?

I would like rather extend define the scope to Baseline of project which covers scope, schedule, budget and risk.. all aspect are to be baseline in conjunction with each other so that any deviations in any field can be recorded and measured appropriately

Defining project scope is a crucial step in project planning. To do this, you should: 1- Determine the project's goals and objectives 2- Identify stakeholders and their needs, expectations, and concerns 3- Define the project scope statement, including objectives, deliverables, boundaries, and constraints 4- Break down the scope into manageable components and prioritize them 5- Create a scope matrix to categorize elements as must-haves, should-haves, could-haves, or won't-haves. 6- Monitor and control scope changes

Without a proper definition of the Scope it's impossible to achieve the goal, nonetheless, we often forget to have a clear understanding of where we actually stand. Knowing what is you As-Is helps understand what is an achievable To-Be and helps you define a more realistic plan. I often see plans getting delayed/cancelled/overrun/changed midways because there was no understanding of the actual needs. A vision from the top is important, and understanding of what actually happens in the ground is fundamental. It will also help the adoption, engagement, change management, etc...

When Scope Creep is experienced without adjustment to the Performance Measurement Baseline, it's a symptom of poor Change Control. Changes to the baseline happen all the time, otherwise the "project" would be considered "production." From the change control board, there are adjustments to cost, schedule, and technical performance baseline. The Change Control Board (CCB) is a committee that makes decisions on whether proposed changes to project baselines should be accepted. Once accepted, the cost, schedule, and technical performance baseline are updated to show the future performance of the project Scope Creep is the failure to apply proper Change Control

Mitigating project delays requires strategic scheduling. Prioritize realism in scheduling to counter common causes of overruns. Conduct a thorough assessment, aligning timelines with actual resource availability, capacity, and dependencies. Utilizing a WBS enhances task management and accountability. Visualization tools like Gantt charts ensure a dynamic project schedule, aiding both planning and progress tracking. Resource optimization is key, understanding constraints to enhance schedule adherence. Periodic reviews and adjustments maintain the schedule's realism throughout the project, fostering efficiency and reducing risks of delays and overruns.

Winning conditions of a realistic schedule: -Scope is 100% captured in a work breakdown structure (WBS) -WBS is well decomposed into clearly defined manageable work packages, elements, activities, tasks and deliverables -identify risks and translate risk response strategies such as mitigation into activities well incorporated into the corresponding work packages with the effort (hours) required to burn should the risk materialize (different from induced buffer and contingencies) -factor in buffer and contingencies in your estimation for each activity whilst avoiding the sandbagging effect and tunnel effect (an art and intuition) -In your estimation of activity duration and effort rely on several techniques not only historical data or SME

Fact is, that there is no realistic schedule until it's not act upon. However, efforts to be made as follows: 1.Calendar and Work Duration to be identified 2.WBS to be detailed - Not only for Execution Scope but also for details required from Owner/Client/PMC to perform such scope. 3.Refrain from using SS relationship as much as possible. 4.Defining Execution Sequence/relationship on the basis of Disciplines Interfaces and Dependencies as well as Team/Crew mobilization(from one activity to another). 5.Add all resource in schedule(Man, Material & Money) to monitor effects of daily changing scenarios, so that any Project slippages can be addressed well in advance. 6.Avoid Gold Plating and commit to what you can deliver inline with above.

Clarity of scope to the contractor will be a big help. Not to hide any requirements in those general notes in 3 font size. On the other hand, while preparing the wbs ask as much as questions to the client and capture every minute activities. Leave contingencies and keep your valuable time after the project for your family.

By following below steps risks can be proactively managed: 1-Identify and assess risks 2-Review project scope, schedule, budget, and resources to identify potential risks, and assess their likelihood and impact using a risk matrix. 3-Prioritize and analyze risks 4-Focus on high-priority risks and develop strategies to reduce their likelihood or impact, by creating a risk response plans 5-Monitor and review risks continuously 6- Inform stakeholders about identified risks and mitigation strategies to ensure everyone is aware of potential risks and can take necessary actions 7-Implement additional proactive techniques

We have to identify potential risks before they occur and take steps to mitigate or minimize their impact. Here are some general steps and strategies to manage risk proactively: 1- Risk Identification: conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential risks. 2- Risk analysis: assess the likelihood and potential impact of each identified risk. 3- Risk mitigation: develop strategies to mitigate or reduce the impact of identified risks. 4- Contingency Planning: develop contingency plans for high-priority risks, outlining specific actions to take if those risks materialize. 5- Regular Monitoring: implement a system for continuous monitoring of potential risks.

Clearly, one good way to avoid or mitigate risks is to act proactively. This in itself entails a lot of thoughtful thinking and planning. Beyond the initial project risk assessment discussion I had with all key stakeholders at the start of my project, i also updated my early warning signs template. This is usually a vanilla laundry list of potential risks and issues that i make all project team and stakeholders populate weekly. I then filter and update my risk tracker from there, while providing mitigation and working towards closing them in my project journey. I have manage my risk very comfortably with this approach, with more than 75% success.

Run Montecarlo analysis Use application of P6 interface with Risk analysis Active risks mitigation in each updates Update risk register with team Convert unresolved risks in to time claim if possible

Communication is one of the key factor for any project being executed. Transparency and open communication with project stakeholders, team members, external parties communication should be stablished clear and consistent channels, methods, frequency, and documented does ensure that relevant informations, updates, feedback, and issues are being shared, addressed, and being communicated on time. This will prevent delays and overruns if properly communicated.

Communication is a cornerstone of successful project management because it promotes teamwork, transparency, and accountability. Projects frequently face unforeseen obstacles and changes. Effective communication enables the project team to respond to these changes by exchanging information, considering options, making appropriate changes to the project plan, and communicating the changes to stakeholders to minimise disagreement. Communication keeps the project on pace, manages risks, and ensures that stakeholders' expectations are satisfied, improving the likelihood of project success.

Transparency! Being transparent is key. Transparency of scope, size and complexity, which ultimately helps me be transparent to stakeholders and sponsors about our progress to our milestones and goals.

Gerenciamento das aquisi??es O gerenciamento eficaz das aquisi??es desempenha um papel essencial na gest?o de projetos, sendo fundamental para evitar atrasos na entrega. Ao adotar uma abordagem estratégica desde a identifica??o de necessidades até a sele??o de fornecedores, é possível garantir a disponibilidade oportuna de recursos e servi?os. A sele??o criteriosa de fornecedores, a negocia??o transparente de contratos e a verifica??o da conformidade dos materiais contribuem para reduzir riscos e evitar surpresas indesejadas durante o projeto. Em resumo, o gerenciamento de aquisi??es n?o apenas otimiza processos, mas também é um alicerce crucial para o sucesso, promovendo entregas pontuais e satisfatórias.

Effective communication is crucial for project success! Whether it's with your team, stakeholders, or vendors, clear and regular communication keeps everyone on the same page and helps prevent delays. Setting up clear channels and sharing updates transparently ensures everyone stays informed and can address any issues promptly. Listening actively to everyone's needs and concerns is just as important as sharing information. Let's keep those communication lines open for smooth sailing!

What I believe is In the world of project coordination , 'vigilance' is the keyword I use. To prevent delays and overruns, it's essential to keep a watchful eye on every aspect of your project's progress. Just leave no work for guesswork. Majority of the delays happens when we think that everything is going fine as per the flow, and we gets distracted. What I have learned over the years is that there will always be something in a project that can delay the completion, and there is always a way to mitigate it with proper and continuous monitoring. This proactive approach allows you to spot potential issues as they arise, rather than after they've caused significant delays. It also enables you relocate resources or adjusting schedules.

From a OEM perspective, ensure that all specifications and demands are considered at the FEED stage of the project when budgets and specifications are developed. Ensure to engage the OEM at the early planning stages to optimize the right solution which satisfies the technical demands and safety in a cost effective manner. We see many times that when the above has not been carried out correctly there are cost and schedule over runs during project execution especially when the EPC has cut corners at bid stage to win the project.

Implement a robust project tracking and reporting system to monitor progress against planned timelines. Identify potential delays early on and take appropriate actions to address them promptly. Regularly share progress reports with the project team and stakeholders. Allocate resources effectively to ensure that the right people with the necessary skills are available at the right time. Regularly review resource utilization and make adjustments as needed to maintain project progress.Controlling project delay and overrun requires proactive management, effective communication, and a systematic approach to anticipate and address potential issues.

If the project runs smoothly , achieving all milestones in time and slippage is not more than a maximum of 4-5% and it's within budget, it's ok, If there is a delay then we need to do a delay analysis, and then if it's from our side, we need to recover and if there is a delay because of the client then with proper documentation we need to raise EOT.

Inspection! Often times scope creep can happen so gradually it can disguise itself as hidden complexity or immaterial change. If you've set up the project in Jira, kept good story hygiene and scrum ceremonies, you would have a transparent view of the underlying work you can inspect. Changes should be identified quickly, scoped and escalated through a governance process which can priorities and approve the change and its impact to timelines.

Uma das melhores estratégias para evitar atrasos e estouros em projetos é aprender com experiências passadas. Conduzir sess?es de li??es aprendidas permite identificar acertos e erros, gerando insights valiosos. Documentar essas li??es e compartilhá-las com a equipe cria uma base sólida de conhecimento. Incorporar aprendizados passados é uma estratégia proativa para garantir o sucesso e a entrega em projetos complexos.

There are always opportunities to improve. Running post project reviews (PPRs) is a key tool to capture lessons learned... As long as you can facilitate a productive session focused on process and not people! As someone who loves working with scrum frameworks, regular retrospectives are even better than PPRs, allowing teams to course correct throughout the project.

* Track the baseline schedule taking jnto consideration the critical path and near critical path. * tracking the delivery long lead items .

I am a great advocate of Lessons Learned and establishment of Corporate KSBs (knowledge sharing boards). Before each and every project I always ask the pragmatic question - "is this the first time ever this particular type project has been done?". More than not there are many examples of similar projects giving insight into mitigations.

One of my go-to strategies to prevent project delays and overruns is to delve into the lessons of my previous projects. I conduct thorough post-project reviews, identifying what worked well and areas for improvement. Documenting these lessons and best practices is crucial, and I make it a point to share these insights with my team and organization. Applying these lessons enhances my project coordination skills and refines processes for upcoming projects. It's all about leveraging experience for continuous improvement in project management!

The six strategies above are good ways of controlling and mitigating change, the reality is that it is very rare for a project not to suffer delays at some point; the challenge is how these are identified and mitigated so that they minimise the time and cost impact, and how opportunities are identified and realised that can then offset some of those delays. The alternative is to delete or defer scope if the time/cost envelope is critical. Setting the project up right in the first place, as others have suggested, will provide the best start, positive governance and controls will help to identify challenges along the way. Having an environment where it is safe for people to ask questions without blame or criticism will help spot the risks.

Set a realistic schedule and achievable milestones, allocate resources effectively and on time, keep a regular and continuous effective communication, control changes and have always a contingency plan. Work smart and agile the process

In the power plant construction industries, cost overrun prevention will be more efficient if the control strategies can be initiated from the tender or project initiation stages. For instance, choosing and appointing qualified subcontractors with a track record is essential. In numerous cases, the utilization of unqualified sub-contractors can lead to concerns over the quality of work and the need for rework. Aside from that, the tender team should notify the project execution team of any deviations or issues requiring their attention so that an early mitigation plan can be implemented to prevent the problem from becoming a catastrophic risk, resulting in a significant project delay or cost overrun.

Well drafted contracts with main supplier is a must. In DBC, early implement measure and suvelliance of design progress and that it is line with the scope and specs, Asure that comes with time enough for comments and allowing time for corrections that may requiere new supliers and delivery schedule. Failing in the above you will find your self under, very frecuently, a chantage "take it, or accept a delay" or having a "fait acomplie" situation. Some of this situations cis a consequence of the Contractor bid whom was able to hide his intention with a weak,not clear,aceptance of conditions. <(follows 2)can be detected in negotiating process. Contractor recurrently try to include reductions of quality and scope with no price reduction.

Do right Risk assessment and analysis then find solutions accordingly and keep tracking pending works and clearing road blockers with all parties and never stop reflecting site actual state and always focus on critical path and milestones if you miss a milestones the try to crash the program and action plan time to time