Do Your Project Objectives Align with Strategy?

Over the course of a conference duration, many conversations and debates were had around business strategy and project alignment. I noticed throughout, every time I mentioned bringing projects in alignment with corporate strategies, my fellow expert would casually correct me to indicate that "projects are driven by strategy, initiated to achieve a set of outcomes."

His theory? Creating alignment isn’t something we should need to do. If the outcomes weren’t driving the project initiation, then it wouldn’t be there to begin with. While I agreed with this statement, I had several examples where existing projects could be shown to align with business strategy.

Karen ChovanOctober 11, 2016Enviro Integration Strategiesstrategy, project planning, portfolio managementComment

Are Sector-Specific Project Challenges Really So Different?

With a look at project management challenges, it seems it doesn't matter what sector the projects are in. They all face the same issues...

Without appropriate engagement and communications, project teams are bound to miss critical requirements for their project – and as such, develop an incomplete scope to proceed.

Without ensuring we are all well-aligned to the ultimate project goals, and to understanding when it might be okay to shift strategies to get there, we set ourselves up for failure.

Without taking a staged and iterative approach to our projects, and without a willingness to adjust scope and make alternate decisions, as more information is obtained, it is then inevitable that the ultimate goals of the project are put at risk.

Karen ChovanSeptember 9, 2016Enviro Integration Strategiesproject planning, project risks, sustainabilityComment

Shouldn't we De-Risk and Optimize first?

Everything comes with some form of risk.

As most commonly demonstrated, the concept of risk management conveys an acceptance of risks, an exercise performed to ensure we are identifying and managing our project risks, controlling them in some way.

But why do we focus on managing risk before we have eliminated as much of it as we can? What if, instead, we looked for as many opportunities to de-risk and optimize our projects first?

Karen ChovanAugust 29, 2016Enviro Integration Strategiesproject planning, risk management, leanComment

The Crossroads of Project Failure and Mining Risks

Problem solving, increasing value, streamlining process, and improving performance.

These endeavours give me purpose.

But how to do this in the most efficient manner? This requires investigation.

Of failure rates

(Where are there the biggest problems?)

Of the arenas of failure

(What seems to be causing the most disruption?)

Of failure mechanisms

(What are the root causes of the disruptions?)

Two areas of interest embedded into my psyche:

Mining and projects.

So it is at these crossroads where an investigation began...

Stakeholders or Clients?

When determining the requirements and the risks associated with your project, how do you regard and engage with each of the stakeholders you identify? How seriously are you treating the risks and concerns they raise? I'd like to convince you that the way you think about and treat those stakeholders, and the value you place on their inputs, can have a significant impact on the outcomes of your project.

Don't just keep doing things the same way, step outside the box...

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