Apm Autumn 2021

Cover
ISSUE 308
VERSION
AUTUMN 2021
£14.50
TH E VO I C E O F TH E PROJ EC T M A N AG E M E NT CO M M U N IT Y
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PROJECT
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The voice of the project management community

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CLIENT
PORTFOLIOS
HOW YOU CAN
MOONSHOT MANAGE THEM
THE RIGHT WAY
PROJECTS
HOW TO MAKE THE THE BIG INTERVIEW
IMPOSSIBLE HAPPEN MEET APM’S NEW
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
ADAM BODDISON
?
AUTUMN 2021 / ISSUE 308
F TOK YO 2020
E LEGACY O
WHAT IS TH
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN 91APMAUG21100.pgs 02.09.2021 09:41
Eds letter, 1
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FROM THE EDITOR
Editor
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Big, hairy, audacious goals Emma De Vita

emma.devita
@thinkpublishing.co.uk
Managing editor
It was leadership thinker Jim Collins Courageous decision-making to back the Mike Hine
who coined BHAG (big, hairy, audacious right horse can only be done alongside Group art director
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goals) in his bestseller Built to Last. Used strong risk management, so we thought it Jes Stanfield
to stimulate progress, it describes bold only right to give some advice on making Senior sales executive
and compelling missions that unify and sense of it all – see our Peer to Peer Samantha Tkaczyk
engage teams to achieve the seemingly feature on it. 020 3771 7198
impossible. NASA’s moon missions of the Trying to predict the future is a samantha.tkaczyk
1960s were the archetypal BHAG projects. precarious endeavour, but moonshot @thinkpublishing.co.uk
Client engagement
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I can’t help thinking that the post-COVID projects of whatever size will have the
world of business and government (and advantage of benefiting from the science director
everything in between) might come to be (not art) of data analytics. While we’ve Kieran Paul
defined by BHAGs. In this issue, we look at been enticed (and frightened) by the
moonshot projects (certainly all BHAGs) possibilities of AI, this issue includes two
like the Mars Perseverance mission, the features on the practicalities of using
ITER nuclear fusion project and Formula E. project data right now to improve the
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We go behind the scenes to find out delivery of projects. Get the basics in place The views expressed in Project
from the project teams what it takes to now and you’ll be able to capitalise in are not necessarily those of APM,
the publisher or its agents, and
deliver visionary projects like these. It’s the future. they do not accept responsibility
inspirational stuff for us lesser mortals. Finally, September sees a firm focus for any solicited material, or for
the views of contributors, or for
In our cover feature, we delve into the on diversity at APM with the annual actions arising from any claims
Herculean task of delivering the Olympic Think Differently conference. If you’re made in any advertisements or
CLIENT
and Paralympic Games. Excepting the two struggling to translate laudable goals into inserts appearing in this journal.
This publication (or any part
world wars, never has an Olympics faced real results, please don’t miss our feature thereof) may not be reproduced
such volatile times as Tokyo has this year. on how project management frameworks in any form without express and
What legacy will it leave behind for future and processes can be intertwined written permission from the
editor. © APM 2021
Olympics? And what have been the project with corporate strategy to make a
management lessons of previous Games real difference. APM, Ibis House, Regent Park,
Summerleys Road, Princes
(including London 2012)? We decided to Emma De Vita is editor of Project Risborough, Buckinghamshire
investigate legacy lessons and present our HP27 9LE, United Kingdom
considered findings. And did you see our apm.org.uk
Tel (UK): 0845 458 1944
cover star Momiji Nishiya, the 13-year-old Tel (Int): +44 1844 271 640
Cover: Getty
Japanese skateboarder who took gold?

Visionary projects take a punt on the Cover price: £14.50
Annual subscription fee:
future, and by their nature are high-risk. £58 (UK); £68.20 (Europe);
£79 (international)
PROJECT
(ISSN 0957-7033) is published
by the Association for Project
Management in association
Excepting the two with Think Media Group,

20 Mortimer Street, London
world wars, never has W1T 3JW Tel: 020 3771 7200
thinkpublishing.co.uk
an Olympics faced
such volatile times as
Tokyo has this year
PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 3

CONTENTS
VERSION
FROM RAIDERS TO ROVERS, THIS ISSUE OF PROJECT AT A GLANCE

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NEWS ANALYSIS ■■■

6 Totally awesome
PERSPECTIVES 16
14
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Big picture: Team GB’s Charlotte Discrimination

Worthington bags gold in women’s Why inaction on discrimination
freestyle BMX at the Tokyo Olympics against women must not be tolerated
8 Green projects 15 Revolution in the workplace

The country’s first grid‑scale battery Is the pandemic a blessing
storage system comes online in Oxford in disguise for leadership
ART
and management?
10 Apprenticeships
A partnership helping professionalise 16 Decision‑making
project management within the media Why you need to embrace
counterfactual thinking, cognitive
12 Major projects foraging and diversity
Will Amlot; Alamy; Getty
Findings from the latest Infrastructure

17
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and Projects Authority Annual Report Andrew Baldwin

APM’s new head of public affairs on
13 APM Awards the importance of thinking differently
Find out who made the prestigious final
awards shortlist for 2021
FEATURES ■■■■■■■
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18 Olympic legacy
In the wake of Toyko, we reflect on the
Games’ legacy for all host nations
25 Moonshot projects
What it takes to deliver audacious,
inspiring and transformative projects
30 Big interview
APM’s new chief executive Adam
Boddison explains his ambitions for the
project profession
34 Fashion industry
The creative world of fashion is waking up
to the importance of project management
38 Data analytics
Research from Warwick University
has revealed barriers to harnessing the
potential of project data analytics
42 Reference class forecasting
Breaking the Iron Law of Projects with
this accurate forecasting method
34 74 Eddie Obeng
How to counter the destructive societal
forces that could harm your projects
4 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Contents, 1
54
18
PEER TO PEER ■■■■

47 Portfolio management
A new and better framework for
prioritising projects within a portfolio
50 Diversity
Using a project management framework
to instil ED&I in your organisation
54 Risk management
Practical tips from the authors of
Making Sense of Challenging Projects
59 Susanne Madsen
Q&A: how to get better at handling
conflict constructively on projects
60 Chartered
The latest additions to the Register of
Chartered Project Professionals
62 Rising star
How a relentless quest for
self‑improvement drives James Pearce
66 Beyond the job
Project managing a cycling tour running
the length of Great Britain
“Project OFFLINE ■■■

management is
the beating heart 69 PM meets
of contemporary pop culture
professional life, Forty years on, what
but I think we don’t can we learn from the
really know it yet.
There’s a tipping
first instalment in the
Indiana Jones series? 69
point coming” 72 Latest books
and podcasts
Unwind this autumn
30
with some insightful
reading and listening
91APMAUG21102.pgs 27.08.2021 16:36

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PRODUCTION
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NA1, 1
Team GB BMXer
Charlotte Worthington pulls off a
360‑degree backflip in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics –
a trick that helped her win gold for Britain in the women’s
BMX freestyle event. Worthington’s medal was one of 22 golds
for Team GB, alongside 21 silver and 22 bronze medals, leaving Great
Britain fourth in the rankings. Team GB’s chef de mission Mark England
told The Guardian: “The team has made history on the back of the most
complex, challenging and most difficult environments that we will ever face,
certainly in my lifetime.”
It’s a sentiment project manager Peter Ambrose no doubt shares. As head of
games services at Team GB, Ambrose had logistical responsibility for Team GB’s
participation in the Games. That meant flights, accommodation, accreditation,
transport, kit and freight for a delegation of over 1,000 people across multiple sites,
including pre‑Games training camps in Yokohama and Kawasaki, the Olympic Village
and at the in‑Games performance centre.
The pandemic made what was already a complex operation an even bigger jigsaw
puzzle, he told APM shortly before the Games started in July. “The role of myself
and my team is to absorb all of the challenges and create an environment for
our athletes to produce world‑class performances… We’ve had to be patient,
adaptable and philosophical for the last 15 months to refine our plans, and in
a few instances, we’ve had to go back to the drawing board to reflect the
situation we are working in.” But the headaches were worth it. “The
Olympic Games is the greatest sporting event in the world, and
the opportunity to play just a very small role in supporting
Team GB’s best athletes to fulfil their Olympic
dreams is what makes everything
worthwhile,” he said.
Alamy
91APMAUG21103.pgs 27.08.2021 14:14

NEWS ANALYSIS
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Green projects
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scale up
The UK had a positive charge of green
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economy news this summer, when

the country’s first grid‑scale battery
storage system came online in Oxford
T
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he 50MW lithium‑ion battery who are ambitious, approach to everything from local job
energy storage project, led by Pivot bought‑in and creation to tackling fuel poverty.
Power (part of EDF Renewables), is focused. But These days, this is no niche
the first in the UK to plug directly into none of it would enterprise. New research by analyst
the National Grid. As such, it marks a work without the kMatrix Data Services found that the
crucial early step in the transition to a optimisation and country’s low‑carbon economy, at
new era of renewable electricity. trading engine that £205.7bn, is now four times larger than
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The battery is one facet of Energy Habitat Energy is its manufacturing sector. It employs
Superhub Oxford, a four‑year, £41m Tim Rose delivering. This more than 1.2 million people in more
demonstrator project to explore software uses machine learning to see than 75,000 businesses.
potential innovation in grid stability, where energy is being generated around The stakes certainly couldn’t be
electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and the grid and can predict the price of higher. The UN Intergovernmental
ground source heat pumps. It aims to energy at any given time. It uses that Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
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save 10,000 tonnes of CO2 every year information to control the activity of published a report in August stressing
once opened, increasing to 25,000 the battery and the EV chargers so that that climate change is widespread and
tonnes by 2032. they automatically use cheaper, cleaner intensifying; that global warming is
A second battery is set to come electricity when available.” advancing faster than feared; and that
online later this year, with a cable Other battery projects are making humanity is “unequivocally” to blame.
network installed to connect the system headlines, too. Zenobe recently secured This news landed as violent wildfires
with new EV charging ‘superhubs’ funding from Santander to help deliver were already spreading across south‑
across Oxford. Pivot Power is planning a 100MW/107MWh battery project in east Europe. The IPCC report stated
up to 40 of these ‘smart local energy Capenhurst, near Chester. National Grid that stabilising the climate will require
systems’ across the country, totalling up will use the battery to help stabilise the “strong, rapid and sustained reductions
to 2GW of battery storage. The company network in the Mersey area, and Zenobe in greenhouse gas emissions, and
says this will meet almost 10 per cent of claims it will be able to supply enough reaching net zero CO2 emissions”.
the UK’s energy need by 2050. electricity for more than 100,000 homes
for an hour at peak times. Meanwhile, The opportunity for project
Net zero goes local Nissan has unveiled plans to build a professionals
True to many green economy £2bn electric car battery gigafactory When APM surveyed project
projects, Energy Superhub hinges on in Sunderland, boosting production professionals for its report Future
collaboration. Pivot Power’s diverse of batteries for EVs and creating up to Trends: Facing the Climate Challenge,
partners include battery specialist 2,000 new jobs. 55 per cent of respondents said that
Invinity, energy trading experts Habitat, their organisation now has a strategy
the University of Oxford and Oxford Flagship green projects for reaching net zero. Yet, as project
City Council. “The net zero challenge These flagship projects neatly
may be global, but you can’t solve it encapsulate the dynamic nature of the Research by analyst kMatrix
without being local, incredibly local in green economy: a showcase of R&D Data Services found that
some cases,” says Tim Rose, programme and innovation, they’re designed to the country’s low‑carbon
manager at Energy Superhub Oxford. address the ecological crisis and enable economy, at £205.7bn, is
“From a project perspective, it’s been the quality of life we’re used to, seizing now four times larger than
really critical to have a council on board a rare opportunity to reimagine our its manufacturing sector

NA2, 1
“Ofgem was proposing a new the post‑sanctioned stages of a
set of charging structures project,” Rob Leslie‑Carter, director
for how assets connect into at Arup, said. “We should be acting as
the National Grid at the advisers to clients at a strategic level,
transmission level: the same influencing the purpose of the project
flat fee of £700,000” and the deliverables – all with an eye
Left: The Oxford battery system is part of Pivot
to sustainability.”
Power’s plans to deploy up to 40 similar sites
in the UK. Below: Oxford’s EV Superhub. A strategy that needs details
Yet even the most well‑adapted
will get lost on the road to net zero
without a clear map. In late 2020,
the UK government released its
10‑point strategy for a green industrial
revolution. Yet its approach to critical
elements like subsidies has been
inconsistent, and in July its own climate
advisers criticised the lack of policy
detail. Chris Stark, chief executive of the
Climate Change Committee, described
progress in the field as “illusory”.
“The achievement of net zero
requires a plan at a level of detail way
greater than we have at the moment,”
says Rose. “We know we have this
THE GREEN overall legal objective, but when you
ECONOMY start breaking it down into its integrated
IN NUMBERS professionals clearly have a key role to elements in classic project management
£205.7bn
play in the drive to deliver this change style, you see the structures just aren’t
effectively, the smart money is on that in place to support it.
The value of the UK figure increasing. “The regulatory side has been a big
green economy “It’s difficult to envisage any future challenge for us. For example, Ofgem
(or current) project of scale that will was proposing a new set of charging
7.4%
Growth of the low‑carbon
not need to have net zero embedded
from the start,” said David Thomson,
structures for how assets connect into
the National Grid at the transmission
former head of external affairs at level: the same flat fee of £700,000,
sector, 2019 to 2020
APM. “Surface transport; aviation whether you’re a steel works or an
75,700+
Businesses in the UK
and shipping; industry; buildings;
power; agriculture and land use; waste
EV offtaker drawing a mere 1MW. We
managed to influence this decision in
management; and how we remove a positive way, but that would have
green/low‑carbon economy greenhouse gases from the atmosphere killed this innovation, and it shows the
1.2m+
People employed in the UK
are all part of the puzzle.”
The green economy may have
a razor‑sharp goal, but achieving
regulatory approach is not yet geared up
to work at the pace we need to deliver
these integrated systems.”
green economy it won’t be straightforward. The In November, the world’s leaders
16.16GW
projects required are multifaceted, will be gathering in Glasgow for
involving stakeholders across the COP26, the 2021 UN Climate Change
Total UK battery storage private and public sectors, with Conference. It was at COP21, in 2015,
capacity operational, under complex communication and that the world’s governments signed the
construction or in planning governance demands. landmark Paris Agreement, setting out
In some cases, green economy a huge cooperative statement of intent
2MW
Total capacity of UK battery
projects may even require project
professionals to rethink the nature
and practical steps towards limiting the
rise in global temperature. COP26 may
of their role. “Project managers need prove to be another critical milestone in
storage applications, 2012
to think of themselves as people what is fast becoming the biggest, most
who do more than just cope with important project of all.
91APMAUG21104.pgs 01.09.2021 08:24

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Apprenticeships:
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making waves
Global media agency Wavemaker’s partnership
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with education tech start‑up Multiverse to

launch an apprenticeship scheme signals the
expanding reach of the project profession
A
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new partnership between managers will play

Wavemaker UK and Multiverse a key role in helping
will professionalise the project define and plan
management skills base within the the agency’s first
media agency. Multiverse, the start‑up ever PMO.
co‑founded by Euan Blair (son of “With digital
former prime minister Tony Blair), will projects becoming
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deliver virtual classroom training and more complex,

one‑to‑one coaching for Wavemaker, media budgets Dan Jennings
whose investment in its fast‑growing changing and
in‑house project management academy expectations growing, the project George Mann, senior account
comes through the Apprenticeship management academy will equip executive at Multiverse, said:
Levy, a UK tax on employers that can be the Wavemaker team with those “Wavemaker is getting ahead of the
CLIENT
used to fund apprenticeship training. all‑important skills,” explained Jeremy trend we are seeing more and more
The 18‑month programme will Duggan, president at Multiverse. at media agencies in the UK and US:
teach essential project management “Professional apprenticeships offer an increased focus on maintaining
skills such as navigating complex a unique and exciting way for great a highly specialised team. Whether
organisational challenges and companies to invest in their staff it’s project management or data
developing efficient ways of working. and develop leaders of the future. analytics, media agencies like
Dan Jennings, head of Wavemaker’s Unlike traditional corporate training, Wavemaker are increasingly focused
nascent project management office apprenticeship skills are taught, on developing these vital skills through
(PMO), told Project the apprenticeship tested and learnt through immediate apprenticeships and training.”
programme had been designed to application in the workplace.”
include APM accreditation – a first for Wavemaker’s academy was born Growth inevitable
a media agency – in addition to project out of Jennings’ role at Wavemaker Jennings believes that project
management learning across the whole Content, which he joined in management is set to make further
of Wavemaker UK. 2019, helping to create internal in‑roads into non‑traditional sectors.
project management training for a “You only need to see the change
Professionalising skills 50‑strong team. enforced on so many businesses over
“My ambition is to have 60 Wavemakers the past 18 months with the pandemic
fully trained and accredited by the end A critical function to know that the skills required for
of 2022 through our apprenticeship “Project management is crucial to our successful project delivery are only
programme, with the skill set business going forward, and this comes going to become more important,
embedded across our client teams,” from the very top of our organisation whether that is through the delivery
Jennings said. “Our first cohort is about here in the UK and worldwide,” said of projects that create products,
to graduate, and it has been incredible Jennings. “Many of our clients now reacting to challenges in sustainability
seeing people from all levels of our have PMOs in place or have learning or changes needed in organisational
This Is Engineering
business stepping up to the challenge and development programmes structures and ways of working.
of the associate level 4 apprenticeship around project management, and it’s “The art of great project
and [APM Project Management increasingly becoming part of our management together with the mix
Qualification (PMQ)].” These project day‑to‑day conversations.” of leadership, culture and continual
1 0 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

NA3, 1
“Many of the non‑traditional the organisation and the apprentice,”
sectors have often seen Bartington told Project.
[project management] as On the Wavemaker and Multiverse
diary management or a role partnership, he said that: “Clients are
to simply chase people to usually not in the traditional sectors
complete tasks” of construction and engineering and
so help to promote the relevance
APM‑accredited project managers, and and value of project management
the partnership with Multiverse enabled and project‑based working to a wider
the business to tap into the government audience.” He believes the partnership
levy for funding. The partnership also is indicative of the profession making
ensures that the agency didn’t just in‑roads into more sectors, but that
work towards a certificate, but that “there is more to do. Luckily we can
the knowledge was applied to its work draw on advocates from these sectors
during and beyond the programme, to encourage peers to do the same
thereby driving results at every stage. – it’s symptomatic of the growth of
“We have the goal of 60 project‑based working. Apprenticeships
Wavemakers graduating from the are an excellent toe in the water or
programme by the end of 2022 (a mix of stepping stone, given the support that
entry level via The Splash and current training providers give to companies
staffers) and we are on track with that. with apprentices.
We are also working with Multiverse “Projects and project‑based working
to define and plan our PMO model,” are here to stay. It will be interesting
he said. to see how many people work in a
According to Caspar Bartington, project‑based way but don’t give
head of volunteer and education themselves a project‑based title. The
improvement is a powerful combination engagement at APM, since the current growth in the number of Chartered
for any organisation. I can see that the level 4 associate project manager Project Professionals suggests that
language around project management apprenticeship launched in 2016 with people see this as a profession in its
is changing too in businesses that APM’s PMQ embedded in it, there own right,” he added.
haven’t previously focused on it. In my have been more than 10,000 ‘starts’ “We know that the growth of
experience, many of the non‑traditional across a huge range of sectors, from project‑based working will mean
sectors have often seen it as diary infrastructure to that more project professionals will
management or a role to simply chase retail, financial be needed. Apprenticeships are an
people to complete tasks or to create a services and excellent way to help plug the gap since
pretty Gantt chart – whereas now there charities. The they blend a professional qualification
is a realisation that it’s so much more level 6 project that establishes credibility with
than that.” manager degree supported learning and development
apprenticeship while in a full‑time role. This support
Importance of launched in 2018 and also means that those who change
apprenticeships there have already Caspar Bartington careers are able to do so in a more
Jennings said that apprenticeships were been more than structured, supported way.”
“hugely important” for Wavemaker, 600 starts – much smaller than for the A report from the Project
which runs its own scheme, called The level 4, but this standard includes a BSc Management Institute stated that, by
Splash. “[It’s] designed to encourage in project management and the PMQ. 2027, global employers will need 87.7
greater diversity in entry‑level million individuals working in project
recruitment at Wavemaker, where we A high‑value addition management‑oriented roles. The report
create a number of full‑time apprentices “Apprenticeships are high‑value also found that 39 per cent of businesses
across marketing, data and technology,” for the simple reason that they are were concerned about having access to
Jennings explained. “Our 2021 Splash workplace‑based learning programmes. enough people with the right project
intake will see our first full‑time There’s no better way to build and management skills.
project management apprentices evidence knowledge and skills; the
joining Wavemaker.” fact that they are supported by For more information on
Jennings said his ambition when training providers over many months, apprenticeships, see apm.org.
he joined the agency was to make or years in the case of the degree uk/qualifications‑and‑training/
Wavemaker the first media agency with apprenticeship, gives confidence to both apprenticeships
91APMAUG21105.pgs 27.08.2021 14:31

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IPA RATES MAJOR transformation and service delivery or

infrastructure and construction. Projects
PROJECTS in all categories, except for military
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capability, receive, in proportion, similar

The Infrastructure and DCA ratings. On average, 70 per cent
of infrastructure and construction,
Projects Authority’s Annual transformation and service delivery
Report on Major Projects and ICT projects were rated amber
or better. For military capability, this
2020‑21 gave seven out percentage was 55 per cent. Projects
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of 184 government major in ICT have improved most; this year,

projects a red rating – 32 per cent were rated amber/green or
better, compared to only seven per cent
down from 11 last year last year.
T he Infrastructure and Projects 241 projects were rated green or A big increase in projects
ART
Authority’s (IPA’s) Annual Report amber/green (22 per cent), 51 red or There was a big rise in projects joining
on Major Projects 2020‑21 gave seven out amber/red (28 per cent) and 84 amber the GMPP (95 in total), while 36 left.
of 184 major UK government projects (46 per cent). The report suggests that the increase in
a red rating in its traffic light system A red rating means that the amber and amber/red projects could be
(its Delivery Confidence Assessment successful delivery of the project a consequence of this sudden increase.
or DCA), down from 11 last year. In its appears to be unachievable, with major To help cope with this influx, the report
annual assessment, the IPA evaluates issues in project definition, schedule, outlines plans for major expansion
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the likelihood of the most complex budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, in three areas. The first is the IPA‑led
and high‑risk government projects which at the current stage do not recruitment of a pool of expert major
achieving their aims and objectives on appear to be manageable or resolvable. project leaders, deployed directly
time and on budget. If this is the case, the IPA stipulates into departments, to boost leadership
The group of major projects that the project “may need re‑scoping capacity and capability and fill critical
analysed in the report comprised 66 in and/or its overall viability [may need to gaps in professional delivery roles.
CLIENT
infrastructure and construction, 62 in be] reassessed”. The second is to create a better deal
government transformation and service Seven projects were rated red, for major project senior responsible
delivery, 31 in military capability, and but three of these had joined the owners (SROs) by taking forward work
25 in information and communications Government Major Projects Portfolio to improve selection, remuneration
technology (ICT). (GMPP) this year. The most prominent arrangements, grade structures and
project to be given a red rating is HS2 support. The third is to increase SRO
Red, amber, green Phase 2b, which is at a much earlier time commitment for the biggest and
Ratings are categorised into five stage of development than Phases 1 and most challenging project roles, and
groups, spanning red to green, with 2a, which received an amber/red and requiring projects to demonstrate
each providing an indication of the amber rating, respectively. SRO capability and capacity through
likelihood of successful delivery and Of the amber/red projects, approvals gates, to ensure projects are
level of associated risks. This year, 66 per cent were either in resourced with leaders who have the
right level of experience and time to
focus on effective delivery.
GOOD NEWS! GREEN‑RATED MAJOR PROJECTS In his foreword to the report, IPA
chief executive Nick Smallwood wrote:
l Geological Disposal Facility l National Proton Beam “The past year has seen extraordinary
Programme Therapy Service Development efforts by project professionals across
l Transforming Government Programme government, both to deliver new
Security l Fraud, Error and Debt projects at pace in response to the
l 700 MHz Clearance Programme Programme pandemic, and to sustain momentum
l Apprenticeships Reform l CHIEF Customs Handling … We have more to do to attain our
Programme of Import Export Freight ambition for nothing less than world
l A66 Transition Programme class delivery; but the opportunity
l Great Western Route l Independent Monitoring is there.”
Modernisation Authority
l South West Route Capacity l Print Reprocurement l The IPA’s annual report can be
downloaded at bit.ly/3yahhuE

NA4 + 5, 1
NEWS ANALYSIS
APM shortlists
award finalists
The winners of the APM Project Management
Awards 2021 will be announced on 15 November
C ongratulations to those who have made it onto the prestigious final awards
shortlist. APM will be announcing the winners at its awards ceremony at Old
Billingsgate, London, on 15 November. Sponsored by RPC UK, the APM Project
Project Professional of the Year
■ Jacob Bould, Rolls‑Royce
■ Diane Young, Turner & Townsend
Management Awards celebrate excellence and share innovation.
Young Project Professional of
Shell HSSE Award Transformation Project of the Year the Year
Sponsored by Shell Sponsored by QinetiQ Sponsored by QA
■ Safety Task Force, Network Rail ■ Return Our Business to Scale, ■ Aanchal Chaturvedi,
■ Response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, BAE Systems Turner & Townsend
Sellafield Ltd ■ Economic Development of Bro ■ Alice Burke, The Manufacturing
■ The National Road Traffic Census of Tathan, Burroughs Technology Centre
Great Britain, WSP ■ London City Digital Tower, NATS ■ Clara Lenzi, HS2 Ltd
■ Defence Infrastructure Organisation, ■ Jess Tray, Gate One
Contribution to Project Management: Managing Programmes & Projects – ■ Josh Wilkinson, WSP
Not‑for‑profit Function Transformation and Enduring ■ Hannah Latham, NFU Mutual
■ Essex County Council Evolution, PA Consulting
■ NHS (Project Futures programme) Programme of the Year
Engineering, Construction and ■ Hy4Heat, Arup
Contribution to Project Management: Infrastructure Project of the Year ■ Towns Fund Delivery Partner, Arup
Small to Medium Enterprise ■ Hythe Ranges Sea Defences, ■ BBC Cymru Wales Central Square
Sponsored by Defence Equipment Environment Agency Programme, BBC
& Support ■ Boston Barrier Project – Tidal Barrier, ■ Border Force EU Exit, Border Force
■ 3PM Environment Agency and
■ Delt Shared Services Ltd Turner & Townsend PMO of the Year
■ i3Works Ltd ■ Fukushima Reactor Investigation ■ Peru Reconstruction with
■ P2 Consulting Project, MIGSO | PCUBED Changes PMO, Autoridad para la
■ New National Maritime Systems Reconstrucción con Cambios
Contribution to Project Management: Centre at QinetiQ, Portsdown ■ Client Services PMO, BT
Company or Consultancy Technology Park, QinetiQ ■ P2/Selfridges PMO, P2 Consulting
■ Balfour Beatty ■ Scottish Water PMO, Scottish Water
■ PA Consulting Social Project of the Year ■ Virgin Atlantic PMO, Virgin Atlantic
■ Turner & Townsend Sponsored by CITI
■ Belfast Leisure Transformation Innovation in Project Management
Technology Project of the Year Programme, AECOM Sponsored by Provek
■ 5G Mobile Private Network, Centrica ■ Managed Quarantine Service, ■ Aanchal Chaturvedi,
Storage Limited Department of Health and Social Care Werrington Grade Separation,
■ Project Green, Deloitte ■ The Dragon’s Heart Hospital, Turner & Townsend
■ Introducing AI into the Teleradiology Mott MacDonald ■ Fukushima Reactor Investigation
Workflow, Medica Reporting Ltd ■ Adoption Support Fund, Project, MIGSO | PCUBED
■ Establishing New Data‑Driven Mott MacDonald ■ Accelerating Innovation in the Rail
Situational Awareness Capability for ■ Surrey’s Family Help Hub, Surrey Industry, PA Consulting and
the Ministry of Housing, Communities County Council Network Rail
and Local Government, PA Consulting ■ CAMPUS Shield, University of Liverpool ■ P2/Selfridges PMO, P2 Consulting
■ Sur‑i: the Surrey Schools Admissions ■ Towns Fund Delivery Partner, Arup
Digital Assistant, Surrey County Council
■ Leakage Convergence, Yorkshire Water l Info: apm.org.uk/apm-awards
91APMAUG21106.pgs 02.09.2021 15:22

Perspectives
VERSION
SUCCEEDING FIERCELY
REPRO OP
Inaction on discrimination against women must not be tolerated, says

Anita Phagura. Stop trying to fix women and instead change the status quo
SUBS
Anita Phagura is a coach who

ART
enables her project management

clients to step up as diverse leaders
www.fierceprojectmanagement.com
If you’re a woman working in projects,

then most likely you’ve faced prejudices,
PRODUCTION
biases or discrimination related to your

identity. In 2019, I surveyed 100 women
in projects, who nearly all said that they
had experienced this due to their gender,
sexuality, age, race, disability or another
aspect – or often a combination. They
CLIENT
most often felt like they weren’t being As Maya Angelou said:
heard or taken seriously and that they “Each time a woman
stands up for herself,
didn’t have fair access to opportunities. without knowing it
We’ve also seen the outcomes of the possibly, without
pandemic response disproportionately claiming it, she stands
up for all women”
adversely impact on women, especially
disabled women, mothers, single
mothers, pregnant women, young However, we also can’t wait for including supporting them to navigate
women, Black women, Asian women that to happen to flourish and succeed external barriers, as well as overcome
and women from minority ethnic within these spaces; knowing that our any self‑made obstacles (unsurprisingly,
backgrounds (see the Fawcett Society’s journey is harder means we can be we internalise those external barriers).
#MakeWomenVisible). While many more proactive in taking control of our The Fierce Project Management Model
companies have made pledges on gender career and recognising the skills beyond is built on four cornerstone skills:
and race inequalities, the inaction is no doing a good job.
longer palatable for many. The issues are
out in the open and many more people
are not willing to continue to accept the
The Fierce Project Management
Model was developed in direct
response to giving women in projects
1your
Amplify your message:
being heard demonstrates
expertise and
status quo. an alternative way of approaching your interests.
It is abundantly clear that there
are systemic and cultural issues within
our project environments that need
their careers, against the backdrop of
cultures that do not always work for
us. Although it was developed with
2 Ally‑building: building
your network of support
and influence.
to be addressed to allow women
and those who feel ‘different’ or are
under‑represented to flourish. This is an
women in mind, actually it works for
anyone who has felt different because
of their identity and/or because of their
3 Assertive and
compassionate boundaries:
establishing clear boundaries
important issue, and the focus shouldn’t leadership style. for wellbeing.
be on ‘fixing’ women or making misfits
‘fit’ – which, dangerously, is where the
The Fierce Project Management
Model helps project leaders to create 4 Authentic leadership:
leading in line with
Getty
narrative can often fall. career success on their own terms, your values.

Perspectives, 1
If you find yourself in an
environment that is toxic, remember
THE SMART WORK REVOLUTION
that you have choices, even if they The pandemic shows how fast the workplace
aren’t immediately obvious. Often
these cultures can invalidate our sense
can change, writes Jo Owen. Now we must
of self‑worth, contributing to mental determine other radical changes to accelerate
health challenges, stress and burnout,
and the rise of feeling like an ‘imposter’, COVID‑19 has caused huge hardship, but it may be
which can then hold us back from the best thing to have happened to leadership and
fulfilling our potential even after we’ve management for 200 years. The pandemic revealed
left. Often the virtue of resilience is three pieces of good news about leadership and
touted as the antidote, again putting the management. First, people and organisations can change
impetus of change on the women in the faster than we ever thought possible. Second, managing
environment rather than on meaningful smart and hybrid teams is far harder than managing a
culture change. team in the office. And third, the end of command and control is, finally,
coming closer
While you are in these environments, In the first 20 years of the century, we fooled ourselves into thinking we
it is even more important for your were changing faster than ever as a result of the digital revolution. Then
wellbeing to practise the cornerstones the pandemic struck. Suddenly, the last 20 years looked like a walk in the
above – find your allies to support park compared to the pace of change teams achieved as they switched to
you (as well as to explore alternative remote working overnight. In a crisis, we discovered just how fast we can
opportunities), amplify your message move. Now the challenge for managers is to identify other assumptions
with their support to be heard, assert that hold us back.
your boundaries to protect your Managing smart and hybrid teams is far harder than managing a team
own energies and work/life balance, in the office. It raises the bar for managers. You have to be far more
purposeful and deliberate in all that you do. You have to communicate
If you witness behaviours better, which often starts with listening better; you have to be clearer
that diminish someone, about setting goals and building buy‑in; you have to work out how to
then do your best to stand motivate your team even when you cannot see them. If you can manage
with them and let them a remote team, you can manage any team. Use this chance to build your
know they are not alone, skills and become an even better manager.
as well as calling out the The end of command and control is getting nearer. The office is a
inappropriate behaviour mini‑paradise for control freak managers: they can see what everyone is
doing, all the time. It is much harder to micromanage people you cannot
and continue to live and lead with see. On a remote team, you have to trust colleagues to do the right thing
your values. even when you cannot see them.
We all have a role to play for culture In the past, managers made things happen In the first 20
change (but it doesn’t need to be solely through people they controlled. Now you have to years of the
our responsibility either) – we know it make things happen through people you do not century, we
is most effective top‑down, when we control, or who do not want to be controlled. You fooled ourselves
have leadership who genuinely believe have to make things happen through people in into thinking we
in and role model the change required. other departments and firms. And if you manage were changing
But it is also possible to create change professionals, you manage people who do not faster than ever
bottom‑up through our own actions and want to be controlled: they probably think they can as a result of the
role modelling of inclusive leadership. do it better than you can. digital revolution
For instance, if you witness In the middle of the crisis, all the discussion is
behaviours that diminish someone, then about how to make remote working work, how to redesign offices and
do your best to stand with them and let how people will split their time between work and home. These are all
them know they are not alone, as well as important. But behind the noise of these debates, there is a deeper
calling out the inappropriate behaviour. revolution stirring. Smart working forces all managers to raise their
You can go further by challenging game. Those who rise to the challenge will succeed. This is your moment
the systems and advocating for and to shine.
creating change that removes barriers
and obstacles that make some people’s Jo Owen’s new book, Smart Work: The Ultimate Handbook for Remote and
journey harder than others. Hybrid Teams, is published by Bloomsbury (£14.99)
91APMAUG21107.pgs 01.09.2021 08:27

Perspectives
VERSION
HOW FRAMES HELP US

REPRO OP
MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

Kenneth Cukier explains why you
need to embrace counterfactual thinking,
cognitive foraging and diversity
SUBS
the obvious, conventional ones. These a precursor for action, a vital part of our
mental models let us envision things for preparation to make decisions.
which only scarce data exist or that are
simply impossible to observe. They help Cognitive foraging is the act of
us fill in the blanks and extrapolate beyond deliberately and actively seeking out
ART
the situation we are in. It empowers us different sorts of information from far
to greatly improve our menu of options. outside our normal fare, simply because
Kenneth Cukier is a senior editor Machines can’t do that. knowing something about the topic is
at The Economist. He is co‑author Hence, the ability of people to create enriching. Doing this exposes us to a wide
with Francis de Véricourt and Viktor better outcomes for themselves is not variety of frames and experiences that we
Mayer‑Schönberger of Framers: focused where it should be. Instead might someday find useful when we want
Human Advantage in an Age of of worrying about doing a better job to adapt a frame to given circumstances
PRODUCTION
Technology and Turmoil (WH Allen) at making the final decision, we need or embrace a new frame. The benefits are
to improve how we broaden the range not just for information breadth, but social
of options from which to choose. It is variety too. Research shows that executives
We make decisions every day, but something we can practise and get better with ties from outside their normal circle
we’re often told we’re not very good at. Framing is a cognitive muscle we enjoy more seniority, faster promotions,
at it. Psychologists have documented all possess. If humanity is to tackle its higher salaries, heftier raises and the like.
CLIENT
countless ways that people fail to decide toughest societal challenges, we need Embracing diversity is not about
well, including confirmation bias, loss to frame issues well or reframe them all virtue signalling – it’s about hard‑nosed
aversion and so on. Nobel laureate Daniel pragmatism. Groups and organisations
Kahneman warns of the wild variation in Data is retrospective; that invite variation and difference into
our decisions, or ‘noise’, that undermines imagination is prospective. their activities perform better than those
our judgements. So troubling is this, Counterfactual thinking is a that don’t. It’s like a roulette wheel – you
that many people want to delegate precursor for action, a vital have a better chance to win by spreading
decision‑making to algorithms and AI. part of our preparation to your bets – or like capitalism, where
However, both AI proponents and make decisions the natural experiment of many ideas
behavioural economists are victims of can find optimal solutions. Exploring
their own narrow view of the situation. together, eliciting the best new choices, numerous ideas for what may work is
By focusing on flaws in the act of not just reducing the bias and noise better than relying on just one or two
deciding, they lose sight of humans’ around the narrow decisions before us. strategies. It doesn’t happen by itself and
amazing cognitive abilities in how we So how can we tap the power of it’s not easy: diversity causes friction. But
size up the decisions in the first place. framing? Three strategies stand out: it can be channelled in a healthy way.
A special human ability takes place counterfactual thinking, cognitive There is an imperative to become
before the actual choice: our strengths foraging and embracing diversity. better framers. The world suffers from a
of coming up with alternative options. Counterfactual thinking is considering the narrowing of ideas in the public sphere,
Instead of focusing on where people world as it could be, not as it is. It’s asking while creative friction, pluralism and
get it wrong, we should celebrate, and ‘what if’ questions, not willy‑nilly but in the freedom to frame are ebbing. This
improve, where we get it right. a thoughtfully structured way. Mental puts the onus on leaders to create an
Humans are framers: our minds work models let us imagine alternatives in a environment where people feel able to
with mental models, or representations of way AI and algorithms cannot. We train frame the world as their mind’s eye sees
reality, that we can manipulate. Framing is our ability when we read novels, become it. Good framing leads to more options,
something we do all the time, though we’re absorbed in a movie and move through a better decisions and winning outcomes. It
rarely conscious of it. However, we can video game. It is a cognitive superpower. is the way we innovate and addresses our
turn this basic feature of cognition into a Data is always retrospective; imagination most pressing challenges – if we are bold
powerful tool to elicit better options than is prospective. Counterfactual thinking is enough to take them on as framers.

Perspectives, 2
GET RECOGNISED FOR MAKING
A REAL DIFFERENCE
the professional body for psychology, continue to highlight examples of the
where there was a strong focus on benefits of projects to the economy,
neurodiversity in the workplace. the environment and society at large.
Knowing and building on people’s It really is a part of everyone’s daily
differing needs is a vital component lives, I’m just not sure the public
of any job, particularly that of a realise it yet.
project professional. That was a problem I faced at the
Andrew Baldwin is head of chartered body for psychologists.
public affairs at APM Taking a different approach Issues around leadership, workplace
A 2017 report by the British behaviours and reactions, the
Psychological Society highlighted so‑called human factors, seeped into
The theme of this issue of Project that although workers with ADHD so many news stories. And they are
is new ideas and concepts, which may have difficulty with time so important in successful project
dovetails neatly with APM’s Think management, they are also far delivery as well.
Differently – a week‑long event that more likely to excel in terms of Similarly, having worked for
brings fresh perspectives to topics creativity. Similarly, those with autism the chartered body for health and
like mental health and wellbeing, and may perform less well with social safety professionals, I see parallels
how greater diversity can enrich and interaction and communication, but in peoples’ reactions to projects that
benefit project teams. will perform better at innovative went wrong. In health and safety, the
APM has always been a broad thinking and detail observation. public only seemed to notice our work
church, appealing to project In her recent blog, ‘Neurodiversity if something went catastrophically
professionals from different in project management’, Jenny wrong. And on projects, too, the risk is
backgrounds, sectors and McLaughlin shows just why these to dwell only on the negatives, so let’s
communities. Former chief executive different approaches can be so
Debbie Dore put inclusivity and valuable in projects. Jenny, a Member‑informed policy
opening up professional project diversity lead at Heathrow, is helping is a central component of
management, including chartered, at to foster a culture of openness that a healthy public affairs
the heart of her leadership message, recognises the “awesomeness of function and will help us
and with the appointment of new chief having a wide range of neurodiverse focus in on the issues we
executive Adam Boddison, our aim is project managers” and the need to address
to continue with that good work. benefits of approaching projects
through different lenses, such champion those projects that go well
New chief executive as challenging assumptions and and learn from those that don’t.
Adam arrives from the National avoiding groupthink. I want to hear from members
Association for Special Educational This is just one example of where about the brilliant work you do
Needs (Nasen), which supports APM and its members can help to and how we can raise awareness.
and champions those with all make a real difference and ultimately Member‑informed policy is a central
manner of needs, including create the right environment for component of a healthy public affairs
behavioural, emotional and social projects to succeed. When we get it function and will help us focus in on
difficulties, speech, language and right, we see remarkable results. the issues we need to address.
communication, hearing impairment, This is an exciting time. New ways
visual impairment, multi‑sensory Everything has a PM angle of thinking are becoming mainstream
impairment, physical disability and Our role is to champion the best and norms are being challenged. To
neurodiverse conditions. He is no that project management has to quote Jenny McLaughlin, we should
stranger to finding the best in people. offer. I firmly believe that everything take this opportunity to embrace “the
(You can read more about Adam’s has a project management angle. beauty of thinking differently and its
story on page 30.) APM’s brilliant communications team gift to project management”.
There are parallels with my own
background, too. I joined APM from Share your views: andrew.baldwin@apm.org.uk. Read Jenny’s blog at bit.ly/3yhdifu
91APMAUG21108.pgs 01.09.2021 08:26

O LY M P I C L E G A C Y
VERSION
The 2020 Games faced

unprecedented challenges.
REPRO OP
Andrew Saunders considers

the aftermath for any host
nation once the Olympic
SUBS
Flame moves on
ART
PRODUCTION
CLIENT
TOKYO
2020
AND THE
OLYMPIC
LEGACY
1 8 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

Olympics, 1
E
ven in the best of times,
hosting the Olympic and
Paralympic Games is right
up there on the list of global
megaprojects. Putting
on arguably the world’s
greatest sporting spectacle – in the glare
of the international media spotlight
and with an immovable deadline –
certainly withstands comparison
with infrastructure programmes such
as high‑speed rail lines, bridges and
motorways in terms of scale, complexity,
public attention and expense.
But the past year has been far from
the best of times, and on top of all the
inherent challenges, this summer’s
‘pandemic games’ in Tokyo was beset
by more and greater troubles than
any Games in the modern era. Never
before has a peacetime Olympics been
postponed by a year, taken place under
a state of public‑health emergency
or required the world’s top athletes
to perform at their inspired best in
stadiums devoid of any spectators to
cheer them on. Concerns over public
support for the Games in Japan even
led top sponsor Toyota to pull its
Olympics‑related advertising in Japan.
It’s enough to make even the most
hardened programme manager quail.
No wonder International Olympic
Committee (IOC) president Thomas
Bach admitted to having a few sleepless
nights in the year up to the eventual
lighting of the flame in the Olympic
stadium on 23 July.
One eye on legacy?

But does the inevitable short‑term
focus on delivering the event – making
sure that venues are ready, athletes
are housed, the media circus is well
provided for and everyone can get
where they need to when they need
to – obscure the longer‑term but
perhaps even more important question
of legacy? When the medals have been
handed out, the flame extinguished and
the metaphorical curtain falls, what
is left behind in terms of benefits for
the host nation is perhaps the most
Thirteen‑year‑old
Sky Brown of Team GB
enduring measure of Olympic success
Getty
performs a handplant at for any Games.

Ariake skateboard park
91APMAUG21109.pgs 01.09.2021 08:28

VERSION
“The Olympics is a truly inspiring lasting positive effects are much more
event that can act as a tremendous likely to be achieved if there is a clear
catalyst. There is a real opportunity for vision and intent for what it should be,
REPRO OP
megaprojects like this to play a pivotal right from the start, says Julie Nerney,
role in long‑term development,” says transformation director of Nuclear
Bill Morris, adviser to the IOC on the Transport Solutions and formerly a
Tokyo Olympics and former director of senior leader in the transport team for
culture, ceremonies, education and live London 2012. “If you look at the Games
sites for London 2012. that have had more successful legacies
Unfortunately, the track record of and those where it hasn’t been so good,
SUBS
the Games on legacy matters is patchy I think it starts with intent. In London,
to say the least. From the dilapidated there were two big pillars of intent. One
and under‑used venues in Athens and was about trying to get the public more
Rio – hosts of the 2004 and 2016 Games, active and more committed to sport.
respectively – to questions over exactly Seb [Lord] Coe was passionate about
why the Sochi winter Games in 2014 that and really inspired all of us. The
ART
were quite so eye‑wateringly expensive other was about regeneration. I lived in

(the most costly to date at over $20bn), Whitechapel before the Olympic Park
evidence of failed Olympic legacies is was built; [the site] was contaminated
not hard to find (see box, page 22). wasteland. Now we have all these
The struggle to deliver an effective amazing facilities, and many thousands
legacy is at least partly a structural of jobs have been created.”
problem based on the Games’ fixed The same applies to other successful
PRODUCTION
eight‑year cycle from bid to delivery, legacy efforts, she adds. The intent can delayed event currently stands at
says Alexander Budzier, fellow in be different for each host, but it has $15.7bn – over twice the initial $7.5bn
management practice at Oxford to be there from the start. So Beijing estimate and 22 per cent more than last
University’s Saïd Business School and 2008 was a showcase for a newly year’s $12.6bn amended sum. And empty
co‑author of the 2020 report Regression confident China to take its place front stadiums have an associated impact on
to the Tail – Why the Olympics Blow Up. and centre on the world stage, part of ticket sales and tourism revenues.
CLIENT
“The Olympics is quite a short‑term a soft power strategy that is growing But for all its travails, Tokyo actually
thing – eight years from bid to delivery, to this day. In Sydney in 2000, the has a pretty solid background when it
and quite often nothing much happens focus was on providing the ultimate comes to delivering a lasting legacy.
for the first three years. Then everything sporting excitement, centred on a The first Games to be held there in
is focused on delivering the opening super‑fast swimming pool and local 1964 involved building 100km of roads
ceremony; nobody thinks much hero Ian ‘Thorpedo’ Thorpe. The 1984 and a brand‑new sewage system. It was
about legacy.” a showcase for Japanese technology,
But effecting lasting change, “Those Olympics where you from computerised timing to the
especially in ‘soft’ public behaviours see all the white elephant famous bullet trains. The event is widely
around greater participation in sport venues, they are the ones acknowledged to have kick‑started
and healthier lifestyles, calls for a more that haven’t thought the transformation of an ancient and
consistent effort. “When it comes to through what they actually overcrowded city into the modern
delivering lasting pubic benefits, what want their legacy to be” global capital that it is today.
is needed is a 20‑year horizon – 10 “Those Olympics where you see
years before the Games and 10 years Los Angeles Games set out to beat the all the white elephant venues, they are
after,” says Budzier. It also calls for ‘Olympics curse’ of overspend and made the ones that haven’t thought through
more assiduous follow‑up and better a $250m profit – the last time a surplus what they actually want their legacy to
data capture on how well legacy aims was recorded – securing the city’s be,” says Nerney. With so much money
have been achieved. “While you have reputation as the commercially savvy de and national prestige at stake, the onus
a project, you have a team, a PMO and facto capital of the most entrepreneurial is on the bid team to build legacy in at
governance structures. But when it state in the US. the ground level, rather than bolting
ends and the team and the governance Hosting the Olympics is not only it on as an afterthought. “I inherited a
are dismantled, who is left to collect expensive (the average cost between very smart bid at London 2012,” says
the data?” 2007 and 2016 was $12bn), but almost IOC adviser Morris, “because what
always subject to budget overspend, [then London mayor] Ken Livingstone
How to avoid a flop leading to mounting concerns that, for and all the bid team did was to
By no means is every Games’ legacy a host cities, the costs simply outweigh position how the Games could help the
flop, however. Experience suggests that the benefits. The meter for Tokyo’s redevelopment of that part of the city.

Olympics, 2
organisational design – how do they
need to set themselves up for success
as a multi‑event delivery company?
And as they get closer to the Games
themselves, the third is about process.
What are the key processes, policies
and procedures required to deliver the
Games at a venue level?’
The IOC has been formally
involved in knowledge transfer since
the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and
Clockwise from left: Japan’s Rui Machida
although every city and every Games
in the women’s basketball final; fireworks is different, one consistent
during the closing ceremony; a construction theme is avoiding the
site at Odaiba waterfront, April 2021; temptation to dive straight
Turkey’s Ersu Şaşma pole vaults against the in and start ticking off
backdrop of an empty arena
milestones on the project
chart. “These are very
competent organisations,
but if they take time to do
a bit of learning in the early
days, then the quality of
milestone delivery will be
more effective. We want
them to focus on desired outcomes
“When it comes to initially, not on specific inputs.”
delivering lasting pubic The official learning process has
benefits, what is needed been refined and improved in the
is a 20‑year horizon – 10 two decades since and now uses a
years before the Games combination of technology‑based
and 10 years after” initiatives around data capture and
sharing with human‑based activities
It was a way of achieving the level of also the question of legacy in terms including workshops, observational
investment required to do in 10 years of learning – how effectively is the learning and leadership development.
what would otherwise have taken 40 experience gained from one Games It culminates in a major debriefing
or 50.” transferred to the next, so that best session at the close of every Games,
So 560 acres of contaminated practice can be baked in and past which both parties are obliged to
industrial wasteland has been mistakes avoided? Because just like take part in. “The current organisers
transformed into a brand‑new urban top athletes, even the most competent have a duty to contribute back so
district, home to Premier League delivery and project management that knowledge is transferred to the
football club West Ham United and the teams can benefit from some expert organisers of the next Games. There
London Aquatic Centre, with thousands coaching from those who have done are transfer experts from Tokyo doing
of new homes emerging from what was it before. workshops with transfer experts from
the Olympic village. The BBC, UCL and “We focus on the people who Paris. [The debriefing] is an important
the V&A are all building new offices on are on the ground delivering the part of the process and most of it takes
the former Olympic site and, by 2025, it Games, because most of them will place under Chatham House rules.
is predicted 40,000 jobs will have been not do an Olympics twice in their Open questions are encouraged.”
created in and around the area. The lifetimes,” says Chris Payne, associate
Greater London Authority claims that director of Information Knowledge Learning legacy for UK plc
some £6.5bn was invested in improving and Games Learning, the department But the lessons and experience accrued
transport links in the city for London of the IOC responsible for helping by each Olympic organising team
2012, including on the DLR, the tube organisers to build on the lessons of also have value beyond the Games
and the London Overground network. their predecessors. “There are three themselves. The success of London
main stages in terms of learning. 2012 resulted in widespread interest
Passing lessons on The first is about volumetrics – from the major projects community,
Legacy is not only about buildings everything to do with the huge size says Karen Elson, learning legacy
Getty
and infrastructure, however. There is and scale of the Games. The second is adviser to both the UK’s flagship HS2
91APMAUG21110.pgs 01.09.2021 08:28

Olympics, 3
VERSION
programme and the renovation of the “What we had in London we’re in a position where the supply
Houses of Parliament, and another 2012 was a major project chain is actually contributing most of
alumnus of the London Games. “What that was succeeding the content,” Elson says.
against a history of project
REPRO OP
we had in London 2012 was a major

project that was succeeding against failure in the UK” Protecting innovation
a history of project failure in the UK. So while the international spotlight
So we were getting a lot of requests remains firmly on the Games
from academics and industry for good applied to several other programmes, themselves – after Tokyo comes Paris
practice and research. I was asked including Crossrail, the redevelopment in summer 2024 and Beijing in winter
to look at setting up a framework to of London Bridge station and now HS2 2026 – a hidden Olympic legacy is
SUBS
capture and coordinate it.” and the Houses of Parliament. Major already hard at work helping to deliver
And although the framework focus areas include digital engineering, better outcomes across major projects
she devised was taken up by the design and technical excellence, and worth many tens of billions of pounds.
IOC as part of its knowledge sharing health, safety and wellbeing – and These are projects that, just like the
programme, the primary focus of there is growing demand around Games, face the same fundamental
Elson and her team was industry. environment, sustainability and challenges over knowledge transfer
ART
“The government was also using it to climate change. when expert teams disperse when the
promote the ability of UK plc. It wasn’t “The learning legacy has become an job is over. “They say you should never
about sharing with other Olympics, it industry standard and really changed start from a blank sheet of paper, but
was about sharing learning with other the culture of knowledge sharing. At projects often do. Innovation is lost
major projects.” the start, there were still concerns when a project closes – a learning
The principles of learning legacy in the supply chain about making legacy is a way to ensure that it is not,”
that emerged have subsequently been intellectual property public, but now concludes Elson.
PRODUCTION
OLYMPIC LEGACY WINNERS AND LOSERS

THE GOOD… …AND THE NOT SO GOOD
CLIENT
LONDON BARCELONA RIO DE JANEIRO SOCHI
Source: Regression to the Tail, Why the Olympics Blow Up, by Flyvbjerg, Budzier and Lunn
SUMMER GAMES 2012 SUMMER GAMES 1992 SUMMER GAMES 2016 WINTER GAMES 2014
COST: $15BN COST: $9.7BN COST: $13.7BN COST: $21.9BN
OVERSPEND: 76% OVERSPEND: 266% OVERSPEND: 352% OVERSPEND: 289%
LEGACY: Regeneration of LEGACY: Redevelopment of LEGACY: Many empty or LEGACY: The most
560 acres of contaminated the city’s historic waterfront, underused venues due to expensive Games of all time,
industrial land in East including the creation a lack of ongoing demand. and the first winter Olympics
London, new home venues of two miles of sandy Allegations of corruption, where all the venues were
for West Ham United and beaches. Lined with bars including by a former built from scratch. Promoted
the UK National Athletics and restaurants, these have state governor, one of by President Putin as the
Competition Centre. Creation become a major tourist several officials accused of catalyst for a new sustainable
of 40,000 jobs by 2035 and attraction and contributed pocketing bribes on public ski resort, the Games actually
33,000 new homes by 2036. to a six‑fold growth in visitor works associated with the involved the rezoning of
But participation in sports numbers to the city by 2014. Games. A new transport a national park so it could
dropped by 0.4 per cent But the city struggled to pay hub connected the affluent become a huge construction
following the Games, despite its $1.1bn share of the debt suburb of Barra to the centre, site. Investigations by
a legacy pledge to increase incurred, doing nothing to but was of little benefit to Russian opposition political
it. The fall was largest among help ease the relationship residents of the city’s poorest groups revealed evidence of
low‑income groups and in between the Catalan capital districts, the favelas. corruption and embezzlement
Getty
deprived areas. and the national government. on a grand scale.

Moonshot, 1
MOONSHOTS
VERSION
REPRO OP
SUBS
ART
PRODUCTION
MOONSHOT
CLIENT
PROJECTS:
DELIVERING THE
IMPOSSIBLE
Finding a vaccine for COVID‑19 was one. Alexander
Garrett uncovers what it takes to deliver other audacious
projects that have the capability to inspire and transform
ON 25 MAY 1961 President original moonshot project, famously Operation Moonshot, a plan to carry
John F Kennedy told the US Congress: delivered in July 1969, and has since out 10 million COVID tests in the
“I believe that this nation should become a beacon and shorthand for UK each day at a cost estimated to
commit to achieving the goal, before all those wanting to achieve audacious be as much as £100bn, later quietly
this decade is out, of landing a man goals with a far‑reaching impact. dropped. Fascination with moonshots
on the moon and returning him safely Fast‑forward to September 2020 nevertheless reaches far and wide. X,
Alamy
to the Earth.” It was the birth of the and Boris Johnson was talking up a research and development company

MOONSHOTS
VERSION
formed by Google parent Alphabet in Projects at the secretive Google X

2015, describes itself as a “moonshot research lab include balloons designed
to create an aerial wireless network
factory”, with projects ranging from
REPRO OP
everyday robots to an underwater

camera network. Japan has its own
government‑sponsored Moonshot R&D
programme with a ¥100bn budget; the
US’s National Cancer Institute has a
Cancer Moonshot; the African Union
and the World Bank have teamed
SUBS
up to launch the All Africa Digital

Economy Moonshot.
These are typically vast projects,
with enormous complexity, multiple
partners in public and private sectors,
and budgets and timescales to match.
ART
But what does it take to manage

moonshot projects successfully,
and what are the challenges
they present?
Andrew Davies, professor
of innovation management at happened with the space and IS THERE
University of Sussex Business ballistic missile programmes LIFE ON MARS?
PRODUCTION
School, says moonshots are a in the 1950s – and you will NASA’s Perseverance rover mission
powerful metaphor, albeit one need deep contingency funds has placed the fifth in a series of
that struggles to be effective in Andrew Davies to deal with the unexpected. robotic vehicles on the Red Planet,
the face of many of the world’s biggest Being prepared for failure is another with the ultimate objective of seeking
challenges today, especially so‑called important aspect. “Too often, project signs of ancient life and collecting
‘wicked’ problems that are more diffuse or programme managers are risk samples of rock and soil to bring back
CLIENT
and complicated – climate change averse because they’re trying to control to Earth. Perseverance touched down
being a prime example. “There is no costs and schedule. But people like on 18 February, together with the
single Manhattan Project that can solve Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, when they mini‑helicopter Ingenuity, which has
that. It’s going to take multiple diffuse were trying to introduce radically since carried out the first powered
projects solving problems in areas like new products, always had a kind of flights on another planet.
carbon capture or renewables to make skunkworks operation; they created Jennifer Trosper, who joined
a difference.” a separation from existing ways of NASA in the 1990s, has worked on
Where the problem is more doing things so that they had the room Perseverance since 2015 and is now a
singular and susceptible to a moonshot for experimentation.” project manager based at Jet Propulsion
approach, says Davies, the solution And the style of working needed Laboratory in California. Each rover
is likely to involve a complex system. to tackle moonshot projects is almost has a limited life expectancy, and it’s
“So you need an ability to understand certainly collaborative, open and vital to extract maximum value from
what the system is that you’re peer‑to‑peer, simply because of the the multibillion‑dollar investments, so
designing, and be able to procure and large number of stakeholders who are each day they must draw on the latest
get the subsystems and components likely to be involved. The pandemic data to submit the following day’s
delivered so that they can be may have inspired many to think big instructions. The overall schedule is
integrated effectively.” – to believe that giant problems need governed by planetary alignment. “If
Typically, you will need a delivery ambitious and imaginative attempts we miss a key schedule milestone, like
model that’s adaptive and flexible, to solve them. What’s clear is that, launch, we’re 26 months slipped,” says
says Davies, “because the duration of while such projects can generate great Trosper. “That’s a lot of money, and a
these things and the outcome are so excitement, managing them is an lot of problems.”
uncertain that you need to be able to extraordinary feat in itself. Sheer complexity is another
absorb and change to deal with things characteristic. “We have many
that you can’t predict. So you need the “Too often, project or sub‑assemblies, assemblies,
ability to learn as you’re going, bringing programme managers subsystems, systems all put together
new ideas and technologies.” are risk averse because and then working with this layer of
You may need to work on rival they’re trying to control software.” Figuring out how to move
Getty
technologies concurrently – as costs and schedule” forward in the face of this complexity is

Moonshot, 2
In August, the Perseverance
rover began collecting samples
of Martian rock, to be returned
to Earth for analysis
one of the biggest challenges. “And so, “If you keep things moving towards the project’s goals. “My role
a lot of what I do as a project manager forward, and solve the as a leader is to make sure first of all
is help people prioritise, decide what’s problems that keep you that we have even understood the
important, what’s not important, moving forward, then problem correctly; sometimes it’s hard
what we do today versus what we anything is possible” with these complex systems to even
do tomorrow.” articulate the problem well enough to
The stakes are high. “The technical for performance improvement means solve it. And on Earth, there’s a much
pressure of having multibillion‑dollar that much has to be designed from larger space within which we can solve
national assets on the surface of Mars scratch. The adaptive caching assembly problems; we can actually swap out
means that you need to make sure deployed on Perseverance required hardware. But when we’re on Mars, the
that every one of the thousands of a new robotic arm to be developed solution space is much different.”
commands you give to it on a daily basis involving higher‑level flight software, That means hiring people who love
is good and will not harm the rover. force sensors and autonomous problem‑solving, and also listening to
That pressure to make it work, but also operation. “In order to even design everyone’s perspective, because people
to not screw up, is something like that, we don’t get a can see it in different ways. The other
very big.” chance to iterate five or 10 times,” says quality that is invaluable on a project
From a Trosper. “If we’re lucky, we’ll get a that requires years of preparation, and
technical point prototype and engineering model, and where many doubt the outcome at
of view, although then two flight units. So we have to be various times, is – like the rover itself
previous rover very agile.” – perseverance. “My advice is: if you
missions provide a Problem‑solving, meanwhile, is keep things moving forward, and solve
starting point for absolutely central to overcoming the the problems that keep you moving
Jennifer Trosper design, the quest challenges that arise and moving closer forward, then anything is possible.”
91APMAUG21113.pgs 27.08.2021 15:59

VERSION
‘THE SUN IN A BOX’:

NUCLEAR FUSION
The ITER project aims to demonstrate
REPRO OP
the viability of nuclear fusion as a

source of electricity generation by
producing net energy – more output
than is input – for the first time. It is
a colossal project, with 35 countries
participating, a timescale that stretches
from 2006 to 2035, and a total cost
SUBS
that has been unofficially estimated at

more than €50bn. Construction of its
reactor at Cadarache in France started
in 2013 and is 80 per cent complete,
with the assembly of the tokamak
electromagnetic field starting last year,
ART
and the first attempt to create plasma

due in 2026.
Tom Eastup, who spent
a year working as a project
manager at ITER, says that
the overriding characteristic
of the project is complexity.
PRODUCTION
“The engineering complexity

is staggering, and the science culturally (accommodating ranging from the financial crisis to
that goes with it. You’ve got different ways of working). Brexit and the pandemic. And because
ground‑breaking physics, Michel Claessens Michel Claessens, former so many governments are involved
materials science and lots of other communications chief at ITER, says: there is close scrutiny of budgets and
disciplines. Then, at the same time, the “I would say the real innovation of this the schedule, with politicians often
CLIENT
project has required collaboration from project is managing the 35 countries unwilling to acknowledge the realities
so many organisations, both public and involved. More than 100 tokamaks of carrying out pioneering science. That
private sector, from lots of different have already been built in the world, has meant having to educate politicians,
countries, each coming with different but having these 35 countries working says Claessens.
languages, cultures, capabilities and together is the biggest challenge.” It has also meant having to manage
political biases.” Until 2015, says Claessens, the perceptions about how the project is
In engineering terms, a systems management of the project was not progressing, says Eastup. “Moonshot
approach has been taken to break down up to the task, explained in part by the projects are very difficult to forecast
the project into more manageable immaturity of the organisation and the with a high degree of accuracy or
components, such as the auxiliary fact that it was led by scientists, rather certainty. But even though it’s difficult,
buildings, the tokamak (reactor), than those with the initial construction it doesn’t mean that proactively
nuclear lifting systems and electrical expertise required. One response was controlling cost is any less important;
power elements. To manage this, the to step up communication, which these projects have a responsibility to
project has used a dedicated integration had previously taken place largely their investors and supporters to do so.
team to make sure everything fits through email and phone, by convening “But what is really different about
together. “They were running a 3D a meeting in Cadarache at least these projects is that, due to the
model so that each time anyone once a month of the key individuals technical complexities, the different
designed a system, the integration team coordinating the production and organisations involved and the
would be responsible for checking that management of components. long‑term nature, you have to build
it will fit in,” says Eastup. “Because The extreme longevity of the project the energy and inspiration around the
once you’ve poured concrete or means that it has had to ride national project to maintain stakeholder support
installed equipment, it’s very difficult political cycles and huge external events and momentum. You need to encourage
(and expensive) to undo and redo it all of the different participants to
if you need to change something.” An “You need to encourage the transcend their differences and rally
equally intensive parallel effort has participants to transcend around a purpose that is greater than
been required, he says, to integrate the their differences and rally themselves. In essence, you need to
many stakeholders, both commercially around a purpose that is create and share a vision of how the
(across contractual boundaries) and greater than themselves” project is going to change the world.”

Moonshot, 3
MOONSHOTS
“Nobody believed that we could “People had the idea that

deliver the first event,” says Gemma electric cars were slow and
Roura Serra, Formula E’s strategic old‑fashioned. What we’ve
planning director. “So when we did, been able to show is that
they said we would not survive the first they can be fast, they can
year.” That first race was in Beijing in be sexy”
September 2014. This season, Formula E
will be staging races in cities including Before any racing could take place,
Monaco, Rome, London, New York and the cars had to be thoroughly tested,
Berlin. The cars in the first season were and key documents such as event
a single design, provided by Formula E specifications and operational plans
itself; among the teams competing this created from scratch. The budget
year are Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes was an unknown factor at the outset,
and Porsche. says Roura Serra. “If you go to a
The Formula E project set out permanent circuit, all of the important
with a clear and audacious vision: “To infrastructures are there. You don’t
Tom Eastup on-site at ITER, which
accelerate sustainable human progress need to worry about the civil works, the
is aiming to harness the potential through the power of electric racing.” track, the fences, the medical centre,
of fusion, the nuclear reaction But to do that involved much more than the race centre, the hospitality areas or
that powers the sun and the stars, creating an event; a significant change in the fan zone. We had to build all those
as a potential source of safe, perception had to be achieved. “People things. Now we know, more or less, how
non-carbon emitting and virtually
limitless energy had the idea that electric cars were slow much everything costs because we have
and old‑fashioned,” says Roura Serra. more experience and data.”
“What we’ve been able to show is that Selling the concept to host cities
WORLD‑CLASS they can be fast, they can be sexy.” was one of the biggest hurdles to be
MOTOR RACING IN The pioneering use of electric overcome. “When you go to a place like
ELECTRIC CARS cars nevertheless meant there were New York, you are coming from Europe
Famously conceived at a restaurant in some serious unknowns, such as the with a project they don’t know called
Paris in 2011, 10 years later Formula E safety issues posed by having large Formula E, and they don’t know you
became the first electric single‑seater electrical charges present. “Normally either. So you’re in a meeting with the
racing series to be given world in motor racing, if the car stops or has city officials and all the local authorities
championship status. The original idea an accident, the marshals go to it. But like the police and the fire departments,
was simple: a motorsports event staged if the car is an electric car? You need to and what they need is for you to build
in some of the world’s leading cities develop a specific training to know that trust with them. You need absolutely
in which combustion engines were if the car has a green light you can touch to show them that you know what you
replaced with electric motors. it, but if it’s a red light you can’t.” are doing because an event like this has
never happened before in the streets of
New York – and it’s the same whether
it’s Hong Kong, Paris or London.”
Getting cities on board, she says,
has involved inspiring them with the
vision of sustainable mobility, but
at the same time demonstrating a
relentless attention to detail. It was also
recognised that it is important to reach
out to the local communities where
the races would take place and to give
something back to them.
Developing professional standards
and consistency in delivery have played
a part in getting Formula E to where it
is today, says Roura Serra, but equally
After launching in 2014 important have been flexibility and the
in Beijing, Formula E has ability to listen to people. “You may
expanded, with series have a process, but you cannot just
seven taking place across
eight cities globally
come and impose that process. You
need to bring people with you.”
91APMAUG21114.pgs 27.08.2021 15:59

THE BIG INTERVIEW
VERSION
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ADAM BODDISON
ART
Emma De Vita finds APM’s new chief executive raring to go, with
the energy and ambition to take the profession to the very top
PRODUCTION
W e speak the morning after

you know what. Yesterday,
England’s football team was beaten by
are so many children that need to be
fostered, that’s not an issue about them
as individuals, that’s a system issue.
actually he has invested in them, and
he’s going to make sure that he believes
in them right away,” he says. “I tend
Italy on penalties during the Euro 2020 “I tend not to be judgemental about to do that – that’s my kind of default
final. “My wife’s Italian, so it was an people because they are often the way position – but I’m probably not as
CLIENT
interesting experience in our house,” they are because of the system – and good as Gareth at that, so…” he tails
says 39‑year old Adam Boddison, that could be society, their family or off, laughing.
APM’s new chief executive, who lives job or whatever it is that they’ve grown
in Coventry with his family of three
young children. His eldest, 12‑year‑old
Antonio is a “massive Harry Kane fan”,
up in,” he says. It’s left him with a
desire to make a genuine difference, to
fix things and to be ambitious about
B oddison’s level of energy is
infectious. You tend to sit
up straighter, become a bit more
but Boddison warned him that “you making positive change. Above all, it enthusiastic, when you listen to him.
need to get used to this if you’re going seems, he wants to realise potential. He admits he’s terrible at switching
to support England”. It’s good to be “Underpinning all of that is this off from work (and can’t imagine
realistic about these things. philosophy that, for me, anybody from sitting around watching boxsets at the
While the headlines lambasted any background can achieve and do weekend), mainly because work for
the cruelty of penalty shoot‑outs in really well in life with the right support him is as far from a 9‑to‑5 slog as you
deciding the tournament’s winner, and the right development,” he explains. can imagine. His life’s work is to make
Boddison is all too aware of the unfair Our conversation turns to the society better. It’s what motivates him
vagaries of the life chances meted out leadership attributes of England and keeps him driving forward.
to us. It comes from being raised in a manager Gareth Southgate. “He has “My wife says to me, ‘Sometimes
household filled with foster children, been both praised and criticised for the Adam, you don’t really have a job, you
the victims of unhappy circumstances kind of belief he’s had in the people have a kind of way of life’,” he says,
Photography: Will Amlot
whom his parents cared for. Growing up he’s got, and he’s taken the view that agreeing with her that, “I have to live
alongside children who’d been let down
by society has left an indelible mark “For me, anybody from any background can
on Boddison, who saw the same things achieve and do really well in life with the right
happen to child after child: “When there support and the right development”

Big interview, 1
91APMAUG21115.pgs 27.08.2021 15:42

THE BIG INTERVIEW
VERSION
REPRO OP
and breathe a job… I need to work for

an organisation where I get up in the
morning and think I really want to get CV: Adam Boddison
in, because every minute I spend is
going to make a difference,” he explains. 2021 chief executive, APM; chair of the corporation, Coventry College; trustee,
His career cuts across many worlds, Academies Enterprise Trust; visiting professor, University of Wolverhampton
from teaching and academia to the third 2015–2021 chief executive, National Association of Special Educational Needs;
SUBS
sector, but the golden thread that runs chair, Whole School SEND Consortium
through it all, he explains, is his love of 2013–2015 founding director, Centre for Professional Education, University
developing people: “I’m drawn to roles of Warwick
where I can actually make the world a 2012–2015 academic principal, IGGY, University of Warwick
better place through the development 2010–2012 academic director, Warwick in Africa, University of Warwick;
of people.” Project professionals, he assistant headteacher, Royal Society of Arts
ART
says, have a big influence across the 2018–2010 area coordinator, Further Maths Support Programme
organisations they work for, and being 2001–2011 tutor/warden, University of Warwick
able to use that impact for the greater 2005–2007 lead practitioner, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, London
good is part of the reason he wanted 2004–2008 maths teacher, Finham Park School and Finham Primary
APM’s top job. School, Coventry
W e speak before Boddison is Education

PRODUCTION
officially at his desk at APM’s 2019–2021 MBA, University of Leicester (in progress)
Princes Risborough HQ. I’m curious to 2020 PRINCE2 Certificate in Project Management, Axelos
find out, as an outsider, what his take 2005–2008 PhD, mathematics education, University of Warwick
on the project profession might be? 2007–2008 DCH, clinical hypnotherapy, Institute of Clinical Hypnosis
“Project management is the beating 2004–2005 MA, educational research methods, University of Warwick
heart of contemporary professional 2003–2004 PGCE, secondary mathematics, University of Warwick
CLIENT
life, but I think we don’t really know it 2000–2003 BSc, mathematics, University of Warwick
yet,” he says. “There’s a tipping point
coming.” He draws an analogy with
marketing, where over the past 20 years,
marketers have gone from the junior To join APM, Boddison is moving that drives me. What motivates me a lot
backroom bods in an organisation to from his chief executive role at the is identifying the real barriers stopping
having a C‑suite role. National Association for Special an organisation from accelerating
In a post‑pandemic world, Boddison Educational Needs (Nasen), a to achieve its true potential. I like to
believes, project management can membership organisation for teachers in remove those barriers and supercharge
help organisations maximise return the field. His six years there has brought an alternative, which is to take it forward
on investments and deal with budget about some impressive achievements, at high speed and where it can really
squeezes. “This past year‑and‑a‑half is including growing membership tenfold make a difference.”
going to accelerate what was already from a base of 3,000, diversifying
coming, which is the renaissance of
project management… My sense is
that project management doesn’t get
revenue streams and introducing an
international strategy. “I was appointed
on a ticket of turnaround and growth,”
H aving not even left his Nasen post,
it doesn’t seem fair to pin him
down on how he intends to achieve this
the recognition it deserves. Within the and he has succeeded. (and he kindly bats aside my attempts at
sector, people know about it and they In contrast, APM, he says, is doing so). What’s clear is his emphasis
care about it, but outside the sector it’s obviously in “a very good space”, on using culture and values, with an
not known widely enough exactly what particularly with its chartered status. emphasis on people development,
this group of people do and the value He sees the main opportunity for APM as a way to achieve change (he rails
they add. We need to improve that… as growth in membership. “There against the obsession with strategy
It needs recognition all the time, even is a profile challenge for us as an that organisations have had, often to
when it’s going well,” he says. organisation and that’s the kind of thing the detriment of bringing people along
together under a common banner to
“Project management is the beating heart of achieve success).
contemporary professional life, but I think we don’t Boddison grew up in the Wirral.
really know it yet. There’s a tipping point coming” His mum ran a playgroup, his dad was

Big interview, 2
side of things and they work very closely
with the civil service”. Hence his move
to Nasen, and his interest in APM, with
its strong links to government and
the civil service. “We’ve got to get the
organisation to a point where it can
maximise its impact,” he reiterates.
B oddison says he enjoys bringing

people together, relationship
building and joining the dots. He also
enjoys going the extra mile just to
see if he can help someone achieve
what they are capable of. When asked
about his qualification in clinical
hypnotherapy, he explains that while
working as a maths teacher, he saw how
some children were being held back
by attitudes that had been imposed on
them by parents who thought there was
nothing wrong in saying maths was a
struggle in a way that they would never
talk about reading.
Boddison tried bringing Derren
Brown‑style magic into the classroom,
but while that engaged many children,
there were still some left with mental
blocks, so he turned to neuro‑linguistic
programming and then hypnotherapy.
Eventually he opened a Saturday
“I realised that politicians have accountability, but practice, where he specialised in
it’s actually quite hard for them to make change working with children who wanted to
happen because they only have this five‑year window” achieve but were holding themselves
back, be it a musician unable to perform
a gardener, and he was the first to go to Boddison found himself working or a runner scared of racing. He was
university (Warwick), where he studied more closely with government and with successful but doesn’t have the time to
maths. While running a summer camp politicians. “And that’s where it all went practise any more (as an aside, he says
on campus, he was approached by wrong,” he says unexpectedly. “I realised there was a time he had to remove his
someone running the teacher training that politicians have accountability, but qualification from his CV as people were
course that happened to be next door, it’s actually quite hard for them to make scared to look him in the eyes).
and was persuaded to join. That’s how change happen because they only have Beyond the work he loves doing, and
Boddison’s career as a maths teacher this five‑year window… It’s hard to get spending time with his family, Boddison
began, but it wasn’t long before he things through unless there’s some kind doesn’t have much time off. He likes
became involved with the university’s of magic set of coincidences.” Did this to play the piano and is in the local
work with special and gifted children big disillusionment shatter his career amateur squash league, and also has a
and the work of the specialist schools dreams? “No, not really. I saw it as an love of musical theatre (his favourites
and academies trust movement. It was opportunity to change direction.” are Phantom of the Opera and Wicked).
his growing experience of primary, Speaking six weeks before he takes the
secondary and tertiary education that led
him to conclude that education was “in
a mess” – and his ambitious early career
H e quickly realised that the best
place to make a difference in
society was in the third sector, “because
APM hotseat, Boddison says he’s very
much looking forward to starting, keen
to supercharge the profession right to
plan was born. “I decided that I should I thought charities stand up for what the top. And unlike the England football
become secretary of state for education, they believe in and they actually have team, he won’t be leaving anything
because then I could fix it,” he says. an ability to influence both the politics to chance.
91APMAUG21116.pgs 27.08.2021 15:42

VERSION
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G
ART
STR I D I N
INTO
PRODUCTION
FA S H I O N
CLIENT
th e fa sh ion industry
be en a ro u g h ride for le vel of
It’s wit h a h ig h
rou gh th e p andemic, ita inv e stigates
th nge . Emma De V
nd ch a ement
disruption a ripe for p ro jec t m a n ag
th e s e c tor is
how
S
eptember is a big month and retail have experienced. Fashion From the top
for fashion, with London, businesses, from luxury design houses Kim Winser is the CEO of fashion
Milan, Paris and New and high‑street stalwarts to small, brand Winser London and the former
York fashion weeks all designer‑led firms, are contending CEO of Aquascutum.
happening. This year, with a huge amount of disruptive “Substantial change brings
London Fashion Week (LFW) will be change: COVID‑19, digitisation, Brexit challenges and opportunities, and
a hybrid event, with a combination of and sustainability concerns. we have experienced plenty with the
“physical and digital activations”. Project managers are change pandemic, Brexit, the rapid move to
The LFW digital platform masters, and this, combined with the new routes to market – particularly
launched in June 2020 and is updated project‑based nature of fashion, means online trading and new ways of
year‑round, allowing retailers, media the industry, like many other creative communicating and engaging with
and consumers to view and buy industries, is starting to recognise customers with the progression of
collections. Its creation is symbolic the benefits that project managers social media, digital marketing and
of the tumultuous 18 months fashion can bring. content opportunities – plus the pace

Fashion, 1
FASHION
Kaia Gerber walks the

runway at Paris Fashion
Week 2020. Left: A but historically project management
memorial to victims of the has not been formally recognised on
Rana Plaza garment factory
the creative side of things. What does
collapse, Bangladesh.
Above: The sustainable Winser think the project profession can
evolution of fashion was a do to attain greater recognition within
core theme at Milan Men’s the fashion industry? “I think more
Fashion Week 2021. coverage of what project managers can
bring, the richness of their contribution
and how they can work alongside
existing teams would be beneficial.
There can be the view that only the
employed team understands the brand
or business well enough, so some good
examples would help. As with most
things, more discussion, illustration
and exposure.”
Golden opportunity
Madeleine Marcella‑Hood is a
lecturer in the school of creative and
cultural business at Robert Gordon
University (RGU), and was co‑author
of a 2015 APM research paper
entitled An Exploration of the Extent
of change brought on by the world can bring terrific experience, talent to which Project Management Can Be
demanding a more sustainable style of and objective thought, but as we Applied across Creative Industries. The
operating,” she explains. know, ownership from the top down researchers found that most of the
“So, there are plenty of will help this be more constructive,” fashion managers they interviewed
opportunities for strong project Winser says. were unaware of formal project
managers to work with brands In large fashion businesses, project management tools and techniques,
and businesses to develop more managers are a critical part of support but recognised the value that these
appropriate business models for functions like IT or capital projects, might bring. Project management
the future.” Project management is
underused by many fashion businesses, “In periods of substantial change, project managers can
but with so much change, there is a bring terrific experience, talent and objective thought, but
Getty; Alamy
real and tangible opportunity for it to

make serious inroads. “In periods of
as we know, ownership from the top down will help this be
substantial change, project managers more constructive”
91APMAUG21117.pgs 31.08.2021 12:16

VERSION
in turn should adapt to the needs of

the industry by understanding the
fashion life cycle and the role of agile
REPRO OP
project management.
Marcella‑Hood explains that the
pandemic has led to some negative
impacts that may have been inevitable,
like shop closures, with companies
forced to react quickly to rethink
designs and redistribute stock. Fashion
SUBS
events moved online or were scaled

down. The pandemic has also raised
awareness of key issues that have
been coming to the fore over the
past few years surrounding issues of
ethics and sustainability in the sector,
ART
such as the environmental impact of

the overproduction of clothing, the
complex international supply chain
– most evident in fast fashion – and
factory working conditions.
“One of the terms I encounter a
lot that I feel is perhaps most strongly
PRODUCTION
linked to project management is the

fashion life cycle. This has accelerated
massively over the past couple of
decades and this has meant that the
industry has perhaps had greater as broadly as within other industries, when launching and managing new
control over influencing trends. like construction and engineering.” designs and processes, marketing their
CLIENT
However, what the pandemic has What’s more common, she explains, products/garments and selling them,”
shown us is that external forces is the use of the word ‘project’. says Marcella‑Hood. But, since the
are strong and have the power to “Projects are a vital part of the fashion APM research was published in 2015,
completely disrupt everything we industry,” she says, explaining that she finds there has been an increasing
think we know about a market – this because of the temporary nature of recognition of project management as
is perhaps particularly the case with trends, project management lends a function within the fashion industry
fashion, which could be regarded as a itself well to the fashion industry, as part of a broader recognition of
luxury rather than a necessity.” which relies on change. A project‑based the business and management side
organisational structure is common of things.
Change makers in fashion SMEs, and while larger
“These issues will require critical companies are structured in a more An increase in appetite
changes, particularly within larger conventional and functional manner, Marcella‑Hood explains that: “Since
organisations, and project management there are still projects that require we published our paper, we have seen
is an important way in which fashion teams to come together outside of an increase in fashion management
organisations can plan and implement business as usual, such as fashion and business courses being delivered
those changes. I’ve no doubt that is weeks, campaigns, collaborations and at universities across the UK. ‘Projects’
exactly what they are doing, even the launch of new collections. in the fashion industry have become
if they aren’t actually calling it “Accidental project managers more visible and they are labelled as
that,” Marcella‑Hood says. “Project have been a more common feature such. Fashion projects form a core
management is playing an increasingly of fashion, probably because fashion part of our curriculum on the fashion
critical role in the fashion industry, businesses are often SMEs, where a management courses at RGU, where
although it still isn’t a term that is used founder has become a project manager client‑led projects, research projects
and sustainability projects are just
“Accidental project managers have been a more some of the modules we offer that
common feature of fashion, probably because fashion contain a project element.” She teaches
her students about project management
businesses are often SMEs, where a founder has as part of a module on managing in the
become a project manager” creative industries.

Fashion, 2
FASHION
“You can be good at project management planning, funding applications,

because you’re creative, because you have creating partnerships with people and
organisations working in fashion in
to be agile and you have to be open to Scotland, creating marketing materials,
opportunities that might happen” overseeing a small team of volunteers,
and running biweekly meetings with its
steering group/board.
A lot of moving parts

Lowe works closely with fashion
SMEs in Scotland. “Fashion is so
uncertain and it’s so complex,” she
explains. “You are working with so
many stakeholders across the supply
chain. If you’re a brand creating
products, you’re talking to suppliers
and manufacturers. If you’re working
with just one manufacturer, you might
have five different people working on
one garment. For creating the yarn, you
might be talking to farmers if you’re a
small business that wants to work local.
That’s just the production side, and
Main: Model Khadim Sock during the Stella
McCartney Ready to Wear show, Paris
then you have all the marketing and the
Fashion Week 2019. Inset: Modelling at the actual retail as well. And some of those
Sustainable Style show in Florence, 2021. people are international. There are a lot
of different moving parts, so it’s hard
However, despite the growing approaches must be championed. to plan.”
appetite for project management “Some of the tools and processes we The sector is ripe for project
techniques and tools, many of the would typically associate with project management, she thinks. “Small
challenges in implementing project management are more applicable than business owners are very overwhelmed
management remain. “Fashion has others and therefore are more likely and very stressed. There are things they
creativity at its core, it is increasingly to be adopted within the industry. For have to leave to the side that they don’t
recognised as an art form and relies on example, it would be unrealistic to have time for. “If you had the skills to
creative individuals to design and bring expect that a fashion business would oversee everything and know what’s
designs to life through compelling conform to the more rigid long‑term going on, things wouldn’t fall through
marketing campaigns. The industry planning and scheduling processes the gaps as much and you would feel
needs workers who can challenge that might work for other sectors calmer as well, and more capable of
convention and innovate to keep like construction. Planning is still handling it all.”
fashion alive. This is where the tension needed and is incredibly important, Most people who work in fashion
between left‑ and right‑brain thinking but the process of doing so needs to are creative, and it’s their main skill,
comes in,” Marcella‑Hood explains. be more flexible and open to change,” but Lowe doesn’t think this mindset
“Sheonagh [Rowley, co‑author Marcella‑Hood advises. precludes project management
of the 2015 paper] and I argue that capabilities. “You can be good at
a combination of the two mindsets Making fashion work better project management because you’re
is desirable for successful project Mairi Lowe is a content marketer and creative, because you have to be
management within fashion. This systems practitioner for Sustainable agile and you have to be open to
balance is perhaps easier to obtain in Fashion Scotland (SFS), which opportunities that might happen. I
larger organisations that can afford to she helped found in 2020. SFS is think a lot of [people in fashion] are
employ a diverse team of individuals a community‑led social venture very capable but wouldn’t specifically
who possess these skills. It is perhaps that helps communities collaborate say they were a project manager.”
more difficult in smaller organisations and contribute towards collective Surely it’s time for the profession
to achieve the balance between the sustainability action. Edinburgh‑based to put its best (designer‑clad) foot
creative and the analytical aspects.” Lowe oversees the project management forward to strengthen the ranks of
If project management is to of SFS, as well as working across accidental project managers in fashion
succeed in making further inroads into online event organisation and and give the creative industries the
Getty
the business of fashion, then flexible facilitation, research and development greater professionalisation they need.
91APMAUG21118.pgs 31.08.2021 11:58

D ATA A N A LY T I C S
VERSION
(R)EVOLUTION IN
REPRO OP
PROJECT DATA
SUBS
How should we best adopt project data analytics?

ART
It could revolutionise the delivery of projects, but a

new study by the University of Warwick identifies the
barriers that prevent organisations reaping the potential
rewards. Professor Naomi Brookes and researchers
PRODUCTION
Luis Lattuf Flores and Elaine Falconer explain…

It is ironic that, despite having the factors that are impeding the power that comes from analysing all our
CLIENT
more data than ever before on our adoption and the enablers that will help project data at the same time.
projects and a plethora of digital us to overcome these barriers.
tools to hand, there is little evidence The Project Praxis research group, Take action now to ensure
to suggest any marked improvement based at the University of Warwick, has good data quality
to decision‑making. Initial studies been working with a number of major The first theme identified by the
have demonstrated that while project infrastructure delivery organisations to participants related to the challenges
dashboards are widely used, they understand these barriers to identify associated with a lack of consistency
have not yielded the improvements practical ways to overcome them. Its across organisational units because of
in decision‑making that would be most recent study, sponsored by the the historical evolution of management
expected. A key challenge is that Oakland Group, engaged with senior systems. It was found that projects often
dashboards generally rely on past business managers to understand encountered difficulties as a result of
performance. But, as anyone who has their experiences with data analytics basic failures to use common definitions
dabbled in the financial investments and capture their views on what they throughout their organisations for items
market can attest, past performance felt were the barriers and enablers as fundamental as project identifiers.
is no guarantee of future results. Data to widespread PDA application. This The solution to these challenges was
is also greatly simplified, reducing the provided a unique insight into the clear. There is a pressing need to bring
complex interdependencies into a set of minds of the key decision‑makers and about the standardisation of data
colourful charts. the opportunity to understand which management systems and processes
But things are about to change. direction we need to move in to harness so that consistency in data collection
We are on the cusp of a project data the transcendent decision‑making and management is achieved across all
revolution where every morsel of project operating units and projects.
data produced will be fed into the We are on the cusp It was also clear that action can and
Josh Patterson/Ikon Images
decision‑making process through the of a revolution where should be taken now, as good‑quality
establishment of project data analytics every morsel of project data is a fundamental prerequisite to
(PDA). Given the huge potential for data will be fed into the any future analytical endeavours. As we
PDA to improve project delivery and its decision‑making process were told by one senior project controls
failure so far to live up to its promise, through the establishment executive: “The underlying issue…
there is a pressing need to understand of project data analytics isn’t that there are many systems, it is

Data, 1
91APMAUG21119.pgs 01.09.2021 08:33

VERSION
that they all may be coded differently.”

A senior project management office
executive in transport infrastructure
REPRO OP
explained that: “The problem we have is

that data formats are not compatible a
lot of the time; it would really be a step
forward just agreeing what data format
we will all use; for example, coming
up with a standardised data format or
data manual.”
SUBS
Cut through the jargon

Participants were very clear that they
did not feel the need to have cohorts
of data analysts joining the ranks
of project practitioners. What they
ART
required instead was to develop a ‘data

literacy’ across all members of the
organisation related to what data is and
how it can be used. A key enabler was
found to be cutting through the jargon
around topics like PDA to give people
a basic understanding of what PDA can
PRODUCTION
deliver and how it might contribute

to decision‑making.
One senior project controls
executive told us that: “There are a lot of
a variable skills across our organisations
in analysis, understanding, interpreting
CLIENT
of information and displaying of

information, and that’s even before we
get into really complicated statistical need to be closed to enable successful
analysis. Therefore, we have some real WHAT IS implementation. It is unsurprising that
basics that are missing, so it is worth PREDICTIVE participants identified consultants as
discussing and understanding the value
of establishing centralised methods DATA a potential enabler for the smoother
introduction of data analytics. However,
of control of data versus widespread ANALYTICS? participants also identified that the
organisational competence and use of outside organisations could be a
understanding of these principles.” Adopting PDA successfully goes way barrier to developing and embedding the
Another senior data and analytics beyond the simple acquisition of a much‑needed in‑house ‘data literacy’.
executive explained that: “There are so new piece of analytics software or a “It’s a long journey isn’t it?
many buzzwords out there. I have a lot new dashboard. At its simplest, it is How do you get going on it? You are
of customers that will talk about wanting the use of past and current project competing against other transformation
to do machine learning… but when you data to enable effective decisions initiatives. Trying to eat the elephant
start to drill into it, you realise that they on project delivery. This includes all at once is too hard, too big and too
just picked up the buzzwords without descriptive analytics, which presents culturally challenging to make a shift,”
actually understanding what they mean.” data in the most effective format, one commercial director at a data
such as in a dashboard, and predictive consultancy told us. A senior project
Stop trying to eat analytics, which applies machine controls executive also shared that: “If
an elephant learning to a multitude of data we continue to rely only on external
One of the major barriers in terms of sources to predict future performance. organisations, we continue to sort of
implementing PDA was found to be the Machine learning involves computer rob our own internal organisations of
sheer magnitude of the implementation programs that spot patterns between the chance of potentially developing
task, requiring the simultaneous characteristics of projects or some of those skill sets. So, it’s really
consideration of the organisational programmes and performance. This worth trying to balance that and really
culture, current data management process gets more accurate the more build some internal competence and
processes and skills gaps that will it is used. data literacy.”

Data, 2
D ATA A N A LY T I C S
Seeing is believing is a late adopter of the technology, The authors would like to acknowledge
Participants from project service so there is a huge amount of learning the invaluable support of the Oakland
organisations identified that client and experience that can be taken from Group in undertaking this research.
organisations were unwilling to other industries. The Oakland Group is a world-leading
fund untested, intangible data “People see things emerging and ask, data consultancy operating at the
analytics activities, while client ‘What does it mean for me?’ There is a intersection of process, analytics and
organisations identified that executive general reluctance to adopt predictive governance: www.theoaklandgroup.com
decision‑makers are often more analytics only because it is out of their
prepared to trust their instincts than comfort zone,” one senior assurance To download the research, visit
rely on what is perceived as subjective executive told us. Isn’t it time to take www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/
data analysis. However, it was widely that courageous first step? research/transformation/project_praxis
agreed that providing clear evidence
of successful PDA applications is
fundamental to securing investment in
the technology and wider acceptance
from senior budget holders. THE TOP FIVE ACTIONS
Professional organisations, such TO BREAK DOWN THE
as APM, were seen as key enablers
in uncovering and showcasing the BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL
pockets of current examples of PDA PDA IMPLEMENTATION
and celebrating successful applications
in this area. “Seeing is believing, and
by doing those little pockets of PDA
projects within a company, it starts
1 Improve data quality
The prerequisite for successful PDA is good‑quality data, and
this is dependent on how mature the organisation is in terms of
opening up those opportunities,” data management. Organisations need to first understand how they
explained a senior data and currently collect and manage data by assessing the protocols and
analytics executive. tools that are used, the skills of individuals across the organisation
and the motivation and culture within the organisation to adopt PDA.
The truth will set you free
It is ironic that a profession dedicated
to implementing change is seemingly
averse to change. However, fear of the
2 Create awareness not analysts
The management of data needs to be the responsibility of
everyone and not seen as a specialist role. Organisations need
unknown was identified as a major to identify how they can develop their ‘data literacy’ whereby all
obstruction to PDA implementation. members of the organisation have an understanding of the role of
This fear was found to be manifested data and how it might contribute to decision‑making.
in the perception that PDA could
potentially take the control of
disseminating performance data out
of the hands of project deliverers,
3 Manage the size of the change task
Organisations adopting PDA need to realise that there is no silver
bullet for implementation. Embedding PDA will require prolonged
thereby removing the ability to commitment and needs to be adequately funded and resourced.
manipulate project data to ‘soften Outsourcing tasks and engaging with specialist consultants may
the blow’ of bad news related to poor overcome current skills gaps in this area. However, to truly embed
project performance. PDA into the organisation, investment into developing in‑house
It was also acknowledged that capability is required.
fear needs to be addressed around the
idea that artificial intelligence, and
by association PDA, will result in an
elimination of certain roles in project
4 Share examples of PDA on live projects
There is a pressing need for organisations to showcase examples
of PDA being successfully applied on live projects to develop a
delivery and substantively change the greater awareness and appreciation of how PDA can be applied
remaining roles. One of the crucial to projects and demonstrate that there are tangible benefits to
ways to overcome this aspect of fear the approach.
is to increase project professionals’
data literacy and to take learning from
other industries that have successfully
implemented and benefited from data
5 Eliminate fear from project delivery
Fearing the loss of control in how data is shared and interpreted
was identified as a major barrier to implementing PDA. However,
analytics. After all, data analytics is not taking learning from other industries that have successfully used the
new and, in reality, project management technology will help overcome this fear.
91APMAUG21120.pgs 01.09.2021 08:34

FORECASTING
VERSION
BREAKING THE
REPRO OP
IRON LAW OF
PROJECTS
SUBS
Karlene Agard explains how reference class forecasting

ART
can be a valuable and accurate forecasting method

that draws on actual outcomes to help you deliver
your project to budget, on time and with the promised
PRODUCTION
benefits. What’s not to like?
P
roject management has loses out on profit, the third sector is
CLIENT
accomplished many fantastic less able to help its beneficiaries.

feats of ingenuity, but it is
not known for its ability
Alexander Budzier, fellow at Saïd
Business School and CEO of OGP, notes PROJECT
to deliver as planned. Less than half
of all projects are on budget, only
eight per cent are on budget and on
that “project management has stagnated
for too long. We have to get better
at forecasting and that necessitates
RISK MAP
time, and a mere 0.5 per cent are on learning from the past performance of Sources:
Ansar et al (2014)
budget, on time and deliver the planned projects: not just through anecdotes
Budzier & Flyvbjerg (2013)
benefits. That’s the ‘Iron Law of and experience, but using quantifiable, Flyvbjerg (2015)
Projects’: over budget, over time, under objective data.” Flyvbjerg et al (2016)
benefits, over and over again. This term Some believe that projects are Pohler (2013)
was coined by Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, underestimated because of technical
the first BT professor and inaugural errors. For instance, when constructing
chair of major programme management a tunnel, the ground conditions are
at Saïd Business School, University of unknown and may be worse than ROADS
Oxford, and the chair of Oxford Global accounted for in the plan. Those who
Projects (OGP), based on analysis of believe technical error is the cause of COST FREQUENCY
OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN
20% 90%
over 10,000 projects. forecasting inaccuracy would argue that
Across the public, private and third it could be combatted through additional
sectors alike, the Iron Law results in data or modelling. However, technical
wasted money, inefficient delivery and error is not a satisfactory explanation, SCHEDULE BENEFITS
OVERRUN OVERRUN
time pressure. While the private sector
38% 10%
because it would lead to underruns
occurring roughly as frequently and
Technical error is not a with similar impacts as overruns. This is
satisfactory explanation, clearly not borne out by the data, as fat COST DURATION
because it would lead to tails (extremely large values) abound. BLACK SWANS (YEARS)
underruns occurring roughly
as frequently as overruns
Biases account for the project
distributions that we see. Project
5% 5.5

Ref Class Forecasting, 1
resources are regularly underestimated been recommended by the American opportunity costs. There is also the
due to optimism bias (the tendency to Planning Association, the Royal added reputational benefit of being
have a rosy perspective of the future) Institution of Chartered Surveyors able to deliver as planned, rather than
as well as other psychological biases, and the Major Projects Association. It adhering to the Iron Law.
and strategic misrepresentation or will also feature in APM’s upcoming Flyvbjerg notes that, “RCF is
political bias – the use of forecasts that Project Risk Analysis and Management extremely versatile and it’s the most
are known to be flawed due to political Guide refresh. accurate forecasting method that exists.
pressure (which can be internal It can be used on any quantifiable
or external). The benefits of RCF prediction problem, as long as you can
Reference class forecasting (RCF) Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman get the data. You can use it to forecast
bypasses the biases shared by experts praises RCF in his book Thinking, Fast tunnelling speed for track boring
and non‑experts alike. It is the most and Slow as “the single most important machines in England, solar farm energy
accurate forecasting method because piece of advice regarding how to output in Ghana or sales for a tailor in
it draws on actual outcomes and not increase accuracy in forecasting”. China. If you can get data, you can
just flawed estimates. Consequently, Having a more accurate forecast makes use RCF to create the most accurate
we are seeing a continual increase in managing resources across programmes forecast that exists, no matter what
the recognition of RCF as a crucial and portfolios far more effective you’re forecasting.”
methodology for forecasting. RCF is and would reduce the likelihood and
now required for large rail and road impact of having to pay a premium “If you can get data, you
projects in the UK and Denmark. for delivering later than expected. can use reference class
Other governments have also used For instance, avoiding direct costs for forecasting to create the
RCF, including those of Sweden, contracting penalties, higher overtime most accurate forecast
Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, rates and unnecessary logistics, as well that exists, no matter what
South Africa and Australia. RCF has as the indirect impacts of stress and you’re forecasting”
BRIDGES/TUNNELS RAIL IT‑LED CHANGE

COST FREQUENCY COST FREQUENCY COST FREQUENCY
OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN
34% 90% 45% 90% 107% 50%

SCHEDULE BENEFITS SCHEDULE BENEFITS SCHEDULE BENEFITS
OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN
23% n/a 45% ‑51% 37% ‑29%

COST DURATION COST DURATION COST DURATION
BLACK SWANS (YEARS) BLACK SWANS (YEARS) BLACK SWANS (YEARS)
9% 8 6% 7.8 18% 3.3

ENERGY DAMS OLYMPICS
COST FREQUENCY COST FREQUENCY COST FREQUENCY
OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN OVERRUN OF COST OVERRUN
36% 60% 90% 70% 156% 100%

SCHEDULE BENEFITS SCHEDULE BENEFITS SCHEDULE BENEFITS
OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN OVERRUN
38% n/a 44% ‑11% 0% n/a

COST DURATION COST DURATION COST DURATION
BLACK SWANS (YEARS) BLACK SWANS (YEARS) BLACK SWANS (YEARS)
7% 5.3 10% 8.2 5% 7
91APMAUG21121.pgs 01.09.2021 08:36

FORECASTING
VERSION
The statistical uplift curve is built up

REPRO OP
through a probability distribution of project

120% outcomes in the same reference class
100%
80%
SUBS
Required uplift
Cost overrun
60%
40%
20%
ART
0% Deciding what an acceptable

risk of overrun is can help
determine the required uplift
‑20% in project budget
Source: Oxford Global Projects
‑40%
PRODUCTION
0% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

P50 P80
Percentage of projects Required certainty of estimate
CLIENT
The three steps of RCF probability at equal intervals (eg if 20 An early warning system
Another benefit of RCF is that it is projects are in a reference class, each in Hong Kong
relatively simple; you can complete project has a five per cent share). Hong Kong is a rarity because its
a forecast using the internet projects often come in under budget.
and a spreadsheet with three
straightforward steps: 3 Position your project on
the probability distribution
to make your forecast
Construction projects typically cost
15 per cent less than forecasted.
Although Hong Kong outperforms
1 Identify a relevant reference

class of completed projects
Find at least 15 similar projects. The
It is generally safest to assume that
you will perform in a similar manner to
projects in the reference class, rather
most jurisdictions in cost management,
the Hong Kong Development Bureau
was keen to further enhance cost
more projects you can find, the better. than that you will be better. Uplift management by providing early
Make sure that you get quality data your project estimate in line with the warnings to assist projects in getting
from a credible source. performance of the reference class and back on the right track.
your risk appetite. If you are happy OGP and Octant AI were brought
2 Establish a probability
distribution for the
reference class
to have an 80 per cent likelihood of
your project falling within the budget
and accept a 20 per cent likelihood
in to address the challenge of the early
detection of projects that are starting
to go awry. It’s helpful to know which
If you were looking at cost overruns, of going over budget, you would set projects are spending more quickly than
you would line up the overruns from the budget at P80. In the example
smallest (which could be negative, ie above, that would correspond to a
an underrun) to largest. To create a 55 per cent uplift. Whatever your project
cumulative probability distribution While RCF doesn’t require coding, organisation’s technical
function, you would correlate each machine learning or an advanced maturity, you can use data
overrun with a probability. The degree in artificial intelligence to improve your project
smallest overrun would be 0 per cent (AI), these more complex methods forecasts, make better use
and the largest would be 100 per cent. can also be used to improve your of your resources and break
Intermediate overruns are assigned a project forecasts. the Iron Law

Ref Class Forecasting, 2
expected (which can indicate that a
project’s progress is fast or it’s heading 1 Category: building/
non‑building
with a more advanced AI, a deep
artificial neural network. It predicted the
towards a cost overrun) or more slowly,
so they can proactively take steps to 2 Forecast cost for buildings:
less than HKD150m or higher
final outturn cost with an average error
of only ±8 per cent. The Association for
improve it earlier on.
OGP partnered with Octant AI to
implement a tool that could do just
3 Duration of non‑building
projects: shorter than six
years or longer
the Advancement of Cost Engineering
suggests that international best‑in‑class
cost estimates have an error between
that. The early warning system analysed ±3 per cent and ±15 per cent. It would
the projected cashflow and compared The AI produced typical cashflow expect that a design needs to be
it with the emerging actual spend. The s‑curves for the four project types. completed with detailed unit cost
tool flagged projects that were deviating These s‑curves were then RAG rated. and prices to achieve this level of
from planned performance and The AI assigned flags based on cost and accuracy. The permanent secretary
highlighted the extent of the deviance schedule performance. It compared for development (works) of the
using a red, amber or green (RAG) their performance to the original Government of the Hong Kong Special
rating. Amber or red ratings were plan, as well as a percentage of the Administration Region “welcomes the
given when the cashflow was off‑piste ultimate performance for that project. adoption of AI to help all major project
and would trigger senior managerial Seventy per cent of the Bureau’s project leaders across different sectors take
intervention to get the project on track. data was used in developing the AI Hong Kong’s construction industry to
After a year, it became clear that and its performance was tested on the new heights”.
the monitoring system could be remaining 30 per cent of projects. The Cuong Quang, the general manager
used for benchmarking targets. A AI was far more accurate at correctly of innovation and technology at Octant
total of 849 completed projects were flagging projects. Up to 69 per cent AI, said “we are excited at the potential
analysed in depth by an unsupervised of the flags were correct and the red of improving forecasting generally, and
learning algorithm, which found that flag assignments were 20 times more RCF in particular, using AI. Our work and
three factors affected performance accurate than a random allocation. research shows that historical data and
in a statistically significant manner. The next phase was forecasting machine learning can be used to extend
These were: outturn project costs. This was done the forecasting benefits of ‘outside view’
methods like RCF into the emergent
complexities of project delivery. The
excellent work done by OGP, whom
we were delighted to be a partner
SIX TIPS FOR RCF with, for Hong Kong Development
Bureau shows how a hybrid approach
1 Uniqueness bias is a trap

to be avoided. The DNA of
is high calibre because of the
independent peer review process.
can improve dynamic final cost and
time forecasting.”
your project may be different
from others, but it shares the
same basic building blocks with
5 Don’t go to the effort of
creating an RCF and then
leave it to metaphorically gather
Get started!
Whatever your project organisation’s
many projects. dust in your digital archives. As technical maturity, you can use data
2 You need a robust and

objective reason to assume
your performance will differ
time progresses and additional
relevant projects are completed,
continue to update your
to improve your project forecasts,
make better use of your resources and
break the Iron Law. If you would like to
substantially from the reference RCF when you get access to learn more about RCF from the global
class. ‘We’re a great team’ is not credible data. leaders, Flyvbjerg and Budzier, you can
sufficient, but ‘this is the 15th time
we’ve done this type of project
and our performance is better
6 If you’re in a large
organisation with a history of
project delivery, it is likely that
access hours of free resources at bit.ly/
OGPAcademyArchive or join a course at
bit.ly/RCFcourse. For implementation
according to tests for statistical you can get access to a treasure support, contact me or Octant AI
significance’ is. trove of data. Set yourself the on LinkedIn.
3 If in doubt, draw on a wider

reference class, rather than a
more specific one.
challenge to build a robust dataset
of external projects and compare
the performance. Transform the
Karlene Agard is a senior consultant
at Oxford Global Projects. To listen
4 Give careful consideration

to the quality of the sources
used. Data from academic journals
data into information that helps
you break the Iron Law over and
over again.
to APM’s podcast with Professor
Flyvbjerg, part of the ‘Project
Innovators’ series, visit apm.org.uk/
resources/the-apm-podcast
91APMAUG21122.pgs 01.09.2021 08:36

Portfolios, 1
VERSION
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HOW TO
REINVENT PORTFOLIO
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MANAGEMENT
Drawing on his new book, the Harvard Business Review
ART
Project Management Handbook, Antonio Nieto‑Rodriguez

shares a new framework for prioritising projects
T
PRODUCTION
he emergence of projects as the economic engine understood and often neglected. Capacity and gut
of our times has been quiet but is incredibly feeling, rather than strategy and facts, often determine
disruptive and powerful. Back in 2017, I coined this how we prioritise projects. Prioritisation sets the agenda
phenomenon the ‘project economy’, to highlight in terms of what really matters and, consequently, how
the unprecedented transformation with profound resources are allocated. In my experience, a primary
organisational and cultural consequences. According to reason why many organisations fail is their lack of a
CLIENT
recent research, the value of project‑oriented economic clear sense of what is urgent or simply their selection of
activity worldwide will grow from $12 trillion (in 2013) to the wrong priorities. Get your priorities wrong and the
$20 trillion (in 2027). Add to this the trillions spent on effects can be calamitous.
COVID‑19 pandemic recovery projects. If the executive team doesn’t prioritise, middle
Yet our methods were designed for a world in which management and employees will do so on their own.
projects were a small fraction of an organisation’s At first, this shouldering of responsibility by the
activities, while most of the resources were dedicated to lower ranks may sound like good practice,
operations. In the project economy, project‑based work but without a prioritised set of strategic
becomes the main unit of work; and operations need objectives, the consequences of the
less and less resource to be carried out. Basically, all the selected projects are often disastrous.
current project, programme and portfolio management In a vacuum, employees will base
methods, tools and techniques are ‘old’ and need to their priorities on what they think
be adjusted. is best for the organisation
Portfolio management techniques, such as the – or perhaps what is best
prioritisation of individual projects based on business for their business unit,
cases, strategic goals, intangibles, weights, etc, could department, team or
work when an organisation had a few tens of projects, just themselves.
but today, organisations have hundreds or even
thousands of projects. Applying those old methods
leads to a huge amount of bureaucracy, wasted time and
management scepticism about our added value.
To succeed in the project economy, we need to
reinvent project management, and one way is by
reinventing the prioritisation of projects in our portfolios.
A better way to prioritise

Prioritisation is vital to individual and organisational
success, yet the method of prioritising is little

VERSION
A popular misconception is that all of an To prioritise projects effectively, leaders have to

organisation’s projects should be aligned to one or recognise and articulate what really matters most. To
REPRO OP
more of its strategic objectives, but because most address the prioritisation challenges I have faced over
organisations are multidimensional, it is impossible to my career, I developed a simple framework called the
match all projects to strategic objectives. For example, hierarchy of purpose. Boards of directors, executive
continuous process improvement, outsourcing and teams and even individuals can use the tool to rank
regulatory projects keep the organisation running priorities and select their most important projects. The
efficiently, but they are seldom related to strategic hierarchy of purpose is based on five aspects: purpose,
objectives. I recommend that at least the most important priorities, projects, people and performance. Only when
SUBS
projects and programmes – let’s say the top 20 projects an aspect has been pinned down and fully understood
– be fully aligned with strategic objectives. should the organisation move on to the next.
1theyPURPOSE
ART
Vision and mission have been popular concepts, yet

tend to be made up of fancy words often developed
THE FIVE by consultants. The two terms are often confused, their
ASPECTS differences not well understood. Use the word purpose
instead. State the purpose of your organisation and the
OF THE strategic vision supporting this purpose. The purpose has
to be sharp and clearly understood by everyone. Amazon’s
HIERARCHY
PRODUCTION
purpose, “to be earth’s most customer‑centric company”, is

OF PURPOSE compelling enough to avoid any ambiguity. Ryanair is very
clear about its purpose: “to offer the lowest fares possible
and reduce flight delays”. Interestingly, the airline puts
efficiency and performance – two important objectives that
many leaders struggle to prioritise – before customer service.
CLIENT
2 PRIORITIES
The number of priorities an
organisation declares is revealing. If
3 PROJECTS
Strategic initiatives and projects, when
successfully executed, bring the organisation
the risk appetite of the executive team closer to its purpose and strategic vision.
is low, the executives will tend to name Nowadays, companies run many projects
many priorities; they don’t want to risk in parallel, mostly because it is easier to
not having the latest technology or start projects than to finish them. Capacity
missing a market opportunity. On the rather than strategy often determines the
other hand, if the executives are risk launch of projects. If people are available,
takers, they tend to have a laser‑like the project is launched, but which projects
focus on just a few priorities. They know should organisations really invest in? And
what matters today and tomorrow. As who wants to risk missing a big opportunity?
a project leader, you should define By uncovering the organisation’s purpose
what matters most to your organisation and priorities, senior executives can identify
now and in the future. As the previous the best strategic initiatives and projects
example of Amazon showed, its to invest in. They can also take these steps
purpose clearly puts the customer to identify projects that should be stopped
in the centre. Everyone working at or scrapped. Although theorists suggest
Amazon will know that when they have developing formulas that automate the
to make decisions, the ones related to process of prioritising and selecting ideas,
customers will always come first. Or as my recommendation is not to use such a
Emma Walmsley, CEO of pharma giant systematic approach. The exercise is mainly
GlaxoSmithKline, clearly stated in its to provide management with different
2012 annual report: “Everyone at GSK is orientations and viewpoints, and ultimately
focused on three priorities: innovation, the decision has to be made by management
performance and trust.” based on human intelligence.

Portfolios, 2
PEER TO PEER
4 PEOPLE
Prioritising at an
organisational level is incredibly THE BENEFITS
difficult. Large organisations OF THE HIERARCHY
are made up of individuals with OF PURPOSE
their own strong sense of what
matters. Every individual in an Organisations that have a highly
organisation has a unique list developed sense of priorities are
of priorities. These are by their in a powerful situation and benefit
nature self‑serving, informed as from a significant competitive
much by personal ambition and advantage. By applying the hierarchy
aspiration as by any sense of of purpose, an organisation can
alignment with the organisation’s significantly reduce its costs because
strategy. Employees are those it can stop any low‑priority activities
who implement the company’s that fail to deliver against clearly
strategies. They perform the articulated measures. Through these
routine business activities approaches, organisations can also
and deliver the projects. They reduce duplication, consolidate
also have to make many minor activities and decrease budget
decisions and trade‑offs every overruns. Overall, prioritising
day. Creating clarity around increases the success rates of the
the priorities and the strategic most strategic projects, increases
projects of the organisation will the alignment and focus of senior
ensure that every employee management teams around strategic
pulls in the same direction. priorities and, most importantly, leads
Leaders need to allocate the best to an execution mindset and culture.
resources to the most strategic A major hidden benefit I have
projects and liberate them from seen every time I have used the
daily operational tasks. hierarchy of purpose for the first time
with top management is that the
discussion turns into an interesting
5 PERFORMANCE
Traditionally performance indicators
don’t measure priorities and seldom
strategic dialogue. For example,
the CEO might ask the director of
sales, “How are we going to meet
indicate the progress made toward fulfilling that international growth target if
a company’s strategy. Project metrics tend currently we only invest in existing
to be lagging indicators and measure inputs markets or if compliance takes up to
(scope, cost and time) instead of outputs. 60 per cent of our project capacity?
Inputs are much easier to track than outputs Is this sustainable in the long term?
(such as benefits, impact, sustainability What would be the consequences of
This article is and goals). As you work through the balancing our portfolio and investing
adapted from hierarchy of purpose, identify indicators more in growth and cost optimisation,
the Harvard linked to the organisation’s priorities and to and less in compliance?” Think of
Business the outcomes expected from the strategic your organisation’s purpose and
Review Project projects. Less is more in this case, so one priorities. Are all your employees
Management or two for each area will do the job. When working according to those priorities?
Handbook: How Satya Nadella took the role of CEO of Are the activities prioritised in the
to launch, lead Microsoft in 2015, he announced a new best interests of the organisation as
and sponsor corporate mission: to push productivity, a whole? How would your priorities
successful everywhere, across all platforms and change if there were a sudden
projects, devices. Pursuing that mission meant economic downturn?
by Antonio changing the way the company measured We need to move past traditional
Nieto‑Rodriguez success. In an interview with The Verge, project scopes and goals; the projects
(Harvard he explained: “We no longer talk about the of the future will seek to make a
Business lagging indicators of success, right, which better world through broader and
Review Press, is revenue, profit. What are the leading more ambitious impacts in areas such
October 2021) indicators of success? Customer love.” as sustainability and diversity.
91APMAUG21124.pgs 31.08.2021 09:56

PEER TO PEER
VERSION
USE PROJECTS
TO DELIVER
REPRO OP
REAL DIVERSITY
SUBS
Amit Popat and Jaspal

U
nless you are a specialist in equality,
ART
diversity and inclusion (ED&I), the
Kaur‑Griffin reveal how using a subject can seem confusing. The

common message we hear among
project management framework peers is that project management and ED&I

do not tend to be the best bedfellows in an
can instil equality, diversity and organisation – project management is often

used as a tool for core strategic programmes,
PRODUCTION
inclusion in your organisation whereas the ED&I agenda can often get
tagged on like a poor cousin.
Our experience has shown that this is
wrong. Project management can be very
effective not just in helping clear the mist
that sometimes surrounds ED&I, but also in
CLIENT
helping embed ED&I best practice within

an organisation. What’s more, ED&I can
also improve organisational effectiveness
if it is embedded in all stages of the project
management cycle – yes, they are symbiotic
(even a love affair waiting to happen!).
ED&I must be managed. This means having a clear idea of what the organisation wants
to achieve in terms of outputs, impacts and culture change. This must involve leaders and
employees in the organisation coming together to do the hard thinking

Diversity, 1
PEER TO PEER
ED&I promotes fairness and management principles and frameworks for

inclusion for staff ED&I can be an organisation’s saving grace.
The CIPD defines a psychological contract
as “the perceptions of the two parties, Reputational, performance and
employee and employer, on what their financial enhancement
mutual obligations are towards each other”. In an era of choice, customers vote with
Organisations with a positive psychological their feet if they feel an organisation’s ED&I
contract with their staff are rewarded with high reputation is superficial or is compromised
levels of commitment. This normally translates – they may choose to boycott the company
into better performance, and less sickness and seek alternative options. This can apply
and staff turnover. Where this isn’t the case, to employees too. Stakeholders, including
employees may become disillusioned, regulators, increasingly expect companies
resulting in lower performance, commitment, to embed and evidence ED&I best practice
engagement and, ultimately, exit. as part of their collaborative approaches. If
Embedding ED&I is easier said than you can present a well‑thought‑through ED&I
done. It can’t be done by just having a policy project plan to showcase the investment
or working group, or employing an ED&I and seriousness of your organisation’s
specialist. Don’t get us wrong, these are key commitment, your reputation, profit and trust
ingredients, but often organisations over‑rely could all rise. Research from both McKinsey
on them and hope that ED&I best practice
will simply emerge from these investments.
The truth is that ED&I must be managed.
This means having a clear idea of what the Applying project management
organisation wants to achieve in terms of principles and frameworks for
outputs, impacts and culture change. This ED&I can be an organisation’s
must involve leaders and employees in the saving grace
organisation coming together to do the hard
thinking. Here is where project management and Deloitte suggests that companies with
is key: it includes a framework for engaging more inclusive cultures are twice as likely to
stakeholders, reaching goals and assessing meet financial targets, three times more likely
whether targets are met. to be high performing, six times more likely to
Adopting project management frameworks be innovative and eight times more likely to
for ED&I sets a tone to staff that this issue is have better business outcomes. ED&I pays in
being taken seriously. For late adopters, it every sense of the word.
sends a clear message that ED&I is becoming At the heart of the ED&I agenda lies
a core part of the organisation and, at some anti‑discrimination legislation prohibiting
stage, they will be expected to align. As unlawful discrimination (for example, in the UK
project management sets clear measures of we have the Equality Act). There have been
accountability, this increases engagement with many cases where companies have breached
the agenda and makes clear where there have equality laws and paid hefty fines for poor
been successes or failures. Applying project practice. Project managed ED&I would enable
91APMAUG21125.pgs 31.08.2021 09:37

PEER TO PEER
VERSION
well‑meaning policies to come to life, and It can also contribute to mainstreaming

aligning ED&I project objectives with ED&I and embedding of ED&I within an
policies will evidence that an organisation organisation. If ED&I is given the same project
REPRO OP
is not only complying with the law but management emphasis as wider strategic
embracing its spirit – and it is this spirit that programmes, then the assumption is that
engages both hearts and minds and will drive it is as much a core part of the business.
positive change. Consequently, staff will give it the same level
Best practice means going beyond of interest and attention.
compliance, preventing ED&I from being Having the programme sponsor work
just a tickbox exercise, and instead one with an ED&I professional from the outset is
SUBS
where policies are implemented and benefits imperative to help ensure that the programme
evidenced. Good project management can initiation document (PgID) sets out the vision
provide this evidence. and change that needs to be delivered
through individual projects, and that the
Why using a project management programme of work defines the outcomes
framework actually works and outputs that will allow for the change
ART
Project management can be a very useful to happen. Individual projects now will have
vehicle for stand‑alone diversity initiatives a remit that they need to deliver, and this
as well as more strategic endeavours. The makes sure that change is being delivered in
structure project management can give bite‑sized projects that are manageable.
well‑meaning ED&I programmes provides a The PgID will be a good way to start
foundation to properly assess the problem, thinking about what the project intends to
engage and secure the buy‑in of stakeholders, achieve, what expertise is needed, and how
PRODUCTION
address any risks, ensure there are clear goals much time and budget will be needed to
and, most importantly, provide key points at deliver it. Having the vision for the programme
which to measure impact and learn lessons. championed by a programme sponsor and
strongly endorsed by the senior management
team will be a good way for stakeholders to
understand the benefits that will be gained
CLIENT
from embarking on this programme of

work. Project team members could also be
TOP TIPS TO MAKE trained to become ED&I champions within
CHANGE HAPPEN the organisation, helping to ensure that the

message is not only being received top‑down
from the programme sponsor, but also being
1 Create a safe space for colleagues to discuss issues related to

ED&I in an organisation. This helps ensure that everyone can
share their fears and concerns about discussing these matters in a
delivered through concrete tangibles that
individuals at all levels in the organisation are
working together to deliver.
way that is safe and non‑judgemental. Running a cross‑departmental programme
of work also allows for colleagues from
2 Have the equality and diversity message championed at all

levels of the organisation, from the programme sponsor to
ED&I champions.
different departments to work together
outside the usual remit of their day jobs.
This fosters a shared culture of development
and accountability and could help maintain
3 A project management framework that encompasses ED&I

considerations at all stages of the project life cycle will ensure
that these are not just a mere afterthought.
enthusiasm for the proposed changes and
benefits it will bring.
How to use change models to help
4 Embedding ED&I considerations into organisational work

practices and policies enhances the psychological contract
with staff, which could lead to financial, reputational, performance
overcome resistance
Embedding an ED&I agenda is similar
to project work in that you embark on a
and wellbeing benefits. journey where change needs to happen
(sometimes on a large scale) and where the
5 Having regular activities, from knowledge‑sharing sessions

to workshops and seminars, to increase ED&I organisational
knowledge on an ongoing basis will maintain programme
outcomes may not be crystal clear at the very
beginning. Having a good understanding
of how knowledge is disseminated within
momentum and enthusiasm. your organisation is imperative, as it will help

Diversity, 2
PEER TO PEER
Having organisation‑wide knowledge‑sharing sessions where staff can

listen to what benefits the programme will bring, and what will be involved
in making the transition for them at a practical level, will get them thinking
overcome resistance to change and help discussed at the various workshops and
embed new practices and processes. learning sessions from the ground up.
Change models can be extremely helpful Like many change programmes,
in how best to get change accepted into well‑delivered ED&I practice works outside
an organisation, and Kotter’s eight‑stage the comfort zone. ED&I is about organisational
approach to strategic change works well in change, and project management can provide
large, structured organisations. As it suggests: a sense of security in knowing that the change
is not just going in its own direction, but is
1 Establish a sense of urgency. held within a trusted framework.
2 Create the guiding coalition.
3 Develop the change vision. How project management can
4 Communicate the change vision. contribute to embedding ED&I
5 Empower employees to deliver best practice
those changes. Project management can contribute to
6 Generate short‑term wins. embedding ED&I best practice by ensuring
7 Consolidate gains to produce more change. that ED&I considerations are undertaken at
8 Ensure that those changes and the benefits all key stages of the project life cycle. The
get anchored in the new approaches to embedding of Equality Impact Assessment
culture in the organisation. forms (EIAs) as part of a PgID, for example, will
help ensure that any negative impacts from
This is not a change that will happen embarking on the proposed project can be
overnight, but having a developed programme discussed and mitigated.
plan that maps out what is to be achieved Project managers who are core to
in each of the tranches ensures that this motivating and driving project teams could
becomes a programme of work that can be be trained to be ED&I champions and to
sustainably delivered over time. spot when project deliverables could have
It is also important that a variety of ways adverse ED&I implications. The relationship
of disseminating the key ED&I messages is symbiotic – project management could
within the organisation are used that take itself be more inclusive by making the
into account the different learning styles language of project management more
that people have (as championed by Honey accessible and easier to understand by all
and Mumford). Having organisation‑wide in the organisation, and could result in the
knowledge‑sharing sessions where staff can demystifying of both project management
listen to what benefits the programme will and ED&I processes. Ultimately, both project
bring, and what will be involved in making and ED&I professionals want the same thing,
the transition for them at a practical level, will which is making processes work better so
get them thinking and conversations flowing. people are treated in the best possible way
Seminars and workshops where role playing to achieve the best possible outcomes. In our
could be initiated (for example: you are a minds, a happier marriage than that cannot
disabled mother coming back from maternity be envisioned.
leave – what concerns could you have as
you prepare to return to work?) could make The views in this article are the authors’
participants confront a reality that may not own and do not necessarily reflect those of
be their own. This could decrease ‘othering’ their employers
and increase awareness and empathy for
their colleagues, thereby making for a more Amit Popat is senior principal for diversity and
inclusive work environment. ED&I champions inclusion at Korn Ferry, and Jaspal Kaur‑Griffin is
can then further embed the key messages head of programmes at the Bar Standards Board
91APMAUG21126.pgs 31.08.2021 09:17

PEER TO PEER
VERSION
MA K I N G
REPRO OP
SE N S E
SUBS
OF R I S K
ART
ock, a uthors of
PRODUCTION
hael Oc
Barry Trebes
and Mic c ts , g ive practical
of Challe nging Proje
Making Se nse
risk the smart way
aging
advice on man
CLIENT
U
nderperforming projects are not a modern ■ management structures, policies and processes
phenomenon. Past assessments of a wide combine to encourage imaginative management,
variety of poorly performing projects have good team working, shared decision‑making and the
reached markedly similar conclusions, and in active participation of all those with a primary stake in
doing so have highlighted ineffective communications, the project;
weak management, inadequate planning, poorly ■ a responsive management team processes
defined roles and responsibilities, absence of adequate information from many sources, including a wide
risk assessments, uncertain or contested objectives, stakeholder base, to achieve good situational
ineffective control systems and lack of common purpose. awareness and to be continually alive to the possibility
of a range of potential problems and ways of
Securing successful project outcomes solving them;
As each assessment is published, calls are heard for even ■ effective communication channels are established
tighter controls to be imposed by management teams from the very start, so that information flows easily
and for better performance all round. Yet, despite this and quickly to and from management at all levels and
evidence, and even after the called‑for improvements throughout the project;
have been introduced, too many projects fail to deliver ■ management openly encourages questioning and
what is expected of them. If we know why major projects constructive challenges to its plans and decisions;
can fail, why is it that we let it happen time and time again? ■ project strategies recognise the benefits of dividing
Fortunately, there is evidence that better project the project into phases so that it can be taken forward
outcomes are more likely when: incrementally and be easily adapted or modified to

Risk, 1
suit changing circumstances and/or the experience Organisations responsible for failing
gained from earlier phases; projects usually vow to learn lessons from
■ a risk management culture is built on mindfulness, their past efforts, but this can be a lengthy
ie an approach to handling risk that avoids ‘tunnel process with no certainty of success
vision’ and which, when unexpected problems appear,
encourages action by assuming the worst until it’s of the vested interests, perceptions and views of the
proved otherwise; and project’s primary stakeholders;
■ a strategic oversight of the project and its current ■ excessively centralised decision‑making;
situation in the wider world is constantly maintained ■ failure to delegate and devolve management
by the sponsor so that comparisons can be regularly responsibilities;
made with the assumptions and data that underpin the ■ failure to consult and deal constructively with
project’s business case. dissenting views;
■ failures of foresight and underestimating the
What destabilises a project? significance of unexpected events;
There is also evidence that the critical factors ■ inadequate monitoring of project performance and
contributing to the destabilisation of a project are likely failure to take into account the project’s evolving
to include one or more of the following: situation in the wider world;
■ failure to set clear priorities; ■ preoccupation with minor problems;
■ failure to properly communicate intent and plans; ■ failure to fully understand the concept of risk; and
■ failure to recognise the importance to management ■ poor leadership.
91APMAUG21127.pgs 31.08.2021 09:35

PEER TO PEER
VERSION
Barriers to learning lessons

FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK ON
REPRO OP
Organisations responsible for failing projects usually

vow to learn lessons from their past efforts, but this PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT
can be a lengthy process with no certainty of success,
1
not least because legal and other restrictions on the Is the project sponsor’s corporate culture seen
exchange of information can prevent the sharing of by the project’s management to be supportive of
knowledge and sensitive information. Reporting can be risk management being central to the management
biased and feedback ambiguous, thereby generating of the project? If not, what effect could that have on
SUBS
conflicting interpretations of the facts. Those involved the project team’s attitude to risk and how might the
might also unwittingly reconstruct history in the course project be affected?
2
of ‘telling it like it was’. How formalised will the risk management
There is also a concern that analysis could take process be? Will it amount to no more than
place in a politicised environment in which attempts to unstructured guessing? Will the process, formal or
allocate blame and claim credit become more important otherwise, be intended to have a material effect on
ART
than understanding what happened; and that ultimately, the desired outcome of the project? If not, why not?
the underlying causes of failure and success may be What resources will be devoted to risk management?
3
impossible for anyone to determine with certainty. How will the principal assumptions on which the
What matters most when making a project into business case and plans for the project are based
a highly reliable organisation is for both its sponsor be kept under review?
4
and the project’s management to commit to the What options for handling risk are available,
avoidance of complacency and the encouragement of
PRODUCTION
eg mitigating actions by the project team to

higher standards of performance. This is more likely directly ‘control’ selected risks, or transferring of risk
to be achieved through devolved decision‑making, through contractual arrangements to other parties
empowerment and the creation of an organisational reported as better able to handle them, or complete
culture that supports no‑fault reporting and open avoidance through adjustments to the project’s
speaking, especially about serious difficulties. scope and objectives?
5
Projects should be set up and managed in ways that What means will be used to characterise the risks
CLIENT
create highly reliable organisations where performance – ie to determine the nature of the risk (a risk
is guaranteed, safety is paramount and organisational to what) and to whom the risk matters – and then,
learning is continually used to create and sustain a where necessary, to quantify them and assess the
competent and reliable organisation. probability of their occurrence, and to identify the
root causes?
Making decisions about risk
The management of risk is central to the way a project
is steered through to its conclusion. Decisions about the
way risks are to be assessed and managed throughout Unfortunately, these beliefs can give rise to endless
the entire project, and possibly beyond, must therefore technical and numerical risk assessments, diverting
involve the project sponsor as the primary risk taker. attention from the need to uncover those primary
Risk can be viewed as uncertainty that matters at the organisational weaknesses and other underlying fault
time when a decision is taken or a plan is constructed. lines that are more likely to present the highest risk to
Project risk is not simply the sum of items in a risk any project.
register, it can just as easily arise from poorly functioning
teams, corporate decision‑making beyond the reach of Deep‑seated causes of risk
the project or lack of preparedness for the unexpected. Risk assessments are only aids to decision‑making
Some believe the task of identifying organisational and planning and are not themselves decision‑making
frailty and the risk it poses is an impossible one – the processes. Many deep‑seated causes of risk to projects
Achilles heel of risk assessment. Others maintain that and systems in general can be linked to human and
what is not easily recognisable as a specific risk cannot organisational factors. The quality of a project risk
be managed. assessment therefore depends largely on the ease
with which it is possible to determine how people and
Project risk is not simply the sum of items organisations shape and interact with the project and the
in a risk register, it can just as easily arise impact they may have on it. Risk assessment processes
from poorly functioning teams, corporate can only be truly effective if they take into account these
decision‑making… or lack of preparedness influences and the significant impact they can have on
for the unexpected risk profiles.

Risk, 2
ASSIGNING BLAME
“Large organisations influence their
employees’ views and actions. How
then should blame be assigned
Sponsors, planners and other decision‑makers when things go dramatically wrong?
should recognise that risk assessments inevitably contain How much responsibility should
assumptions that should be checked, uncertainties that be apportioned to those who
must be accepted and limitations that cannot be ignored. manage an organization and how
Over‑reliance on quantitative risk assessment (QRA) is a much to those who carry out its
particularly risky strategy. Questions, such as those below, productive tasks? How should blame
should be asked about any QRA intended to support be apportioned when technical
plans and decisions on which much is to depend: errors are a byproduct of prior
■ Are the assumptions used fully explained, used organisational choices?”
consistently and tested for reasonableness?
■ Is the analysis supporting the assessment checked for Eda Kranakis, Fixing the Blame:
its accuracy, eg of the calculations used? Organizational culture and
■ Is the model used for calculation well defined, and has the Quebec Bridge collapse,
it been validated by testing against experimental results Technology and Culture 45 (2004):
and observational data? 487–518
■ Are uncertainties clearly indicated, including those in
the data, models and calculations?
■ Are the results explained and discussed so that This article is an edited extract from
they clearly indicate what conclusions they can and Making Sense of Challenging Projects:
cannot support? Things to know, questions to ask
91APMAUG21128.pgs 31.08.2021 09:34

Madsen, 1
Q&A
PEER TO PEER
VERSION
DEAR SUSANNE
“I have tended to see conflict on my project as
REPRO OP
a bad thing that needs to be avoided. How can

I get better at handling conflict constructively?”
SUBS
to get your needs met. The more and deliberately you’re signalling
cooperative you are, the more you to yourself that you’re safe and that
will prioritise other people’s interest there’s nothing to be afraid of.
over your own needs. Based on these
two dimensions, they devised five Question and listen
different conflict styles: With your physiology in check, begin
ART
to explore the challenging situation

Susanne Madsen is an internationally 1. Collaborating: Highly assertive by asking open questions of the other
recognised project leadership coach, and highly cooperative. You seek a person. The best open questions
trainer and consultant. She is the win‑win situation. begin with ‘what’ and ‘how’. What are
author of The Project Management 2. Compromising: Moderately they looking to achieve? What makes
Coaching Workbook and The Power assertive and moderately this topic so important to them? What
of Project Leadership (second edition cooperative. You seek a do they worry about? How do they
PRODUCTION
now available). For more information, middle ground. propose the issue is resolved? Which
visit www.susannemadsen.com 3. Competing: Highly assertive but risks do they foresee? What would
not cooperative. You want to win. they do if they were in your shoes?
4. Accommodating: Not assertive but And so on.
Thank you for your honesty about highly cooperative. You give in. Deeply listen to their answers
your tendency to avoid conflict. 5. Avoiding: Not assertive and not and see if you can identify the
CLIENT
You’re not alone. Many people dislike cooperative. You want to delay. underlying needs and wants of the
conflict because they worry it will other people involved. When you’re
have a negative impact on personal Avoiding avoidance able to suspend your own agenda for
relationships and that they will end up When you use the avoiding style, you a moment and overcome your instinct
falling out with colleagues. The truth neither pursue your own concerns to avoid conflict, you open yourself
is that conflict is an inherent part of nor those of the other person. Instead up to a deeper exploration of the
running projects and it can generate you push the issue aside and play issue. I’m not saying that it’s easy, but
surprisingly positive outcomes when down its importance. You may do it’s a skill that can be practised and
tackled correctly. so because you feel you don’t have that can make all the difference to the
When conflict is approached all the details at hand to have a success or failure of your project.
with an open and constructive mind, meaningful discussion or because Going for a win‑win may not always
different points of views can be you are fearful in some other way. be possible but it’s good to aim for. It’s
expressed and team members can Kicking the can down the road when you collaborate that you’re able
learn from each other and come to may feel good in the short term, but to come up with creative solutions and
a mutual agreement. It’s far more in your heart you know that the issue turn conflict into something positive.
problematic when a disagreement hasn’t been resolved.
is dismissed and pushed under the To begin approaching conflict in a Do you have a question for Susanne?
carpet. Then it will mushroom below more open way, first become aware of Email mail@susannemadsen.com
the surface and become destructive. the situations and conversations you
tend to avoid. Notice how you feel and
The five styles of conflict where in your body you sense tension.
Back in the 1970s, Kenneth Thomas Also notice if your breathing pattern READER OFFER
and Ralph Kilmann developed a changes. If you hold your breath or Enjoy a 25 per cent discount on
simple model describing the extent breathe rapidly from your chest when The Power of Project Leadership,
to which we are assertive and conflict approaches, deliberately second edition, when you order
cooperative during a conflict. The slow down and deepen your breath. the book from Kogan Page at
more assertive you are, the more you Your physiology and psychology are www.koganpage.com
will assert your own will over others closely linked. By breathing slowly Quote code: PROJ25

PEER TO PEER
VERSION
PUBLIC REGISTER OF ChPPs

REPRO OP
The following individuals make up the latest cohort to achieve Chartered Project
Professional status with APM. Congratulations to you all, from those based in the UK and
Europe to those in the US and Australia. Full details of the criteria for achieving chartered
status and the routes to get there can be found at apm.org.uk/chartered-standard, where
you can also view the full Register of Chartered Project Professionals.
SUBS
First name Surname Country Jordan Carty UK Nick Gaughran UK
Olufemi Abifarin UK Edward Cavanagh UK Melissa Giles UK
Jonathan Ager UK Madeleine Chamberlain UK Andrew Harman UK

ART
Sophy Aldridge-Neil UK James Chesters UK Nicola Harrison UK
Mariam Ali UK Ian Colley UK Sharon Harrison UK
Derek Allan UK Shirley Conway UK Micha Hartenhof NLD
Christopher Arner UK Jason Curtis UK Susan Heap UK

PRODUCTION
Daniel Ashcroft UK Neil Curtis UK Jack Hewitt UK
Tabatha Bailey UK Keasia Daniels US Jacob Hill UK
Rikki Barnes UK Mark Dearden UK Krystle Hodgson UK
Mark Barron UK Catherine Dickie UK Thomas Holloway UK

CLIENT
Russell Bayley UK Mark Draper UK Lee Hope UK
Gary Beacham UK Yvonne Driessens AUS Gareth Hoy UK
Alex Bennett UK Alan Drummond UK Andy Hughes UK
Janine Bennett UK Chris Drysdale UK Daniel Hurst UK
Christopher Bertram UK Sarah-Louise Earl UK Stephanie Illingworth UK
Ian Bleasdale UK Richard Edlington UK Luke Ingham UK
Alexander Boatfield UK John Ellams UK Saad Janjua UK
Christine Bradley UK Daryl Elliott UK Elizabeth Jarman UK
Scott Brandt US Robin Ellis UK Danni Jones AUS
Sharon Brannan UK Sarah Ellis UK Kathryn Jones UK
Charlotte Brewster UK Peter Elver UK Simon Jones UK
Michael Brinkley UK Sam Evans UK Stephen Jones UK
Mark Brown UK Tracey Eyre UK Els Jooris NLD
Dennis Bruetsch US Vicki Findlater UK Innes Jordan UK
Lee Budenis UK Eloise Frank UK Karen Jordan UK
Adrian Burling AUS Sarah Fraser UK Sam Jordan UK
Bart Caines UK Mario Garces US Andy Kihm US
Jonathan Calvert UK Jodie Garnett UK Laura Kingswell UK

ChPP, 1
Paul Kirkup UK Francisca Ogundele FRA James Stevenson UK
Tim Knight UK Afolabi Oladipo NGA James Stevenson UK
Esther Lagden UK Saheed Oloso NGA Cheryl Strachan UK
Gavin Langley UK Teresa O’Neill UK Alan Stringer UK
Jamie Larter UK Angelos Panos UK Christopher Strumidlo UK
John Lee UK Andy Parker UK Sarah Sutherland UK
Ruth Leuillette UK Matthew Parkes UK Joshua Sylvester TTO
Pamela Lewis UK Marina Pattinson UK Daniel Taylor UK
Phil Limmer UK Thomas Perrott UK Kathryn Taylor UK
Alan Lofts UK Greg Philp UK Samuel Taylor UK
Glen Lomax UK Simon Plotkin UK Nathaniel Thomas UK
Steve Lyttle UK Amit Poharkar KAZ Craig Thompson UK
Kenneth Macdonald UK Daniel Quintero AUS Andrew Thorn UK
Phillip Mallalue UK Lee Rickard UK Craig Twist UK
Dan Marks UK Nick Rickard UK Paul van Weert NLD
Harriet Massie-Taylor UK Suzanne Rivers UK Michael Waite UK
Daniel Mathias CAN Laurence Robins UK Anthony Wall AUS
Tom Mathysen BEL Luke Robinson UK Mark Wareing UK
Martin McColgan UK Ryan Roper US Benjamin Warner UK
Malcolm McGowan UK Paul Ruff UK George West UK
Jo McKenzie UK Sanjay Rungta IND Iain Whiteley UK
Richard Melia UK Ricardo Santos IRE Nicholas Wilcox UK
Hamida Miah UK Behnam Sarani UK Louise Williams UK
Andrew Morgan UK James Saunders UK Shameemah Williams ZAF
Philip Morton UK Richard Sayell UK Rob Wixey UK
Brendan Moyles IRE Janina Schild UK
Abdelelah Mubaidin UK Richard Sheppard UK
Sarah Mullan UK Haady Sherif UK
Peter Mumford UK Caroline Sherratt UK
Sarah Munro UK Gagandeep Singh UK
Nkoni Nicholas-White UK Matthew Slater UK
Andrew Norman UK Jayne Slaughter UK
Christopher Nye UK Graeme Snell UK
Nnamdi Obienu UK Shane Sprules UK
Andy Oddie UK Matt Staines UK
Olugbenga Odusami US David Stephenson UK
91APMAUG21130.pgs 27.08.2021 17:10

R I S I N G STA R
PEER TO PEER
VERSION
REPRO OP
HOW TO
PROJECT MANAGE
YOUR CAREER
SUBS
(BY BEING BRAVE AND REACHING OUT)
James Pearce, APM’s Apprentice of

ART
the Year, tells Charles Orton‑Jones

all about his self‑improvement mission
PRODUCTION
“K
now thyself” is an ancient role I’ll be a four or five out of five.” For the
bit of wisdom, supposedly contracts and procurement category, he scores
etched on the temple of the one out of five. This is a brutally honest bit
Oracle of Delphi, fortune teller of self‑scrutiny.
CLIENT
to the Greeks. Less clear is how one does Still only 23, Pearce began his research a
that in a professional way. Mentors? Career few years earlier when he scoped out the ideal
advice? Therapy? James Pearce, portfolio path to the top. “I went to speak to different
analyst in group IT at Rolls‑Royce reveals leaders at Rolls‑Royce to ask them about their
his own take on this – his own homebrew key experiences, key roles, advice, motivations
method. “It’s a PowerPoint presentation” and insights. I learned that it’s good to spend
he says. “I thought about the key project 18 months in a role, which is long enough to
management competencies, and where I’m learn about the area, but not too long to get
at. This is the result.” The item in question is a comfortable. These are things I’ve tried to base
19‑page presentation by Pearce, about himself, my career on.”
to himself. He’s since turned career progression into
The first slide is a radial chart offering an a science. It’s easy to see why this genial chap
overview of his readiness across 12 categories, won APM Apprentice of the Year 2020. Not to
such as cost management, contracts and mention the RateMyApprenticeship National
procurement, and communications. At a glance, Apprentice of the Year in 2018. The result of
he can see how prepared he is for the range of this analysis, combined with a strong work
demands a project manager faces. The slides ethic, is a stellar career. And Pearce is a role
are varied. There are mind maps for his career model for others, too. He got started with an
development. Ladder charts. Feedback from apprenticeship and has made it his mission
his company CEO Warren East and others. And to champion them to the new generation of
detailed statements of his future path. Pearce is project managers.
literally project managing himself.
Brutal self‑scrutiny “You are expected to apply to university.

“I drew it up to ask, where am I at the moment? I decided it wasn’t for me, as I prefer learning
Where am I well developed, and where do I on the job rather than just theory. But if you
need to focus? The chart says I’m a three out said you wanted an apprenticeship, the school
of five in cost management. After my current didn’t know where to start”

Rising star, 1
James Pearce
Qualifications
● L4 NVQ Diploma
● APM PMQ
● FdSc, project management
● BSc, project management
Awards
● APM Apprentice of the
Year 2020
● RateMyApprenticeship
National Apprentice of
the Year (L4/5) 2018
Interests
● School governor
● Horse racing: “I have
shares in a few racehorses,
including one that
I named and that won
at Royal Ascot last year!
She’s called Dandalla.”
● Walking, exploring
new views, routes and
places, especially in
the Peak District
Never too young to mentor upsides and downsides of apprenticeships. James is putting his
“My old school sixth form has reached out “I won’t say they are better or worse than a project management
experience into practice
multiple times for me to go back and give degree. I think it depends on what is best in all aspects of his life
careers talks,” he explains, adding his next for each person.” The pay at Rolls‑Royce is
session is just a few days away. “I talk about currently £12,600 for a four‑year post‑GCSE
apprenticeships, and my successes, if you role, or £13,860 for a two‑to‑four year higher
can call them that. I’ve done it for the past and degree apprenticeship.
three years.” He also mentors new arrivals at Another reason Pearce is such a strong
Rolls‑Royce. So far, three apprentices have exemplar is his commitment to supplementary
benefited from his guidance, which includes qualifications. He’s obsessive about
nitty‑gritty skills like application writing and self‑improvement and enrolled on multiple
interview techniques. courses to broaden his expertise. Overall,
His perspective is particularly sharp as he he’s got an FdSc in project management, a
experienced first‑hand the lack of guidance level 4 NVQ Diploma, APM PMQ and has just
apprentices experience: “You are expected to completed his BSc in project management.
apply to university. I decided it wasn’t for me, as I “The next step is APM chartership. I’m
prefer learning on the job rather than just theory. already helping people with 20 years more
But if you said you wanted an apprenticeship, experience than me to write their chartership
the school didn’t know where to start.” As a applications. I help them to understand what
Derby lad he was naturally drawn to engineering they’ve achieved.” He is so committed to
– both Rolls‑Royce and Bombardier are based education, he’s become a school governor –
there. “The Rolls‑Royce apprenticeship scheme not an entirely normal thing for someone so
is highly competitive, so I was delighted to be young, and without children, but he sees it as
selected,” he recalls. He’s honest about the a civic duty.
91APMAUG21131.pgs 31.08.2021 11:20

Rising star, 2
R I S I N G STA R
PEER TO PEER
VERSION
REPRO OP
JAMES’S TOP TIPS
1 Eat the frog

If you’ve got one horrible
thing to do in a day, then do
Then when you really
understand the situation,
only then can you start the
SUBS
it straight away. That’s called work of improving. The other

‘eating the frog’, and it’s a side to this is to believe that
great idea. I try to set three to you, personally, can make a
five targets to hit in any day, difference. Don’t leave it to
and if I achieve all these, I’ve someone else.
James received the
RateMyApprenticeship been successful. It doesn’t
4
ART
National Apprentice of always happen but as you Use APM

the Year award in 2018 tick the first thing off your APM has been so good
list, you move on to the next for my career. To get the
thing, and pretty soon things most out of it, make sure you
“The next step is APM chartership. are buzzing. If you don’t are engaging. No one from
I’m already helping people with 20 take this approach, there’s a APM is going to sit by your
years more experience than me to danger you’ll get to 5pm, the desk and tell you how to
PRODUCTION
write their chartership applications” day is done, and you haven’t work or what articles to read.
achieved anything. Your mindset needs to be
one that engages with your
Skills for life

Added to this, Pearce uses project
2 Ask people you respect
I’ve benefited by talking
to directors, including
professional body. I’ve made
contact with other project
managers at companies like
CLIENT
management skills in his everyday life. Rolls‑Royce’s CEO Warren British Airways and Severn
He led a team of apprentices through a East. There are two Trent by engaging with APM.
community‑outreach project to raise money for things that make these So don’t just interact with
the Prince’s Trust. This included a gala dinner. conversations work. The first APM but look at the wider
“It really reinforced why you need to use your is to have the confidence community that it facilitates.
project management skills, and the impact they to ask for a chat. It’s not
can have. Early on, I drew up a stakeholder
map, project manager style. Most people
would ask, why would you need to do that?
easy, but if I didn’t have the
confidence then I wouldn’t
have got to have the talks in
5 See the impact you have
At Rolls‑Royce we are
doing more than just creating
Cost management too. We raised over £17,000 the first place. The second is a single component to fit
for the Prince’s Trust and were shortlisted to go with a purpose. What do in an engine. We are part
for recognition.” you want to know? A directed of something bigger. We
So, what’s Pearce’s next mission? In fact, approach is better than just have committed to ensuring
he’s pretty content in his current role as a going into a meeting and our new products will be
project analyst for Rolls‑Royce; the role means asking vague questions, such compatible with net zero
he sifts through hundreds of projects to find as ‘What’s your job like?’ by 2030, and all products
cost over‑runs, failures and other items in need will be compatible with net
of further investigation. It’s an ideal place to
understand the full gamut of projects run by
the aircraft engine maker – and a potential
3 Understand first,
then improve
There’s a tendency when
zero by 2050. I also noticed
during the pandemic that
Rolls‑Royce took part in the
springboard for his next career leap. people move into a new job to Ventilator Challenge, to
Overall, Pearce prefers to think of his career want to make an impact, and supply the NHS. We had 300
as the accumulation of expertise, rather than to set about improving things. staff working on ventilators.
a ladder to the top. “I’ve got a lot of roles right That can unsettle people It reminded me that project
now, like school governor and ambassador of and doesn’t help to build management can have a
APM,” he says. “For me, it’s about making a relationships. My advice is to huge impact on the world
difference. That’s why I get those roles, so I can take time to understand why around us, and it’s worth
have an impact.” things are the way they are. remembering that.

BEYOND
THE JOB
PEER TO PEER
VERSION
PROJECT:
REPRO OP
TO CYCLE
THE LENGTH
SUBS
OF BRITAIN
ART
Paul Evans decided to take on the challenge of

travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End on
two wheels. Here’s how he project managed it
PRODUCTION
C
ycling the length of the country is suggested routes and ones to avoid, as well
regarded as one of the UK’s top as kit lists, advice on nutrition, training and
cycling challenges and something how to get to the start/back from the finish.
that has been an ambition of mine for We also popped into our local bike shop to
CLIENT
several years, but one I’ve never had the time discuss it with them and get some advice.
to train for. With the country in lockdown and
foreign holidays still looking risky at the start The project life ‘cycle’
of 2021, now seemed a good time to tackle Our research had shown us there were a lot
this challenge. However, it’s more than a case of options to cover, so we’d need to reduce
of just hopping on a bike and pedalling, and these before deciding our final route. The
the more I looked into it, the more complex it first option to assess was travel to and from
got – just like a typical project! the start, which would also dictate whether
we went south to north or vice versa. Key
The vision considerations were the time taken to travel,
Any successful project needs a clear vision. comfort of the travel (how tired would it leave
My wife and I would be cycling this together us before we had to start?) and the ability
and decided to use this as our summer to transport the bikes. Of the options of car,
holiday, visiting friends and family along the train and plane, we opted to fly to Inverness
way and raising money for charity. We’d keep and take the train from there, as otherwise a
our daily mileage reasonable and visit places pure train or car journey would be too long
of interest along the way. We’d also stay in Taking and tiring.
B&Bs so we wouldn’t have to carry camping an agile Although this meant we had to pack up
gear and could get a hot shower every day. approach the bikes for air travel, we could discard the
With our vision set we could then be agile in I revisited cardboard boxes (kindly provided for free by
how we approached planning the trip. our options our local bike shop) in Inverness, and we’d
As we were going to be self-supported, and opted also be able to spend an extra day after the
we needed to plan not just the route but to hire a finish on the beach in Cornwall.
the training, equipment, nutrition and car one We plotted the route, booked the
accommodation. Like many projects, we were way from accommodation and flight, but had to wait until
doing this for the first time so we looked Inverness the train tickets became available, which we
to others for lessons learned and advice to Wick thought was a small risk mitigated by making
and guidance. The internet helped provide sure I got up early and booked them as soon

BtJ, 1
Day one: bike shops at key towns along the route.
setting off We also opted to fit new tubeless tyres to
from John reduce the risk and impact of any punctures. A
O’Groats
blowout during one of our rides forced us into
thinking about how we would deal with this if it
happens in the middle of nowhere.
One risk we didn’t anticipate was deer.
Several times during our training we were
nearly taken out by suicidal deer crossing the
road. We did anticipate the risk of impatient
drivers but could only mitigate that partially
through choosing quieter roads.
Like most projects, things haven’t always
gone to plan and we hope to have mitigated
the risks still remaining – but we just have to
cross our fingers for good weather.
Project launch
Like many projects, things started great. We
got ourselves and our bikes to the start line
without problems and the project team were
in high spirits as we hit the official start in John
O’Groats (actually 20 miles in).
We’re also having to deal with the risks
as they rise. It’s one thing to think you’ve
as the ticket office opened. Our first problem! The heavy successfully mitigated them, until they occur.
Apparently you could book tickets earlier rains of April For us, this was the glorious August weather
through customer services so all bike spaces and May of strong winds and torrential rain leading to
on our planned trains were gone. Taking an made us delays and questioning the project vision. With
agile approach I revisited our options and feel that we the ongoing rain, it’s proving harder to dry out
opted instead to hire a car one way from were taking our kit overnight too.
Inverness to Wick. a waterfall One unexpected issue is that the
As with all projects, things go wrong approach to hotels start breakfast too late for us, but
throughout that you have to adapt to and our training we’ve quickly adapted to that and resolved
overcome. The heavy rains of April and May that issue.
made us feel that we were taking a waterfall Now it’s a matter on focusing on each day
approach to our training. We learned from and and not looking too far ahead, which can be
adapted to our experience, replacing kit that daunting and discouraging. We’ve got to keep
didn’t quite work, learning how best to refuel on motivating each other and we’ll get there,
throughout the ride and checking ahead of thinking about the benefits we’re accruing
time to see if there’s a café in which to take a along the way and not just the miles covered
break – the extra 10 miles to find an open café or metres climbed.
can take a very long time.
Project sponsor
Managing the risks Every project needs a good sponsor, and
One of the early risks we faced was whether you can be ours. We’re raising money for
we would be permitted to travel at all or the Disability Sports Coach charity, which
whether there would be another lockdown. provides opportunities for disabled people to
We decided to proceed on the basis that the participate in sports and live healthier, happier
lockdown restrictions would be lifted and push lives. During lockdown, it provided home
the start date into August. We also ensured sports kits to hundreds of people who were
we selected accommodation that was fully isolating. You can find out more about DSC at
refundable, even if this cost us a bit more – www.disabilitysportscoach.co.uk
the cost of mitigation!
We also mitigated the technical risks of n To help raise money for this very
the bikes needing repairs by getting them worthwhile cause, please donate via
serviced just before we went and identifying uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/Jogle20212
91APMAUG21133.pgs 01.09.2021 08:40

Indiana Jones, 1
VERSION
OFFLINE Where project management

meets popular culture
REPRO OP
SUBS
ART
PRODUCTION
CLIENT
A reckless egomaniac with no professional standards

really shouldn’t be leading a potentially world‑saving
Moviestills
project, writes Richard Young, but here we are…

Alamy

VERSION
R aiders of the Lost Ark, celebrating

its 40th anniversary in 2021, pits
a swashbuckling adventurer (Harrison
Bringing his hard‑drinking
ex on board is just one
of Indy’s questionable
REPRO OP
Ford) against a sinister cabal of Nazis. project decisions

The film is a textbook case of how
not to run a project – and who not to
manage it.
Project management is the careful
planning of time, resources and skills
in a logical sequence towards a clear
SUBS
objective. Indy’s journey to win control

of the Ark of the Covenant is a reckless
and haphazard cascade of blunders that
endangers his team and fails to achieve
any of the deliverables outlined in his
project scope.
ART
Indiana Jones: total loser

Indy himself is a terrible person.
We meet him trekking the Peruvian A project lead can have lousy management skills and lack
rainforest to an abandoned temple. Any attention to detail – so long as they’re lucky. And Indy
half‑decent academic archaeologist really isn’t. If anything, he’s a Jonah.
would be circumspect about finding a
PRODUCTION
site of historic and cultural significance. programme director. He explains that a weapon of tremendous power. So the
After all, this is the holy site of a highly agents have come to talk about a new agents – Indy’s new sponsors – hire
developed lost civilisation. project for him to sink his teeth into. him to beat the Nazis to it. How nice
But Indy’s not so much project But before we get to that main plot of them to overlook his track record of
managing this exploration as project of the film, let’s review Indy’s project losing out to Belloq…
mangling it, setting off mechanical management failures so far:
CLIENT
and even optical traps that display 1. Poor team selection and Diversity and inclusion
the builders’ fantastically advanced safeguarding. One guide runs The first task on the Gantt chart?
technology and workmanship. How away, the other tries to kill him; Locate the all‑important headpiece of
are their mechanisms still working? both of them end up dead. Indy’s the Staff of Ra, used to pinpoint the
How did they manufacture them? managed to pick a pilot whose pet is Ark’s secret location on a giant scale
What created the impetus for such a creature that he has a pathological model of the lost city of Tanis.
innovation? Such questions don’t fear of. How did that get past HR? The headpiece belongs to Indy’s
interest Indy. All he cares about is 2. Breaches of professional ethics. old flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen
stealing a golden idol. As outlined, he’s essentially a Allen), now a hard‑drinking bar owner
One narrow escape later and looter. Put another way, even in Nepal. After proving how quickly a
he’s fallen into the clutches of in the 1930s, the Chartered person can sober up, she negotiates
rival snarky‑ologist René Belloq Institute of Archaeologists might her way onto his project team – she is
(Paul Freeman), who sends some have blanched at his attitude to terrible at ‘lessons learned’, too. The
understandably annoyed preserving antiquities. reunion is interrupted by Nazis who
indigenous people to kill 3. Terrible project planning. Any succeed in burning down her bar – and
him. He makes it to his project manager knows that the scorching one side of the headpiece into
plane and flies back to his best way to avoid disasters is to the palm of a Gestapo officer (Ronald
university job in the US. pre‑mortem potential pitfalls. In Lacey). But Indy and Marion escape;
Project outcome: FAIL. Indy’s case, they’re also literal back at the university, the diversity and
pitfalls. What did he think was going inclusion officer is breathing a sigh of
Lessons to happen when he broke into a relief that such a high‑profile project
unlearnt temple full of booby traps? now has an even gender split.
Indy’s boss
Marcus Brody Undeterred by this failed project The project hots up
(Denholm – and with no attempt to examine The one project management skill
Elliott) any lessons learned – the agents ask Indy does seem to exhibit is strong
fits the Indy to investigate a Nazi dig in Egypt. relationship‑building. In Egypt, they
role of They’re looking for the Ark, apparently team up with old buddy Sallah el‑Kahir

Indiana Jones, 2
OFFLINE
(John Rhys‑Davies – better known towards objectives, but this guy is all Indiana Jones himself has some
as Gimli the dwarf from The Lord of over the place. redeeming features. It’s true that a
the Rings). And it’s here we find the Another project #FAIL. winning smile, a degree of charm and
real project management hero of the He and Marion are tied up. The a dose of fearlessness can be very
movie (see box). With him on the Nazis open the box and… It turns out effective tools for the project manager.
case, the project really progresses. God’s not a fan of Nazis. Or maybe Indy learns to manage his fear of
Indy’s contribution at this stage, not a fan of opening the Ark. Even the snakes; and he’s smart enough to know
by contrast, is to run around Cairo project’s culmination is another failure not to look upon the spirits unleashed
shooting swordsmen, then cause a for Indy – the Ark is hidden away in from the Ark.
truck explosion that results in Marion’s a giant secret warehouse so even the That combination of charisma
apparent death. archaeological sciences won’t benefit. and common sense can be valuable
We all know the next few scenes. Might as well have blown it up, eh Indy? for any project leader. But overall, the
Marion’s really alive. Indy still hates Projects need to be properly project to deny the Nazis access to
snakes. They find the Ark and are lifting scoped and well informed. Project a super‑weapon is incredibly poorly
it out of place when… oops. Despite managers need discipline, drive and run and fails. The fact that it ends
knowing the project has a massive attention to detail. They need reliable, face‑meltingly badly for the bad guys
obstacle – a bunch of Nazis and Belloq well‑managed teams. Raiders of the in the end suggests something we’ve
calling the shots on the site – Indy Lost Ark features none of those things, secretly suspected all along: God is a
fails to prepare any kind of lookout Sallah aside. great project manager.
and all Sallah’s hard work is undone.
External dependencies anyone? Thanks
to his failure to sweat the details or do
a risk analysis, the bad guys have the
Ark and Marion is stuck down in the
snake‑infested mausoleum with her
lousy ex.
After an improbable escape – the
buried temple happens to have an
exterior wall right next to the airfield
where the Nazis take the Ark – Indy
engages in an admittedly agile pivot. He
and Marion don’t exactly break out the
Post‑Its for a scrum, but he takes the
initiative and after killing a truck driver
and a couple of other Nazi no‑marks,
SALLAH: PROJECT LINCHPIN
the project is back on track. Sallah el‑Kahir is the real deal in project management terms and
But the steamer they put the the linchpin of Indy’s project team. He knows his own terrain well
Ark on is hijacked by a U‑boat. This – great project managers thrive on good connections across their
is the final nail for Indy as project organisation and industry – and works through objectives like
manager. A project lead can have lousy a machine:
management skills and lack attention l Helps decode the headpiece.
to detail – so long as they’re lucky. l Sorts out accommodation.
And Indy really isn’t. If anything, he’s l Lays on disguises.
a Jonah. l Works out how to infiltrate the map room.
l Hires diggers at the correct site of the Ark.
Gott mit uns? l Handles logistics for its removal from its resting place.
Belloq takes the Ark to a nice Aegean l Arranges transportation to the US.
island. Indy sneaks ashore and has a
chance to fire a bazooka to prevent He’s jovial, adding hugely to project morale. And every project
the Nazis using it – but chickens needs someone with the soft eyes and attention to detail that
out. So: defiling temples for a golden Sallah brings. He notices a pet monkey has died and prevents Indy
payday is fine; but blowing up a relic from eating one of the same poison dates, for example. We all
to stop the literal Nazis accessing a know a Sallah. Not a project lead, nowhere near board level – but
weapon that might make their armies the kind of person who actually gets things done. The fact that
invincible? Nah, just can’t do it, sorry. he’s prepared to work with disaster‑magnet Indiana Jones just
Projects thrive on consistency of goes to prove how important charisma is for a project leader.
Alamy
decision‑making and clear progress
91APMAUG21135.pgs 31.08.2021 13:03

OFFLINE
VERSION
New books,
recommended
REPRO OP
Facebook’s
favourites
Sheryl Sandberg
has smashed
the authority gap
and wants to
and podcasts
SUBS
help more women

do the same
to keep you
entertained
ART
Don’t get mad, get even, says HMRC’s Joanna Rowland

of The Authority Gap – and get some valuable practical
PRODUCTION
tips from Penny Pullan on running great workshops

The Authority Gap credibility as a delivery expert can be our profession, to ensure men and
Mary Ann Sieghart (Doubleday) reduced compared to my male peers women are put on an even footing.
CLIENT
There are times (the ‘authority gap’ of the title in I am redoubling my commitment to
when you read action) and I compensate for it every driving this agenda forward, so that, in
something which day. My feelings on sexism were highly a generation’s time, the problems I and
makes you angry. personal, and while I knew all women all women who read this book face are
Then there are faced these challenges to some extent, lessened. Don’t get mad, get even.
times when you read exposure of the systemic scale of the
something which problem in The Authority Gap made me ✶✶✶✶
makes you really see red. Review by Joanna Rowland, director
angry. The Authority The books depicts how and why general, transformation group, HMRC
Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart had that women aren’t respected or valued as
effect on me, not because it let me down, highly as men in the professional world.
but because it lays bare the way society Sieghart interviews some of the most Making Workshops Work
has historically let women down. Even prominent women globally, and they Penny Pullan
the way women let women down. recount their experiences of battling for (Practical Inspiration Publishing)
My whole career has been in the equitable credibility with remarkable Who doesn’t love a
public sector, delivering projects both candour. This presents a bleak picture, good workshop? The
in the police and central government. but as I got further into the book, I coming together of
I am now a senior leader at HMRC, moved from anger to reflectiveness. minds, constructive
a department which takes equality The author clearly recognises the state conflict, challenging
of all kinds seriously, with respect of the problem, but suggests some steps preconceptions
for all as a central objective. I have we can all take to reduce the authority and teasing clarity
experienced sexism throughout my gap in the final chapter. and cohesion
career, egregiously when I was younger I am proud to be a member of the out of chaos and
and junior, and more subtly as I have project delivery profession, which has confusion. With emphasis, of course,
risen in rank. allowed my career to flourish. This on the word ‘good’. Many a project has
While I no longer need to face book has brought home, however, that experienced its pivotal eureka moment
down the crude harassment I was there are still changes which need thanks to a timely, well-oiled workshop,
Alamy
subjected to, I am still aware that my to be made across society, including and yet so often the converse is true:

Books, 1
My Bedside Books
meandering gatherings lacking focus Emma Willson, major projects delivery hub,
and direction, only serving to frustrate National Audit Office
and delay. Penny Pullan seeks to
address this, shining a spotlight on the THE PROJECT MANAGER: common‑sense and practical
art of facilitation. MASTERING THE ART OF DELIVERY tips seem equally valuable to
She starts by exploring the value Richard Newton programmes and it is refreshing
of workshops and what ‘great’ looks Programme management books to learn from ‘outside’. It shares
like, taking us on a journey of effective can be quite dry, prescribing formal first‑hand experiences and a clear,
leadership and facilitation, and methodologies and techniques, measurable approach (termed
examining the behavioural aspects of but here we see that successful objectives and key results)
workshops: group dynamics, conflict, programmes require more than to align goals with the vision
visual thinking, ways of learning and that. As the book describes, they and implementation.
the underlying neuroscience behind it. are ultimately about effective
We are guided through the communication, and this ‘human’ WILD SWANS
fundamental elements for successful focus sets the book apart. It talks Jung Chang
workshops – a clearly defined purpose, beyond the normal tools around This book is captivating and
a focus on solutions, proven analysis interpersonal skills, attitudes and fascinating, but often depressing
and problem-solving techniques, approaches while providing some (in a somewhat positive way).
reaching consensus and gaining experience‑based lessons on how It takes a few chapters, but the
commitment and follow-up to actions. to handle people and put theory depth of story and characters
While theory is not neglected, the into practice. quickly encapsulates you. Set in
emphasis is on the practical and Pullan 20th‑century China, the author
shares her own favourite activities for MEASURE WHAT MATTERS presents her family story across
use in workshops, ranging from ‘getting John Doerr three generations, encompassing
started’ to generate focus and energy This book highlights a critical China’s amazing social, political
right through to her own template for aspect of programme management and economic changes. The book
capturing actions. – clarity on what you want to provides a valuable history lesson
This is a light-hearted read, with achieve and monitoring this. and makes you appreciate (and
Pullan sharing horror stories while Although the examples and despair at) humanity and the value
addressing the common challenges narrative focus on start‑ups, the of courage and resilience.
faced in workshops. Designed very
much for readers to dip in and out
of, there is a ‘fast answers to urgent
questions’ section and each chapter We’re all ears – podcasts to listen to
ends with ‘questions for reflection’. Send your own recommendations to emma.devita@thinkpublishing.co.uk
I turned to this book with the future
of hybrid workshops in mind and FROM THE FRONTLINE in this podcast stars contractors,
approached it looking for a specific APM Podcast analysts and programme managers
section dedicated solely to this topic. APM’s series, hosted by Project who give practical insights in a
Instead, the book takes you through editor Emma De Vita, provides an series of fireside chats. A good
the journey of workshop preparation, up‑close and personal account by place to start is a discussion around
execution and follow-up, and examines professionals working on projects technological innovation within
specific considerations and approaches at the forefront of thinking and construction in episode five.
for face-to face, remote and hybrid action, whether it’s helping in the
workshops at each stage. fight against COVID‑19 or pushing LIVE MORE, FEEL BETTER
It’s a good reminder that, technology to its limits, like NASA’s Rangan Chatterjee
whatever the environment and style Perseverance Mars rover project. Dr Rangan Chatterjee is one of the
of workshop, the key to success will Catch NASA project manager most influential GPs in the UK and
always lie in thorough preparation, Jennifer Trosper’s behind‑the‑scenes has message of simplifying your
understanding the group dynamics account of running the project in health and wellbeing that has won
and the adaptability to choose tools lockdown from her laundry room him a big audience. His podcasts
and techniques appropriate to each while operating on Mars time. are really chats with health experts
unique situation. for advice and explanations that will
CONNECTING CONSTRUCTION keep us feeling energetic and well.
✶✶✶✶ Trimble Episode 145 tackles how to build
Review by Susan Ferry, project Hosted by Evan Hill and Matte good habits and break bad ones.
management practice, Allianz Insurance Sprague of e‑Builder, each episode
91APMAUG21136.pgs 27.08.2021 16:58

Eddie Obeng, 1
END GAME
VERSION
FIVE SPELLS TO USE

AGAINST THE DARK ARTS
REPRO OP
Eddie Obeng advises how to counter the destructive

societal forces that could harm your projects
SUBS
So, there’s a tension you can’t quite put The first of the three dark arts is the Professor Eddie Obeng is an
your finger on… The team laughter feels science of persuasion and influence – educator, TED speaker and the
less intense and you know that’s not now boosted by AI and neuroscience author of Perfect Projects and
because you are virtual – you’ve been – which shows that if you frame the All Change! The Project Leader’s
virtual for 18 months. There is a dull situation first and bypass the logic Secret Handbook. You can join
ART
underlying sullenness. You know that circuits with emotional bias, people his masterclasses, courses and
with a project of this scale and duration, act without knowing why. Second, workshops on the QUBE #SuperReal
you can’t always be everywhere, so behavioural economics, which uses the campus: https://QUBE.cc.
you rely on the team to challenge and set‑up of the system to control your Tweet him @EddieObeng or
support each other towards excellence. choices and behaviours. And the third is read his blogs on LinkedIn or
Team culture is crucial to success. intolerant minority politics. In the same at www.imagineafish.com
It sets how we work together so the way as one person with a nut allergy
PRODUCTION
best things get done even though no means no one on the entire plane can
orders are given. Openness means eat nuts, intransigent minorities always l Disconfirm. Early in my Perfect
fixing issues early. Mutual respect end up dominating everyone else. Projects course, we run a project
means you can collide ideas to produce simulation. In an hour, participants make
robust solutions. Lessons in defence three months of tough decisions. The
Yesterday, my friend of 30 years, The ‘Defence Against the Dark Arts’ first review is brutal. They’re reluctant
CLIENT
Bill, thanked me for being a true friend. class teaches young wizards how to to acknowledge they did terribly. They
I was taken aback. Playing tennis, prevent being subsumed by dark forces blame everything, everyone. Then they
he’d managed to tear his bicep. His and losing personal will and positive sleep on it. By the second review, they
doctor suggested he do nothing but leadership. Here are my five spells that now know ‘they don’t know’. We’ve
I’d written him a stern email berating ward off uninvited influences: disconfirmed their delusions and they
him and suggesting specialists. He’s l Look out for framing, and become eager to learn. Find ways to let
70 and may soon need a cane to walk. reframe. Once a topic is framed, cold reality shine in.
For that you need strong biceps. His your confirmation bias and cognitive l Trumpet your project culture over
doctor and friends were concerned but dissonance will keep you stuck down and above the infiltrating noise.
scared to offend him; they said nothing. a deep well of delusion, unable to Once you have shared ground rules,
Influenced by the current social climate, perceive reality. Steve Jobs used 19 repeat them over and over. Point out
they’d been persuaded it was right not words to fix Antennagate: “We’re not reinforcing examples. Never punish good
to challenge. perfect. Phones aren’t perfect. We all behaviour and never reward detractors.
know that. But we just want to make l Be your own spirit guide. Don’t
The dark arts at work our users happy.” Find an alternative get a delusion cast on you: discard every
in society way to reframe so people say, “I hadn’t remarkable story you’re dying to repeat.
Recently, three powerful dark arts that thought of it that way.” Ignore catchy slogans. When asked, never
began outside your project will by l Go down the well and push them ‘imagine’. Flee your current delusions:
now be seeping into it. We humans are out. Listen, empathise and start from be scientific. Compare with a control
susceptible to delusions, and the dark where they are; establish you are both on group. Extrapolate from your opinion to
arts prey on this human flaw. In the same the same side before showing leadership. predict what should happen next – when
way vaxxers and anti‑vaxxers are unable it doesn’t, discard that delusion.
to have a constructive conversation Once a topic is framed, Now, regardless of the narratives and
(because conversation needs rationality your confirmation bias norms of the outside world, your project
linked to reality), increasingly you will and cognitive dissonance team can be cohesive, open, supportive
have found your team not able to be will keep you stuck down and challenging. Visit www.eddieobeng.
open to understand issues, let alone a deep well of delusion, com/defenceagainstthedarkarts-spells
solve them together. unable to perceive reality to learn some spells of your own.

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Cover

The voice of the project management community

FROM THE EDITOR

Big, hairy, audacious goals Emma De Vita

Japanese skateboarder who took gold?

Excepting the two with Think Media Group,

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 3

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN 91APMAUG21101.pgs 01.09.2021 08:23

FROM RAIDERS TO ROVERS, THIS ISSUE OF PROJECT AT A GLANCE

NEWS ANALYSIS ■■■

Big picture: Team GB’s Charlotte Discrimination

8 Green projects 15 Revolution in the workplace

Findings from the latest Infrastructure

and Projects Authority Annual Report Andrew Baldwin

4 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PEER TO PEER ■■■■

“Project OFFLINE ■■■

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 5

91APMAUG21102.pgs 27.08.2021 16:36

6 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 7

91APMAUG21103.pgs 27.08.2021 14:14

economy news this summer, when

8 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 9

91APMAUG21104.pgs 01.09.2021 08:24

with education tech start‑up Multiverse to

new partnership between managers will play

deliver virtual classroom training and more complex,

1 0 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 11

91APMAUG21105.pgs 27.08.2021 14:31

IPA RATES MAJOR transformation and service delivery or

capability, receive, in proportion, similar

of 184 government major in ICT have improved most; this year,

12 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 13

91APMAUG21106.pgs 02.09.2021 15:22

Inaction on discrimination against women must not be tolerated, says

Anita Phagura is a coach who

enables her project management

If you’re a woman working in projects,

biases or discrimination related to your

14 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 15

91APMAUG21107.pgs 01.09.2021 08:27

HOW FRAMES HELP US

MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

16 AUTU M N 2021 PROJECT

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

PROJECT AUTU M N 2021 17

91APMAUG21108.pgs 01.09.2021 08:26

The 2020 Games faced

Andrew Saunders considers

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

One eye on legacy?

performs a handplant at for any Games.