Dubailand

Mega and
Complex
Project
Critical Appraisal

02/04/2023 1
GROUP MEMBERS

ADEKUNLE OLORUNESAN 20206104 

ANJALY VARGHESE 20206686

OLUWATOBILOBA ESTHER TAIWO  20210754

ABIMBOLA OLUWATOSIN KODAOLU 20210978

OLUWAGBENGA IJIADE 20203462

02/04/2023 2
 • Introduction
• Gap analysis comparative studies
• Sublimes that drive Mega project development
• Similarities
• Differences
• Characteristics of mega and complex project
• Critical evaluation of emerging themes
• Underlying root cause
• How to improve and enhance the Mega projects methods
• Why strategic project management are not necessarily used effectively in this Mega project
Table of Content • Portfolio management opportunities in Dubailand Mega project
• Programme management opportunity in Dubailand Mega project
• Analysis on how Strategic Risk Management approach could reduce the inbuilt (inherent) risk,
complexities and uncertainties in this Mega Project
• Stakeholders management approaches
• Communication management approaches
• Schedule management approaches
• Cost management approaches ( Analysis on capital control and capital efficiency)
• Value efficiency
• Conclusion
• References
02/04/2023 3
INTRODUCTION

This was estimated at $64.3 billion, aimed to become

the world largest and  biggest  entertaining tourist centre
in the world. It was to be built on 107 square miles in
barren Dubai desert comprising of 45 MCP and 200 Sub
– projects in 6 zones.

The reason for this Mega project is to move them from a

mono-economy and ease UAE dependency on oil
money and bring in a hefty income from
tourism (economic diversification). The project was
affected by global recession in 2008, a global financial
issue which led to its collapse. Inflation pushed the
budget cost from $64.3B to $ 91B. As of now, Dubai land
is forecasted to open for business in 2025.

02/04/2023 4
 GAP ANALYSIS COMPARATIVE STUDIES

Cost Time Scope

Dubailand Cost was estimated Initially set to be completed in 2018 It was fixed with all partners and sponsors knowing
to be $64B, (15years) but has been shifted till exactly what they will be doing (theme-parks) at
2025 (22 years) what cost and time for deliverables

US O’Hare Estimated cost was Work on terminal 5 is schedule to It is an expansion to the terminal core, terminal 5
International $8.5B finish in 2022 and the other will will be expanded while terminal 2 will be
Airport finish in stages till 2028 completely rebuilt
Redevelopment

France Estimated cost $20B Work began in 2013 and it is A joint project with 35 nations to help in creating
International schedule to come online in 2025 energy (renewable) from fusion taking place inside
Thermonuclear (12 years) the sun. The core tokamak will contain plasma
Experimental created when particles are heated to over 150M
Reactor ITER degree Celsius.

Japan Chuo Estimated cost $46.4 Scheduled to be completed in 2027 A pioneer in HS rail since 1964, the development
Shinkansen  of the maglev HS rail reaching up to 500Km/H to
connect Tokyo to Nagoya and a further expansion
to connect to Osaka
02/04/2023 5
 Gap Analysis continued…
Optimum Bias
Dubailand The uniqueness bias of the project
was on a macro level. The optimum
bias was fair because the stakeholders
did not over-promise and all they set
out to achieve exists and available.
Aggregating them creatively in a
mega-manner in a particular location
further enhancing the national
rebranding and identity.
US O’Hare The covid-19 pandemic disrupted lives
International Airport and hugely impacted the air travel
Redevelopment ecosystem. Both global sporting
events that will be hosted will definitely
increase air travel affirming the
optimum bias as fair by the
stakeholder.
02/04/2023
Sustainability
The project has a huge
sustainability gene embedded
within it. Dubai already a tourist
nation (attracting 15M tourist)
will attract more making the
project self-sustaining
economically, boosting several
commercial activities, creating
jobs almost indefinitely.
It is a sustainable project due
to the impact it will have on
host cities, jobs will be created,
products and services will be
sold and render to commuters
by SME e.g transport and
logistics further boosting the
economy of the city.
Complexities
The complexities involved in the
project are many, from design of
these Mega theme parks to
construction, technology to be
used to operate as well as for
maintenance.
This requires specialised skill
sets such as creative P3M
(portfolio, programme and
project management)
The complexities majorly
identified are in the HSE while
construction work is progressing.
Technology need of the project
will be novel. Having tried it on
small scale now to be
implemented on a grand scale
giving rise for uncertainty on how
it will respond to the volume.
6
 Sublimes that drive Megaproject development.
(Flyvbjerg, B., 2017)

Type of sublime Characteristics 

Technological Technologists and engineers are enthralled by the prospect of pushing the boundaries of what is
possible in "longest-tallest-fastest" initiatives.

Political The ecstasy that politicians get from erecting monuments to themselves and their causes, as
well as the increased visibility that this brings to the public and media 

Economical The joy that businesspeople and labour unions experience when they make a lot of money and
create a lot of employment as a result of megaprojects, which includes money made for
contractors, construction and transportation employees, consultants, bankers, investors,
landowners, lawyers, and developers. 

Aesthetics The joy that designers and others who appreciate good design derive from constructing and
using something massive that is also iconic and attractive, such as the Golden Gate Bridge,
Barangaroo, Burg Khalifa, and Burg Al Arab, among others.

02/04/2023 7
MEGA and COMPLEX
projects

02/04/2023 8
Similarities

Considering the listed projects in

Huge budget usually measured in
the previous slide, all mega and
billion dollars, time to deliver
complex projects have the
usually long, and scope are often
following common denominator:
defined without flexibility.

The project management tools,

systems, and processes
The need to identify, engage,
requirement are very different
manage, and deliver value to
from the small and less complex
stakeholders, through the
project the high level of the P3M
realisation of beneficial change in
e.g portfolio and programme
alignment with strategic objectives
management, as well as project
is key in MCPs
management

02/04/2023 9
 Differences

• The Mega and complex projects are all meeting diverse and different needs of their respective national
needs and stakeholders.
• Projects are unique endeavour in themselves and usually apparent in the strategic objectives it will be
meeting.
• Also cost variation, time variation and scope differs in most MCPs.
• Stakeholders are different in terms of interest and influence as well as their risk appetite and risk
threshold

02/04/2023 10
 Some Mega and complex project characteristics are:
Nyarirangwe et al, 2019)

• Extensive physical size

• Huge budgets
• Long planning and implementation timeframes
• High media attention
• High social and political significance
• Involvement of multi-disciplinary professional team
• Complex activity interdependences
• High pace and require innovative approaches
• Complex iterative decision-making processes
• Diverse stakeholders
• Complex contractual frameworks and procurement processes
02/04/2023 11
Mega-project Country Description Cost Estimate

International Space Station USA, Russia, Japan, Considered as the most expensive $150 billion (as of
Canada and Europe single item ever built 2010)

South-to-North China Built to divert water from the Yangtze River $78 billion (as of
Water Transfer using three huge canals to bring it to the north 2014
Project of the country and considered to be three
times more expensive than the Three Gorges
Dam

California USA Designed to link San Francisco to Los $70 billion

High-Speed Rail Angeles over a distance of about 1,300 km

Dubailand UAE Mega theme park with the world’s largest hotel $64 billion
(6,500 rooms), sports
venues, eco-tourism, science attractions, and
a giant mall to open in
project will open in 2025 in Dubai

02/04/2023 12
CRITICAL
EVALUATION OF
EMERGING
THEMES

02/04/2023 13
02/04/2023 14
 Inadequate grasp of project stakeholders, interests and
Power connections. As the many parties involved strive
to engage with government authorities and comply with
regulations, conflicts, inefficiencies and delays  Manage the stakeholder by identifying
Stakeholder Engagement frequently 
their different driver's interests ,power,
and Management
Developed. culture, resources and expectations 

During project life cycle there was a lack of

communication participation and transparency with
external partners
During the project's life cycle, there

The most common cause of commercial partnership Maximise competition and design
 is lack of systematic awareness of interdependencies procurement systems with embedded
Supply Chain Integration
Of interdependencies across project life cycle which  flexibility to be adapted if project condition
and Coordination
Affect project at multiple level inter organizational, change.
 intra organizational and external

Denicol, J., Davies, A. and Krystallis, I., 2020

02/04/2023 15

Where are the underlying
root cause, why it is still an
issue, problem and
challenge, opportunities vs
threats, any
inherent benefits and
values?
02/04/2023
STRENGTH:- Dubailand project will capture tourist's attraction
and challenges progress of developer's perception and
everchanging business model which is absent in economic
 tourism.
WEAKNESS:- Dubailand project faces various risk that might
result in time and cost overheads adversely affecting the
deadlines and future prospects.
OPPORTUNITIES:- Dubailand stands as a great choice for
settling with reasonable prices and adequate resources for
entertainment and infotainment. Also, it is a great choice for
investors and businessmen. 
THREATS:- Project faces various risks such as inflation of cost ,
natural disasters, occupational risks for workers etc. Inflation may
lead to failure in meeting the financial plans and projections
created through optimum bias.
16
• Global financial crisis of 2008-2009
• Lack of funds led to halt of different projects globally that period and
Dubailand was not an exception

Why is it still an issue?

• The project is still alive however some area got sold. 
• Constructions were resumed in 2013 and $55billion got raised
however this is nowhere sufficient.
• Theme park called Restless planet that was halted was demolished
later and turned to an IMG adventure park. Root cause
• F1-X project that was stopped is still unattended to
• Universal Studios Dubai got completed but was later deserted by
authorities
• The only active project that got completed and hosts events is Dubai
Miracle Garden.

02/04/2023 17
Underlying root cause in mega and
complex project (Pitagorsky,G.;2011)
Wishful Planning : Making plans optimistically thinking everything is going to go well instead
of thinking about the risks and reality.

Lack of Portfolio management: Engaging in projects and spending resources on it without

thinking about its requirement for the business 

Lack of accountability: Poor accountability from the stakeholder's failure to deliver at time

Absentee sponsors: Poor performance and leverage due to failures from the sponsors in
doing their functions.

02/04/2023 18
How to improve and • Adoption of appropriate stakeholder engagement methods, with a
focus on transparency and effectiveness that aligns with the project
enhance the Mega plans.
• Implementation of a sophisticated and efficient communication
Projects Management system.
methods • Identifying stakeholders and establishing common goals as well as
risk associated with each.
• Implementation of an effective PMO or P3M processes.
• Cost and resources management must align with the project standard.
• Acquisition and utilisation of cutting-edge, high-quality plant and gear,
including robotics and automation.
• Competent personnel for plant and machinery operation and maintenance
are available. 
• Effective supervision and monitoring using appropriate project
management approach
• Ensure that sufficient and high-quality materials are available.

02/04/2023 19
 Why Strategic Project Management
are not necessarily used effectively
in this Mega Projects

• Misinterpretation of data
• Communication gap
• Lack of skill and vision 
• Lack of shared values for processes
• Motives for optimal bias differ.
• Strategic plans are not aligned with project plans.
• Inadequate horizontal hierarchy.

02/04/2023 20
 PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES IN
DUBAILAND MEGA PROJECT
Project success depends on doing project the right way and doing the right projects. Using
both Centralised and Decentralised risk management approach Dubailand Mega Project
                 C O  E    would reap financial reward from Portfolio Management that helps in resource
allocation, prioritization of projects development and effective investment.

DUBAILAND An effective portfolio management in Dubailand will:

 Help to achieve and deliver the project's corporate purpose and strategic objectives.
 Help to deliver accurate and consistent Data over its entire life cycle (Data Integrity).
 Ensure that each projects is strategically aligned and delivered as at when due.
 Pick the right projects and eradicate/disregard  projects  that  are irrelevant  early.
45  45
 Sustainability
  Maximise profit from investment and value of the portfolio.
 Effective use of available resources and tools.

200
SUB PROJECTS

02/04/2023 21
 PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN DUBAILAND

• This is a large-scale Megaproject in a complicated setting that will take

many years to conceive and construct.
COE • It includes a number of public and commercial enterprises, including
Universal Studios, Lego Land, Giant Ferry Wheels, Dubai Miracle Garden
and Dubai Sport City, Merlin Entertainment, Six Flags, and others. 

PORTFOLIO
• All these 45 projects and 200 sub projects are all – inclusive of
a programme which require the need for the  establishment of
a programme management to ascertain the effective use,
HS Rail DUBAILAND DISALINISATION distribution and allocation of  resources across all the projects in
order to achieve the desired end results.
• Programme Management will aid all these projects and sub
projects in achieving the set strategic  goals and objectives
45 • The establishment of Programme management will help in making
timely effective decision.
• Programme management aids in the selection of the most
200 appropriate initiatives and the accurate assessment of their
economic, social, and environmental implications (Flyvbjerg et al
2003).
02/04/2023 22
Analysis on how Strategic Risk Management approaches could
reduce the in-built (inherent) risk, complexities & uncertainties in
this Mega Project

Strategic Risk Management approaches could help reduce the inbuilt risk, complexities and uncertainties in
this Dubailand Mega Project through the following ways:
• Identify and appropriately ranking the risks and uncertainties involved using qualitative and quantitative
analysis approach.
strategic
• Help the management develop a risk management response strategy for each of the risks and uncertainties
identified.
• Risk Insurance: All the risks identified should be insured irrespective of their magnitude and propensity of
occurrence (Knewtson & Qi 2019).
• Continuity: Although the strategy has the likelihood of increasing the overall cost, but it gives Dubailand an
assurance that even if a major disaster occurs, the project will continue.
• Having these strategies not only reduces the probability of occurrence but also makes relevant stakeholders
aware and prepared in case they occur and would help them in monitoring the risks identifed..

02/04/2023 23
 Stakeholders Management approaches in this Mega
project

Some Stakeholders identified in Dubai Land  project​

• Dubai Land services and partners
• Government partners
• Contractors and suppliers
• International organisation and partners  ie Lego Land,Merlin Entertainment,Six flag etc
• International and local workers
• International banks
• Real Estate partners

02/04/2023 24
Stakeholder management approach…. (Theoretical Framework Bal et al.,(2013))

Identify key Educate and

stakeholders embrace
stakeholder
Relate to
Put targets management and
stakeholders with
into action Monitor and sustainability
sustainability Identify and
support process concepts
principles classify project
with remedial stakeholders
actions

Measure their Prioritize

performance Stakeholders Manage Identify SM
stakeholders and approach and
sustainability by sustainable
Manage measuring targets concept to adopt
stakeholders

Analyse Engage key

stakeholders stakeholders

25
COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT APPROACH Project
(Billström and Cederqvist, ., 2012) Manager

• According to Dubailand project there are 45 mega Communication

projects and  200 sub projects. Sales
Manager
Manager
• Each project will be having definite timelines
and these deadlines lead to a stressful situations
• Hence an effective  and creative Quantity
communication should be in place. Site Technical checker
• PM' s  of each project creates Manager Officer
communication management approach to
ensure the timely delivery of projects. Quality
• Two types of communications: checker
Formal and Informal communication.
•  Formal communication is General Site
a style in which communications are Quality/Quantity
foreman Engineer controller
done according to the rules and ideas.
• Informal communication is defined as information
exchange between via different channels such
as face to face meetings, phone calls, portals Assistant surveyors
and emails. for quality and
quantity
02/04/2023 26
02/04/2023 27
Schedule Management approaches in this Mega Project
 Cost Management approaches in this
Mega Project (Analysis on Capital
Control & Capital Efficiency
• The PMI PMBOK standard defines cost management of construction
projects as the actions required for budget planning, assessment and
development, fundraising, cost financing, management, and control to
complete the project within the agreed budget.

• Project management is governed by a number of international standards

and methodologies, including PMI PMBOK, P2M, PRINCE2, and GOST.

02/04/2023 29
 (Stevens, W.M., 1986)
Construction
business
management

Sales and marketing

Engineering and
Project Design
Management
Estimation and
budgeting

Purchasing
/procurement route

Contract
Administration

Field Construction

Finance and
Accounting
02/04/2023 30
 PMBOK Guide, 2008
Project Cost Management

INPUTS
INPUTS Project management plan
INPUTS Activity cost estimates
Basis of estimates Work performance
Scope baseline
Resource calendars information
Project Schedule
Contracts Organizational process
Risk Register
asset
TOOLS AND TOOLS AND
TOOLS AND
TECHNIQUES TECHNIQUES
TECHNIQUES
Cost aggregation Earned value
Expert judgment
Reserve analysis management Forecasting
Analogous estimating
Expert judgment To-complete performance
Parametric estimating
Historical relationships index (TCPI)
Funding limit reconciliation Performance reviews
OUTPUTS
Variance analysis
Activity cost estimates
OUTPUTS OUTPUTS
Basis of estimates
Cost performance Work performance
Project document
baseline measurements
updates
Project funding Budget forecasts
requirements Organizational process
Project document updates assets updates
02/04/2023 Change requests 31
ESTIMATED COST DETERMINE BUDGET COST CONTROL
 Value Efficiency – Sustainable
Benefits and Value transition – Value
for Monies

• The value efficiency that shows sustainable benefits and value transition
presenting good value for money include a good portfolio and effective
change management. Defining the VfM criteria should be done at the
portfolio level that a specific project or programme will help to achieve,
since it must be in alignment with the strategic goal(s). The Whole Life Cost
(WLC) of a building/project encompasses all associated and relevant current and
future costs and benefits of a building/project that may occur over the course of
the building/entire project's life cycle.. (ISO 2008, Korytárová et al 2014)
• Value for money include the monetised and non-monetised impacts gotten
from the MCP and this can be measured using the cost-benefits analysis.
• The sustainable benefit in terms of economic, material used and their
source (local/foreign), renewable or reusable energy source, all these also
shows the value that can be derived from the benefits reflecting the VfM of
such MCPs through evaluation of cost-benefits analysis
• In project research and practise, project governance is a critical topic. It refers to
the procedures, protocols, and rules that the financing party must implement to
ensure that relevant and viable projects are selected and delivered in a timely
02/04/2023 manner (Volden, 2019) 32
 In conclusion, the study went on to look into the o

Conclusion

02/04/2023 33
 •A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK Guide), Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute,
Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, 2017
•A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK Guide), Fourth Edition, Project Management
Institute, Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute,
2008
•Aiyetan, A.O. & Das, D.K. 2022, "Factors and Strategies for
Improving Construction Management on Sites in Mega-
Projects in South Africa: An Explorative

References
Survey", Infrastructures, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 19.
•Bal, M., Bryde, D., Fearon, D. and Ochieng, E., 2013.
Stakeholder engagement: Achieving sustainability in the
construction sector. Sustainability, 5(2), pp.695-710.
•Billström, L. and Cederqvist, L., 2012. Communication in
mega-projects: The consultant´ s perspective.
•Caldas, C. and Gupta, A., 2017. Critical factors impacting the
performance of mega-projects. Engineering, Construction and
Architectural Management
•Cooper, R.G., Edgett, S.J. and Klienschmidt, E.J., 2001.
Portfolio Management. Pegasus, New York.
•Cooper, R.G., Edgett, S.J. and Kleinschmidt, E.J., 2001.
Portfolio management for new products.
02/04/2023 34
 • Denicol, J., Davies, A. and Krystallis, I., 2020. What are the causes and cures of
poor megaproject performance? A systematic literature review and research
agenda. Project Management Journal, 51(3), pp.328-345.
• Eyiah-Botwe, E., Aigbavboa, C. and Thwala, W.D., 2016. Mega Construction
Projects: using stakeholder management for enhanced sustainable
construction. American Journal of Engineering Research, 5(5), pp.80-86.
• Flyvbjerg, B. (2014) ‘What you Should Know about Megaprojects and Why: An
Overview’, Project Management Journal, 45(2), pp. 6–19. doi: 10.1002/pmj.21409.

References • Flyvbjerg, B., Bruzelius, N. and Rothengatter, W., 2003. Megaprojects and risk: An
anatomy of ambition. Cambridge university press.
• Giezen, M., 2012. Keeping it simple? A case study into the advantages and
disadvantages of reducing complexity in mega project planning. International
Journal of Project Management, 30(7), pp.781-790.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8l7WEITqgQ
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcvtmORdpI4
• Knewtson, H. and Qi, H., 2019. Managing risk for sustainable microfinance. The
Journal of Risk Finance.

02/04/2023 35
• Korytárová, J. and Hromádka, V., 2014. The economic evaluation of
megaprojects–social and economic impacts. Procedia-Social
and Behavioral Sciences, 119, pp.495-502
• Li, Y., Han, Y., Luo, M. and Zhang, Y., 2019. Impact of megaproject
governance on project performance: Dynamic governance of the Nanning
transportation hub in China. Journal of Management in Engineering, 35(3),
p.05019002.
• Mok, Ka & Shen, Geoffrey & Yang, Jing. (2014). Stakeholder management
studies in mega construction projects: A review and future directions.
International Journal of Project Management. 33.
10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.08.007.
• Nyarirangwe, M. and Babatunde, O.K., 2019. Megaproject complexity attributes
and competences: lessons from IT and construction projects. International
References
Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, 7(4), pp.77-99.
Click to add text
• Pitagorsky.G, 2011. Why project Fail: A route Cause retrieved 28 March 2022
from https://www.projecttimes.com/articles/why-projects-fail-a-root-cause/
• Project Management Journal, Vol. 40, No. 1, 99–109 © 2009 by the Project
Management Institute Published online in Wiley InterScience (
www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/pmj.20099
• Rustamova, S., 2021. Application of PMI PMBOK standard in the development
of the Construction cost management projects plan. International journal of
trends in business administration, 11(1).
• Stevens, W.M., 1986. Cost control: Integrated
cost/schedule performance. Journal of Management in Engineering, 2(3),
pp.157-164.
• Volden, G.H., 2019. Assessing public projects' value for money: An empirical
study of the usefulness of cost–benefit analyses in decision-
making. International Journal of Project Management, 37(4), pp.549-564. 02/04/2023 36