PARADIGM SHIFT THE AIPM DIGITAL MAGAZINE
THE PEOPLE EDITION
AUTUMN 2020
THE BEST PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE INCLUDES… Two hours of FREE Legal Consultation. NO EXCESS for a claim where you and your Insurer successfully defend your practice OVERSEAS Work MITIGATION COSTS to help your project continue and avoid a potential claim Austbrokers Countrywide have partnered with AIPM to offer exclusive insurance and financial services to AIPM members. Our team of specialist brokers focus on professional risks with over 100 years of combined experience in the field.
PREFERRED INSURANCE PROVIDER TO AIPM MEMBERS
2
a b c o u n t r y w i d e . c o m . a u /A I P M
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO ELIZABETH FOLEY “Get the right people. Then no matter what all else you might do wrong after that; the people will save you. That’s what management is all about.” Tom DeMarco This quarter’s Paradigm Shift showcases the lifeblood of projects… PEOPLE. Just as the heart pumps blood and oxygen through the body, the project manager disseminates information to all relevant stakeholders from plans, schedules, budgets, actions, documentation and other key information needed to execute the project. Without the people, projects would not exist. The AIPM has too been focusing on its people and this year has started with great gusto. In January we on-boarded three newly elected directors to the Board, Rob Loader, James Bawtree and Connie Beck. They are bringing a new energy and skill set to our already strong board. We are currently recruiting a new independent director to replace recently retiring Lynnette Pinder, and we thank Lynette for her huge contribution to the Board and the Audit and Risk Committee. January also saw the election of several new Presidents and Vice Presidents across Australia (see In the News section on page 5). February had a packed agenda, kicking off the year with a Staff Summit, followed the next week by the first board meeting of the year, and a greatly refreshed Congress
Paradigm Shift is published quarterly. Calls for articles for the next publication will be made approximately 45 days before publications. Please see the back page for more details on how you can feature in our next edition.
CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE CEO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IN THE NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
meeting. As we move to review and further develop AIPM’s strategy, we asked both staff and Congress to workshop what they thought AIPM’s vision, mission and values should be! The result from both was robust conversations and lots of good ideas, which we will synthesis into a consolidated view in the coming weeks. We also further discussed the governance enhancements mentioned at the AGM in November, which was really useful for trying to nut out exactly how changes would work, and how we will end up with a more easily understood constitution, and a better way of operating more generally. Some of the classic quotes from the day were, ‘#best congress yet!’ and ‘Don’t throw the baby boomers out with the bathwater’. Overall it has been a great start to 2020 for AIPM. This issue of Paradigm Shift teaches you how you can build employee resilience with neuroscience, how to avoid corruption in project management and making decisions in fast paced projects. We also interviewed Patrick Leahy, who took out the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Young Project Manager of the Year Award in 2019 and asked two Telstra project managers how they made the shift to be effective lean agile project leaders as part of a companywide transformation. It’s been a tough start to 2020 in Australia with bushfires burning around the country and our nation declared in a state of emergency. Through all the devastation and loss, the one thing that has been outstanding is the comradery of people. I would encourage you to think about how you might contribute to the bushfire appeal with your project management skills. Speak to your local Chapter Council about the volunteering activities being coordinated in your State and how you can contribute. Enjoy reading, Elizabeth Foley MAIPM MCom BBus FAICD CEO AIPM
PATRICK LEAHY | INTERNATIONAL YOUNG PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR . . . . . . . . . . . 12 MAKING DECISIONS IN FAST PACED PROJECTS. . 14 NEXT GENERATION MANAGEMENT? SEVEN WAY YOU CAN PREPARE YOUR MILLENNIAL PROJECT MANAGERS FOR THE FUTURE. . . . . . 16
RESEARCH SUPPORTING AUSTRALIA’S DEFENCE CAPABILITIES THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE PROJECT, PROGRAM AND PORTFOLIO MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION-MAKING MODEL. . . . 22
PROJECTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
FELLOWS FORUM
YOU’LL NEVER WIN ANYTHING WITH KIDS. . . . . 8
CULTURAL CENTRE FOR THE BAAKANTJI PEOPLE IN WILCANIA NSW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
LESSONS FOR PROJECT MANAGERS FROM THE FIRE FRONT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
ANTI-CORRUPTION | HOW KNOWING THE BASICS CAN HELP EVERY PROJECT MANAGER AVOID BEING CHALLENGED. . . . . . . .10
MAKING THE SWITCH | HOW TWO HIGH PERFORMING PROJECT MANAGERS BECAME HIGHLY EFFECTIVE LEAN AGILE PROJECT LEADERS. . . . 20
CONNECT
BUILDING EMPLOYEE RESILIENCE WITH NEUROSCIENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
WHAT EVENTS ARE COMING THIS YEAR. . . . . . 26
3
IN THE NEWS
area, a critical component of advancing the Queensland Government’s cities and regions strategy. Commencing in 2017, for the next 20 years this 460 hectares will be transformed into a vibrant urban community, with Petrie town centre and the new University of Sunshine Coast (USC) campus at its core. The USC’s brief is to address the problem of Moreton Bay students traveling more than three hours to get to university classes and the very low rate of university participation. On February 17, 2020 Queensland’s newest university opened it’s doors to orientation week where 1,200 inaugural students are set to experience classes. Enrolments in the fast growing region are expected to reach 10,000 before long. Future development stages will feature mixed use transit hubs, commercial and business hubs for innovation and research to create 6,000 jobs by 2036, communal open spaces, digital and sustainability initiatives. Learn more here.
AIPM’s gender diversity report is a timely reminder of Australia’s lagging position on gender equity
8 IMPERATIVES FOR GENDER EQUITY IN THE WORKPLACE A report prepared by AIPM to coincide with International Women’s Day, identified eight imperatives for improving gender equity in senior industry levels. The report emphasises eight key imperatives that need to be implemented for female participation rates to match international levels, which include the financial incentives for professional, university educated women to return to work. To improve the overall level of women returning to the workforce, either part time or full time, both parents need flexible work, and all Australians need a workplace free from bullying and sexual harassment. Download report here.
THE MILL AT MORETON BAY | EXCITEMENT BUILDS FOR USC OPENING Dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley’ of North Brisbane, The Mill at Moreton Bay is the region’s lead priority development
ACT GOVERNMENT TRANSITIONS TO ACTIVITY BASED WORK ENVIRONMENTS The ACT Public Service is transitioning to Activity Based Work (ABW) ahead of new offices in Dickson and Civic opening in 2020. This to support worker well-being. All new workstations feature an electronic sit-to-stand desk, adjustable monitor arms and a high-quality standard chair. Occupational therapists have visited sites to train individual staff on how to correctly configure workstations in line with ergonomic requirements.
APM OFFERS AIPM MEMBERS A ROAD TO CHARTERED STATUS The Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) standard is a professional benchmark that demonstrates attainment of a defined level of technical knowledge, professional practice and ethical behaviour. It forms the basis of the assessment that applicants must pass to gain ChPP status and inclusion on the Register of Chartered Project Professionals. As of Wednesday 4 March 2020 Australia now has 18 ChPP’s listed on their register including one female. See the Australian Register here.
The main entrance to the new Petrie campus of the University of Sunshine Coast, Queensland’s newest university campus. (Source: USC)
4
MEET THE NEW AIPM BOARD DIRECTORS JAMES BAWTREE CHPP FAIPM CPPD, IPMA LEVEL A® Area/s of specialty in project management: Helping executives deliver their goals through project management in a sustainable and digital driven way. I am a globally approved trainer with over 10,000 training hours in business transformation, program, PMO and project management. I am also a certified change management practitioner and have undertaken most project related roles including Program Director, Organisational Change Manager, PMO Manager as well as General Manager and since 2011 Chief Executive Officer of a project management company. I assist executives in large organisations transform themselves and their organisations, focusing on digital driven and cultural change programs which deliver real and meaningful results to the team, suppliers as well as the community more broadly. Your goal/s as a board member: To support AIPM’s quest of professionalising project to benefit our community and our economy. With my fellow Board Members I will increase the relevance AIPM has through advocacy, education and research, to ensure AIPM has a sustainable future and the value of project management is more broadly understood and valued, well beyond my time in this role. Something people don’t know about you: I started my project management career as a Graduate Trainee and Project Engineer working for Rolls-Royce PLC 20 years ago. I was sponsored by the project management department where I had the opportunity to work for and with many amazing people, later becoming a Chartered Professional Engineer. Two of the highlights were; returning to university as a paid student to study knowledge management as a way of reducing the risk of tacit knowledge walking out of the door as staff retired, and working in the PMO of the Trent 500 Program, the Trent 500 being a transformation program for Rolls-Royce at the time and the engine platform still core to the engine range today.
CONNIE BECK FAIPM CPPD, AICD Area/s of specialty in project management: I work with Executives and Boards in Global Transformation in the technology industry. In particular, where companies have disparate systems as a result of acquisitions over time. I work with the leadership teams on implementation of shared services and common platforms to drive efficiency. I deliver Digital Transformations and assist companies to build a business strategy and associated capabilities, culture and change momentum that is needed for a step change to digital disruption. This is
where my passion for project management commenced 20+ years ago, you simply cannot deliver large programs of work without methodology and process. Your goal/s as a board member: I am passionate about being involved with any Australian organisation and like to support our own. My personal goal is to continue to support and drive adoption and membership of AIPM with the creation of a new strategy to continue to grow membership, value for members and promote our brand nationally. It is a unique organisation that has built many networks, friendships and careers and Australia should be proud of it and continue to support this wonderful institution. Something people don’t know about you: I am passionate about my garden, it is my peaceful escape. Holidays are planned around the season as I cannot bear for anything to be deprived of water and not nurtured when I am away!
ROB LOADER FAIPM, FAPM, FFIN, MAICD, CPPE, PMP, MPM, BBUS Area/s of specialty in project management: Enterprise wide project and portfolio management. Organisation project capability development. Essentially focusing on helping organisations to build strategic execution capability and competitive advantage Your goal/s as a board member: AIPM has critical stewardship role to encourage adoption and recognition of project management as core organisational competency that it essential to society growth and development. I am committed with the Board and Management team to: • drive stronger advocacy and research outcomes for AIPM and the project profession with business, educators, government and the community at large • expansion of mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations that will advance career pathways, recognition and services for our members • enable growth of AIPM membership, and promote an active and dynamic Australian project management community Something people don’t know about you: Deep in the heart of AFL Victorian country football territory in the 1980s, I was a founding member and captain of a rugby league team, well before Melb Storm came to being. I represented the nascent Victoria Rugby League twice, playing against SA and NSW Country teams!
MEET THE AIPM CHAPTER CONGRESS Below are your newly elected congress members in each chapter. For a full list of chapter councillors please visit this page. NAME Sylvia Boyle FAIPM CPPD David Vrancic MAIPM CPPE Mark Adams MAIPM CPPM Selina Wang MAIPM CPPM Bill Kmon MAIPM CPPM Lyle Hebb MAIPM CPPD Lachlan Waite MAIPM CPPD Dr. Elaine Roberts FAIPM CPPD Brad Hajek MAIPM CPPD Margaret Hilliard MAIPM CPPM Vaidhei Hardikar MAIPM Andrew Fowler MAIPM Chris Latcham MAIPM CPPD Dylan Hesselberg MAIPM CPPM Peter Tilley MAIPM Phil Harlow LFAIPM
POSITION ACT President ACT Vice President NSW President NSW Vice President NT President NT Vice President QLD President QLD Vice President SA President SA Vice President TAS President TAS Vice President VIC President VIC Vice President WA President WA Vice President
5
INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
BUILDING EMPLOYEE RESILIENCE WITH NEUROSCIENCE MOST EMPLOYEES STRUGGLE WITH CHANGE, BUT PROJECT LEADERS ARE IN A POSITION TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THEIR EXPERIENCE, FOSTER RESILIENCE AND SUBSEQUENTLY ENHANCE PERFORMANCE. Source: iStock
Recent neuroscience research provides strategies that project leaders can use to assist others to maintain optimal brain fitness in the midst of change. By building a higher level of brain fitness within their organisations, project leaders can leverage the inevitable change and uncertainty inherent in project implementation as a competitive advantage rather than a stumbling block.
CREATING SAFETY AND CONTROL Human brains function best when we have a sense of safety and control. The uncertainty associated with changes in business models, organisational structure, disruptive technologies and the like – reduce both control and safety for employees.
The ability to communicate on both the informational and emotional level helps to build strong, trusting relationships and is the hallmark of an effective project leader. 6
Frequent, multi-way communications with employees, including face-to-face conversations, not only increase alignment during times of change but also create an important foundation for building resilience to changeinduced uncertainty.
DETECTING AND DEFLECTING THREATS Human brains have a built-in threat-detector that quickly picks up on any change. Each and every change is assessed to determine if it presents a danger. When people feel threatened and unsafe, there are significant neurochemical and blood-flow changes that result in less brainpower (i.e. thinking capacity) being available for higher-order thinking, memory and problem-solving. Employees gain a sense of predictability and control when project leaders provide information, clarity about what to expect, and resources for dealing with the change. This reduces the anxiety and discomfort associated with uncertainty. Given employees may have reduced capacity to ‘take-in’ new information when they are stressed, project leaders should repeat and reinforce important messages through multiple channels.
LABELLING EMOTION Project leaders can also facilitate coping by creating an opportunity for employees to express their reactions/feelings. Simply labelling emotions, either verbally or in writing, has been associated with immediate reductions in perceived stress and boosting the ability to think more clearly. Likewise, this same labelling technique is correlated with improvements in memory, concentration and attention – prerequisites for complex problem-solving. Labelling emotion enables people to tap into the ‘thinking’ part of the brain instead of being limited to the ‘emotional’ part, thereby creating a ‘neurological bridge’ that helps us use this information more productively. Project leaders often make the mistake of thinking they have to solve their employees’ problems or somehow rid them of their emotions. In fact, simply listening attentively demonstrates respect, compassion and provides the employee with the opportunity to begin to think more clearly about how they wish to deal with the issue at hand.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING ACTIVE In addition to being able to label emotion, it is helpful for people to take an active role in their own coping and adjustment to change. When stressed or feeling unsafe, many people will go into avoidance or shut-down mode. Effective project leaders encourage people to take an active role in adapting to organisational changes. This can include encouraging peer support and collaborative problem-solving related to coping with change. Project leaders often either ignore losses or take on the role of ‘fixer’. Creating the conditions that give people the opportunity to use their strengths and experiences to creatively tackle challenges not only improves the likelihood of the problems being successfully solved but also builds the capability and confidence of those people most directly affected by the changes.
Effective project leaders encourage people to take an active role in adapting to organisational changes. This can include encouraging peer support and collaborative problemsolving related to coping with change. Many people neglect their health when under stress. Neurologically, this is the time the brain needs the most care. Encouraging people to get enough sleep, exercise, adequate nutrition and opportunities for social engagement contributes to increases in specific brain chemicals that are essential for new learning. Exercise also helps to reduce the stress hormones that can impair thinking, memory and coping.
LESSONS FROM NEUROSCIENCE Employees are better able to cope with change and likely to build resilience for long-term coping and performance if they have accurate information, are given an opportunity and encouragement to acknowledge losses and difficulties, and have access to useful resources – including other people. Author: Dr Connie Henson, the author of BrainWise Leadership, has international experience designing culture change, business transformation and leadership development programs that are informed by the latest neuroscience research. Connie’s driving force is to create company cultures that people want to work for, do business with and have in their community. For more information: Email: chenson@learningquest.com.au, or visit: www.learningquest.com.au or LinkedIn
Source: iStock
7
INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
YOU’LL NEVER WIN ANYTHING WITH KIDS
THE IMPORTANCE OF CAPABILITY NOT JUST EXPERIENCE
The importance of experience is consistently touted through job interviews and tender invitations that require a minimum of ‘x’ years’ experience as a criterion for applying/taking part. However, is this easily quantifiable piece of information too basic as a gauge of ability in project management? If projects are unique, then aren’t we all starting from a similar position each time? And does the length of service as a PM genuinely indicate a capability to undertake the role? Don’t get me wrong – I’m not suggesting that experience is necessarily detrimental or negatively correlated to capability. The point that I’m driving at is that there are without question, a lot of young (or even new to the discipline) project managers who would be able to deliver the goods across multiple sectors because of their proactive, soft skilled, adaptive approach. There also exists a group of PMs whose only credentials are based around longevity of service,
There are without question, a lot of young (or even new to the discipline) project managers who would be able to deliver the goods across multiple sectors because of their proactive, soft skilled, adaptive approach.
Source: iStock
8
who struggle to engage with teams and aren’t aware of the developing trends in their industry. I know who I’d rather have delivering my project. Or perhaps to phrase it clearer – I know what type of PM I’d like to have working on my project. There are ways to establish which person is the right fit for a project – personality assessment, psychometric testing, simulations and more. These provide more of a rational guide to who is best suited to be a PM on a project than a measure that is only temporally based. We can look at sport for examples here – the blooding of exciting young talents is a consistent theme in many of the most successful teams in the world, regardless of code. Wayne Rooney burst onto the soccer scene at 16 years old. Patrick Mahomes is the most recent Superbowl MVP at 24. Marnus Labuschagne made his debut in the test team at 23. Again, let’s acknowledge that you don’t rush an entire team of novices into a demanding league, you sprinkle the youngsters into a team that contains established players so that they get a chance to settle in and adjust to the rigours. The sporting analogy is slightly bias since elite physical prowess tends to fade far earlier than mental capacity.It remains a relevant model to follow however – back the ability which you have seen, and promote people based on their merits, not on their age. Other factors come into play as well. Remember the era of the accidental project manager? That phenomenon is becoming less of a factor now with many Universities offering
…back the ability which you have seen, and promote people based on their merits, not on their age. pre and post graduate courses on our discipline. What’s the value of a certified qualification in comparison with on the job experience? It’s difficult to tell, because it’s apples and oranges. Which is why the key aspect is the individual’s ability to interpret and utilise the information that they possess, rather than the association of competence through the passing of time. So maybe it’s time to review how we judge the suitability of project managers for roles. Maybe more faith needs to be put into the people instead of the numbers. I was particularly disheartened when a panel discussion at last years National Conference concluded with the statement that people needed ‘battle scars’ before they could be considered a reliable, professional PM (or words to that effect). The crowd may have been a bit partisan in concurrence, as it primarily consisted of Generation X and older, which begged the question – where are the younger PMs? Have we so comprehensively marginalised them or have they received no financial backing from their companies to enable them to attend? The industry needs new PMs to cope with the current and projected workload. The AIPM needs new PMs to sustain (and grow) its membership base. We should be doing everything in our power to actively encourage the participation of everyone possible in our discipline. Let’s end by going back to sports, and one of the most famous examples of commentators curse ever. Alan Hansen, himself an excellent soccer player turned pundit, opined on national TV in England that ‘you can’t win anything with kids’, in reference to the Manchester United team of 1995. To say that he was proven wrong would be a slight understatement, as that team went on to win the league and cup double in that year as well as the next. Watch Alan’s mistake here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Es-RIBnba8 Poor Alan. At least he provided the inspiration for the headline of this article – yet in 25 years since this quote, the consistent reliance on experience as the fundamental indicator of competence has remained, and it is time this was challenged. Put the person first, not the number. Maybe my opinion will change when I get another ten years under my belt, at which point it will probably be more to do with self-preservation than anything. Author: Nick Jago looks at experience in a different way to most, and the collation of your individual experiences can certainly be more than the sum of your years. Experiences are both good (wedding, birth of child, 5-0 win over local rivals) and bad (tasting vegemite for the first time, insect stuck inside ear). He is no stranger to controversial viewpoints – he dislikes all cheese and isn’t convinced that 5G technology is a good thing. Most importantly, he is really passionate about project management and how it can keep improving. When he’s not writing or presenting on the topic, he’s a Senior Associate for Ontoit 9
INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
ANTICORRUPTION: HOW KNOWING THE BASICS CAN HELP EVERY PROJECT MANAGER AVOID BEING CHALLENGED
Source: iStock
Since 1995, countries around the world have been assessed and surveyed on financial and judicial practices by Transparency International. The *2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) was released recently with Australia sitting at #11, certainly behind our cousins across the ditch with New Zealand taking the #1 position. Noting that corruption is defined as dishonest or fraudulent behaviour by someone in power, we spoke with Phil Sealy, FAIPM CPPD, Director of Pro Leaders Academy, an organisation that trains specifically in the areas of procurement and contracting within a government environment about some of the reasons this might be and how this might affect project managers and what we can actually do about it.
PHIL, WHEN TALKING ABOUT CORRUPTION IN NATIONS, WE OFTEN THINK OF COUNTRIES SUCH AS COLUMBIA OR SOMALIA AS BEING CORRUPT. WHY DO YOU THINK AUSTRALIA ISN’T IN THE TOP 10? Simply because many people making decisions on how to spend money or how to evaluate a contract aren’t fully aware of the legislation that they work under. We have seen this in Queensland where several local councils have seen some of the leadership before the courts having to address their decisions. The majority of people do the right thing, however the systems and processes they work within can be the challenge. 10
For anyone that work directly within and/or contract to government organisations and agencies, should be able to comfortably evaluate tender responses by understanding the legislation that pertains to their area of business, be that infrastructure, defence or a state agency. We talk about declaring Conflicts of Interest – the reason we do this is to provide transparency around decision making. This is important in any planning stage of a project. Transparency – as project managers we are required to be transparent regardless of whether we are working in private industry or for a client directly we should be documenting discussions and decisions. To support project managers, there is legislation that pertains to this; Public Governance Performance & Accountability ACT (PGPA Act 2015) at the federal level and each state and territory has their own version of this legislation. Ethics – The Public Service Act contains a Code of Ethics which relate to fair and equitable processes, nondiscrimination, improper use of power, and ethical conduct. Contracts with government will in most cases contain clauses that stipulate that business is to be conducted in accordance with relevant codes. It’s important that project managers whilst performing their roles, tasks and duties are aware of the parameters in which they are working.
DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS A CASE OF NOT KNOWING, OR IS MORE ABOUT ACCESS TO EASILY DIGESTIBLE INFORMATION? If you have ever tried to read legislation you will understand how people can be overwhelmed. As a team, this is part of our working day, understanding changes to legislation and how that impacts the real world, how project managers do what they do. It can be a challenge, however ignorance is not a defence in the eyes of the law and as such it is important people need to avail themselves with basic knowledge of the legislative requirements in how to spend public money according to each level of government noting that Federal Legislation trumps all others.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR A PERSON MANAGING A PROJECT? Project managers can often find themselves in a position of having to evaluate tenders and for many, there may be a bias of working with people they have worked with before. They are time poor and a decision needs to be made. This is the very moment that they could do something that is perceived as corrupt. It’s a trigger point because perception is important. Whilst we may look at other countries where corruption is simply the way things are done to get things done, we have mechanisms in place at the various government levels to reduce the risk of corruption.
PHIL, HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST PROJECT MANAGERS AVOID CORRUPT PRACTISE, AFTER ALL WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS? Project managers know how to manage projects, the tasks, the processes and as the profession is evolving, becoming leaders of people with increasing influence in decision making. It is up to us as individuals and businesses to always be asking ourselves – is this the right way of doing things and using legislation as the guide, not how we have always done things as the fall-back position.
PHIL, WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS PERHAPS OVERLOOKED? As project management has evolved, there are areas of training that has developed faster than others. Leadership and people management has taken the lead which is great. Procurement & contracting are words you don’t hear so much about – in fact nationwide there are only eight deliverers of recognised qualifications in Procurement & Contracting PSP50616 across Australia – that is in comparison to **760 that deliver a Diploma in Leadership & Management BSB5118. If a leader isn’t aware of the legislation within an organisation who is? Understanding the law and the parameter in which we can and should work is important in ensuring we are doing the right thing, fulfilling our contractual obligations and avoiding corruption. If the Kiwis can do it, so should we. Sources: * http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/leastcorrupt-countries/ **Training.gov.au 11
INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
PATRICK LEAHY | INTERNATIONAL YOUNG PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR HOW COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION LED TO THIS PM’S SUCCESS
2019 IPMA “Young Project Manager of the Year” Award and 2018 National Future Project Leader Award from the AIPM, he shares with us his career experience, tips on change, risk and stakeholder management and ways to manage upwards.
THE ENJOYABLE PARTS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIE IN THE CHALLENGES You have been in this field for over ten years; what are the enjoyable and challenging parts of being a project manager? The things I enjoy the most are quite often things that challenge me the most. There are a diversity of issues that arise. Construction projects will always leave you saying, “I haven’t seen that one before”. Whether it be developing a design solution to a complex engineering requirement, tailoring a procurement activity to strict rules or uncovering unexpected finds on-site, you never know what tomorrow will bring. I find the challenge of developing a process for dealing with an unconventional issue and managing the process to a successful outcome to be very rewarding. People are key. As a project manager, you deal with many people with a diverse range of experience and backgrounds. You become privy to a huge amount of information; however, you need to tailor your communication and engagement approach to every individual to ensure that you get the best result for your project.
THE PROJECT MANAGER IS A FACILITATOR How do you define the role of the project manager to a newcomer? I’ve always struggled with this question. I remember trying to explain my new job as a client-side project manager to my grandfather, who was a lifetime electrician. Every time I explained my role, he would always respond with “so what do you actually do?” The title ‘Project Manager’ is incredibly broad and it will mean different things to different people. I like to describe the role of a project manager as being a facilitator. Primarily you are responsible for: 1. Identifying what needs to be done; 2. Resourcing each task with the appropriate team, and then 3. Making sure everything is completed in line with the projects critical success factors. Sure, there will be countless intricacies along the way; however, it generally comes back to those three main aspects. As a project manager, you must always challenge yourself to add value to every step of the process.
Patrick Leahy, Senior Associate at Conscia, is a clientside project management professional with experience in managing a variety of projects, from office fit-outs to large scale design and construction works including specialist security, training and laboratory facilities. As the winner of 12
As a project manager, you must always challenge yourself to add value to every step of the process.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO BEING A SUCCESSFUL A PROJECT MANAGER You previously commented on the importance of communication, so in your opinion, what are the secrets to doing so successfully? Project management is a skillset that is primarily personalitybased. Every individual project manager will have a different approach. As our profession is heavily reliant on engagement, the way you communicate with stakeholders is what most characterises a project manager. It is important to always be upfront and transparent. As a project manager, you will be dealing with people of various professions and areas of expertise. No matter what type of project you are dealing with, you can be assured that your audience will likely be an educated one. People can see ulterior motives from a mile away. If you come to a meeting table with a hidden agenda or try to sneak decisions through unnoticed, you will be found out. Once you lose the trust of your colleagues, the project team or worse, your client, it is very hard to regain that trust.
BAD NEWS NEVER GETS BETTER WITH AGE In the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) era, how do you view risk management? Do you have some experience to share? VUCA sounds like a normal Monday morning in the construction industry. I have seen teams create risk registers at the start of a project and never refer to them again. Issues will continually develop and evolve. If as a project manager you are not alert to them, they will become risks. A piece of advice one of my bosses gave me is that ‘bad news never gets better with age’. Everybody is human and projects operate in the real world. Mistakes will happen and things will change. When you discover an issue, question it, investigate it, report it and solve it. Don’t leave it for another day because it will only grow.
When you discover an issue, question it, investigate it, report it and solve it. Don’t leave it for another day because it will only grow.
THERE’S NO ‘I’ IN PROJECT SUCCESS Congratulations on winning the 2019 IPMA “Young Project Manager of the Year” Award. What qualities do you think enabled you to win? One of my favourite sporting sayings is that there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. The same holds true for ‘Project Success’. Having success as a project manager is not an independent accomplishment. I have had a lot of support from the company I work for, the project team as well as the client team that I have worked with. I believe the most important thing for a young project manager is to be open to challenges. See every step as an opportunity not only to learn, but also to think creatively. Don’t wait and listen to other people’s opinions or be told what to do first, challenge yourself to develop your own approach and then consult others.
…be open to challenges. See every step as an opportunity not only to learn, but also to think creatively. There was an element of luck for myself to get an opportunity to work on such a complex and one-of-a-kind construction and engineering project at an early stage of my career. Some people will go their whole career without such an opportunity. My advice to young project managers is that once you do get an opportunity to work on a unique project that you enjoy, don’t take it for granted. Dive headlong into the project and give it your all. Seeing something through from start to finish can be a career building move.
AI BRINGS BOTH BENEFITS AND RISKS Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be crucial in managing projects in the future, what do you believe the future project manager or leader be like? The differentiation between a project manager and a project leader is a key consideration for our industry. In my view, management is doing things the right way. Leadership is doing the right thing. The introduction of AI into the tool belt of a project manager will assist with the evolution of more managers into leaders. AI will eventually (and this is sooner than you may think) independently complete many labour intensive and administrative type tasks. By removing this time burden from project managers’ day-to-day responsibilities, they will have more time to focus on the big picture and strategic considerations. This will facilitate more of a leadership style approach within our industry. I also see the integration of AI to our industry will bring many risks that must be considered, including: Standardisation. AI will be employed to make unbiased contractual determinations. With the huge number of contractual frameworks and legislative requirements that exist, how do we ensure that the unbiased nature of AI is not manipulated? Experience. Junior project managers currently learn their trade by managing functions such as variation registers, Request for Information (RFI) registers and the like. This is valuable experience that informs decision-making later in their careers. The real question we need to consider is how do we ensure future generations of project leaders develop the necessary knowledge base in the world of AI? 13
INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
MAKING DECISIONS IN FAST PACED PROJECTS
Source: AIPM
14
In 2020, there is growing expectation that information is available instantaneously and status updates should be near real-time. With more tools at our disposal and this growing expectation for speed and agility, project managers are facing more pressure to make rapid decisions, even when the available information is based on incomplete data or a lot of assumptions. The pressure from senior stakeholders to “get it right” has placed decisionmaking skills squarely under the spotlight. We’ve all seen examples of a single poor decision that can have very high costs and may even be the difference between success and failure for your project and even, your career. Decisions hinge on a culmination of subject matter knowledge, previous experience and access to information, data quality considerations and risk tolerance. It could be said that decision making is the ultimate juggling act of assessments that go beyond just gathering facts, but are also influenced by innately human characteristics that can change based on feelings or intuition. With so many variables to manage, it’s extremely challenging for decision makers to produce consistently good results, let alone do so under
high-pressure, time-poor conditions. But there are several strategies that can improve the odds:
LEVERAGE YOUR NETWORK To gather important information quickly, highly successful managers leverage networks of trusted, highly skilled advisors within and external to the project. Having these relationships can be invaluable for making more informed decisions when broader consultation and analysis is not possible. Investing in collaborative, trust-based relationships with experienced team members as well as formal advisory groups are a must have in your decision-making tool-box.
LISTEN EARNESTLY Actively listening to different perspectives, weighing alternatives fairly and resisting the urge to jump to impulsive conclusions are also proven techniques that improve the chances of reaching a good decision.
WORK QUICKLY TO ASSESS RISK Speedy risk assessment is another valuable skill. Project professionals are trained to apply risk management principles in projects, but we also need to apply these risk principles to evaluate the importance of a decision in the context of the situation and estimate what the likely consequences could be. Assessing the risk correctly is often half the battle. Higher risk decisions clearly require more diligence in consultation, analysis and assumption verification. Knowing when to apply detailed analysis and when to go “with your gut” should align with your assessment of the level of risk. Intuition and experience alone can be applied successfully when the risks are fairly low and the need for speed is equal to accuracy or outcome.
STOP AND TAKE STOCK OF THE SITUATION The ability to pause and reflect before reaching a decision may also be recommended based on your current mindset and mood-biases. It’s important to ask yourself if you would reach the same decision on a different day, if you were in a different frame of mind. If you feel stressed, upset, exhausted or generally unwell, it is clearly best to avoid making big decisions. Things frequently go wrong when project managers are chronically over-stressed and over-tired. An effective approach is prioritising self-care and taking regular short breaks for daily reflection and review. Having a positive mindset and a well-rested, calm demeanour is a simple, yet often undervalued element of good decision making.
IT’S OK TO MAKE AN ERROR Finally, we shouldn’t expect to get it right every time. We all make poor decisions from time to time. What’s most important is to continually reflect on the outcomes of your decisions and how you would approach the situation differently in the future. Identify what bias you may have had and which part of the decision making process could be improved, if any. In an imperfect world there are always some missing facts or biases that we may not be aware of. Continual reflection, growth and owning your mistakes will ultimately make you a more successful decision-maker and well-respected project leader. Author: Tamara Mirkovic, Program Manager, Accelerating Science Delivery Innovation Program, Department of Environment and Science. Tamara is a project professional with over 15 years’ experience managing complex ICT and Digital Transformation projects and programs, with a special interest in the human side of project management. Tamara works to inspire and encourage continual growth and development in teams by leading with empathy, optimism, open collaboration and a desire to achieve the best possible outcomes for both people and projects. This article is based on the views of the author and is not intended to represent the views of the Queensland Government or the Department of Environment and Science. 15
INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS
NEXT GENERATION MANAGEMENT? SEVEN WAYS YOU CAN PREPARE YOUR MILLENNIAL PROJECT MANAGERS FOR THE FUTURE
Source: AIPM
Project managers at the peak of their careers have a wealth of experience to draw on. This makes them valuable to organisations but also presents a risk in the form of a key point of failure if they do not pass their knowledge on to younger project managers. The millennial generation, those born between 1984 and 2004, are expected to make up most of the workforce by 2025. Immersed since birth in a culture of constant communication through social media, this new, younger cohort brings a fresh approach to project management and life in general. Smart organisations will recognise in this the transition from long-established project management culture to a new, more connected way of working. As a seasoned professional who has been called upon to mentor up and coming new project managers, you may find this change in culture daunting. Here are seven ways of engaging younger project managers:
1. TRY TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE Where previous generations used a fixed telephone line to call a physical location, millennials use their mobile phone to call a specific person. As a generation they are more 16
connected and connect more often than those before them. You can engage with this mindset by leveraging your corporate instant messaging chat services. Build on the informal discussions within the office network. Regardless of whether they are about pet dogs, or why the coffee was late, these discussions can be used to develop a mentoring relationship. This may feel awkward if you are not a regular user but is a sure way to form connections. Millennials are also the ‘woke’ generation, more attuned to social issues and are more likely to be involved in activism. When you help young project managers to understand the greater purpose in projects they are delivering, you can improve their engagement with stakeholders.
2. AVOID BLIND SPOTS “The kids of today…” is the dismissive catchcry heard all too often from older mentors. As a mentor you may be aware of common cognitive biases like groupthink and ingroup favouritism. However, by reducing the next generation to a cliché, you are exhibiting another cognitive
4. BUT ENCOURAGE TRADITIONAL COMMUNICATION Regardless of age, all senior executives have their own preferred communication style. For the always on, connected generation, having to speak in meetings or write business cases can come as a bit of a shock. Guide young mentees through the exercise of learning how to communicate with other people who may not rely on online media. You can do this by using your position within the organisation to empower them to succeed. It may be necessary for you to facilitate conversations between the mentee and a senior manager because the mentee lacks the soft skills needed to manage upwards.
5. C HALLENGE THEM TO PERFORM Being young and overconfident is not specific to the millennials, every generation thinks they know better when they are starting out in their careers. The cynicism you may experience about this youthful optimism can be brought to your advantage by becoming the voice of reason. When you encounter an enthusiastic young project manager with grand ambitions, challenge them to prove themselves while providing them with the space to achieve their goals.
6. S OMETIMES THEY DO KNOW BETTER The younger generation is likely to be well versed in social media, artificial intelligence, and robotic process automation as well as any other up-and-coming technology. Unless you are keeping up with new technology, you won’t understand as much as these young people about these subjects.
bias known as romanticising the past. I would recommend you see past this and encourage the inherent potential of the next generation. Not that millennials don’t suffer from their own cognitive misperceptions. Two that regularly occur are digital amnesia – not remembering something because they can find it on the web; and automation bias – in which people rely on machine decisions, such as the spelling checker, without carrying out common sense checks.
3. PROVIDE FREQUENT FEEDBACK This a generation that is used to instant messaging and receiving ten answers overnight to a question posted online. Millennials may not perceive the value in performance feedback that you only provide once or twice a year. Keep your mentees engaged with regular informal feedback that provides relevant, actionable information. You can achieve this by scheduling informal catchups in a safe setting that enables honest communication. The value of an offsite cup of coffee or lunch is not to be underestimated.
Treat the new knowledge as an exercise in reverse mentoring where the mentee teaches you new technical skills. This not only updates your industry knowledge but also helps to develop your working relationship with your mentee.
7. T HE INTERNET DOESN’T KNOW EVERYTHING Do you remember being in your twenties? It’s a time when most of us were unsure about the world and our place in it. Times have not changed; the answers to some of life’s questions remain the same, but by default, millennials turn to Google for answers. Unfortunately, online search results cannot instil an understanding of your company culture. Consider mentoring to be the start of a long-term relationship. Your aim is to develop an ongoing conversation that helps your mentee develop what they need to succeed. Helping your mentee navigate internal company politics and career related issues cements your working relationship and helps to promote internal company values. Author: Carleton Chinner is Managing Director of MagniStrat, a Brisbane based management consultancy with a comprehensive focus on project management practice. He is well known in the project management community as a successful project management consultant, speaker, and author of project management articles. 17
PROJECT IN THE SPOTLIGHT
BAAKA CULTURAL CENTRE, WILCANNIA
REINVIGORATING A REMOTE COMMUNITY WHILST CELEBRATING ITS HERITAGE Architect David Kaunitz of Kaunitz & Yeung Architects explains the concept design to community members in the park Wilcannia (Source: PWA)
Public Works Advisory (PWA) is project managing the delivery of a Cultural Centre for the Baakantji people in Wilcannia, NSW. Public Works Advisory (PWA) is part of Regional NSW within the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and bridges the gap between the government and the private sector. PWA is a specialist engineering and project management group that provides technical design, advisory, planning, delivery and support services, across a wide range of disciplines to its clients. PWA has a strong representation in Western NSW with offices based strategically throughout the region to effectively provide services to the many Government and Non Government agencies.
DEDICATED TEAM PWA Project Manager, Peter Hughes and PWA Construction Manager, Paul Theoharidis are leading the delivery of the project. They sat down to answer how they are tackling this project.
Paul, what is your industry experience? Over 3 years with PWA, 10 years in structural engineering and fabrication and before that 25 years in the mining industry in Broken Hill.
And, what do you enjoy about this project? This project brings a sense of ownership. Being a local Broken Hill resident, and even though Wilcannia is around 200kms from Broken Hill, the township is within the Far Western District of NSW Community.
A CULTURAL CENTRE The Baakantji People are synonymous with the Darling River, the river holds significant cultural and heritage value to the people and the community. There is also a strong European influence on the community given the paddle boat trade that was prominent in the early days of settlement up until modern road transport took over. The Project will deliver:
Peter, what experience do you bring to this project?
•A Cultural Centre for the Baakantji people to practise their living culture, including art, recorded history and tradition
Over 30 years’ experience working in Project Management with NSW Government Agencies
•P rovide a keeping place for Baakatji tangialble and intangiable artefacts, language, and memories
What do you enjoy about working on this project?
•S upport inter-generational and inter-cultural teaching through the keeping place and language lab that has partnerships with local schools and research institutions
The interaction with the local community and Elders of Wilcannia, the People of Wilcannia are welcoming and positive about the project. I also enjoy the challenge of promoting Indigenous Community Working Opportunities and collaborating with the designated agencies for work placements and experience. 18
•D evelop a keystone enterprise that can leverage the significant economic opportunity present in the flow of tourists through Wilcannia, and
•R estore a sense of pride, ownership and culture to the entire community by refurbishing the derelict heritage Knox and Downs building.
ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY Peter, what has the experience been like during engagement with community members? The passion of the people has been brought to light with the initial start-up meeting for the project, the community information session was held in the local park with a BBQ and the interaction with the locals clearly identified how much the original building and the new Cultural Centre means to the whole community. The consultation on the design also held in the park opposite the site shows the interest in the project especially with the temperature at the time 46 deg and hot BBQ dinner.
Why do you think these sessions have been so valuable with the local community? It is interesting, given so many of the Elders had worked in the original Knox and Downs store; their passion to retain some of the original features in the new work is strong. I can relate to one of the Elders saying to me that he only came to town for the first time when he was 7 years old (being born in the outer reaches of the township) and he cried when he stood on the bridge over the river with first sight of the Knox and Downs store thinking “this is the big city”. That memory is priceless. The project management team, along with our State and Commonwealth partners, have set up a Project Control Group that comprises of members of the: • L ocal Council [Central Darling Shire Council],
PWA IS WORKING WITH TAFE NSW A priority for the project is providing employment opportunities for the people of the town that also focuses on skills training and development. PWA are working collaboratively with NSW TAFE and the local training and employment group in Western NSW, to deliver training and employment referral services for the project. NSW TAFE and the REDIe Group are providing skills records and training outcomes for the community members of Wilcannia. This information will be provided to the tenderers for the main construction work so that their Aboriginal participation plans can be built around known skills base, the contractors will be able to work with the REDIe Group to engage with potential workers for the period of the construction.
ABC BROKEN HILL Peter, the ABC (Broken Hill), are also involved. Can you explain what they are bringing to this project? The ABC are starting to record local stories from the Community, both Indigenous and European heritage locals, on the story of the original Knox and Downs store, the significance of the River [Baaka] to the town as well as stories of maintaining indigenous culture and language.
Where will it be available to see? The ABC will collate stories over time, possibly a 12-month duration, not only for the use of the Baaka Cultural Centre but in their own documentary work as well. We are still working with ABC on time frames and other details. The project is expected to be completed and operational in early 2022.
•B oth State and Commonwealth Government Agency representatives, •M embers of the Baaka Cultural Centre Corporation, and •O ther community members of Wilcannia.
Kaunitz & Yeung Architects Concept Design image [not final version] (Source: Kaunitz & Yeung Architects)
19
PROJECT IN THE SPOTLIGHT
MAKING THE SWITCH
HOW TWO HIGH PERFORMING PROJECT MANAGERS MADE THE SUCCESSFUL SWITCH TO BECOME HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AGILE PROJECT LEADERS Galit Guershon and Tim Bates have had successful project management careers building innovative technical solutions across a range of industries and for many Telstra customers. Courtesy of Telstra’s transformation towards agile-at-scale, both have made the shift towards new roles and become very successful lean agile delivery leaders. In this article, we sit down with both Galit and Tim to understand this shift, their experiences, lessons for others and a chance to debunk some myths about the differences between traditional and agile project management.
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND CAN YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO? Galit: I am an Agile Technical Delivery Manager. Tim: Yes, same as Galit. We are a flexible resource; we deliver any project challenge. We empower teams to get work done, deliver value for customers and coach teams to adopt new ways of working. We work between technologists who work within their domains and the business who wants outcomes delivered. Sort of like building a bridge between the old and new worlds.
WHAT WAS YOUR PREVIOUS ROLE? Galit: Previously I was a Senior Project Manager. Tim: I was actually an external consultant engaged as a senior Project Manager. I was then offered a full-time role here.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR PRIOR AND NEW ROLE? Galit: The biggest differences have been changing how people perceive delivering under new ways of working. For example, having to apply new routines, adapting to tasks that used to be shared across multiple people into one role, like doing project financials. I certainly spend more time now focused on delivery and less on documentation. There are less hygiene tasks, but this isn’t necessarily a good thing. 20
For me the big difference has been a shift to more transparency and decentralised decision making away from a single project leader. We have gone from ‘command-and-control’ to ‘servant-leadership’. Tim Bates
Tim: Yes, I agree. Agile is very disciplined when it is working properly, so hygiene should be in place. For me the big difference has been a shift to more transparency and decentralised decision making away from a single project leader. We have gone from ‘command-and-control’ to ‘servant-leadership’. But good leaders operated like this anyway and good teams did these regularly to drive outcomes. The difference is that it is good to see this embedded into formal ways of working practices.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS CHANGE? Tim: It has been quite a positive experience. I have been trying to do this stuff anyway and pushing of it for a few years. I have been lucky to have worked with good people who have the right mindset and pick up these concepts quickly. It’s just a shame we haven’t hit critical mass yet so that everyone is working this way. Galit: I like that we want to simplify tools and delivery methods, but we are still being asked for project forecasts at a detailed level over long time frames and we still produce too many status reports. These are difficult to do at a detailed level under agile. There are traditional impediments that get in the way of stopping to deliver at speed. For example, Telstra has a strict operational readiness process and it is there for a reason. This process is difficult to speed up, but it can be broken down into smaller parts. We just need more time to get this done.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHANGE? IF SO, WHAT WERE THEY? Tim: I was concerned to hear we were going straight to scale on this change. I was concerned we would end up with a half-baked solution. It’s great to see that the executives and the teams have stuck with it. I would hate to see us roll back to the old ways of traditional, largesequential, siloed delivery. Galit: When we were initially briefed, it felt rushed to me. We heard about how these new Product Owner and Scrum Master roles would drive delivery and so would not need a Project Manager. We now see that Project Managers can operate in these roles and still drive initiatives to keep work under control.
Galit Guershon and Tim Bates are two successful project managers building innovative technical solutions across a range of industries and for Telstra customers. (Source: Telstra)
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHERS WHO ARE FACING THIS KIND OF DISRUPTION IN THEIR WORKPLACE? Tim: It’s all about the team who are on the ground. You need to flip the traditional organisational triangle; you need to put the team at the top. Galit: Yes I agree, but you also need to work more with your stakeholders too. You must agree on a mechanism on how to remove blockers and bring your stakeholders on board quickly to move these blockers. Tim: This change is scary to people. Many are facing a lot of uncertainty. As leaders, we must create psychological safety for people to build up trust and to feel safe to work in the new model.
As leaders, we must create psychological safety for people to build up trust and to feel safe to work in the new model. Tim Bates
ANY REGRETS OR, ANYTHING YOU MISS FROM THE PREVIOUS WAY OF WORKING? Galit: We used to have a kick-off forum that brought together all the architects and constructor groups to give initiative visibility and so that they could determine if they were impacted by a new project. The agile-at-scale approach puts that in the hands of the Product Owner to go to the company marketplace and pitch for the resource they need. I don’t think it works as well.
It has made what we do better valued and appreciated by management. It gives us more ways to work with stakeholders and to be more effective at delivering their outcomes. Galit Guershon
ARE THERE ANY MYTHS YOU WOULD DEBUNK THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE HAD SO FAR IN THE NEW WAY OF WORKING? Tim: This isn’t a new way of working. Projects have always embraced these agile practices; they were just called different things. After all, they are just good practice. Agile means no discipline. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is plenty of planning, it is just broken up into smaller tasks as you go along. If anything, it requires more discipline to have all the right of people turning up to attend all planning events. Galit: Agile is just a technology thing – It is not. It may have started in IT, but having business adapt to changes is just as important. Tim: Agile is faster and cheaper – It is not. If you know exactly what you want to do, it might be faster and cheaper, but with the uncertainty we work in, it will always take longer because you are constantly changing and re-assessing the priorities. Galit: Probably not a myth but learning agile ways of working just adds more tools to your toolkit. It has made what we do better valued and appreciated by management. It gives us more ways to work with stakeholders and to be more effective at delivering their outcomes. It’s not about throwing old tools out.
Tim: I missed the perceived certainty that a signed off business case used to give me. I felt safe with an approved business case and plan. I know that the solution often changed afterwards, but that didn’t matter. 21
RESEARCH
SUPPORTING AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE CAPABILITIES THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE MULTICRITERIA DECISIONMAKING MODEL Dr. Darius Danesh is a Fellow Certified Practising Portfolio Executive (FAIPM CPPE) and a Fellow Chartered Professional Engineering Executive (FIEAust CPEng EngExec RPEQ NER APEC Engineer IntPE) with extensive experience in a variety of engineering and leadership roles in the government and private sectors. He has worked across a diverse range of industries including Defence, Infrastructure, Transport, Energy, Oil and Gas, and Mining. We interview him below about P3MDM®, which offers a pure perspective of the capability challenges in defence , and provides appropriate strategies and resources to simplify examinations of capability options.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE KEY CHALLENGES FACING DEFENCE INDUSTRY? Project, program and portfolio management activities within the Department of Defence (Defence) involve several factors to achieve a range of long-term strategic and operational outcomes. The success of Defence projects is closely associated with the degree of understanding of its issues and the quality of decisions made as poor judgement reduces efficiency and increases costs. In my opinion; 22
problem and requirements definition, options development and prioritisation, and access to evidence-based decisionmaking tools remain some of the top challenges facing the Defence industry. Many decision-making tools are limited in their capabilities and are unable to fully deal with decisionmaking challenges, resulting in an adverse impact on Defence capability outcomes.
HOW CAN THESE CHALLENGES BE TACKLED EFFECTIVELY? There are several decision-making tools, most of which are intended to deal with specific characteristics, environments or problems. The limited ability of humans to assess a range of different data within restricted timeframes adversely influences decisions. Moreover, most organisations are seeking a decision-making tool that can accommodate both qualitative and quantitative decision criteria. Although several decision-making methods have been introduced in support of project decision-making functions, each method has its own shortcomings.
The success of Defence projects and capabilities are closely associated with the degree of understanding of its issues and the quality of decisions made as poor judgement reduces efficiency and increases costs. In order to use appropriate decision-making methods for Defence projects, it is necessary to first understand the main challenges of Defence capabilities and identify the most suitable decision-making tools for dealing with Defence capability issues.
HOW DID YOU SUCCESSFULLY OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES? In short, I found that there was no single standard decisionmaking method or tool that could support Defence’s strategic decision-making and deal with all its challenges. Therefore, I developed a novel method called P3MDM® which addresses the shortcomings of former techniques, offers a pure perspective of the capability challenges, and provides appropriate strategies and resources to simplify assessment of capability options. P3MDM® is capable of analysing both quantitative and qualitative data and simultaneously analyses profit, risks, dependency, tradeoff, uncertainty, and proficiency. It can be incorporated in with other systems/methods or aligned with organisations’ frameworks, policies and standards (e.g., Defence Capability Life Cycle, Smart Buyer and Contestability processes). Also, it can be customised to deal with any type of decision issues considering specific organisational requirements. Moreover, P3MDM® can assist Defence in presenting viable options to Government to support the management of key Defence assets to achieve the intended capability outcome.
P3MDM® Model (Source: Darius Danesh)
HOW HAS THIS INNOVATION BENEFITED DEFENCE OR OTHER INDUSTRIES? P3MDM® offers an improved method through which organisations can strengthen the connection between their objectives and decision functionality, achieve cost savings and minimise risks. P3MDM® can simply enhance an organisation’s decisionmaking capability by helping it establish superior processes for selecting options with greater possibilities of returning benefits. P3MDM®’s agility contributes to a stronger and more costeffective Defence agenda, without sacrificing its overall mission. It not only reduces the amount of effort required to manage the budget, but also is effective in lowering costs by providing a rigorous decision-making process. P3MDM® is a decision-making framework which can address uncertainty and risks associated with projects with multiple objectives. It enables decision makers to make evidencebased decisions and communicate the outcomes with stakeholders in a transparent and defensible manner. P3MDM® is capable of supporting Defence in defining, acquiring, sustaining and disposing of its capabilities. P3MDM® can be applied at each Gate of the Capability Life Cycle to support the development of documents such as initial business cases and approval strategies and obtaining Government approval to acquire a new capability. P3MDM® improves the quality of decision-making by providing an integrated view of capability, ensuring consideration of interdependencies between various elements, and the Fundamental Inputs to Capability (FIC). It provides a mechanism through which the impacts of changing threat
environments, strategic priorities, financial guidance and risks can be explored. P3MDM® facilitates data analysis and appropriately enables decision makers to generate the most suitable decisions regarding Defence’s capital and capability investments.
HOW HAS YOUR WORK BEEN ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE INDUSTRY? P3MDM® has been utilised by many organisations including Defence. The results obtained from several Defence projects indicate that P3MDM® is practicable and adoptable and provides enhanced situational awareness and the capacity to quickly analyse and cross-examine activities, projects, products, and programs. P3MDM® identifies problems early in the capability life cycle so that timely remedial actions can be undertaken if necessary. P3MDM® has received several awards including an Omega Alpha Association (OAA) Honorary Recognition and a commendation at the AIPM 2018 Project Management Achievement Awards. It was also nominated as a finalist in three categories of the Australian Defence Industry Awards in 2019 which showcases Australia’s top defence industry businesses and professionals, recognising their contribution in supporting national security and in driving innovation, economic growth and workforce development. Acknowledgment: The development of P3MDM® has been a challenging, exciting and knowledge-gaining journey and could not have been successful without the support of Professor Michael Ryan from the UNSW. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Ryan for his continued support. 23
FELLOWS FORUM
LESSONS FOR PROJECT MANAGERS FROM THE FIRE FRONT
Source: NSW Fire and Rescue
Fellows have given exceptional contribution to the project management profession. You will hear from one of our Fellows in each magazine edition. When I was asked to write an article about People that would be relevant to my esteemed project management colleagues my first reaction was: What on earth could I contribute to the discussion that was even the smallest relevance? After the terrible fires we have all witnessed this past few months and spending most of the weekend hoping that my own home would be safe from the southern Canberra bushfires I have had a lot of time to reflect about people – other people and myself. I guess it is fair to say that my reflections drove home a few memories of projects where people issues seemed to arise and became a cause for concern.
LESSON 1 First: let’s cover the obvious – in a crisis we see the best and worst of people. Stress and anxiety can do strange things to people – people who in normal circumstances behave as you would expect but, when the pressure they present behaviours that surprise and sometimes shock all of us. Technology is easier to predict than people are. In a project we spend countless hours planning to deliver and risk manage our technology. How much thought do we really give to the more complex areas, such as people who are far more difficult to predict and control? 24
LESSON 2 Second: projects, by their nature can be stressful endeavours – do we really know what this environment can do to the staff involved in these projects? Stress can drive a range of emotions and behaviours, that without careful management can seriously impact your project delivery success. Okay. Some personal reflection time – I know that when I am stressed my ability to regulate my own anxiety and emotions is a challenge – So why would I be any different to anyone else? Be aware of how stress impacts people in and around your project. Ignoring the impacts to people and hoping they will respond in the way that you want them too is likely to bring you grief. As a leader of projects my own response to stressful situations can have a very real impact on others. Watching the leadership of the fire services I realised how their calm and consistent messaging provided citizens a level of reassurance and leadership that they desperately needed. In difficult situations the calm and controlled approach has a better chance of inspiring confidence and driving the behaviour that you need the most at the time.
LESSON 3 Projects can bring out leadership qualities regardless of any rank or seniority. As an experienced Project Manager, I am regularly surprised by the growth and development in abilities of people. Certainly, I have seen some team members blossom
you have the ‘right’ people, retaining them should not be guaranteed. People leave roles/organisations for many reasons. Some you can influence and some you cannot.
LESSON 5 Have a clear retention strategy and think early about fallback plans. Personally, I rely on shadowing from project initiation to reduce the risk of a single point of failure – I always remind people all it takes is for a single person to win Lotto and take off to some lovely island for things to go horribly wrong. After reminding team members of my desire for them not to buy Lotto tickets while the project is delivering – the more sensible side of me kicks in and I make sure that I give equal consideration to retaining people/knowledge as I do to finding the right people in the first place. When the bush fires are eventually out there is always a period of recovery. Project completion also needs a period of recovery. So many times, I have seen people moved straight from project to project without consideration of the need to debrief and recover before facing the next one. I am not talking about giving everyone a paid holiday (nice thought, but back to reality) but of allowing an opportunity for team members to reflect on the project and themselves before facing the next challenging project delivery. While we pay some lip service to various ceremonies relating to lessons learned it still feels very much like going through the motions and ticking boxes.
LESSON 6 in the face of project delivery and show great leadership. Leadership can come from the most unexpected places – it isn’t all about fanfare and fame. Again, the fire situation has shown that even the humblest person can lead by example, show great compassion and make a very real difference to those around them. I guess we all like to think that we are ‘leaders’ but can we honestly say that we are all of the time? Leading in the time of crisis versus leading in calm – be aware of how we lead in both situations and think about the impact we have on those that we are leading.
LESSON 4 Next key observation is that projects need people. Again, this might seem obvious but all too often our projects suffer from obtaining and retaining talented team members. Finding the ‘right’ people isn’t an easy task. Not everyone would make a good fire fighter – they have processes and training in place to select people for this important role. Many of my project teams were assembled before I was appointed and assignments are dictated by ‘who is available’, instead of who has the best skills, knowledge and experience to be successful. Imagine if the fire services took this approach? I suspect our fire protection outcomes would be very different. Do what you can to get the best people for your project roles and do not discount the importance of training. This lesson I have to say, can be difficult where you have nearly zero ability to influence team selection. Additionally – once
Lessons are best learned with honest reflection and developing and implementing clear remediation actions. Recognising lessons and then failing to implement any remediation is next to useless. Once again timing is key – the time to look at blame, root cause and lessons is not during a crisis but after a period of calm when rational thought can return. While people naturally have a need to resolve/address issues and risk the time in which to do it needs careful consideration.
LESSON 7 Finally, celebrating success is often overlooked and seen as frivolous. While putting out a fire may not feel the same as a successful project – we must consider the amount of lives saved and the number of homes protected in among the heart-breaking losses. Projects are about delivering and supporting organisation change. So, if you want to change your culture and cement change; recognising success and individual performance (even if you have suffered some loss/setbacks) will help you drive a high performing team environment and increase your benefit realisation. Author: Susan Woodcock FAIPM, CPPD, BBus, MPM, MBA, PMIPMP, PMI-RMP, Adv Dip (Public Admin). Susan is a versatile Programme and Project Management Professional with over 30 years delivery experience in large scale business and IT transformation agendas enabling her to add significant value to operations. With highly developed stakeholder interface skills and in-depth knowledge of technical project management disciplines, she has worked extensively in various agencies of the Australian Public Service and for both large and small Australian and Asian business enterprises. 25
CONNECT
ORGANISATIONAL PACKAGES For over 40 years the Australian Institute of Project Management has been Australia's peak body for project management. The Institute engages with organisations to support the development of project leaders in successfully executing projects and delivering to strategic objectives.
EXCELLENCE IN PROJECT LEADERSHIP The Australian Institute of Project Management drives the professional development of project leaders. It does this not only through training and certification, but also through networking events and awards to recognise project excellence.
THE BENEFITS OF PARTNERSHIP Organisations are lifting the bar on delivering projects on time and on budget, particularly in competitive and fast-moving markets where achievement needs to happen more, faster, and for less. This has elevated the role of project managers and increased their importance in strategy setting and the execution of organisational objectives.
MEMBERSHIP
CONFERENCE
AWARD SUBMISSION
BRAND RECOGNITION
ACCESS TO RECRUITMENT
EVENTS + WEBINARS
MENTORING
COMPETENCE SELF ASSESSMENT
SPONSORSHIP
ACCESS TO JOINT RESEARCH 27
For further details email accountmanager@aipm.com.au or phone +61 2 8288 8700
STOP PRESS – CORONAVIRIS
As we go to print CORONOAVIRIS (COVID-19) is quickly advancing in our community. We invite all our AIPM members to join us on our new community at my.aipm.com.au to discuss how this will affect you as individuals, your projects and your organisations.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEXT ISSUE OF PARADIGM SHIFT Have a project that you would like our project community to know about? Do you have a project insight you believe need to be shared? Our next theme is Risk and we would love you to consider contributing. Email communications@aipm.com.au with the subject line ‘Paradigm Shift article contribution’ and tell us in a few sentences what you have in mind before Friday, 10 April. Our next issue will be out in June 2020.
Please visit www.aipm.com.au for project resources, industry updates, upcoming events and membership inquiries.
