Capital Project Solutions – November 2011
Go From Good to Great on Your Next Facilities Project William R. McMahon, President & COO Think about a time when your capital facilities project went fairly well and for the most part, the users and the executive team were satisfied. The facility was occupied on or close to schedule and the final project cost was as expected. Did the end justify the means or do you continue to have a gut feeling that things could have gone better? Could you have had a great project rather than just a good one? Now is the time to stop wondering about the “what if’s” and make the next project your best ever! In Jim Collins book, Good to Great, he says that “good is the enemy of great... and that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.” When it comes to a capital facilities project, most would say the objective is to develop a project delivery process that incorporates “best practices” across the life cycle of a project and includes all the project stakeholders for maximum value. Make no mistake, you can have a “good” project without achieving that objective, but in order to have a “great” project one must follow that objective through to the end. When planning for a project outcome, all desire to have a consistent and predictable scope, schedule and budget, along with consistent and effective communication of the project status for all those involved. Most people say they want to be a part of something that is considered great; however, that mind set quickly changes when faced with the additional work and effort that great requires. Unfortunately, those same people don't realize the distance between a good project and a great one is not as wide as it seems. At KLMK, we strongly believe that it is possible to have a great project by initially investing focused time into the creation of a high performing process. The objective of this month’s Capital Project Solutions is to outline a few key steps toward achieving a great project. Hopefully this will help you determine if you are prepared to motivate your team to achieve that level of greatness.
1
Capital Project Solutions – November 2011
Developing a Great Project The process to develop a great project can be broken into three major phases: I. II. III.
Assessment of Current Situation Identification of Gaps or Areas for Improvement in Current Process Development of a Great Process (An Implementation Plan)
Phase 1 - Assessment of Current Situation (Team, Process, Tools) During this phase, you will conduct a very detailed and honest assessment of the current situation of several vital management areas including but not limited to: Team - Organization and Structure o External - How do you view the current project team structure? Is it working well? Does each team member trust each other? Do you see any team members struggling to keep up and meet objectives? In your opinion, is the Project Team “Solutions Focused’? o Internal – Is your internal team doing their job? What are the qualifications and capacities of existing internal resources? Do they have proper training? Are you dedicating adequate personnel to each project? Process – Evaluate the following phases of the project to determine if peak performance is being achieved or whether there is room for improvement: o Strategic Planning o Project Launch o Design Development o Construction o Occupancy Phases Tools - What management tool(s) do you see as being very effective or ineffective on the project? o Communication – Verbal and electronic communication is essential among Project Team Members and Users. Is the flow of information satisfactory on the project? Where do you see gaps in the process?
2
Capital Project Solutions – November 2011
o
o
Budget Development and Monitoring – Is the budget developed in the most effective manner and how is it being monitored throughout the life of the project? Schedule Development and Monitoring – Is the schedule developed in a collaborative manner? Did you utilize pull scheduling or was it dictated to the team?
Keep in mind that if this assessment is going to be truly effective and form an accurate picture, then it needs to be honest, direct and free of personal emotions. It will not be as effective if people become defensive and take the analysis and criticism personal. Phase 2 – Identification of Gaps or Areas for Improvement in the Current Process Once you have conducted an honest assessment of your current project delivery process, you can begin to organize and summarize your findings, identifying gaps and areas for improvement. Conclusions should be summarized around these areas: What are the top three areas that could use improvement on the project? What could be used to make you (as an individual) more effective during the job? Where does “waste” exist in the project delivery process and how can it be eliminated? What would make your team more effective? Phase 3 - Development of Great Processes Moving Forward If you keep in mind that your overall objective is to develop a project delivery process that incorporates true “best practices” across the life cycle of a project and includes all the project stakeholders, then you are ready to start applying what you have learned and start developing your specific process. Your “great” process moving forward should be focused into these phases and their specific elements:
3
Capital Project Solutions – November 2011
Strategic Plan Phase Mission/Vision Creation Regulatory Controls Assessment Strategies/Initiatives Identification Capital Facility Needs Strategic Financial Plan Establishment Project Launch Phase Contract Administration Project Status Reporting (Monthly) Master Project Budget Creation Project Delivery Team Organization Project Vision and Guiding Principals Project Delivery Approach Project Financing Master Program Schedule Creation Medical Equipment and Technology Vision Regulatory Approval Process Site Analysis and Land Acquisition Transition and Occupancy Strategy Design Phase Schematic Design Design Development Mock Ups of Key Clinical Areas Construction Documents Medical Equipment and Technology Planning Master Project Budget and Schedule Refinement Value Engineering Transition Readiness Assessment Construction Phase Mobilization and Start-Up Project Kick Off and Stakeholders Expectations Sessions Development of Quality Control Plan Project Construction
4
Capital Project Solutions – November 2011
Equipment, Delivery, Installation, and Testing Building Commissioning Inspection/Certifications Detailed Transition and Occupancy Planning Transition and Occupancy Phase Staff Training and Orientation Fixtures, Equipment, and Technology Installation Move Day Management Staff and Patient Occupancy Post Occupancy Audit Conclusion It is my hope that this issue of Capital Project Solutions helps to stimulate your thinking and gives you some ideas about taking your projects to the next level. Hopefully, you realize that the distance between a good facility project and a great one may not be as wide as you think, although it does take a focused and diligent effort to get it accomplished. In order to have a great project, it requires honest analysis to first determine the gaps that exist in your current process. If the analysis is done correctly, in the end, all participants will feel as though they have contributed to a “great” project outcome. This is a focused undertaking and it may be something you can accomplish yourself or you may need to bring in experts to provide an unbiased third party and assist in elevating your process to the next level. We tell clients everyday that projects should actually be fun and if you take the time to develop a great process then you will increase your odds of truly having fun! As Jim Collins stated in Good to Great, “when all these pieces come together, not only does your work move toward greatness, but so does your life….it is impossible to have a great life without meaningful work and it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.”
5