Consider the scenario where a team executes an exemplary strategy yet ultimately falls short due to an error at a critical moment. The emotional response often ranges from frustration to disappointment, prompting reflection on alternative project plans and outcomes. While sports analogies are commonly applied to business, it is important to note that, regardless of the outcome, high-profile athletes typically can course-correct and compete again with minimal long-term consequences.
In contrast, within the context of capital projects in business, even a meticulously crafted plan can be disrupted by unforeseen challenges or mistakes. When these setbacks occur, it is essential to determine the appropriate course of action to move forward effectively.
The AI outline will suggest if you follow these principles all should go well:
- Define Clear Objectives and Scope
- Assure Stakeholder Alignment and Communication Channels
- Planning Before Execution
- Time, Cost, and Quality Balance (The Triple Constraint)
- Risk Management
- Defined Roles, Ownership, and Accountability
- Change Control and Discipline
- Establish Proper Project Governance – Monitoring, Control, and Visibility
- Quality Focus Throughout the Project
- Leadership and Team Engagement
- Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement
While not diminishing the significance of the points listed above, as they are crucial, these steps would be viewed as the playbook to project implementation. However, successful execution still depends on people who are inherently imperfect.
There’s nothing wrong with an ugly win!
To prevent last-minute setbacks or unnecessary overthinking, consider these key questions before starting a capital project:
- Do I have the right people and the right skillsets to scope and execute the plan?
- Imagine putting a student driver behind a Formula 1 race car and then wondering why you lost the race.
- Do I have the right tools and are we planning the proper resource bandwidth to support the people held accountable to execute?
- Ever dug a swimming pool with a spoon?
- Does the team understand the cadence required to meet the objective or how to pivot strategy when the plan goes sideways?
- This project needs everyone rowing at the same pace—but we have some sprinting, some drifting, and one person rowing backward.
- Points to consider:
- Potential local or state incentives for the new project?
- The required permitting costs and schedule impact?
- Physical infrastructure planning (power/compressed air)
- Data infrastructure planning (servers/network backbone/data drops/VPN access/infosec)
- The necessary host systems enhancements cost and schedule impact? (ERP/WMS integrated to new equipment WCS)
- Test product and material handling labor requirements to support commissioning/volume testing/user acceptance testing of the new equipment
- Technical labor (WMS/WCS resources) to support commissioning/volume testing/user acceptance testing of the new equipment
- On-going staffing changes from the new project:
- Operational leadership
- Ops labor staffing
- Technical and Maintenance staff
- On-going operational costs to support the new equipment (technical staff, maintenance staff, spare parts inventory, controls hardware/software on-going support contracts, operational supplies for inbound/outbound ops)
Think of everything above as if you were baking a cake. The main project principles are essential ingredients for creating something delicious. Now, picture a first-time cook trying to make this cake with just a microwave and no guidance on how long to cook it – The results would be uncertain at best.
If any of these questions resonate with you, we invite you to reach out to St. Onge Company to see how our Project Implementation Team can help support your needs.
—Alex Kriss & John Elliott, St. Onge Company
