Building it Right the First Time

Building it Right the First Time (Session, various speakers)

Planning is the key to “getting it right”.

1. Schedule

2. Budget

3. Decision Making Process

“Problems we can deal with, Surprises Kill Us”. (I have found this to be very true!

A. Identify the problem (All aspects)

B. Think of information as an asset

Business Case Evaluation

-Determine projects objectives and anticipated level of service

-Manages future expectations of project performance

-Identify alternatives for evaluation

-Include “doing nothing”

-Develop life cycle costs for each alternative

-Construction cost, plus O&M plus rehab/replacement costs

-Triple bottom line (Economic, Environmental, Social)

Risk Assessment

-Identify all possible risks (both operational and policy perspectives)

-Define Appropriate risk matrix

-Focus on risk throughout

-Monitor, advise and report

-Track Risk

-Risk type (policy or operational), status of action items, report at summary level and lessons learned

Quality Management

-Set quality standards for all functions

-Manage a “living document”

-Communicate the QM Plan

-Monitor throughout

-Find balance between standardization and engineering judgment

Team Alignment

-Identify Competencies Needed (right people with right skills)

-Project kickoff meeting (Agree on project mission, understand expectations, identify critical success factors, plan for successful delivery, objectives and goals define in the process charter process))

-Community Outreach (Public is part of the team)

This is one of those sessions that are valuable because they are outside of my comfort zone and I learn some new ideas and techniques. Usually it is a basis for further research (as is the case in what I learned from this presentation.)