About OTMC AS
Result oriented manager with more than 40 years of International Project Manager experience delivering complex projects and holds formal certification from the International Project Management Association (IPMA) as an International Senior Project Manager.
International General Management experience has been gained in Asia (China), for 15 years with responsibility for the overall country business. This covered sales, project execution and after market for new and existing Potable water facilities.
International Project Management experience has been gained in Norway, Middle East and Korea primarily in the Oil & Gas market.
Commercial, customer and solution minded with the capability building up efficient execution teams through individual competences.
Over the past years holding a lot of high management positions within general management, Project Management, Engineering, and project execution strategies.
References
Norconsult Norge AS, Porsgrunn Norway - Brevik CCS
Location: Porsgrunn, Norway
Emerson Automation Solutions AS, Porsgrunn, Norway
Location: Stavanger, Norway
Norconsult AS, Porsgrunn, Norway
Location: Porsgrunn/Brevik, Norway
Emerson Process Management AS, Porsgrunn, Norway
Location: Porsgrunn, Norway
Emerson Process Management AS, Porsgrunn
Location: Bergen, Norway
My Clients
Introduction
Project management is becoming an increasingly vital function to businesses in all industries. Professional project management (PM) consultants work to help companies and other firms succeed by streamlining projects to meet objectives and add to organizational profitability normally strongly founded in the company’s overall strategy for future growth.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that management, scientific and technical consulting services will be the fastest-growing industry in coming years. Growth will result from a number of factors, such as an expanding economy, more complex business environment, increasing use of technology, the trend toward outsourcing, and globalization – all of which will spur demand for knowledgeable project management consultants. Despite the predicted job growth, competition will be keen; job seekers with experience and advanced education should have the best prospects.
Project management consultants bring specialized skills and knowledge to assist companies to reach their goals defined in the company’s overall project portfolio. They typically provide oversight and leadership in executing projects from planning to completion. Daily tasks include managing budgets, resources and relationships to achieve defined objectives. Planning, developing and executing schedules to ensure timely completion of projects are normally job duties specified in Job Descriptions.
Extensive involvement and familiarity with a project allows the project management consultant to communicate with staff throughout its life cycle. They often define and monitor each team member’s role and function, and coordinate all team activities. Identifying and managing project risks and developing solutions to problems are additional duties performed by project management consultants.
During the execution of a project, the PM consultant might analyze data and identify trends and inefficiencies, to prevent problems before they occur. Providing roadmaps and periodic recommendations to senior management could also be required. Creating and implementing mitigation and contingency plans are additional aspects of the project management consultant’s job.
Other tasks required of a PM consultant include: facilitating meetings; building positive relationships with clients, vendors and management; tracking documentation and data collection; creating presentations; and conducting follow-up studies on projects.
Working as a PM consultant, no matter what industry a project consultants works in, typically means that an individual will assist in the completion of a project from beginning to end. He shall provide his knowledge and expertise throughout all stages to ensure the best possible results.
Stages of Project Execution
Note: This information is only examples and written general and brief. There is enormous amount literature describing all the different project phases available (see “links” at OTMC’s Home Page).
If you find anything of interest do not hesitate to contact OTMC AS for further discussions.
Project success depends on a lot of factors both within and outside the control of the project team. There are so many reasons why projects fail, and also many reason why projects succeed, to meet their objectives. Almost all events, foreseen and unforeseen, may cause delays or cost higher than budgeted and expected. For sure almost all events that bear on project success can be anticipated and plans and procedures can be made accordingly.
The below mentioned five processes are typical execution model where the different phases describe and define focus areas, routines and procedures making the project team able to deliver a successful project.
Many companies are using similar models but with other terminology and can be modified according to the individual project’s nature and complexity. A lot of international institutes/companies use this kind of models (ref. PMI – Project Management Institute as an example)
One of the most critical stages in a project’s life cycle is defining the project’s scope, frames and authorizations to initiate and start up. In this phase review of similar projects lessons learned, establishments of detailed budgets, identifying resources and technology availabilities are checked out. This is normally done with the “project owner” and expectations have to be checked out and agreed upon. Challenges and a proper Risk Assessment shall be identified, discussed and understood so mitigation actions can be established.
Different processes are performed in this phase defining either a new project or a new phase in an existing project.
Below are the key elements, but not limited to, that shall be undertaken during the initiation phase of a project:
- Review of Lessons Learned documents (if available) from similar projects to understand complexities, challenges/risks and do a proper evaluation of the documents conclusions regarding failure/success of the project
- Define the projects deliverables, scope and purpose. Contract reviews are normally held to identify challenges and areas that need to be more detailed
- Establish Organization charts and ensure that key positions already are described. Identify need of resources making the project organization able to execute according to requirements
- Establish a clear and understood/committed agreement with the project owner (stakeholders) and identify and appoint a sponsor if possible. Authorization matrixes should be agreed upon with the project owner
- Execution strategy to be described – Project Execution Plan (PEP)
- Establish economy budget frames and schedule
- Risk assessment with mitigation actions and alternative solutions
- Reporting structures internally/externally to be established together with escalation procedures if risks occur in the project
Note: Analyzes often show that project ending up failing have either skipped this phase or have been through inadequate processes in this phase.
Planning is a critical phase of the project’s lifecycle and adequate planning greatly enhances the project to be successfully completed.
Deliverables from the Initiation phase are normally approved documents to “go ahead” and shall be the basis for planning the project in more detail. This phase involves creating detail plans break down in different Levels (Level 1 – Level 5 if necessary) through a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) structure. It’s important with involvements from all levels in the project at this stage and use “brainstorming” technique to ensure that all tasks are identified together with milestones (milestones that need approval for further progress shall be clearly identified in the plan).
The detailed plans shall help the project management team to communicate expectations to the whole project group and identify “owners” of all the identified tasks.
A key factor is to develop a Baseline plan, identifying “float” and the critical line(s).
Plans shall continuously be focused and updated on a regular basis. When the live plan starts to identify discrepancies/slippages from the Baseline plan procedures shall regulate how to update a new Baseline plan.
This phase is normally the longest phase and will consume most of the cost and resources throughout the entire project life.
The Project Execution Plan (PEP), also named as Project Execution Strategy or similar, is the governing document describing the project objectives, critical success factors, how to execute, monitor and control projects. It also involves coordination of people and other resources as well as integration and performing all defines activities according to agreed project plans. The document also normally includes
HSE plan, Quality Plan and Change Control system etc. As a nature of a project life there are many changes coming in from different areas and it’s crucial to have procedures in hand how to regulate and treat changes in a professional way.
This document has normally been initiated as part of phase “Initiating a Project” and shall be further developed as part of the Executing phase.The PEP is a living document and should be updated to describe current and future processes and shall be communicated at all levels in the project organization.
As part of the Execution of a project routines and methodology regarding monitoring and controlling of the project have to be established. The reporting schedule shall be defined and agreed upon with stakeholders to ensure that potential corrective actions can be taken to secure that the project’s deliveries will meet agreed objectives and project plans.
Within this area you will meet a lot of abbreviations with a huge variance but a lot of them will have the same meaning. The following are just a few mentioned:
CE Cost Estimation
EAC Estimated cost At Completion (a task, activity, total for areas and the whole project)
ETC Estimated cost To Complete (a task, activity, total for areas and the whole project)
CC Committed Cost (towards suppliers, requested resources etc.).
CV Cost Variances
KPI Key Performance Factors
CTR Cost, Time, Resource
EV Earned Value
PF Performance Factors
In this phase cost performance measurement and reporting structure shall be established. Measurement/monitoring of historical cost variances shall be the foundation for analyzing and do predictable forecasting for the future in cooperation with the project management team and stakeholders. In projects where there are budgeted for a lot of manhours it’s crucial to establish KPI’s and do a detailed forecast of CTR’s so EA’s and PF’s can be monitored, analyzed and modified on a regular basis.
Upon completing the data gathering and analysis exercise a final presentation will be composed summarizing the efforts, results, implications, and recommendations. In most cases, a senior partner who holds the primary client relationship will present these findings with more junior team members providing as needed support. One of the core assets consultants develop, and make them highly prized in industry, is the ability to take complex information and analyses and boil them down to straightforward presentations with recommendations. The stage of developing the final client presentation, in conjunction with a senior partners and managers is where most of this learning takes place.
