![]() This paper examines the implications that certain factors had on changing the project management approach of a public-sector organisation that uses engineers as project managers on capital works engineering projects. However, the public sector uses public money and, for that reason at least, the current demands for more effective management are axiomatic. The indications are that the private sector is no worse but, quite likely, no better than the public sector. Even if one could conclude that a particular project has been successful, the general record for projects is not a good one, with overruns in time and cost being commonplace. Many projects are not being delivered in accordance with predetermined requirements. The new tools used to manage projects are described, and the problems and solutions encountered are documented for use on future engineering management efforts. The work details the roles and responsibilities for the project delivery team members. The paper reviews the new project management organizational structure and the organizational options considered by the Bureau. This paper describes the project management method of project delivery being implemented at the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering and explains the implementation elements and their status. All of the non-wastewater elements of the Bureau were organized into a program-based matrix organization with a Project Manager as the focus for project delivery with project conception-to-conclusion responsibility. In February 1997, the Bureau of Engineering executive staff and the Board of Public Works mandated a dramatic shift to improve project delivery. The Bureau of Engineering is a part of the City of Los Angeles' Department of Public Works and is responsible for the planning, design, and construction management of capital improvement projects for the city. Greater or lesser amounts of reform would be dependent upon the project management maturity of any s. The results of this research, if such results can be applied to the whole sector, would indicate that the public sector is in need of reform on how it handles the project-side of its business. Launching a research programme that would investigate project delivery performance by organisations with such facilities is thus a matter of great importance and urgency. Although project support facilities have been established in some organisations, their benefits are anecdotal and little information has been published that would clearly confirm the advantages. This type of support facility offers a visible entity for organisational reform and a means to establish a balanced working ethos between project work and, the often predominant, non-project work. The paper also introduces the concept of the project support office. This paper explains the increasing recognition of projects as vehicles for creating internal change alongside, in the public sector, the provision of new products to satisfy social need. Project management, as a management discipline, is not generally understood nor is it commonly practised at strategic level by public sector organisations that commonly handle a mix of project work and non-project work. Projects are becoming the fundamental internal building blocks that organisation and business entities use to satisfy their missions, strategies and outputs. The management of project work is an increasing challenge to most organisations.
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