Here is a rhetorical question, what would it take to complete a modern construction project on time and on (let alone under) budget?
We should ask ‘why this happens so infrequently in projects large and small and how it can be corrected?’
A little background
There was a time a construction project, be it a bridge, a stadium, a palace or a canal required basic materials such as wood & stone and not much else, because the technology for lifts, mechanical ventilation, electrical lighting and remote sensing didn’t exist.
Now, a complex project such as an underground railway, a hospital or an airport terminal is not merely a building, it is intelligent, its constituent parts talk to each other via digital communications; if there is a campus of buildings, they will interact with each other. It could be said we are creating ‘Intelligent Digital Infrastructure,’ rather than simply constructing buildings.
This is an unprecedented change and requires an unprecedented level of organisation and coordination to get the project completed on time, on budget and functioning as expected, something that seems less common than society would like.
Missing the target
One of the sticking points in such a modern infrastructure project happens when the individual systems that make the building function are integrated to work together as a whole.
It is an issue because all too often systems integration happens at the end when there is an expectation that the infrastructure will be put into service. It is here where it is found things don’t work as expected. This creates time delays, which increases costs, which leads to reputational damage as by this stage a lot of money has been spent already without the infrastructure being able to be used.
The problem arises because, as the Elizabeth Line demonstrated, systems integration is frequently an afterthought during projects
Although Systems Integration is a key part of any 21st Century project, it doesn’t look like that on paper at the beginning. Typically, the constructed elements will take up 85% of the budget, with the systems integration taking up the remainder. It is the bricks, mortar, dust and sweat that grabs the attention of both project managers, and public alike, simply because of its size and up-front cost
What to do?
One suggestion is to have Systems Integration happen as the project progresses, so it becomes fully embedded into the project’s DNA, instead of waiting until the end.
A Systems Management Community
Nothing happens in a vacuum. To move the industry to a position where we are prepared to make the changes and root them into our practice will take more than calls to action or simple (it would be complicated) legislation. It requires the distinct parts of the industry (civil engineers, project managers, systems engineers, PMOs) to actively talk to each other.
We need to think about how we go about talking to each other, the forums we can use and how we exchange understanding of each other’s working pressures and experience. Having a fully rounded view of what it means to truly and properly integrate each part of a project so it saves time, money and bad press can only lead to happier customers and less stressed-out professionals.
This is why Stephen Jones (Nichols) and Xen Christodoulou (Synergy Rail and IET London Local Network) are looking to build a “Systems Management Community.”
Some of the areas we would like to discuss, share ideas on and build on are:
How can we influence the early part of projects to consider Systems Integration?
What would we like to see happen?
How can we keep its profile high?
What are the big decisions that affect the complexity of Systems Integration?
Call to Action
We want you to engage with us. We need your input, your challenges, your key tips and hints, other discussion areas we have missed. If you want to work with us to build this online community, share and comment on this blog post, or get in touch with Lynsay Callaghan.
