CAPEX DIFOT?

Capital investment projects can be subjected to pressures from all parts of a Business. Once the funding is approved, it can seem like everyone wants the job finished and running at 100%, "yesterday".  It is understandable, because if an investment is worthwhile, the quicker the project is realised, the  better the return.  It is in everyone's interest to deliver as quickly as possible.

A well-executed project is delivered "Safely Every Time" and "On Time", "In Budget" and "To Scope"

Rarely is a project free from "surprise" and delays.  Suppliers can encounter issues with their manufacturing or their own supply chains and all of a sudden, key equipment is not on hand when scheduled. A properly managed schedule can flex for such delays and most often, the timeline, budget and scope can be protected.

The most insidious risk to a project is a shift in the fundamental design requirements, which send project managers and suppliers back to "Square 1", often after incurring irrecoverable costs and loss of valuable time.  Sometime driven by changing customer/market forces, sometimes driven by a change in Business Strategy and sometimes a result of a poor scope to start.

A key to every successful project is clearly defined and measurable outcomes. What do we need to produce from the investment? At what rate? At what Quality standard? These need to be documented, agreed and approved by stakeholders, complete with unequivocal pass/fail criteria.  

A well defined "finish line", set early in the design phase, is a significant,  "secret ingredient" in successful engineering projects.