Unravelling Industry Project Failures

In the dynamic landscape of large-scale energy projects, there are many obstacles along the way to success; understanding the many reasons that can influence project failure is critical and can be easier understood by examining the pivotal roles that people, processes, and technology play in shaping project outcomes.

1. People: 

• Expertise Mismatch: Project failure can stem from a misalignment between the skills of engineers and the project's technical requirements

• Communication Breakdown: Ineffective communication among engineers can lead to misunderstandings, resulting in errors and delays

• Poor Coordination: Lack of coordination and collaboration between subcontractors and the core project team can disrupt workflow and compromise project timelines

• Quality Control Issues: Failure to enforce stringent quality control measures can lead to subpar work from subcontractors

• Inadequate Planning: Project managers must meticulously plan every phase - failure to do so can result in resource mismanagement and delays

• Poor Risk Management: Neglecting to identify and mitigate potential risks can lead to unforeseen challenges that disrupt project flow

2. Processes:

• Unclear Processes: Ambiguous or poorly defined processes can cause confusion among team members, leading to inefficiencies and errors

• Inadequate Change Management: The failure to manage and communicate changes effectively can result in resistance from the team and deviation from the project plan

• Insufficient Documentation: Thorough documentation is vital - lack of proper documentation can hinder knowledge transfer and contribute to project setbacks

3. Technology:

• Outdated Technology: Relying on outdated tools and technologies can impede progress, limit collaboration, and reduce overall project efficiency

• Competitive Disadvantage: In the energy industry, technology plays a crucial role in overall operations. Competitors leveraging advanced technology may outperform, innovate faster, and respond more effectively to market demands

• Increased Operational Costs: Outdated technology often requires more maintenance, support, and manual interventions, increasing operational costs over time. Inefficient systems may lead to more frequent breakdowns, resulting in downtime and additional expenses

• Integration Challenges: Incompatible systems and poor integration between various technological components can lead to data discrepancies and communication breakdowns

• Cybersecurity Concerns: Inadequate cybersecurity measures expose projects to potential data breaches, leading to disruptions and compromising sensitive information

4. Overcoming the potential of project failure:

To mitigate the risk of project failure, project delivery experts must embrace a proactive approach, investing in continuous training and development for personnel, refining and optimising processes, and staying at the forefront of technological advancements

Unasys’ People, Processes and Technology combine to provide an overarching project delivery solution - our holistic approach is delivered from a single entity, conforming to every extent of a project, alleviating the potential of project cost. Our offer prevents overruns, schedule delays, technical issues, regulatory changes, risk of environmental & visual impact damage, and potential physical dangers by utilising our proactive approach that controls and reduces project risk

Unasys operate through a customised, data driven approach where no one size ever fits all:

• Our People, Processes and Technology maximise project potential

• Our team of project delivery experts work alongside industry leading software, ensuring a seamless, integrated and comprehensive service

• We use Standardised processes, created over 20 years that reduce risk, cost, and uncertainty

• We deliver projects on time and within budget