Tatweer introduces advanced risk analysis approach to top Iraqi engineers
29 Oct 2008
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Top Iraqi engineers from different ministries have gained valuable hands-on problem solving experience using a rigorous risk analysis approach. The USAID-funded Tatweer project has designed a specialized Advanced Contract and Project Management Course (C/PMS) to introduce a rigorous risk analysis approach and to provide mentoring using real-world projects as the engineers work through the course.
C/PMS participants analyzed the design and construction of a $125 million glass wool factory as case study for the course. They were tasked to utilize course concepts and apply contracting strategy, organizational approach, and systems and procedures to the potential problems and risks inherent in building and managing this facility.
Engineers from the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works, Ministry of Water Resources, and Ministry of Agriculture attended the course, and learned how to apply new approaches and methodologies to their own ministry challenges. “We were losing a lot of time and money, when we discovered the problems after we were deep into a project. Now we know how to avoid the risks from the beginning of the project,” Jamilah, an engineer from the Ministry of Water Resources, said with confidence,
The ministries selected high-performing engineering “champions” to participate in the advanced C/PMS. “This is the first class I’ve had where all the participants truly understand the risk assessment process,” said Tatweer Senior Advisor, Robert Ross, the designer and instructor of the specialized course. “The class reinforced the idea that risk assessment for any project starts at feasibility and continues throughout the life cycle of the project.”
The class, based on widely taught contracting and project management concepts, challenges participants to draw on their own work experiences to analyze the risks inherent in capital-intensive construction efforts such as canals, public buildings, water management facilities, sewage and water treatment plants, and other infrastructures. The risk assessment process is crucial to defining the contractual, organizational, and procedural strategies needed to manage the cost, schedule, and technical aspects of a project.
Mr. Abbas, who has worked at the Ministry of Agriculture for five years as a Chief of the Investment unit said “I’ll transfer the knowledge to other colleagues in the investment unit where most of the staff is new, particularly since the training in the course is applicable to managing risk when designing warehouses and factories.”
Mr. Ross, referring to best practices for managing contractors, said “Many Iraqi contractors lack a scheduling system. Ministries need to require and track milestone achievements to fill that gap.”
A pilot workshop was first developed last fall with the Karbala Waste Water Treatment Plant Project run by the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works (MoMPW). The Karbala team responsible for a 3-year, $100 million project completed two of five workshop components and will work with Tatweer to complete the other components this fall to implement cost, schedule, and technical baseline control processes.
Several young engineers from the MoMPW were enthusiastic about their learning so far. “It’s new for us, especially project management and risk assessments,” said Mr. Husam, who has two years experience with MoMPW.
“They’re asking for new ideas in our ministries. Now we can hopefully bring some,” said Mr. Zaid, a five-year veteran of the MoMPW. “We each discussed projects from our own Ministry to identify problems and how we can solve them.’
Seven new construction projects throughout the country, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, will directly benefit from the skills and capabilities gained by course participants. In follow-up workshops scheduled for October and November, attendees will apply the building blocks of C/PMS to these real-life construction and implementation projects. Tatweer advisors will act as consultant coaches and mentors during this process for projects in Baghdad, Basra, Nasiriya, Kut, Najaf, and Karbala.
The end goal is to get all teams to converge on their ministries with contract and project management recommendations. If approved, the engineers hope to continue implementing project control disciplines on additional projects.
C/PMS participants analyzed the design and construction of a $125 million glass wool factory as case study for the course. They were tasked to utilize course concepts and apply contracting strategy, organizational approach, and systems and procedures to the potential problems and risks inherent in building and managing this facility.
Engineers from the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works, Ministry of Water Resources, and Ministry of Agriculture attended the course, and learned how to apply new approaches and methodologies to their own ministry challenges. “We were losing a lot of time and money, when we discovered the problems after we were deep into a project. Now we know how to avoid the risks from the beginning of the project,” Jamilah, an engineer from the Ministry of Water Resources, said with confidence,
The ministries selected high-performing engineering “champions” to participate in the advanced C/PMS. “This is the first class I’ve had where all the participants truly understand the risk assessment process,” said Tatweer Senior Advisor, Robert Ross, the designer and instructor of the specialized course. “The class reinforced the idea that risk assessment for any project starts at feasibility and continues throughout the life cycle of the project.”
The class, based on widely taught contracting and project management concepts, challenges participants to draw on their own work experiences to analyze the risks inherent in capital-intensive construction efforts such as canals, public buildings, water management facilities, sewage and water treatment plants, and other infrastructures. The risk assessment process is crucial to defining the contractual, organizational, and procedural strategies needed to manage the cost, schedule, and technical aspects of a project.
Mr. Abbas, who has worked at the Ministry of Agriculture for five years as a Chief of the Investment unit said “I’ll transfer the knowledge to other colleagues in the investment unit where most of the staff is new, particularly since the training in the course is applicable to managing risk when designing warehouses and factories.”
Mr. Ross, referring to best practices for managing contractors, said “Many Iraqi contractors lack a scheduling system. Ministries need to require and track milestone achievements to fill that gap.”
A pilot workshop was first developed last fall with the Karbala Waste Water Treatment Plant Project run by the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works (MoMPW). The Karbala team responsible for a 3-year, $100 million project completed two of five workshop components and will work with Tatweer to complete the other components this fall to implement cost, schedule, and technical baseline control processes.
Several young engineers from the MoMPW were enthusiastic about their learning so far. “It’s new for us, especially project management and risk assessments,” said Mr. Husam, who has two years experience with MoMPW.
“They’re asking for new ideas in our ministries. Now we can hopefully bring some,” said Mr. Zaid, a five-year veteran of the MoMPW. “We each discussed projects from our own Ministry to identify problems and how we can solve them.’
Seven new construction projects throughout the country, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, will directly benefit from the skills and capabilities gained by course participants. In follow-up workshops scheduled for October and November, attendees will apply the building blocks of C/PMS to these real-life construction and implementation projects. Tatweer advisors will act as consultant coaches and mentors during this process for projects in Baghdad, Basra, Nasiriya, Kut, Najaf, and Karbala.
The end goal is to get all teams to converge on their ministries with contract and project management recommendations. If approved, the engineers hope to continue implementing project control disciplines on additional projects.
Categorization
Topic
- Financial Management
- Project Management
- Strategic Planning
News Type
- Press Release