Richard White
Event Director, Project Challenge
Rebuilding the Houses of Parliament is arguably one of the biggest and most complex projects ongoing in the UK today.
If the Palace of Westminster was social housing, it would have been condemned long ago due to asbestos, crumbling infrastructure, subsidence and animal infestations, plus a hundred other issues.
But, as a UNESCO world heritage site, central to the UK’s democracy and tourism industry, this enormous building must be renewed brick by brick – all while the operations of government continue, somehow, in the background.
Increasing workloads for project managers
Added to this is renewed talk of creating a pedestrianised zone near the building to prevent further terror attacks. David Hemming, Parliament’s Deputy Managing Director of Strategic Estates, is part of the team leading the painstaking and undoubtedly expensive renewal job.
Projects with a lack of preparation will find they are quickly exposed. Projects that are organised and methodical will hit deadlines and deliver on budget.
But while politicians, architects and advisors chew over this thorny issue, projects of all descriptions face their own sets of challenges. Across the UK, organisations are implementing IT updates, employee benefits packages, product launches and office relocations.
Many projects have an international profile, extended timelines, or incorporate disparate teams that must work together seamlessly to hit their objectives. This can prove difficult at a time when the world is facing unprecedented political and socio-economic turbulence.
Growing expectations mean big challenges ahead
Brexit, the Trump effect, new tariffs, currency fluctuations and freak weather events are all rocking the project management environment in 2018. Projects continue to be challenging and the expectations of board-level directors are as high as ever.
Project management is at a crossroads in 2018. The task of fulfilling objectives has never been more complicated, yet transparency and reporting standards mean that project, programme and portfolio managers are accountable from launch to completion.
Projects with a lack of preparation will find they are quickly exposed. Projects that are organised and methodical will hit deadlines and deliver on budget.