The integrated boardwalk: a tool for large capital project integration

Abstract

Successful capital project execution of any size is a challenging endeavour. Performance gaps in on-time and on-budget delivery are often due to the inability to effectively integrate cross-functional work teams. Faced with delivering one of the largest capital projects in its portfolio, the leadership team of a large O&G asked: how do we best integrate 16 functional teams required to deliver this project? How do we get the right forums with the right audience as we are all busy? How do we build a culture of trust and performance transparency? In response, the team developed the integrated boardwalk approach as the way to run their business. The approach was for each of the 16 functional groups to build individual dashboards based on an agreed template of performance metrics. The dashboards are permanently visible performance boards in each work area. Senior leaders and leads would walk the performance boards spending no more than 15–20 mins at each. The intention is to provide an open and safe space for leads to talk about all aspect of their business as it relates to project readiness. Senior leaders drive the desired performance behaviours, where the functional leads highlight risks and specific barriers that leadership can act on and eliminate. The boardwalks have created a cultural change in the organisation, specifically: people have the right focused forums to talk about their business with the right audience using the right data; and, leaders have the transparency required to ask the right probing questions, recognise data-driven progress.