A key part of project management is managing all aspects of a project. One of the ways Flux Partners addresses this is through the application of Systems Engineering. This blog post explains how Systems Engineering helps manage the various projects Flux Partners is involved in.
Extension
Max Tonino is involved in project management on a daily basis. In his role as project management consultant, Max is responsible for ensuring that projects achieve the desired quality and are completed within the available time and budget. “Systems engineering helps me perform these tasks effectively,” says Max. “In fact, systems engineering is an extension of integrated project management. It connects the various components of a project, so that responsibilities, deliverables and requirements, and the interrelationships between different aspects are clear. This is important because everything must be clearly traceable and documented.”
In practice
An example of how Systems Engineering works in practice is entering contracts into the system and linking the correct individuals to them. When a task is completed, it’s indicated in the system, providing a clear overview of progress. In addition, minutes and other important documents can be easily recorded and accessed.
One of the most recent projects Flux Partners is working on is the construction of a viaduct. Koen Hemink, project and process management team leader and senior consultant at Flux Partners, explains how Systems Engineering is helping with this: “We just started this project and are setting up all the processes and structures. This approach helps us maintain an overview during implementation. We divide the project into manageable chunks, or work packages, and assign responsibility for them. Within these work packages, we also consider potential risks and deviations in the work. Once all the requirements of a work package have been met—objectives have been achieved, risks have been managed, and any deviations have been resolved—we consider that manageable chunk completed.”
Challenge
“We also apply Systems Engineering to the replacement and renovation of two tunnels on the A73 motorway and the maintenance of the Meuse floodplains,” says Max. “A challenge here is that a management and maintenance project needs to be structured differently than, for example, a construction project. This is because management and maintenance projects take longer, meaning some project management methods aren’t suitable for them. Therefore, it’s essential to find methods that do fit within the Systems Engineering approach. It’s crucial for the client to always be able to demonstrate that the work has been done properly.”
Solution
Koen adds: “With maintenance, you must be able to continuously demonstrate compliance. This means you must clearly document the performance and quality levels expected under the contract. This also involves determining how you monitor and demonstrate these requirements, for example, how often you perform inspections. We always design a maintenance management system so that the inspection and maintenance regime is effective and traceable to the contract. This system ensures that you can demonstrate with data that everything you maintain outdoors actually meets the specified requirements.”
Structure
Max indicates that Systems Engineering helps him perform his work effectively. “For me, structure and overview are very important. With Systems Engineering, I can bring order to complex projects. By creating your own overview, you also learn to better understand all the connections.” “I love seeing how Systems Engineering creates a sense of calm in a project,” says Koen. “Once the structure is in place, we can truly focus on the technology and content, which is ultimately what it’s all about. Contributing, together with the team, to the development of the Netherlands in the construction, energy, and infrastructure sectors. We then see that everything runs smoothly and the collaboration is optimal, contributing, together with the team, to the development of the Netherlands in the construction, energy, and infrastructure sectors.”
