PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Predictable, optimised and sustainable returns from your capital investmentsAs an owner, entrepreneur or project developer you have to carefully balance the amount of work you can do against the available funds, while still delivering a profitable and sustainable venture. The shortage of funding in the beginning of any project means that you cannot afford to reinvent the wheel, you need a trusted advisor with depth of experience and a proven process who can help you turn your idea into a funded project that will deliver a business that delivers optimal returns on invested capital.
How we help clients
OTC’s multidisciplinary team of experienced consultants are able to draw on decades of project development experience.
We work with established owners and project developers to:
- confirm that the business objectives can be achieved;
- understand and balance the owner needs;
- identify risk areas and opportunities and propose mitigating plans;
- add most value when we work from a position of trust, as part of the owner team, during the early stages of project development.
Project Development
We can work with the owner or developer to develop a project in line with the business case through the whole project lifecycle using sound stage-gate principles. These consulting activities are customised to the needs of the client and typically include:
Project Execution
- Setting up the owner team up for success.
- Supporting the owner team, and especially the sponsor and project management team.
- Defining, planning and controlling the project using stage-gate and project management principles.
- Applying effective owner project controls that provides management information to empower the owner to make informed decisions.
- Developing and managing both product and project scope.
- Pro-actively managing business and project risk.
- Ensuring project outcomes through the value assurance process.
Marketing Studies
- High level market research
- Supply/demand forecast and balancing
- Price sensitivity analysis
- Forecasting and projections
- Preliminary supply chain and logistics development
Business & Financial
- Developing an idea and opportunity framing.
- Developing and validating the business case and ensuring that the project is aligned with the true business need.
- Developing financial and economic models
- Developing the business plan
- Financing planning
Environment & Safety
- Developing SHE guidelines, practices and management of EIA studies and regulatory submissions
- Developing land risk management and soil pollution prevention guidelines
General
- Identifying, aligning all key stakeholders.
- Assisting in licensing and commercialising technology if required.
- Evaluating and ensuring the effectiveness of the project team.
- Capturing, analysing and transferring owner lessons learnt.
- Guiding members of the owner team to effectively fulfil their role on projects.
- Developing community social investment and relationship strategies/plans and practices, and;
- Stakeholder and project team communication.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT INSIGHTS
Black Swan Risk Management for Projects
By Jurie Steyn.Introduction Decimus Junius Juvenalis, known in English as Juvenal, was a poet active in the period AD 110 to 130. He wrote sixteen satires on the vices, abuses, and follies of Imperial Rome and is regarded by many as one of the greatest satirists of...
Learning from All Projects
Any organisation should strive for continual improvement in the way they execute projects. A good way to do this is to ensure that mistakes of the past are not repeated.
Focus on the business case throughout the project life cycle
How many business cases are presented for approval, and then filed away once the project is underway, never to see the light of day again? If this is the situation in your company then please reconsider your approach - in this article we explain why. Introduction The...
The Importance of Engineering Management
In this article we address the areas where the engineering manager must take the lead for a project to be a business success Introduction The role of the engineering manager in projects was previously described using the ten knowledge areas of the Project Management...
Introduction to Constructability and Constuctability Programmes
This article focuses on the benefits of constructability, and implementation of a constructability programme in companies, at both corporate and project level Introduction Constructability is a project management technique for reviewing the whole construction process...
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility for Projects
In this article, an attempt is made to provide an integrated view of strategic CSR on projects. A stronger focus will be given to strategic CSR in the context of developing countries. Introduction Before we consider strategic corporate social responsibility, let’s...
The Elusive Project Sponsor
All projects are risky ventures: the larger and more complex the project, the higher the risk of an unsuccessful outcome. The project sponsor is the primary risk taker and owner of the project’s business case. In this article, we consider several scenarios for the...
Introduction to Engineering Management
In this article the roles and responsibilities of an engineering manager and the interaction between the engineering manager and the project manager is explored. Introduction There is sometimes confusion regarding the role of, and need for, an engineering manager on a...
The Importance of Framing and Alignment on a Project
The objective of the initial opportunity framing process is to ensure the right problem is tackled, from the right perspective, by the right people. Framing a project properly at the outset will assist in aligning the team towards success and reduce the probability...
The project management triangle conundrum: Selecting between Quality, Cost, Time
It is often said that good and fast projects are expensive, good and cheap projects are slow, and cheap and fast projects are of poor quality. It is our opinion that this dogma leads to a totally inadequate setting of the project framework and does not provide the...
Fit-for-Purpose Specifications for Project Development and Implementation
This article will focus on industries where owner organisations own, maintain and customise in-house specifications for use in capital projects, procurement and manufacturing. Introduction Stephen Covey states that “beginning with the end in mind” is based on the...
Value Chain Optimisation
The methodology followed during Value Chain Optimisation (VCO) is a rigorous and pro-active approach, across the full project value chain, during each development and design stage of a project. It ensures that only the required functionalities are incorporated into...
Planning for a Safe Project
Safety on megaprojects does not come easily, or cheaply. It requires intensive preparation, dedicated focus from all parties involved, a willingness to learn and a good portion of luck. Introduction Safety on megaprojects does not come easily, or cheaply. It...
Introduction to Product Logistics
In a general business sense, product logistics can be described as the management of the flow of things between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the product requirements of customers. Introduction In a general business sense, product...
An Introduction to Project Logistics Management
Most people in the project and business environment are familiar with the terms ‘logistics management’ and ‘supply chain management’, until they’re asked to explain the difference. In this article, we discuss these terms and then focus on the unique aspects of...
Site Selection for Process Plants
In this article, we’ll discuss the site selection process, we’ll see how facility objectives influence site selection, we’ll spend time on site selection criteria and discuss the site selection decision matrix. Introduction Selecting a site for a process plant is far...
Design, Construct and Operate your Plant with Closure in Mind
How many business cases are presented for approval, and then filed away once the project is underway, never to see the light of day again? If this is the situation in your company then please reconsider your approach - in this article we explain why. Introduction...