BMP5004 Project Management

Lecture week 9
Sustainable approaches to project management
What Does Project Management Have to do With Sustainability?

The temporary character of projects may seem to contradict the long-term orientation of sustainability.
However, projects help firms realize long-term investment objectives. Projects and project management take
place in an environment that is broader than that of the project itself. Understanding the framework in which
the project takes place helps ensure that work is carried out in alignment with the goals of the enterprise and
managed in accordance with the established practice methodologies of the organization. (PMI, 2008, p. 45)
A holistic project management approach

Project managers need to look at the bigger picture throughout their project’s lifespan to measure and
monitor its environmental impacts. 'Project managers need to think of themselves as people who do more
than just cope with the post-sanctioned stages of a project,' says Rob Leslie-Carter, a director at Arup and a
former APM Project Manager of the Year. “We should be acting as advisers to clients at a strategic level,
influencing the purpose of the project and the deliverables – all with an eye to sustainability.”

Principles are Characterised as:

Universal
Apply to the area of focus
Self-validating
Proven in practice over many years
Empowering
Invoke confidence and ability to influence and shape how the initiative will be managed
Provide a framework of good practice for those involved
Managing by principles revives human responsibility
Characteristics of Project Sustainability

Adaptability
In organisational management, adaptability is the ability to change something or oneself to fit in occurring changes and to
cope with the unexpected disturbances in any environment. In a system it is the ability to adapt itself to efficiently fast
enough to changing circumstances. A sustainable project should therefore be open and able to fit in any changing
environment or part of a system.

Audit Ability
An audit is often an evaluation of a person, organisation, system, process, enterprise, project, or product. But this concept
also applies to project management, quality management and for energy conservation. Audits are performed to ascertain the
validity and reliability of information in order to express an opinion on something under evaluation and to provide a system
of internal control. Because of increasing regulations and need for operational transparency, risk-based audits are being
adopted by organizations to cover multiple regulations and standards in order to ensure credibility, good governance and
sustainability.

Implement Ability
One fundamental principle in project management is that it should be realistic, feasible, attainable, and above all
implementable in order for it to be sustainable in the market place.
Scalability
Scalability deals with the ability of a project to accommodate addition to its capacity or capabilities and expands its scope of
operation. It also deals with its ability to increase in size, volume, quantity, or scope to accommodate unforeseen additional
components or features of the project.

Extensibility
This is the ability to extend the project through the addition of new functions or modification of existing functions to effect
change while minimizing existing project functions.

Maintainability
A project is sustainable when defects can be corrected, it is able to meet new requirements, future maintenance is made
easier, and it can cope with the changing environment.

Manageability
A sustainable project should have an organisational structure specifying roles and responsibilities and duties. This will
facilitate the management of the project and enhance its sustainability.
 A new 5 stage project life cycle

Reviews of projects that can be considered

sustainable suggests that five distinct types of
activity are involved in managing a project
responsibly. The five types of activity are
arranged is a 5 stage model (see LEMON diag.).
• Listening and learning. In conventional approaches to project management, lessons learnt are sometimes identified and
captured towards the end of a project. Project Managers sometimes recognise the importance of learning as the project
progresses, but reflexivity is given little attention in formal methods. A responsibly managed project begins by
harvesting existing knowledge about the project context, including uncovering attitudes, behaviours, beliefs and
understandings about resources, dependencies and constraints. The focus is on developing an emerging vision of change
and identifying the key dimensions (physical, behavioural, environmental etc.). Outputs from these activities will
include understandings about the current situation, constraints, stakeholders and resources.

• Engaging stakeholders. Developing and sharing a vision of beneficial change; developing and deepening understanding
of the characteristics of the desired changes. The focus is on uncovering knowledge and refining the vision. Outputs
from these activities will include an initial framework for managing relationships among stakeholders.

• Measure and review. An audit of the key dimensions of desired change is required. Key data about artefacts, behaviours,
attitudes, environmental impact etc. are required to understand and prioritise interventions, and to provide baselines for
monitoring progress. Options for change can be developed based on objective measurements of key dimensions. The
focus is on gathering data and information to assess scale, feasibility, and priorities. Outputs will include baseline
measures of key dimensions, costs and expected benefits.
• Organise for intervention. Based on a sound understanding of the dimensions of the desired change, of the
priorities, and the dynamics of established arrangements, individual interventions are designed appropriately.
Specific responsibilities are allocated to individuals and organisations with the most relevant resources and
influence. New organisational forms may be created to achieve change that spans existing organisational
boundaries. The focus is on organising and convening people, to connect them to each other and to the natural
environment. Outputs will include specific artefacts leading to changes to attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and
measures of impact that demonstrates progress against baselines.

• Next steps. The effectiveness of interventions and the sustainability of changes made are reviewed and assessed.
Assessments of the social impact, the impact on the environment and the economic viability of the changes made
are required. The focus is on the impact of change and is forward looking. Outputs will include new
understandings, new questions and new projects.
Measurement of Project Sustainability

Sustainability is an integrated process involving social, economic, cultural, legal, political, health,
environmental, financial, and a host of other factors which can facilitate continuity and sustainability of an
organization, system, structure, or institution in a marketplace.

Sustainability in project operations is measured by:

- Financial capital—these are total financial resources for the project

- Manufacturing capital—this comprises all equipment
- Natural capital—this refers to land and natural resources
- Human capital—all professional and experts employed
- Social desirability—needed by the society
- Cultural acceptability—it should not violate certain cultural values and norms
- Economic sustainability—able to withstand competition and exist for long
- Technical feasibility—able to be attained or implemented
- Political expediency—in compliance with government rules and regulations
- Operational viability—should be productive
- Environmentally rebuts— positive impact on the environment