Major report highlights need for project success in Germany

A new German report on major construction projects will aid collaboration and greater understanding between major European projects.

The Construction of Major Projects Reform Commission report, translated in to English on the advice of APM chairman Steve Wake, identifies a series of recommendations for improvements in the delivery of major projects.

Christine Wolff, management consultant and member of the German Reform Commission for Major Projects, said: "We looked at international best practice examples of project management, in particular from the UK.

"Recommendations taken from UK experience included early risk assessment, independent project review, establishment of project management competence centres and alternative dispute resolution, like arbitration."

The report by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure calls for a profound change in the relationship between public authorities and the planning and construction industries.

The aim is to create a strong, fair and aligned framework for procuring, planning, constructing and operating assets in the built environment.

In order to do this effectively the following ten recommendations were made:

1. Cooperative planning in a team
2. First plan, then build
3. Risk management and capturing risks in the budget
4. Contract to be awarded to the tenderer who represents best value for money not necessarily the cheapest
5. Cooperative project management
6. Out-of-court settlements of disputes
7. Mandatory value for money assessment
8. Clear processes and responsibilities/centres of excellence
9. Greater transparency and control
10. Use of digital methods – Building Information Modelling (BIM)

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has initiated a number of measures to address these issues including pilot projects around BIM, risk management and cooperative project management.

This interest in enabling project success in Germany is followed by the translation of APM’s Conditions for Project Success research by the Stuttgart based project management firm Braintools.