In engineering consortia and joint ventures, different companies work together as partners in complex construction projects. There are different types of cooperation, but they have one thing in common: the efficiency of the cooperation and ultimately the success and profit of a project are significantly decided at the beginning. This is true for most complex projects with many different participants. This is recognised by various experienced project managers and partners in consortia and corresponds with my personal experience. I am not talking directly about the actual planning of the project (deadlines, costs, scope). Nor am I talking about the organisation of the cooperation with responsibilities, communication channels, controlling or risk management. These are the typical tasks of project management and they are also often very well planned and implemented.
Establishing good cooperation is most favourable at the beginning of a project. Get to know the other parties comprehensively and gain an overview of the project from the perspectives of the different partners.
I am talking about the project parties getting to know each other comprehensively at the beginning and gaining a common overview of the project with likely critical phases and uncertainties. A good practice is to think through the project in a short period of time and to look at the phases from different perspectives. With further exercises, one can get to know the partners in the project with their goals and priorities, professional focus, other skills and also blind spots. This goes beyond purely technical responsibilities and qualifications. Displayed graphically and weighted, it gives a great overview of the project and the composition of the team.
Why it is worth it
I know you have often done this kind of project several times and can actually start right away, for you everything is clear. But are your partners also ready? And do you know for which questions you can refer to your partners? What are the critical work phases for the other parties and where might your support be particularly valuable? After all, you are a joint venture for a reason.
And the good news – building a good team is never as cheap as it is at the beginning. This investment in the early stages allows for focused work, clarity and overview from the very first step. One already starts as an ally and also knows the perspectives and goals of the partners. The time spent at the beginning will pay off many times over the course of the project. After all, complex construction projects take a long time and require a lot of communication. And good communication allows for efficient cooperation, robust decisions building consensus in case of ambiguities or disputes. All this contributes to the economic success of the project.
Efficient cooperation and ultimately the success and profit of the project depend on good communication.
The goals of the project should be linked to the goals of the individuals. Individuals are even more motivated when they see their own contribution in and for the project.
Most important is the starting phase of the project. But also during the execution of a project, for example when important milestones are reached, it is good practice to:
- Exchange lessons learned
- Reflect on cooperation
- Optimise the organisation or processes
Depending on the type of project, the partners of the JV are taking part in these events. This is particularly useful in new constellations or if people have not worked together before. It is often also worthwhile to integrate clients, customers and other key companies into the same process as soon as they are known.
If you like, you are welcome to carry out these steps yourself. If you are happy for support, evores corporate development has put together a special package for joint ventures to make this start into the project interesting and to accompany it optimally. My contribution is the preparation and moderation of these events. I bring exciting and varied tools and visualise the contexts. This allows you to concentrate fully on the content. Furthermore, due to my broad experience in many construction projects, I can ask important questions and provide clarity support. I am also happy to support you in interim meetings and optimisations during the project.
Contact me in case of questions and read more about the offer.
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