As the development is still underway, our observations on project management are preliminary, and cannot be confirmed until the development has been fully commissioned and delivered.
Our fieldwork revealed the following:
• the overall governance and structure of the project is complicated but well defined in the project documentation
• key project stakeholders are regularly consulted regarding the project in accordance with an approved communications strategy. Communication is primarily through media releases, stakeholder newsletters, signage around the development site, a large presentation in the existing exhibition facility and a project website2
• the design and construction phase of the project does not operate under a set of published processes, however, the project is progressing in a controlled manner in accordance with the agreed schedule after some 14 months of construction
• a comprehensive set of processes for the operations phase of the project have been developed and reviewed by key stakeholders, and has been noted by the project steering committee. Endorsement of these procedures is planned to occur prior to the commencement of the operations phase.
Notwithstanding the above, we consider that a formalised and documented project management methodology would assist Major Projects Victoria (MPV) in its role to implement major projects on behalf of the State.
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2 The project web site can be found at < http://www.mccd.vic.gov.au/>.