12–3
Introduction to ProjectPartnering
Introduction to Project Partnering
• Partnering
–A process of transforming contractual arrangements into a
cohesive, collaborative team that deals with issues and
problems encountered to meet a customer’s needs.
• Assumes that the traditional adversarial relationship between
the owner and contractor is ineffective and self-defeating.
• Assumes that both parties share common goals and mutually
benefit from the successful completion of projects.
–Factors favoring partnering:
• Existence of common goals
• High costs of the adversarial approach
• Shared benefits of the collaborative approach
Key Practices inPartnering Relationships
Key Practices in Partnering Relationships
versus Traditional Practices
versus Traditional Practices
TABLE 12.1
Partnering Relationships
Mutual trust forms the basis
for strong working
relationships.
Shared goals and objectives
ensure common direction.
Joint project team exists with
high level of interaction.
Open communications avoid
misdirection and bolster
effective working relationships.
Long-term commitment
provides the opportunity to
attain continuous
improvement.
Traditional Practices
Suspicion and distrust; each party
is wary of the other.
Each party’s goals and objectives,
while similar, are geared to what is
best for them.
Independent project teams; teams
are spatially separated with
managed interactions.
Communications are structured
and guarded.
Single project contracting is
normal.
7.
Key Practices inPartnering Relationships
Key Practices in Partnering Relationships
versus Traditional Practices (cont’d)
versus Traditional Practices (cont’d)
TABLE 12.1 (cont’d)
Partnering Relationships
Objective critique is geared to
candid assessment of
performance.
Access to each other’s
organization resources is
available.
Total company involvement
requires commitment from CEO
to team members.
Integration of administrative
systems equipment takes place.
Risk is shared jointly among the
partners, encouraging innovation
and continuous improvement.
Traditional Practices
Objectivity is limited due to fear of
reprisal and lack of continuous
improvement opportunity.
Access is limited with structured
procedures and self-preservation
taking priority over total
optimization.
Involvement is normally limited to
project-level personnel.
Duplication and/or translation takes
place with attendant costs and
delays.
Risk is transferred to the other
party.
8.
12–8
Outsourcing Project Work
OutsourcingProject Work
• Advantages
–Cost reduction
–Faster project
completion
–High level of expertise
–Flexibility
• Disadvantages
–Coordination
breakdowns
–Loss of control
–Interpersonal conflict
–Security issues
9.
Best Practices inOutsourcing
Best Practices in Outsourcing
Project Work
Project Work
Treat Outsourcers as Partners!
10.
12–10
Strategies for Communicating
Strategiesfor Communicating
with Outsourcers
with Outsourcers
STRATEGY 1: Recognize cultural differences
STRATEGY 2: Choose the right words
STRATEGY 3: Confirm your requirements
STRATEGY 4: Set deadlines
11.
12–11
Preproject Activities
Preproject Activities—Settingthe Stage
—Setting the Stage
for Successful Partnering
for Successful Partnering
• Selecting a Partner(s)
–Voluntary, experienced, willing,
with committed top management.
• Team Building: The Project Managers
–Build a collaborative relationship among
the project managers.
• Team Building: The Stakeholders
–Expand the partnership commitment to
include other key managers and specialists.
12.
12–12
Project Implementation
Project Implementation—Sustaining
—Sustaining
CollaborativeRelationships
Collaborative Relationships
• Establish a “we” as opposed to “us vs. them”
attitude toward the project.
–Co-location: employees from different organizations work
together at the same location.
• Establish mechanisms that will ensure the
relationship withstands problems and setbacks.
–Problem resolution
–Continuous improvement
–Joint evaluation
–Persistent leadership
13.
12–13
Project Completion—Celebrating Success
ProjectCompletion—Celebrating Success
• Conduct a joint review of accomplishments
and disappointments.
• Hold a celebration for all project participants.
• Recognize special contributions.
14.
12–14
Why Project PartneringEfforts Fail
Why Project Partnering Efforts Fail
• Causes of Partnering Failures
–Senior management fails to address problems or does
not empower team members to solve problems.
–Cultural differences are not adequately dealt with
such that a common team culture develops.
–No formal evaluation process is in place to identify
problems and opportunities at the operating level or to
assess the current state of the partnering relationship.
–A lack of incentive for continuous improvement by
contractors participating in the partnering relationship.
15.
12–15
Advantages of Long-termPartnerships
Advantages of Long-term Partnerships
• Reduced administrative costs
• More efficient utilization of resources
• Improved communication
• Improved innovation
• Improved performance
16.
12–16
The Art ofNegotiating
The Art of Negotiating
• Project management is NOT a contest.
–Everyone is on the same side—OURS.
–Everyone is bound by the success of the project.
–Everyone has to continue to work together.
• Principled Negotiations
–Separate the people from the problem
–Focus on interests (what to achieve), not positions
–Invent options for mutual gain
–When possible, use objective criteria
TABLE 12.2
17.
12–17
The Art ofNegotiating (cont’d)
The Art of Negotiating (cont’d)
• Dealing with Unreasonable People
–If pushed, don’t push back.
–Ask questions instead of making statements.
–Use silence as a response to unreasonable demands.
–Ask for advice and encourage others to criticize your
ideas and positions.
–Use Fisher and Ury’s best alternative to a negotiated
agreement (BATNA) concept to work toward a win/win
scenario.
18.
12–18
Managing Customer Relations
ManagingCustomer Relations
• Customer Satisfaction
–The negative effect of dissatisfied customers on a
firm’s reputation is far greater than the positive effect
of satisfied customers.
–Every customer has a unique set of performance
expectations and met-performance perceptions.
–Satisfaction is a perceptual relationship:
Perceived performance
Expected performance
–Project managers must be skilled at managing both
customer expectations and perceptions.
19.
12–19
Managing Customer Relations(cont’d)
Managing Customer Relations (cont’d)
• Managing Customer Expectations
–Don’t oversell the project; better to undersell.
–Develop a well-defined project scope statement.
–Share significant problems and risks.
–Keep everyone informed about the project’s progress.
–Involve customers early in decisions about project
development changes.
–Handle customer relationships and problems in an
expeditious, competent, and professional manner.
–Speak with one voice.
–Speak the language of the customer.
20.
12–20
Key Terms
Key Terms
Bestalternative to a negotiated agreement
(BATNA)
Co-location
Escalation
Met-expectations model
Outsourcing
Partnering charter
Principled negotiation
Types of Contracts
Typesof Contracts
• Fixed-price (FP) Contract or Lump-Sum Agreement
–The contractor with the lowest bid agrees to perform all
work specified in the contract at a fixed price.
–The disadvantage for owners is that it is more difficult
and more costly to prepare.
–The primary disadvantage for contractors is the risk of
underestimating project costs.
–Contract adjustments
• Redetermination provisions
• Performance incentives
23.
Types of Contracts(cont’d)
Types of Contracts (cont’d)
• Cost-Plus Contracts
–The contractor is reimbursed for all direct
allowable costs (materials, labor, travel) plus an
additional prior-negotiated fee (set as a
percentage of the total costs) to cover overhead
and profit.
–Risk to client is in relying on the contractor’s best
efforts to contain costs.
–Controls on contractors
• Performance and schedule incentives
• Costs-sharing clauses
Contract Changes
Contract Changes
•Contract Change Control System
–Defines the process by which a contract’s
authorized scope (costs and activities) may be
modified:
• Paperwork
• Tracking systems
• Dispute resolution procedures
• Approval levels necessary for authorizing changes
–Best practice is the inclusion of change control
system provisions in the original contract.