This presentation explores the complexities of managing innovative defence projects with undefined scope, objectives, and timelines. Focusing on a selected project, I examine real-world challenges such as shifting requirements, technological ambiguity, and stakeholder alignment. Through this case study, I identify key management hurdles and extract practical lessons for handling uncertainty, fostering innovation, and steering such projects toward success despite initial vagueness and evolving goals. 

Data-Driven Project Forecasting: How Sydney Trains Transformed Delivery Predictability Presentation Synopsis: This case study examines how Sydney Trains collaborated to enhance project controls and transform delivery predictability for a project within the Customer Information Channels team. The team was facing challenges with estimation accuracy, capacity planning, and prioritisation stability, and sought to establish greater confidence in delivery timelines. Our co-designed discovery process, involving 10 in-depth team interviews, identified three primary operational challenges affecting project control effectiveness: 1. Prioritisation issues (mentioned by 90% of interviewees) 2. Estimation accuracy (90% of interviewees) 3. Capacity planning (70% of interviewees) The collaborative intervention centered on implementing effective project controls through a workshop that directly addressed these pain points. The co-developed approach featured: • Data-Driven Forecasting: Implementation of burn-up charts that integrated actual team capacity data with refined estimation techniques • Consolidated Control Framework: Creation of a unified work management structure in their delivery tracking system bringing together previously fragmented project information • Prioritisation Methodology: Application of Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) modeling to enable objective decision-making • Capacity Visualization: Overlaying actual team capacity against estimated work to create realistic delivery expectations This case study will showcase the specific controls implemented, including detailed examples of the burn-up visualization techniques, estimation methodologies, and capacity planning approaches. We'll demonstrate how these tools enabled the project team to confidently forecast completion dates based on empirical data rather than optimistic projections. The presentation will highlight both the technical implementation details and the measurable improvements in project predictability, including: • Before-and-after comparison of estimation accuracy • Stabilisation of prioritisation decisions • Improved alignment between capacity and delivery commitments • Enhanced stakeholder confidence in project timelines For project controls professionals, this case study offers valuable insights into how agile forecasting techniques can be applied within traditional project frameworks to deliver greater predictability, transparency, and control over complex technology initiatives – all through a collaborative approach that builds on team strengths and shared expertise. I will be co-presenting with the Head of Project Delivery for Customer Information Channels at Sydney Trains. 

In an increasingly complex digital environment, aligning project delivery with strategic objectives remains a challenge, especially when traditional governance frameworks are rigid and delivery practices are evolving. This case study explores how a large infrastructure organisation sought to develop a fit-for-purpose delivery and governance framework for its digital portfolio, within the constraints of a fixed overarching governance structure and a strong executive mandate for agile delivery. The Sponsor requested a framework that could support a range of project types and sizes, balancing agility with necessary oversight. The framework needed to align to top-level stage gates while remaining lightweight and adaptable, enabling faster delivery without sacrificing accountability or clarity. Our approach began with a fundamental question: did the leadership team clearly understand what they were governing? A review of existing business cases revealed significant disconnects between strategic intent, delivery methods, and outcomes. From this starting point, we co-designed a governance model, eventually called the Adaptive Governance Framework, that supported traditional oversight while embracing agile principles. The concept of "Minimum Viable Governance" helped drive consensus, providing just enough structure to assure value without stifling delivery teams. Key success factors included early engagement with executive sponsors, clear articulation of the benefits of adaptive governance, and an iterative approach to framework design. The result was a model that strengthened the link between business cases and delivery outcomes, improved transparency across the portfolio, and empowered project teams to work with greater autonomy. This session will share lessons from the engagement, including practical tips on navigating fixed governance constraints, reconciling agile and traditional mindsets, and building frameworks that genuinely align strategy with delivery in a digital-first world. 

Disruption in construction projects is an unanticipated interruption to the regular progress of works, resulting in loss of productivity. It could be due to various reasons like excessive overtime, acceleration or out-of sequence work. Disruption results in reduction of work efficiency rate which leads to increase in working hours spent (i.e., labor and/or equipment) on the relevant disrupted work, not necessarily extra time (i.e., critical delay), which leads to claims to recover such losses. In practice, disruption claims are often difficult to establish due to lack of express provisions in the contract that provide rules or guidance on methodology and qualifying relevant event(s) which caused disruption. This makes it difficult to establish definitive causal linkages and may lead to claims being more global in nature. Meanwhile, assuming evidence is given, and it is compelling, it remains challenging to measure and justify the financial impact of disruption in absence of actual records as courts are more impressed by damage calculations related directly to the disputed works and supported by contemporaneous documentation. This paper delves into the practical considerations for conducting a credible disruption analysis in view of the methods described in AACE International RP 25R-03 through different scenarios providing better explanation and more accurate estimation of the methods.