Melbourne Cricket Ground
24-26 November 2025
Australia
Australia
Despite being a critical pillar for project success, Project Controls maturity remains highly uneven across industries and geographies. Some organizations boast integrated cost-schedule-risk frameworks embedded across portfolios; others still rely on spreadsheets and anecdotal status updates. This inconsistency isn't just a technical issue—it’s a barrier to delivering projects on time, within budget, and with intended outcomes.
Maturity in project controls isn’t about ticking off checklists. It’s about creating a culture of foresight, accountability, and data-driven decisions. Mature organizations can predict delays before they happen, optimize resource use, and adapt faster to change.
According to a report by the UK’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), projects with mature controls practices are 40% more likely to deliver on key objectives than those with low maturity.
In one of the recent USA BoA meeting, one seasoned PMO Director at a global infrastructure firm put it:
“You don’t need the best tool—you need the right behaviours wrapped around it. Maturity starts with mindset.”
Project Controls Maturity Models help organizations assess where they stand in terms of capability, standardization, integration, and effectiveness. Below are the most recognized ones:
IPA Project Controls Maturity Model (UK Infrastructure & Projects Authority)
Focus: UK Government major projects (especially infrastructure and defense)
Structure:
Levels 1 to 5 (from Initial to Optimized) - Covers domains such as: Planning & Scheduling, Cost Estimating & Control, Risk & Change Control, Performance Reporting, Governance & Integration Notable Feature: Used by UK’s Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) to benchmark departments. Encourages a whole-of-lifecycle approach.
Reference:
IPA Project Routemap and related guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/project-routemap
Focus: Cost engineering and project controls, primarily in capital projects
Structure:
Defines maturity in terms of process integration and functional excellence. Emphasizes: Strategic Asset Management, Project Control Processes (scope, cost, schedule, risk) and Continuous improvement Notable Feature: Includes detailed guidance on organizational readiness, maturity gaps, and discipline-specific best practices.
Reference:
AACE TCM Framework:
https://web.aacei.org/resources/publications/tcm-framework
Focus: Industry-specific project controls, widely used in infrastructure and construction
Structure:
5 Levels of maturity across: Organizational Strategy, People & Capability, Process & Governance, Tools & Data and Culture & Leadership Notable Feature: LogiKal publishes an annual Global Project Controls Survey, offering comparative benchmarking across geographies and industries.
Reference:
2024 Global Project Controls Survey (LogiKal)
Focus: Project time management and scheduling in construction
Structure:
5 levels assessing maturity of: Scheduling practices, Integration with other disciplines, Governance, Assurance & forensic capability Notable Feature: Developed in response to widespread delays and cost overruns in construction. Strong emphasis on schedule as a control tool, not just a plan.
Reference:
CIOB Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time
Focus: Broad organizational process maturity (not project-controls-specific but adaptable)
Structure:
Levels 1 to 5: Initial → Managed → Defined → Quantitatively Managed → Optimizing; Emphasizes process consistency, performance measurement, and continuous improvement Notable Feature: Used extensively in defense, IT, and aerospace sectors. Customizable for PMO and controls environments.
Reference:
CMMI Institute: https://cmmiinstitute.com
Some of the most honest insights come from structured peer reviews—especially when done across different business units or even in joint ventures. Combined with self-assessments, they help identify not just process gaps, but cultural and behavioural challenges.
Enhancing Maturity: What Works :
Based on field experience and conversations across sectors, here are four interventions that actually move the needle:
At Project Controls Expo, we believe these conversations are more than theoretical—they are transformational. Our mission is to:
Every PCE edition—from London to DC to Dubai to Melbourne to São Paulo—creates space for real-world case studies, tool showcases, and hard conversations about what’s working and what’s not.
We want organizations to not just adopt tools, but to evolve cultures. Because ultimately, mature controls mean better projects—and better outcomes for society.
Let’s stop asking, “What tool are you using?”
Start asking, “What decision did that tool help you make yesterday?”
And if you're still unsure where your organization stands on the maturity curve, perhaps it's time for a fresh conversation. Let’s have it at Project Controls Expo.
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