Episode 159 – Bridging the Gap between Project Management and Project Oversight

The podcast by project managers for project managers. Who looks out for the owner’s interest to achieve project success while maximizing project value?  In this episode Herbert Marshall talks about differentiating project oversight from project management. We look at some best practices for project oversight from the perspective of an owner or client.

Table of Contents

01:44 … Nuclear Power Plant Project Role02:55 … Lessons Learned from Project05:00 … Defining Project Oversight06:09 … Project Oversight vs. Project Management Roles08:24 … Project Oversight Independence10:32 … Inspiration for the Project Oversight Guide13:40 … Oversight Advice16:36 … The Role of the Oversight Professional21:10 … When to Add an Oversight Professional24:30 … Project Oversight Examples28:30 … Get in Touch with Herb29:47 … Closing

HERB MARSHALL:  So the project outcome as measured by an owner won’t exactly align with the success factors of the project outcome for the contractor, nor do the risks perfectly align.  And so that creates a natural tension between the two.  And if not done right, there ends up being winners and losers.

WENDY GROUNDS:  Welcome to Manage This, the podcast by project managers for project managers.  We’re glad you’re joining us.  If you like what you hear, please visit us at Velociteach.com and leave us a comment on our Manage This Podcast page.  I’m Wendy Grounds, and joining me is Bill Yates.

BILL YATES:  Hi, Wendy.

WENDY GROUNDS:  Hi, Bill.  So today we have an interesting guest; don’t we?

BILL YATES:  Yes, we do.  Herb Marshall is our guest.  He’s a retired nuclear-navy officer and a former lead field assistant for the Department of Energy, Naval Reactors.  He’s got over 20 years of experience overseeing major capital projects, including construction, fabrication, logistics, overhaul, operations, maintenance, and vessel decommissioning and dismantlement.

Herb brings a wealth of knowledge to us.  And we’re going to talk about something that I bet none of our listeners have really considered before, and the topic is project oversight.  So we’re going to distinguish or delineate project oversight from project management and talk about this gap that Herb has seen in the marketplace with projects, which is many times we don’t really have someone representing the owner.  So we’re going to talk about that with Herb.

WENDY GROUNDS:  Yes, it’s going to be interesting.  And Herb wrote a book.  It’s called “The Project Oversight Guide.”  And we’re going to talk to him a bit more about that, as well.  Hi, Herb.  We’re so thrilled to have you join us today.

HERB MARSHALL:  Thank you for having me.

Nuclear Power Plant Project Role

WENDY GROUNDS:  To start off with, let’s get a little bit about your background.  You were previously hired as the chief architect of the project oversight model for a billion-dollar decontamination and dismantlement of a U.S. commercial nuclear power plant.  Can you describe your role on that project?

HERB MARSHALL:  Oh, sure.  Well, I was brought in when they were struggling in the beginning, and they decided we need some subject matter expertise if we’re going to oversee this contractor doing this decommissioning while we’re retaining the nuclear license.  So I began where you probably need to begin, which is designing the organizational structure, working with the leadership, writing the job descriptions for the oversight staff and management positions.  And then I worked with various department heads and wrote about 20 or so of the protocols and processes, developed the key performance indicators, the reporting structure, the project management manual, and developed and administered about 40 hours of training.  I also developed an Oversight Professional Certification Program and chaired the final certification oral boards for those would-be candidates.

Lessons Learned from Project

WENDY GROUNDS:  So what was your lessons learned from this experience?