Start Strong and Stay Strong for mega- project success
Major capital projects around the world are bringing key companies and players together to Start Strong.
What do these mega-projects have in common?
- A deep-water offshore platform and pipeline in Malaysia
- A shallow-water unmanned platform in Australia
- Two LNG expansion projects in Qatar
- A chemical plant in Kazakhstan
- A refinery expansion in Iraq
- A greenfield chemical project in Saudi Arabia
The answer is, they’re all taking the time to bring key companies and players together to “Start Strong!”
Solving complex challenges
Large construction projects are under greater pressure to perform, often in more difficult environments than at any time in recent memory. Post-COVID supply chains have yet to fully recover, experienced employees and technicians are scarce, materials costs are higher than ever, and shipping routes remain disrupted by regional conflicts. Inflation persists, adding further to the complexity, and most of today’s projects are contracted on a lump-sum basis. The result? The “success rate” for capital projects exceeding $1B+ USD, defined as finishing or or near schedule, within budget, and delivering expected output, is less than 20%.
To meet these challenges, the above-listed projects aren’t simply issuing lump sum contracts and outsourcing the risk. Of course, they’re putting strong contracts in place, and then they’re taking the next steps to ensure success early: conducting cross-company workshops and implementing sustained integrated programs that set all stakeholders up for success.
That’s where JMJ comes in. Our Start Strong, Stay Strong, Finish Strong approach helps teams build a shared vision of success, develop a mutual understanding of risks and challenges, transcend cultural and geographic distances, and build win-win working environments.
Understanding the value of trusted partnerships
More than 20 years ago, “Integrated Project Development” was a recognized approach to support project success. Today, the need for this set of tools is even greater, as the stakes are much higher. Successful projects don’t just hope for success on lump-sum contracts; rather, they build it in early and purposefully. Instead of reacting to problems based on contract terms, they proactively develop practices that drive solutions. They focus on collaboration, seeking shared pathways for success across owner, contractor, and supplier lines.
Project teams represented in the six projects I’ve listed literally span the globe. They speak a dozen different languages and have vastly different scopes, objectives, and drivers, but they are getting people and companies aligned. In a world driven by differences, they are finding common goals, strategies, and a language for shared success: Let’s start strong, stay strong, and build history-making projects for our companies and host countries.
For more information on Start Strong, Stay Strong, Finish Strong, contact JMJ. We’d be glad to provide details on our approach, as well as case studies and testimonials from projects that have used it.
Also, watch this space! In the coming months, we’ll be publishing more short articles, podcasts, a webinar, and more on Start Strong, Stay Strong, Finish Strong.
This article was originally published in 2023 and updated in March 2025.