Link to thesis - Concept - NTNU

Degree of redundancySlackPrecisionChange management strategyAvoidchangesManagechangesFlexibility inproduct ordecision processCapacity to handlechangesAgreement onscopeHedge areas ofexpected changesFigure 3. Flexibility strategies in relation to redundancy and change management.Changes can be avoided by having slack resources in a project. Redundancy can be achieved by overspecificationof future functionality, so that future needs may be met without physical changes. Such needsmay emerge during the project execution, or after the project has been delivered. Redundancy can alsoenable front-end analyses of alternative project concepts, which require recourses and time but may avoidlater changes.Changes can also be avoided by precision in the project preparations, thus reducing the need for slack.Aiming at a clear agreement on scope represents a traditional project management approach – to zoom in onproject scope and then execute. After establishing the scope, project management aims at minimisingexternal flexibility.Changes can be managed if there is slack in a project organisation. High redundancy indicates a generalcapacity to manage a wide range of changes. Such slack can include budget reserves, time slack in plans andorganisation capacity to manage changes. On average, this increases project cost. However, it may still provecost effective if the alternative is that the project will face changes which it does not have the resources tomanage.Finally, changes can be managed even with low redundancy, but it requires precision. In the process oflocking specifications, certain parts are locked later than others. Low redundancy requires an ability toidentify and hedge areas exposed to changes. The late locking items must therefore be well defined and of alimited relative size.6.3. Flexibility options as flexibility driversIn the framework proposed in Figure 1, flexibility options where listed as flexibility drivers. This issupported by the discussion above. Of the studied projects, projects with a high planned flexibility in thedecision process also had a high actual flexibility in the decision process. Availability of flexibility optionsand redundant resources can serve as an invitation to adjustments. If there are possibilities for adjustmentsand iterations, it is likely that flexibility options will be utilised. This means that the presence (or knowledge)of flexibility enablers can work as a flexibility driver.6.4. Front-end as a key phaseFlexible the front-end phases are the least controversial aspect of project flexibility. This is particularlyrelated to external flexibility. Results presented in [7] indicates that minimizing external flexibility after thefront-end phase increases the likelihood to deliver projects on time and budget and according tospecifications. One objective of front-end management is to provide a well defined framework for efficientproject implementation, including the identification of flexibility drivers, and appropriate introduction offlexibility enablers.