Link to thesis - Concept - NTNU

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7. ConclusionsFlexibility categorisationsThe following is a short summary of findings related to the applied flexibilitycategorisations.Planned flexibility versus actual flexibility approachesApproaches to project flexibility have been analysed over time. In the studies, therewas a need to make a distinction between planned and actual approaches to flexibility.Approaches to flexibility changed during the projects. Actual approaches turned out tobe different from planned approaches.Internal flexibility versus external flexibilityAnother distinction was made between internal and external project flexibility. Whenflexibility is discussed in the literature and in general, it is most often related toexternal flexibility, referring to adjustments of project scope. This was also the casefor the early work on this thesis. Project internal flexibility relates to flexibility withina defined scope – how requirements are to be met. Particularly, analyses ofstakeholder approaches to flexibility are highly dependent upon whether internal orexternal flexibility is the subject of discussion. Internal and external flexibility areresponses to contextual and internal uncertainty. However, internal flexibility is notlimited to being a response to internal uncertainty. External flexibility can be, butdoes not have to be, a response to contextual uncertainty. All combinations of the twodimensions can be found.Flexible decision process versus flexible final productsProject flexibility was divided into flexibility in the decision process and the productmay interact for any given project. For the purpose of categorising flexibility, adistinction between the flexibility types has been meaningful. This thesis has alsomade an attempt to study the interaction between flexibility in decision processes andthe product. It was expected that flexible final products would compensate for lessflexible decision processes and vice versa. The results show that this interaction is notas visible as first expected. This may be due to the small sample of projects. It mayalso be an indication that flexible projects utilise both flexible products and flexibledecision processes, rather than emphasising one of these dimensions at the expense ofthe other.Perspectives of analysisThe results indicate that project flexibility is perceived differently depending onwhose view one takes, and which part of a project’s life cycle is subject to analysis.StakeholdersAs mentioned above, incentives open to stakeholders affect their approaches toproject flexibility. Flexible projects have been presented as a blessing and curse. Oneaspect of this duality is that the flexibility for one project stakeholder can be anotherstakeholder’s risk. Project internal flexibility appears to be particularly desirable toproject managers and contractors. Project external flexibility is more likely to belooked upon favourably by users and project owners, than by project managers andcontractors.36
7. ConclusionsProject phasesFlexibility in the front-end phases is the least controversial aspect of projectflexibility. This is particularly related to external flexibility. One objective of frontendmanagement is to provide a well-defined framework for efficient projectimplementation. Project flexibility can then be restricted to adjustments within thestrategic framework. The thesis has discussed the theoretical foundation for thisapproach, and shown empirically that minimising external flexibility after the frontendphase increases the likelihood of completing projects on time, within budget andaccording to specifications.Efficiency and effectivenessProject flexibility has been studied from both efficiency and effectivenessperspectives. The case in favour of flexibility emphasises the possibility to increase aproject’s effectiveness. As indicated in Figure 14, effectiveness is primarily addressedby external flexibility. Project scope is adjusted to utilise benefit opportunities.Regarding efficiency, such adjustment of project scope typically causes cost ofchanges. The net effect comes from a balance between the values of benefitopportunities and incurred cost of changes.Internal flexibility (within the scope of a project) is primarily linked to cost reductionopportunities, which can be utilised by project management or involved contractors.EfficiencyEffectivenessExternalflexibility(What?)ChangecostsBenefitopportunitiesInternalflexibility(How?)Cost reductionopportunities(LimitedImpact)Figure 14. Internal and external flexibility versus efficiency and effectiveness.The analyses presented in this thesis indicate a major challenge in materialising theexpected benefits. On the other hand, the expected decrease in efficiency as aconsequence of project flexibility has been frequently observed throughout theanalysis.37
Page 1 and 2: ISBN 82-471-8121-5 (printed ver.)IS
Page 3: Preface and AcknowledgementsThe wor
Page 7 and 8: Table of ContentsPreface and Acknow
Page 9 and 10: Paper OverviewThe following papers
Page 11 and 12: AbstractTraditionally, projects ten
Page 13 and 14: alternative use. There are indicati
Page 15 and 16: 1. Introduction1. IntroductionThis
Page 17 and 18: 1. IntroductionFlexible projects ar
Page 19 and 20: 1. IntroductionA literature review
Page 21 and 22: 2. Study design2. Study designThe r
Page 23 and 24: 2. Study designInformation Content
Page 25 and 26: 3. Flexibility in different project
Page 31 and 32: 4. Project stakeholders4. Project s
Page 33 and 34: 4. Project stakeholdersmandatory qu
Page 35 and 36: 4. Project stakeholdersBased on res
Page 37 and 38: 5. Effectiveness and efficiency5. E
Page 39 and 40: 5. Effectiveness and efficiencyconf
Page 41 and 42: 5. Effectiveness and efficiencyDegr
Page 43 and 44: 6. Project flexibility categorisati
Page 49: 7. Conclusions7. ConclusionsThis th
Page 53 and 54: 7. ConclusionsEnablersThis thesis r
Page 55 and 56: 7. Conclusions16, Figure 17, and Fi
Page 57 and 58: 7. Conclusions4. AbsorptionAbsorpti
Page 59 and 60: 7. ConclusionsThere appears to be a
Page 61 and 62: ReferencesAbbot, A. & Banerji, K. 2
Page 63 and 64: Gareis, R. 2004. Maturity of the Pr
Page 65 and 66: Miller, R. & Lessard, D. 2000. The
Page 67 and 68: Part 2.
Page 69 and 70: Paper 1.Olsson, N.O.E. 2006. Manage
Page 71 and 72: N.O.E. Olsson / International Journ
Page 79 and 80: Paper 2.Magnussen, O.M. & Olsson, N
Page 81 and 82: 282 O.M. Magnussen, N.O.E. Olsson /
Page 89 and 90: Projects trapped in their freedom:
Page 91 and 92: 1. IntroductionThe purpose of this
Page 93 and 94: project phases: preparation, freezi
Page 95 and 96: establish realistic cost and time f
Page 97 and 98: 4. ResultsIn the following, the emp
Page 99 and 100: lowered the quality but the volume
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Percent ofproject onSize of remaini
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flexibility is introduced by the us
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100 %First official estimateApprova
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ReferencesAndersen, B., Fagerhaug,
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Paper 4.Olsson, N.O.E. 2004. ‘Fle
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The concept of project flexibilityF
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3. CONCLUSIONSWhat seems to be impl
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Paper 5.Olsson, N.O.E. 2006. ‘Imp
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558 N. O. E. Olsson et al.ex-post s
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560 N. O. E. Olsson et al.Table 1.O
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562 N. O. E. Olsson et al.and actua
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564 N. O. E. Olsson et al.Table 3.
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566 N. O. E. Olsson et al.Table 7.S
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568 N. O. E. Olsson et al.with a wi
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Paper 6.Henriksen, B., Olsson, N. &
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In this paper we use the process an
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PROCESS ANALYSIS IN THE PLANNING OF
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final framework for expected patien
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User involvement also generated exp
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Paper 7.Olsson, N.O.E. & Samset, K.
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Project flexibility and front-end m
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uncertainty. External flexibility c
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5.2. Flexibility in decision proces
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Degree of redundancySlackPrecisionC
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