1. We are WSP
  2. Insights
  3. Improving the Odds of Program Success

Improving the Odds of Program Success: An Adaptive Development Model

This article explores how the application of flexibility principles within a systems integration (SI) framework fosters resilience to the impacts of destabilizing events, preparing programs to respond to uncertainty more effectively.

8 August 2019

WSP Author

  • Darren Grey, Associate, Systems Engineering and Integration, United Kingdom

WSP Contributor

  • Yan He, Chief Engineer, Rail Systems Engineering, Canada

 

The Achilles heel of many major infrastructure programs is dealing with uncertainty. Destabilizing events, very often politically or financially motivated, aggravate schedule and cost overruns that are so common in complex programs.  It is widely recognized that attempting to address all foreseeable risks using conventional risk management analysis does not scale to major programs. Any attempt to fully capture all stakeholder requirements upfront are likely to produce disappointing results, as major rail programs are faced with high levels of uncertainty that undermine the value of such analysis.

A better approach is to invest in designing a development model that is optimized for managing programs through uncertainty.

More on this subject

December 2019

New Mobility Helps Shape Customer-Centric Public Transport

White Paper
Mobility

October 2019

Going Small - The Transition to Urban Micromobility

White Paper
Mobility , Society

September 2019

Leading with Systems Integration

Technical Paper
Mobility

August 2019

Industry integration on the greater west programme: a case study

Technical Paper
Mobility

August 2019 | 4 minutes

Requirements done right: How the systems engineering skill set can add value to your next project

Magazine
Mobility

August 2019

Delivering complexity in the rail industry - a system engineering approach to programme management

Technical Paper
Mobility

August 2019

Visualizing the End Goal in Rail Megaprojects

Technical Paper
Mobility

August 2019

Providing for Safety in Rail Megaprojects

Technical Paper
Mobility

August 2019

The Birth and Development of SID3 and Lessons Learned

Technical Paper
Mobility

July 2019 | 8 minutes

Systems integration: navigating increasing complexity

Magazine
Mobility , Technology

June 2019 | 7 minutes

What If Road Transport Engineers Champion Vision Zero?

Mobility , Society

June 2019 | 7:30 minutes

WSP USA Volunteers Build Bridge to Benefit Rwanda Villages

United States
Feature
Mobility , Society
Read the article