In conversation with
Jason Dennis
Jason is a senior project manager with Ventia in our Energy Networks, Water and Renewables business and has more than twenty years of experience working on projects across Australia.
Currently he is leading Ventia’s team supporting an upgrade to Unitywater’s Burpengary East Wastewater Treatment Plant to support the growing population in the region.
Project mobilisation is a crucial part of a project journey, often setting the foundations for success.
Therefore, it is critical that projects are mobilised in the right way to set the team up for the best chance of success across the life of a project.
Recently, our project team working on the Burpengary East Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade was recognised by our client for their high standard of mobilisation.
Here senior project manager Jason Dennis shares some thoughts on the key elements for a successful mobilisation.
Q: What are the keys to the successful mobilisation of a project?
As a starting point, Ventia has our own “Launch and Mobilise Project” process as part of our project management tools. This is an established process and guided our team from the outset.
Supporting this process we identified four pillars of mobilisation, specific to this project, that would give the team focus. These were:
- Onboarding the (relatively new) project team
- Early procurement of critical items,
- Contractual obligations required to get access to site, and
- Establishing Ventia systems such as safety and finance.
We took the approach of ‘start like you want to finish’ and that a good mobilisation isn’t an end in itself, it’s there to set up the project for success.
Q: What contributed to the success of this mobilisation on this project that resulted in client recognition?
While it was a full team effort, the contribution of our “advance party” on site was exceptional, and a big reason we were recognised.
The team took “Redefining Service Excellence” to heart, maintaining a client focus with daily interactions with our counterparts on the client side and the operators of the facility, setting the standard for the rest of the project.
Finally, the site facilities were well planned with a modern fit out, setting up not only a safe but productive work environment for the next two and a half years.
Aerial view of the Burpengary East Wastewater Treatment Plant
Q: What were some of the challenges the team has been able to overcome?
We started with a relatively new team, combining existing team members, new hires and those who had transferred from other parts of Ventia. Turning that into a high-performing team in a short time took effort.
The team also had to juggle the concurrent tasks of mobilisation, commencing onsite works and offsite procurement but we made it work through detailed planning, a clear allocation of tasks and regular communication.
Q: How do you position a team for success following an effective mobilisation?
We appreciate the recognition, but we also want to avoid complacency. To do this we focus on the “Three C’s”.
For the team it’s all about Culture, having regular catch ups, both individually and as a team, at work and off-site. We want this to be an enjoyable place to work, where all team members are supported, both on-site and from the corporate office.
For the project itself, it’s all about Controls. We have rigorous safety, time, cost, and quality controls in place, and skilled people to implement them.
For the client, it’s all about Contact. We are on site with the client, so we talk to them daily. We resolve issues together, in person, we listen, we co-create solutions, then act.
Our water operations and maintenance capabilities stretches across pipelines and treatment plants across Australia and New Zealand
We are on site with the client, so we talk to them daily. We resolve issues together, in person, we listen, we-co-create solutions, then act