Student: Gonzalo Chavez
Year: 2014
Affiliation: University of South Australia
Level: Postgraduate
Thesis written in English
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Australian oil and gas resource industry requires competent project managers to deliver complex projects in adverse climate and remote locations. In the oil and gas industry, the term "lessons learned" is frequently used when specific knowledge is recorded and distributed in order to provide indirect experience and awareness to other resources facing similar issues.
For this research project, nine highly experienced Australian oil and gas project managers were interviewed, using an established questionnaire, in order to record their personal experiences.
Research findings were grouped by knowledge area, in accordance with the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). This research highlighted the importance of technical understanding of the scope in order to better manage it. Other finding was that project teams need to be supported by a part-time scheduler in order to get more functionality out of the time management software packages. Results from this research indicate that the industry also needs to improve on the use of Earned Value Management and cost forecasting practices.
This research project presents a particular insight to the Australian oil and gas industry and is intended to encourage other project managers to actively record knowledge as part of their daily activities.