DJ Patil, U.S. Chief Data Scientist, defines a data-driven government as a “connected organization that responsibly gathers, processes, leverages, and releases data in a timely fashion to enable transparency, create efficiencies, ensure security, and foster innovation to benefit the nation.”
Since data is at the core of every project controls organization, can we apply elements from this definition of a data-driven government to define a data-driven project controls organization?
Connected Organization
A project controls organization exists to improve the predictability of project outcomes. As such a project controls organization needs to be highly connected in all directions; to the different scope delivery managers within the project, to the project leadership team, to the functional excellence groups within the corporation, and to the entire project controls team itself.
Gather Data
Careful consideration needs to be given to what data your project controls organization needs and will actively use. All data gathering comes at a cost and there is no value in hoarding data without proper plans for how it will be utilized. Common data sets include coding structures, detailed cost estimates, quantities, rates, productivity factors, activity schedules, resource plans, deliverables, actual cost spent, actual completion dates, and phyiscal progress achieved. Once you’ve decided the data sets you need and how you will utilize them, you need to determine the exact sources of the data, methods for gathering the data, data formats and frequencies of updates. You also need ensure checks are in place for how the quality of the data sets will be verified — the essence of responsibly gathering data.
Process Data
Processing involves transforming or coding the data so that it can be used for your purposes. For example, some of your suppliers may have their own coding structures that you need to map to yours, or you may want to add deeper context to the data by providing additional structures or attributes. You may also have portfolio reporting requirements that warrants additional data normalization prior to passing it on. Most of the processing should be automated, but there could also be manual processes in place. The key is that you prepare the data so that it can be used in a consistent manner for further analysis.
Leverage Data
This is where you unlock the value of the data. Presented well, the data can be great at communicating where you have been and where you are, while clever analytics can provide indicators from different angles as to where you might be heading. However, data only gets you so far — you need to apply sound judgment in this step to develop your analysis of the status and to develop the forecast of where you are headed.
Release Data
Timely release of data important, but you also need to make sure that the data is made available in ways that helps your stakeholders understand and utilize the data to aid their decision making. You should consider making the data availble in interactive portals, reports and also raw data to ensure the different stakeholder groups have the information at their fingertips in a format that makes most sense to them.
What You Get
Being a data-driven project controls organization enables transparency and creates efficiencies. It also helps keep team members accountable, all benefiting the overall corporation.
In summary, a data-driven project controls organization can be defined as a connected organization that responsibly gathers, processes, leverages, and releases data in a timely fashion to enable transparency, create efficiencies, and improve the predictability of project outcomes.
Vik Bulletin 