5 Practical Steps for a Smooth Project Handover to Operations

Gillian Woodward (Morrison Low), Dugall Wilson (Stantec)

Is achieving a smooth handover between treatment plant project and operations teams possible? Yes, we think so, and in this paper, we identify common pitfalls and share five practical steps from both project delivery and operational perspectives to achieve a smooth project handover.

As an operator have you experienced project teams demanding endless amounts of your time like their project is the only thing on the planet that matters? Does it feel like the project team doesn’t realise your day-job is to operate a treatment plant with minimal resources? As a project team have you experienced operations adding more scope to your project like it is Christmas, and you are Santa? Does it feel like operations put up barriers to you delivering a project that is intended to improve things for them? As a programme manager have you experienced projects that struggle to complete and handover to operations, and project teams that come back to you seeking additional funding for what looks like an operations wish list? You are not alone – these are all common experiences!

1. Project scope - If the project scope, including operational requirements, is not clearly defined in the project brief then the project team needs to resolve this. The total project scope needs to be clearly defined, including the operational improvements that are necessary for the project to achieve the outcomes. The project team needs to have a complete awareness of the impacts their project will have on other parts of the treatment system, and this needs to be an active conversation with operations throughout delivery so changes to the project scope can be managed.

2. Operational stakeholders - Operations need to be an active and responsive stakeholder. Not all operational issues will be resolved by the project, only those that are confirmed as within the project scope. This means that operations input to and approval of the project brief is critical, as well as operations input at the project kick-off meeting and other specific points during delivery.

3. Operational resources - The project may need to provide additional operations resource to resolve operational issues that prevent the project achieving the outcomes. The project team may be ready to go, but the operations teams are not on standby to share their practical knowledge – their day job is to operate, maintain, react, and complete mandatory training. They will already be working full days with overtime and are likely being called out after hours.

4. Handover process - The project team remains responsible for new equipment and treatment process provided by the project, until final handover is agreed with operations. Take a moment, pretend you are an operator. How might it feel to stand in the darkness in the howling wind at 2am trying to restore service at this plant? Project teams need to train operators and run any plant upgrades for a performance period, without being dependent on the operating teams. Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2023

5. Documentation - Documentation matters, detail matters. The project team needs to provide comprehensive documentation to operations before touching an asset, before commissioning, and before handover.