What are the most effective risk mitigation strategies for large scale construction projects?

All answers to this question.

The biggest shock moving from software to construction is the physical dependency and lead times. You can't "patch" a foundation mistake like you can code. I highly recommend using a Risk Register that is updated weekly. Focus heavily on weather contingencies and supply chain volatility. We use Quantitative Risk Analysis to model potential delays. Also, never underestimate the importance of a rigorous site safety plan. In construction, a single safety incident can shut down a site for weeks, causing a ripple effect across the entire project schedule that is extremely hard to recover from.

   Answered 2025-02-08 by Melissa Wagner

Are you planning to use traditional Critical Path Method scheduling for these projects, or are you looking into Lean Construction techniques to manage your subcontractors?

   Answered 2025-02-11 by Kevin Harrison

• Kevin, I am currently leaning towards CPM because the stakeholders are quite traditional, but I am very interested in how Lean might reduce waste on-site. I think starting with a solid CPM baseline is necessary for the initial contracts, but I want to integrate some Last Planner System elements to improve the reliability of our weekly work plans and better manage the crews.

     Commented 2025-02-13 by Thomas Anderson

Always keep a healthy contingency fund. In construction, unforeseen site conditions like soil quality or old utility lines are almost guaranteed to appear at some point.

   Answered 2025-02-15 by Barbara Miller

• Barbara is right. A 10% to 15% contingency is standard for a reason. Without it, you are basically setting yourself up for a very difficult conversation with the sponsors.

     Commented 2025-02-17 by Melissa Wagner