Strengthening Operational Engagement During Capital Projects

A major risk to capital project success lies in weak operational stakeholder engagement, particularly when managing the transition from current operations to new ways of working.

Logic and planning alone are not enough. What drives lasting success is the ability to influence behaviours, shift mindsets, and prepare operational leaders to take ownership of the change.

Involvement Drives Insight and Ownership

In organisations that excel at this, project success is built on early and continuous involvement of operational stakeholders—from concept to commissioning.

Engaging operational stakeholders early enables the team to:

• Capture fresh insights and evaluate options.

• Create a transition road map focused on flawless “day-one” operation.

This involvement typically includes:

• Concept layout design and visualisation aligned with operational goals.

• Specification development and vendor selection to ensure fit-for-purpose solutions.

• Factory readiness plans that build the new working culture before go-live.

• Ramp-up, snagging and self-sustaining operations, supported by engaged ownership.

Enabling Engagement

One of the most tangible outputs of operational stakeholder engagement is the creation and evolution of working documents that translate ideas into executable plans. These documents are not just records, they reflect the quality of stakeholder engagement and operational readiness.

Key examples include:

• Layouts – capturing location decisions, material flows, and work processes.

• Process Definitions – detailing functions, modules, and test criteria.

• Work Routines – for operators and maintainers, including layout, procedures, and skill requirements.

• Supply Chain Plans – addressing QA, material control, and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) implications.

The depth, completeness and relevance of these documents are a clear indication of how well the project is engaging those responsible for delivering and sustaining the operation.

Providing easy access to and ideally placing ownership of these documents with operational personnel sets the foundation for engagement so that at each project stage, these documents are refined to define:

• Area Leadership roles and processes, including data and problem-solving approaches.

• Execution Plans – SOPs and capability development for normal operation and problem prevention.

• Operational Planning – covering layout implementation, material flow, inspection, and servicing routines.

This growing detail enables operational leaders to take ownership of their area’s performance from the outset.

Engagement is also enhanced by the use of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) to drive the search for project added value. While LCC is sometimes seen as complex, this is mostly used to compare options which can normally be carried out using a simple rapidly developed model. The use of LCC supports better decision-making throughout the project. It helps teams:

• Compare design and operating options using simple, rapidly built models.

• Identify low- or no-cost changes to avoid costly problems downstream.

• Focus on total cost of ownership, not just capital cost.

More importantly, LCC reinforces internal ownership, driving greater operational alignment, more informed trade-offs, and a readiness to hit the ground running on day one.

Stakeholder Engagement in Practice

To embed engagement into project delivery, project sponsors should ensure the management process includes actions to:

• Align stakeholder priorities to project goals.

• Systemise cross-functional workflows to avoid disconnection.

• Build effective working relationships that foster collaboration and early problem-solving.

• Develop both technical and leadership capability among operational teams.

• Capture and share lessons learned to improve outcomes and avoid repeat mistakes.

Practical engagement activities should involve operational stakeholders in:

• Developing project goals, scope, and timelines.

• Defining milestones and stage gates.

• Setting clear issues, activities, and strategies to drive measurable outcomes.

• Documenting risks, mitigations, and progress.

• Defining and agreeing test criteria and inspection protocols.

Making it happen

The exact mix of activities will depend on project complexity and team experience but to achieve results, operational stakeholders must be equipped to contribute meaningfully. This involves a blend of training, guided application and coaching to help stakeholders:

• Understand project issues and agree on priorities.

• Leverage team experience to shape the right next steps.

• Investigate causes, gather lessons, and test new ideas.

• Refine solutions and embed new working methods.

Support can take the form of:

• Structured “how-to” working sessions to avoid common pitfalls and capture value.

• Mobilisation workshops to prepare teams for change.

• In-house and remote coaching at key project stages.

Contact us for a chat about how we can help you build the internal capabilities needed to ensure a successful operational transition—faster, with less risk and more sustainable outcomes.