The Rise of Megaproject Management

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As climate change accelerates and technology advances, the demand for managing colossal and complex projects is increasing. Dr. Juliano Denicol, PhD, founder and director of University College London’s Megaproject Delivery Centre, is at the forefront of research to change the way we think about delivering megaprojects. From replacing entire power grids to building Olympic stadiums, these projects require approaches that complement their massive scale.

“Billions of people worldwide still lack access to the most basic infrastructure,” he points out. “More efficient management of major infrastructure projects could save governments hundreds of billions, enable early access to infrastructure assets, and unlock more investment in other social benefits to the population.”

Powering over a million homes—and counting

Cody Duplisea, PMP, a department manager at Burns and McDonnell, agrees that skillful megaproject management can be a powerful driver of social, economic, and structural change. He reflects that his ability to impact thousands of lives is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of his job.

Cody led the high-visibility Key Crossing Reliability Initiative in Baltimore, Maryland, a project involved in replacing aging transmission lines across a 2.25-mile span of the Patapsco River. The result? Reliable power for over 1 million homes and businesses. “We take for granted [that] you go into a room and flip a light switch on—we rarely think about how this is able to happen,” he says. “For me to see that product and know what it’s achieving is really exciting—this is what gets me out of bed every day.”

Beyond budgets: Megaprojects as chess games

While megaproject management shares many of the approaches and skills used in typical project management, it requires a unique approach. Cody likens it to strategic board games, requiring insight and budgeting skills: “It’s like chess: each piece has a different function [and] can only move in certain directions. You have to have the insight to know how to use each piece most effectively. And [it’s like] Monopoly: budget the money.”

The metaphor is apt. Megaprojects are typically defined by high budgets, often billions of dollars, and require highly specialized stakeholders to carry out large-scale infrastructure installations. But what often makes megaprojects stand out are their “sublime” elements, or the abstract pieces of managing the project, such as inspiring the public, pushing the boundaries and limits of technology, and galvanizing media attention and government support

The career path for aspiring megaproject managers

Cody and Juliano suggest that newcomers to project management may want to consider megaproject management as a career path. It’s a growing field. They emphasize that acquiring the skill sets that these projects require often occurs through hands-on learning and logging successes on smaller, multi-stakeholder projects.

Relationship-building, especially with experienced mentors, is also key. “Excellent mentors will travel with you [across your career trajectory] and give honest feedback,” Juliano says. They will generously “share their experiences” and in the context of megaproject management, will help you learn how to identify, interpret, and interact with the “specific character and personalities” of each team on a megaproject. Cody agrees, saying you learn “how to work these different puzzle pieces and shuffle them around.”

Staying grounded—literally

Cody emphasizes that staying grounded in the field is essential. While project managers often find themselves in front of a computer or in meetings, megaproject managers need to be on-site as often as possible. “Taking the time to be on-site is always beneficial,” he says. “It can be hard to step away from the mass amounts of emails we receive but go out for a day to talk with the people [on-site] and ask questions. The more you ask, the more you’re learning how people are doing their job—and that part [of megaproject management] is something I’ve come to see as beneficial. When I do go back to the computer, I’m more effective. I have that knowledge first-hand in the field.”

Close connection to the project also gives project managers the clarity to measure success. As Juliano, who has researched or worked on megaprojects including the London 2012 Olympics, the Thames Tideway Tunnel, and Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, says, “Define your priorities, be clear on the metrics, and how to measure your evolution.” It’s this combination of strategic oversight and hands-on involvement that can transform a daunting megaproject into an inspiring success.

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