Strategic Integrated Program Delivery: Learning from the Level Crossing Removal Project

This book outlines a cutting-edge form of program delivery which the authors term SIP-Form or Strategic Integrated Program delivery. Using the Melbourne Level Crossing Removal Program (LXRP), consisting of the removal of 85 dangerous level crossings throughout metropolitan Melbourne, including rail station upgrades, signalling and track work, and other associated capital works, as an exemplar, the book sets out four features that the authors argue define the SIP-form concept as follows:

• The organisation delivers a program of projects, many using an IPD contract variant form such as a Project Alliance Agreement (PAA) in Australia and numerous other countries, or the Integrated Form of Agreement (IFoA) in North America
• The contract form adopted is used and has been strategically designed to accommodate the project’s risk and uncertainty profile, as is the case with the LXRP
• Projects within the program are integrated with some being concurrently delivered with coordination across the projects in a coherent and highly purposeful manner. Projects are not included that do not strategically fit the overall program delivery strategy
• There is a strategy for learning and innovation diffusion across projects, concurrently and sequentially. Lessons to be learned are learned through designed-in governance mechanisms

The LXRP is a potentially unique program of projects, and the book takes the reader on a journey through this complex program and after giving the background and relevant context covers topics such as strategy, governance, procurement, collaboration, program alliance, HRM, leadership, digital innovation, continuous improvement, community engagement, and performance measurement. This detailed analysis of such a complex program of projects makes this book essential reading for project managers, engineers, and advanced students of project delivery and management.

Derek H. T. Walker is Emeritus Professor, RMIT University, School of Property, Construction and Project Management in Melbourne Australia.

Peter E.D. Love is a John Curtin Distinguished Professor of Infrastructure and Engineering Informatics at Curtin University and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and a Chartered Building Professional.

Mark Betts has held the position of Director Project Management and Continuous Improvement with the LXRP since early 2016 and so has invaluable insights into its early days, and all projects within the program. He also had over eight years senior management experience with Metro Trains Melbourne. Metro Trains was a major partner with the Regional Rail Link Alliance (RRLA) which was a program of projects, mainly Alliance projects that significantly influenced the LXRP concept.