With a vastly expanded programme of 600 projects to deliver for Shell in 2019, Artelia’s multi-site leadership team decided to completely rethink its programme approach. Over 15 new team members would need to be brought in, trained and deployed across six key programme areas: Future Fuels, Jamie Oliver deli by Shell, Waitrose Alliance, rebranding, tank installs and Knock Down Rebuilds. Rapid mobilisation and integration of the team and collaboration with the delivery supply chain would be essential to achieve the programme and deliver the value improvement expected by our customer.
Taking lessons learned from lean training delivered in 2018, where respect for people and driving out waste are key, our Programme Management team reassessed the structures and processes that were in place and launched Project Kale – a healthy, new partnership approach.
Cross-functional, collaborative teams that best aligned with the programme challenges were set-up, placing planning and scheduling experts, cost and commercial specialists and risk management practitioners alongside programme leads and project teams. A renewed focus on welcoming, not just inducting people to the team and support through mentoring with existing team members means faster mobilisation of project leads, but with the assurance of experience monitoring progress and results.
Better communication with the client to fully understand their vision involved weekly face-to-face and online collaborative workshop style meetings, where those involved directly in delivery, including contractors, identify challenges and seek resolutions. For example, when Waitrose redesigned internal and external displays and signage mid-programme. Without time to produce drawings and obtain prices, the Artelia team, along with key members of the supply chain, collaborated with Shell’s Brand Manager to identify materials to effect the required change. The revised internals and externals were manufactured and incorporated into the scheme without detriment to the completion date.
Contractors and suppliers are treated as core members of the Artelia team, contributing from the outset with their knowledge, participating in progress meetings, lessons learned and knowledge shares. Standards of delivery and finished quality are a constant focus for the team, reflecting Shell and its partners strong brands. To support this, we built a ‘mock shop’ to test the visual impact for new layouts with the client, and improve understanding of the challenges to delivery. Our award winning Mates in Mind mental health awareness programme, delivered across our team and contractors enhances the feeling of one team.
With everyone working to full capacity and meeting demanding deadlines, it is important to take time out to recognise success. At regular intervals throughout 2019, the team celebrated project milestones – a celebratory 50 sites cake, a meal out with the client to celebrate 100 Jamie Oliver deli by Shell installations, team photo opportunities and news bulletins and a day out at the Kia Oval to visit another Artelia project on site.
This holistic, more integrated and agile way of working saw over 90% of the projects within the programme delivered to programmed completion dates and within the approved cost plan, whilst delivering the highest standards of quality and just one lost time injury in over 300,000 hours.
This year we are looking to develop CPD workshops with the client and contractors to share lessons learnt from Project Kale. Graduates on the Artelia programme will also spend a rotation working on the Shell Programme, to experience best practice in fast-track, collaborative project delivery.
Collaboration with supply chain enables Artelia to deliver Waitrose & Partners fresh new look without impact to programme.
Celebrating success – a cake to mark 50 Jamie Oliver deli by Shell installations
Key Achievements
Project Kale used lean training to rethink an existing programme and solve the challenge of bringing in new people and suppliers and delivering an extensive programme faster, with reduced disruption to forecourt trading and with a reduced cost profile.
The contractual framework creates a focus on building mutually beneficial relationships and delivering value for Shell. A ‘one team ethos’ fostered cross-fertilisation of ideas, knowledge and skills, building capacity to replicate successful delivery as projects like Jamie Oliver deli were rolled-out nationwide. It led to better design, product innovation with suppliers, safer working practices and truly integrated project design and construction teams.
One of the greatest benefits delivered to the client was the reduction in disruption to forecourt operations. The creation of the mock shop and collaboratively involving end users i.e. forecourt staff, and contractors throughout the project life cycle meant that the Artelia team was able to maintain full or partial trading on the majority of sites during the installation of Jamie Oliver by deli store formats.
