Front-end planning of capital projects: it’s a matter of choices | Dr Edd Gibson

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Front-end planning of capital projects: it's a matter of choices

Dr G. Edward (Edd) Gibson, a Professor and the Sunstate Chair in Construction Management and Engineering at Arizona State University, joins us for an evening lecture exploring the front-end planning of capital projects. 

The early project planning phase has the potential to either positively impact the trajectory of a project’s life, or can lead to less than optimal results. 

Work conducted by Dr Edd Gibson and his colleagues and sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute, has shown the efficacy of a mature and accurate project definition package leading to good decision making on all types of projects – it is a matter of choice and choices. 

In this lecture, Dr Gibson will explore the key findings, critical decision points, and best management practices for this process. 

The “rules” of the process will be discussed along with empirical data showing the results of effective (and ineffective) early planning. Dr Gibson will also examine decision support tools that have been developed specifically for front-end planning, along with emerging modelling, scanning and information technologies that can enhance this process. Guidance for industry practitioners on implementation will also be provided. 

The lecture will begin at 18:30 and will be followed by a networking reception from 19:30. Please note that places for this event are limited and seating will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

About our speaker

Dr G. Edward (Edd) Gibson, Jr. is currently a Visiting Academic Fellow in the Laing O’Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology at the University of Cambridge.  He is a Professor and the Sunstate Chair in Construction Management and Engineering in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. 

Dr Gibson has served as PI or co-PI on over $10 million worth of funded research in his career with research and teaching interests that include front end planning, organisational change, asset management, alternative dispute resolution, prevention through design, and risk management among others.  He was instrumental in developing a number of Construction Industry Institute tools: the suite of five Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI) tools, the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) Maturity and Accuracy Total Rating System (MATRS) tool and the Integrated Project Risk Assessment (IPRA) tool; in addition, he has consulted with over 60 organisations, and taught over 200 short courses to industry. He is an expert in educational leadership, having held a variety of successful academic management positions over the past 19 years. 

Dr Gibson has several years of industry experience, served as a U.S. Army officer, and is a licensed professional engineer in Texas. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Construction, a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers and was awarded the 2016 ASCE R. L. Peurifoy Award for outstanding research. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Auburn University and an MBA in Engineering Management from the University of Dallas.

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