Your Voice: Aramco shapes evolution of project management

Humankind has been executing projects for millennia, from the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza between 2580 and 2560 B.C. to the erection of the breathtaking Burj Khalifa from 2004 to 2010.

The concept of project management has always been with us, serving as a critical tool for civilizations and organizations to develop and advance as effectively and efficiently as possible, and Aramco is no exception.

During the early days, there was no systematic framework or established set of tools and techniques recognized worldwide that were applied from project initiation to close-out. Activities were carried out informally and haphazardly. As humans progressed and projects became larger and more complex, however, the need for a recognized, formal approach was crucial in delivering successful projects meeting time and budget goals, fulfilling business expectations, and mitigating risks.

It wasn’t until the 1950s that the modern project management era was born, in which tools such the program (or project) evaluation review technique (PERT) and the critical path method (CPM) — also known as critical path analysis (CPA) — were introduced and put into practice to schedule projects and manage large budgets. In 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) was founded and successfully established international guidelines recognized by countless companies and businesses. Further technological advancements facilitated communication between stakeholders and gave birth to computer programs such as Oracle that we know and use to this day.

The list of notable projects commissioned in Aramco are endless, and their success is attributed to the unique, effective methodology the company has shaped and adopted over the years, such as the Capital Management System (CMS) that incorporates systematic stages and gates; defined roles and responsibilities for stakeholders; and the implementation of Value Improvement Practices (VIPs). Take the Fadhili Gas Plant project as an example. The first plant to treat nonassociated gas from both onshore and offshore fields, the project was executed with CMS which enabled the project team to optimize costs and increase efficiency.

Not only that, Aramco has provided an array of resources and platforms to support its projects, including Enterprise Project Management (EPM), SafeLife, the Lesson Learned database and more. The growth of such a respected field within the company has also paved the way for Saudi females to be part of this journey, and opened up opportunities where creative and inspired minds can come together to voice a change that will echo for eternity.

The field of project management is ever-changing and evolving, and Aramco will continue to strive to implement best practices as it undertakes even more significant, complex projects that align with the company’s strategies and vision in the future.