Delayed infrastructure projects are common. We no longer bat an eyelid at an abandoned, half-built metro line, a stalled airport, or a collapsed overpass, and we don’t even bother asking “why” anymore. Nor is it a secret that project companies cut corners to meet deadlines, which eventually leads to even more delay. You could say that the attempt to solve the problem of delay has itself become a problem.
In my 26 years of experience working with EPC clients across industries worldwide, I’ve observed two common strategies project companies use to ‘avoid’ delay: one, not having a plan at all; and two, creating a plan that is far longer than necessary.
I’m not joking.
I once worked on a project where the engineering consultant claimed to have never been late on any project. I thought to myself — how is that possible? Statistics indicate that, on average, 90% of projects are delayed. I decided to investigate. I found that although they did meet every milestone, they did so by simply stopping work on the deadline date and moving the scope that was missed into the next stage. This was repeated for the 60% and 90% milestones as well. That’s how they were meeting every milestone.
This “creative” strategy led to serious consequences. Not only was the work itself delayed, but other consultants were kept waiting, which made them late with their own deliverables. In the end, even the project I was working on took longer than planned, but the delay was never recognised as such. On paper, it was a successful project. In real life, not so much.
On another assignment, I was asked to review how projects were being controlled for an operating company. One of their KPIs was completion on time, and it was tied to a bonus. We found that many project managers were padding their schedules with hidden “contingencies.” So yes, they were completing their projects “on time” — but at a cost. Projects were not being executed at optimal efficiency because teams were working to an extended, or “stretched,” plan, and project managers were being paid a bonus for meeting an artificial target. As a result, the operating benefits of the projects weren’t realised sooner, and the loss in production revenue was significantly impacting the company’s finances. The project was on time, but at a very high cost to the company.
Let’s be fair: these tricks and movable targets happen because project companies are under immense pressure to accept unrealistic, fast-track schedules. Competition is so fierce that a contractor will accept a deadline they know very well cannot be met, just to win the contract.
But there is hope.
AI-driven solutions are proving that delay can be solved once and for all — if you treat it as a symptom, not the disease. What disease? The lack of integrated systems and processes, which creates a lack of standardisation and ultimately shows up as a lack of accountability.
All of this can be eliminated simply by moving to AI- and automation-driven systems. This will require a mindset shift in the industry. Digital systems must become the foundation of project management practices — not an addition — across pre-construction, construction, and handover.
Here’s what happens when AI-empowered solutions become the first step in project delivery strategy.
First, work processes become automated workflows stored within a platform used by every stakeholder. This establishes strong governance protocols based on industry best practices — in other words, standardisation — which empowers project leaders to work together with transparency and clarity, without feeling like they are swimming against the tide or battling the clock.
Project stakeholders from any location — owner, contractor, consultant, or vendor — work as a single team that communicates and collaborates in real time. Teams and goals become aligned. Everyone is on the same page, and there is true integration between project phases, people, processes, and tools. Work proceeds as planned, plans become both realistic and efficient, manpower is deployed and monitored cost-effectively, and there is no need to cut corners or whitewash outcomes.
So, let’s be optimistic. Let’s look forward to a world where AI-powered project management unburdens our infrastructure sectors, where firefighting and damage control are the rare exception rather than a daily occurrence, and where project managers are truly in control instead of constantly reacting and operating on the defensive.
Then we will see the end of delay — with every project completed on time and delivered with high quality.
The above information is the author's own; Outlook India is not involved in the creation of this article.
