Beyond The Plan
Beyond The Plan
Podcast Description
If you work in major infrastructure projects - whether in government or the private sector - then this series is for you. Host, Ali Farhoodi, is joined by seasoned project managers who share their insights on successful project management strategies, and behind the scenes stories on projects like Sydney Metro, Sydney Light Rail and the Lane Cove Tunnel.Ali is the Director of EDSICO Management, a boutique independent Australian-Owned consultancy that provides a range of services to Australian Government agencies and also the private sector in all aspects of Projects Management, Projects Controls and Recruitment.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers on successful project management strategies within infrastructure, featuring episodes that analyze elements such as contract management and critical lessons from large-scale projects. For example, one episode discusses contract mistakes in-depth, while another highlights five essential lessons from delivering Australia’s largest infrastructure projects.
If you work in major infrastructure projects – whether in government or the private sector – then this series is for you.
Host, Ali Farhoodi, is joined by seasoned project managers who share their insights on successful project management strategies, and behind the scenes stories on projects like Sydney Metro, Sydney Light Rail and the Lane Cove Tunnel.
Ali is the Director of EDSICO Management, a boutique, independent, Australian-owned consultancy that provides a range of services to Australian Government agencies and the private sector across all aspects of Project Management and Project Services.
From concept to delivery, we bring proven expertise to advance your project. Let's start the conversation: https://edsico.com.au/contact-us/
—–
In Part 1, governance specialist Isabelle Gray-Garraway broke down what governance actually is, why it fails, and the real cost when it goes wrong at scale. In this part, we go deeper.
Isabelle explains what ”minimum viable governance” really means, why it's not about doing less, it's about doing the right amount for the risk in front of you, and how New South Wales Infrastructure's Investor Assurance Framework has become a benchmark for fit-for-purpose, risk-based governance across Australia.
From there, she maps the exact timeline of how governance failure quietly precedes delivery failure, from the pre-project red flags nobody wants to name, through the ”false start,” and into what she calls ”early drift”, the slow cultural decline that turns a shaky start into a broken delivery. She closes with why governance reform can only ever come from the executive level, and an extraordinary real-world case study most people have only seen in the headlines: the governance collapse at WiseTech Global.
If you're responsible for sponsoring, delivering, or sitting across major projects, this episode gives you the exact checklist to spot failure before it costs you.
—–
Watch the video version of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ali.farhoodi
—–
CONNECT WITH US
Website: https://edsico.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifarhoodimscpmp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edsicomgt/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edsicomgt
Time Stamps:
00:00 Intro/Hook
01:12 Recap: why governance structures become ineffective
02:01 What ”minimum viable governance” really means
04:07 Matching governance to risk across industries
08:34 Case study: NSW Infrastructure's Investor Assurance Framework
15:48 Why governance failure always precedes delivery failure
16:43 Pre-project red flags: sponsorship, scope, budget, change readiness
21:18 The vanity project (”stars in eyes”)
21:33 The false start: incomplete documents, absentee sponsors
28:24 Early drift: the slow cultural decline
36:37 The questions every project should answer before it starts
40:51 Why governance reform has to come from the top
47:39 Case study: WiseTech Global's governance collapse
55:10 Final thoughts and recommendations
DISCLAIMER
The information provided in this podcast is for general purposes only and should not be considered personal advice. Always consult with qualified professionals or experts in the relevant field for personalised advice tailored to your specific situation.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.