How stakeholder engagement sets your project on the fast-track to success Wednesday, 17 August 2016

Around the world, including in Australia, people are planning major infrastructure to meet the needs of the 21st Century. But without the ability to convince stakeholders of a project’s benefits and ease their fears over perceived pitfalls, even the best projects are doomed to fail.

It is a challenge Andrew McNaughton (pictured above), Technical Director of HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd – the body in change of delivering the UK’s £55.7 billion (A$93.7 billion), second high-speed rail network – will be addressing at Australian Engineering Conference.

McNaughton also acts as Special Advisor on rail to the Australian Government, and is Special Professor of Rail Engineering at Nottingham University, Visiting Professor at Imperial College London and Southampton University, and is Chair of the World High Speed Rail Committee.

“There are some big ideas out there but almost all are doomed to stay just that – ideas,” McNaughton says.

“I'll be setting out some of the lessons learned in the last eight years in the UK about what it takes to get from idea to viable, constructible project; from dream to reality.

“I'll show you how we've been [engaging our stakeholder audience]; some of our successes and some things we've wished we had done differently.”

McNaughton, who previously worked as Chief Engineer at HS2 Ltd, says although there is a clear need for infrastructure to keep pace with growing populations and changing technology, “Creating the infrastructure of the 21st Century in an already developed country isn't like blasting across the virgin territory of 150 years ago”.

“People and the environment, and existing economies and ways of life are there already. We have to adapt, enhance, develop – not just build out new with no worry about what's there already,” he continues.

And while mega projects undoubtedly offer the potential for massive benefits, they also stir up strong emotions among naysayers.

“Good engineering and good spreadsheets are not enough, and projects take years to develop. So, how do we generate enough consensus, that will last several governments both regionally and nationally, enough momentum to see us through sticky moments, and convince people not only that it's a must-do project, but that we care about the impacts on people, the environment and their wallets?” McNaughton asks.

“Much of the story can be about wider benefits, synergy with national and local planning, and secondary benefits like new skills and sound jobs for our people, especially those least able to fight for themselves.

“It's about caring: really caring.”

Humanising discussions around projects is a particularly important lesson for fact-loving engineers, McNaughton says.

“Selling facts doesn't make big infrastructure attractive – if anything it makes it even scarier,” he warns.

“We have to humanise, listen more than tell, and marshall our arguments for all our stakeholder audiences.”

McNaughton says arguments for mega projects need to address the dangers of short-term thinking.

“We are dealing in legacy, sustainability, not patch and mend,” he says.

“Look at any developed country and you can see crumbling infrastructure from our forbears; good at the time, but no good for our children. It can take decades to get new infrastructure going but it's really hard to make tomorrow a priority when so much needs mending and sorting today.

“Whether it’s coal power stations, oil based transport or crumbling infrastructure, it's always easier to put off a big build for another year.”

To learn more, secure your spot at the Australian Engineering Conference where Andrew McNaughton, Technical Director for HS2 Ltd, will talk about ‘Turning big infrastructure ideas into reality – some thoughts from the UK’.