Is a megaproject in Russia more than a big project?* (c)

Nowadays the term "megaproject" is becoming very popular, which often means any large-scale project: from the reconstruction of the city embankment to the construction of a nuclear power plant. Moreover, the term "gigaproject" began to appear.

What is a megaproject anyway? Let's figure it out.

The prefix mega comes from the Greek word μεγάλος [megálos], i.e. "large, large, gigantic." Indeed, a megaproject means, first of all, a large-scale project. But it's not just about size. The PM Excellence analytical service found more than 20 definitions in Russian and foreign sources, which, in addition to size, also affect other important characteristics. And although they are all very diverse, and some contradict each other, most definitions contain Several common, characteristic features of a megaproject that relate not only to size, such as:

• Big budget

• Long lead times

• Large number of participants

• Difficult to manage

• Project complexity

• Impact on the region or the entire country

The concept of "large" is relative and almost all definitions contained parameters that varied greatly. For some, a megaproject is a project with a budget of more than 10 billion rubles, while for others it is a project worth 5-10 billion dollars. The spread of indicators is one to two orders of magnitude.

A group of internal and external experts from PM Excellence (including based on the results of numerous check-ups - examinations and audits of projects) a definition of a megaproject was developed through a set of the following characteristics:

1. Budget - 100+ billion rubles

2. Duration of implementation - more than 3 years

3. More than 100 thousand works in the schedule network model (schedule network diagram)

4. Losses from project delays - 50+ million rubles. per day

5. Project management team - more than 100 people

6. Human resources involved - more than 1 million man-days

7. Impact of the project results on more than 100 thousand people

8. A megaproject consists of a complex of autonomous projects.

Experts agreed that a megaproject in Russia must meet at least four of the above criteria.

According to the analytical service PM Excellence, in the Russian Federation in 2023 there will be a little more than 250 megaprojects (source - "Digital Platform Investment Projects").

TOP-10 megaprojects of the Russian Federation by budget (at different stages of implementation):

The above definition of a megaproject has been actively discussed at specialized conferences and forums in 2023 and was supported by the majority of experts.

A megaproject is a complex project that requires something different, fundamentally more high management quality and outstanding leadership abilities head project. This is due to a significantly larger number of participants, increased requirements for project planning, a large number of works in the schedule network model (schedule network schedule), risks project, the impact on stakeholders and the difficulty of monitoring project implementation.

And this will be discussed in the next article.

Alexander Kutuzov, PME,

company leader PM Excellence and founder of the company "PM Expert",

author of the Telegram channel "Megaprojects with Kutuzov