Reducing Project Duration: Why Megaprojects Fall Behind and How to Get Them Back on Track
July 17, 2026
According to McKinsey, 98% of megaprojects exceed their budgets by more than 30% and run at least 40% behind schedule. In Russia, one in two large-scale projects falls more than a year behind schedule, with losses running into tens of millions of rubles every day.
The causes are rarely technical. More often, they involve slow decisions, misaligned processes, contractors operating without effective oversight, and management that is constantly reacting to events. PM Excellence experts have examined the subject from every angle—we have brought their articles together in one place.
Decision-Making Speed: The Scourge of Megaprojects
A single day of delay on a large-scale project costs tens or hundreds of millions of rubles—and every key participant should know that figure. Alexander Kutuzov examines why approvals follow operating procedures that are not suited to the pace of project delivery: procurement committees, multiple levels of review, and head offices imposing methodologies ‘without understanding the realities on site.’ The solution is TsORP: meetings involving senior decision-makers who use their authority to overcome procedural constraints.
A Project Is Stuck and Losing Millions: How to Accelerate Delivery
Three root causes of delays are bureaucratic approvals, a conflict between operational and project processes, and a collective lack of accountability. The project manager is accountable for results but lacks the authority to make prompt decisions. The way forward is rolling wave planning, prioritizing the critical path through a schedule network model, and Rapid Response Centers (TsORP) that remove barriers between senior management and the team.
How to Reduce Project Duration
Corporate processes are designed for long-term planning, while a project needs decisions here and now. If a pipe is needed in a month but its purchase is scheduled for six months from now, the project comes to a standstill. When selecting materials, delivery speed matters more than price. Team alignment is not a soft factor—it is a basic requirement for achieving results.
Large-Scale Project Delays: Who Is to Blame and What Can Be Done?
More than half of large-scale projects fall over a year behind schedule. Roman Cheremisin explains why: complex interdependencies between contractors, the absence of a unified planning model, and the human factor—each participant presents information in the most favorable light for themselves. The three-stage solution is an integrated schedule network model → identification of critical chains of activities → recovery measures through TsORP.
Too Much Freedom for the Contractor: The Risk of Project Delays
The client becomes hostage to the contractor when the contractor has no agreed long-term plan. The contractor performs the activities that serve its own interests, leaving critical activities until the end, when its resources are depleted. The solution is to require a high-level schedule network model at the selection stage, stipulate monthly reporting in an agreed format in the contract, and systematically monitor performance against the plan.
Which Tools Help Assess Project Status and Reduce Its Duration?
Vladimir Baranov examines how two tools work together: the S-curve shows delivery trends for senior management, while the critical path identifies specific activities with no float for the project team. Only activities on the critical path can be accelerated to shorten the project. These tools do not compete—they support different levels of decision-making.
Key Indicators for Assessing Project Progress
Worldwide, 98% of megaprojects fail to meet their schedules—in large part because clients and contractors interpret progress metrics differently. Ivan Smirnov sets out the task: standardize objective indicators that provide an honest picture of project status rather than a version agreed for the report.
International and Russian Perspectives on the Causes of Delays in the Energy Sector
In the oil and gas sector, 78% of megaprojects missed their schedule and cost targets. Ivan Smirnov compares international and Russian experience: in Russia, systemic problems are compounded by a lack of qualified contractors, unclear accountability, and ineffective organizational structures. The fundamental conclusion is that communication between the parties matters more than technical solutions.
A Mining and Processing Plant Delivered on Time: Managing Projects in the Mining Industry
The top five risks in mining projects are a shortage of management personnel, a shortage of construction workers, lengthy corporate approvals, supply delays, and poor-quality design documentation. Since 2020, demand for specialists has risen sharply while supply has stagnated. Engaging a PMC contractor at the outset costs 1/80 as much as dealing with the consequences of delays.
All the articles draw on real project experience in construction, mining, oil and gas, and industry. Their authors are PM Excellence experts who work with megaprojects every day.
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