The project Achilles heel: Misalignment

Performing any one element of cost engineering, however well done, does not guarantee project success. Too often, a narrow perspective of project success is held, which can lead to implementation difficulties. An alignment of all of the elements of cost engineering is necessary for project success. Misalignment is the Achilles heel for project success. Alignment is simple in theory, but can be difficult to achieve in practice without a conceptual framework and tools. The nature and role of alignment are discussed in this article, including their prominent role in successful cost engineering. Two tools for aligning the project also are described, and guidelines for their use are given. Understanding alignment and applying these powerful yet easy-to-use tools will help cost engineers align the elements of their projects and improve the likelihood of project success.