Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) started as a symbol of Berlin's global emergence but turned into a project management failure. Planned in 1990 to replace three outdated airports, BER's journey was plagued by mismanagement, leading to a nine-year delay and costs tripling to €7 billion. This analysis delves into BER's lifecycle and offers critical lessons for future large-scale projects.

Context

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) has emerged as Berlin's primary airport, boasting a capacity of over 40 million passengers annually. It showcases advanced functionality, notably an efficient baggage system handling up to 7000 bags per hour, and sustainable features like rainwater infiltration. Its flexible design allows for future expansion if demand grows. Initially conceived to replace three outdated airports, BER suffered immense setbacks, being completed nine years behind schedule in 2020 at a cost exceeding €7 billion, three times the initial estimate. The project management failures were extensive, spanning all aspects of the PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge.

Leadership issues, including frequent CEO changes, lack of qualifications, information withholding, and corruption, exacerbated communication breakdowns and integrity breaches. Over 120,000 defects were reported, significantly inflating costs and timelines. The report delves into project management strategies from planning to completion, analyzing stakeholder engagement, time-planning, organization, risk management, and quality control. Key lessons from the project's failures are distilled to guide future construction endeavors.

Project Analysis

The Brandenburg Airport project was initiated to address the inadequacies of Berlin's aging airports and to bolster the city's infrastructure and global connectivity. However, its journey from inception to completion was fraught with challenges. The selection of the site near Schönefeld airport was met with controversy due to the relocation of a village and subsequent protests from local communities. Despite intentions to make it a major connection hub for Europe, setbacks such as the bankruptcy of key airlines and construction companies disrupted these plans.

Stakeholder analysis revealed a complex web of interests and power dynamics, with government entities, regulators, contractors, airlines, and local communities all playing significant roles. Delays plagued the project, stretching its timeline from an initially planned completion in 2011 to the eventual opening in 2020, nine years behind schedule. Mismanagement, budget overruns, scandals involving bribery, and a lack of transparency further exacerbated the project's challenges. The organizational structure, relying heavily on subcontractors due to the failure to secure a main contractor, also contributed to inefficiencies and complications.

Project Evaluation

The evaluation of the Berlin Brandenburg Airport project highlights a myriad of systemic failures across various project management domains. From stakeholder mismanagement to poor risk assessment, the project encountered numerous obstacles that ultimately led to its significant delays and financial overruns. Stakeholder conflicts, including ownership disputes and inadequate consideration of external parties like Air Berlin and local citizens, resulted in legal battles and financial losses.

Furthermore, ineffective risk management compounded the project's challenges, with technical issues such as defects in fire safety systems and executive-level risks like involvement in bribery lawsuits creating further complications. Communication breakdowns exacerbated these issues, as poor coordination within the project management team and a lack of oversight contributed to confusion and delays. Additionally, inadequate cost estimations and a lack of quality control further escalated expenses and compromised the project's integrity. Despite attempts to adhere to unrealistic deadlines driven by optimism bias and inadequate planning, the project failed to meet its original timeline, ultimately succumbing to a litany of management shortcomings and systemic deficiencies.

Lessons Learnt

The lessons learned from the BER project underscore the importance of effective project management practices to mitigate risks and ensure successful outcomes. One crucial aspect highlighted is the necessity of hiring a General Contractor (GC) for complex projects, as it streamlines responsibilities, enhances oversight, and mitigates technical and financial risks. Implementing the Design-Build framework can facilitate this process by consolidating design and construction phases under a single entity, allowing for better coordination and communication.

Additionally, the concept of acting as a "Smart Client" emerges as pivotal, emphasizing the need for the project owner to maintain control and set clear goals while engaging in constructive relationships with contractors. This involves setting defined goals, establishing progress tracking metrics, and maintaining effective power over the project timeline and design. Rigorous quality control measures, such as frequent testing and inspection, are crucial to identify and rectify issues early, preventing costly delays and ensuring compliance with quality standards. Moreover, transparent communication with stakeholders, facilitated by stakeholder engagement techniques, is essential to foster trust, accountability, and alignment throughout the project lifecycle. Finally, employing frameworks like the SMART Scope Statement and Critical Path Method (CPM) can aid in effective scope definition, planning, and risk mitigation, ensuring projects stay on track and meet their objectives.

Conclusion

The Berlin Brandenburg Airport project faced significant project management shortcomings across procurement, risk, schedule, stakeholder engagement, quality control, integration, cost, communication, and scope management. These led to cost overruns, delays, and quality issues, highlighting the importance of robust planning and stakeholder involvement. Despite challenges, the airport has opened, emphasizing the need to address key project management areas for future success.