City of Utrecht: university and local council assess success

Eric Frank and Jack Kruf | | January 2016

The City of Utrecht is a member of PRIMO Netherlands. In the run-up to this special event, there have been extensive discussions about integrating risk management into the approach. When the project organisation was first set up in September 2014, Eric Frank (PRIMO Netherlands) and Jack Kruf (PRIMO Europe and WagenaarHoes), in close consultation with Ilhan Tekir (financial adviser to the City of Utrecht) and Martijn van Hulsteijn (project director for the Grand Départ), organised a round-table discussion for the City of Utrecht’s project team.

The round table discussion focused on three main areas:

• The actual risks and uncertainties associated with the event itself.
• The risks relating to the project organisation in terms of its composition, working style, internal communication and positioning in relation to the regular line organisation of the Municipality of Utrecht.
• The risk model and methodology to be applied in the areas of risk analysis and mitigation, as well as quality assurance within the project.

The round table in June 2014 was a very open discussion involving all members of the project organisation as it was being established. It led to a shared analysis, a more rigorous focus on and permanent embedding of risk management throughout the project organisation, and a clear allocation of tasks and responsibilities, both at the administrative and management levels.dding van risicomanagement in het geheel van de projectorganisatie én een heldere belegging c.q. toebedeling van taken en verantwoordelijkheden, zowel ambtelijk als bestuurlijk.