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Insight #1 Large Complex Projects, Megaprojects, Giga Projects
Dar Al Riyadh Insights reflect the knowledge and experience of our Board, executives and staff in leading and providing PMC, design and construction management services. We believe in the importance of broadly sharing knowledge with our clients and staff to improve project outcomes for the benefit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This Insight provides an introduction to large complex projects. In this Insight, as well as others that follow in this series, the terms large complex projects, megaprojects, and giga-projects will be used somewhat interchangeably, largely because the insights and perspectives we are sharing will broadly apply across each of them. It is important, however, to highlight the differences between the three:
• Large complex projects are broadly those with sizes measurably beyond those of more traditionally sized projects, but importantly have an element of complexity not found in more traditional projects. The threshold for a large complex project will vary by market, but generally will not be less than 2 billion SAR. They usually are much larger.
• Megaprojects are large complex projects with costs in excess of 4 billion SAR. Levels of complexity have grown with scale although that linkage is not the only driver of complexity. Many megaprojects are in reality mega-programs, which are comprised of more than one large complex project. Given this, the term mega-program is used when the efforts are likely to encompass multiple large complex projects being undertaken in a coordinated manner to deliver a strategic business outcome.
• Giga-projects reflect a larger scale mega-project with dramatically increased complexity and subsequently longer durations. They can be thought of as having values in excess of 40 billion SAR. Giga-programs will typically encompass a number of megaprojects.
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