Epic Project Management: The DeepWater Horizon Oil Spill Cleanup

March 4, 2024

In this episode, Mark J. Woeppel shares his experience leading a massive project to clean up the Gulf of Mexico after the 2010 oil spill. He discusses the challenges faced, such as resource constraints and competing government agencies, and how his team overcame them. Mark emphasizes the importance of making the invisible visible, rebalancing resources, focusing on the constraint, challenging assumptions, reconsidering rules on materials and suppliers, managing and aligning performance with uniform standards, and accelerating communications. He also highlights the significance of having a clear mission, standardized metrics, and effective communication channels.

Topics covered

– Making the invisible visible
– Rebalancing resources to maximize flow
– Focusing on the constraint
– Challenging assumptions
– Reconsidering rules on materials and suppliers
– Managing and aligning performance by applying uniform standards
– Accelerating communications

Links shared

– Mark J. Woeppel’s website
Visual Project Management book on Amazon