Strategic Planning In Project Management

𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 If you are implementing an ERP, CRM, HR or Payroll Solution for your business, it is essential that you request a detailed Project Plan from your ERP Implementation Partner. I've watched millions of dollars evaporate on implementations that have started with good intentions but zero visibility because the Implementation Partner has not provided a Detailed Project Plan. High-level chevron diagrams or MS Excel schedules look impressive in the boardroom, but they will not cut it under the pressure of execution. A Detailed Project Plan will provide you with the information you need to avoid an expensive disaster by including: ✅ Granular task breakdown (not generic phases) ✅ Named owners for every deliverable ✅ Tasks allocated to the right business and vendor resources ✅ Real budget and cost allocation by workstream ✅ Progress tracking against budget burn ✅ Earned value monitoring Without this visibility, you're flying blind. You might be 80% through your budget but only 30% through actual work completion. Excel spreadsheets cannot typically give you this information. If the Vendor or Implementation Partner is not able to give you a Detailed Project Plan then, I highly recommend your Client-Sided Project Manager takes responsibility for this. A Detailed Project Plan will save you from potential scope creep, timelines extending and budget overruns. #ERP #CRM #Payroll #HR #ProjectManagement #DigitalTransformation

What Comes After “How Long Will Your Mine Last?” Imagine this: Your team has just cracked the numbers — 150 million tons of ore, a 15-year mine life, 10 million tons per year, and a 3-shift system to keep things moving. The board nods in approval. But before anyone celebrates, a new question fills the room: “What kind of plant are we building?” The real work is just beginning. This is where strategy takes over. Before a single machine is purchased or a foundation poured, you need a clear, proven process to design a plant that delivers gold — efficiently, reliably, and profitably. Here’s the strategic path mining professionals follow: -Metallurgical Test Work – Understand the Ore -Every orebody is different. You begin with lab testing to reveal the ore’s secrets: -How hard is it to crush and grind? (Bond Work Index, SAG testing) -Is there free gold recoverable by gravity? -What’s the best gold recovery method — CIL, CIP, or heap leach? -How does the ore behave in tanks and tailings ponds? These tests guide every decision that follows. Flowsheet Development – Draw the Recovery Path -Based on test results, you create the flow sheet: a diagram showing how the ore travels from rock to refined gold. Typical stages: -Crushing -Grinding -Gravity Recovery (if useful) -Leaching (CIL/CIP) -Elution + Electrowinning -Smelting -Tailings Disposal Each piece of equipment depends on how your specific ore behaves. Throughput & Mass Balance – Set the Scale. We already know: 10 million tons/year ~28,570 tons/day ~1,190 tons/hour Now we size each unit (crushers, mills, tanks, etc.) to handle the flow — with a safety margin. Trade-Off Studies – Pick the Smartest Option You now evaluate options to balance cost, performance, and future plans: -Gravity + CIL vs. direct CIL? -Modular plant or custom build? -Start small and expand or build full capacity now? -What’s cheaper long-term? These trade-offs prevent costly mistakes and guide smart investment. Preliminary Engineering – Turn Plans into Reality. You finalize the design: -Equipment specifications. -Layout drawings. -Power, water, and reagent systems. -Tailings and environmental plans. -Automation, safety, and control systems. This is the blueprint for building a plant that works in the real world. What’s Next? we’ll walk through a sample flowsheet for a mid-size gold operation and show how professionals select and size each piece of equipment to match their throughput and recovery targets. You’ll see how test results, tonnage plans, and flow-sheets come together — one machine at a time. Stay tuned. The plant is coming to life.

DG solar news you can use: FEOC and ITC cliffs are looming and pulling projects forward. How is the market responding, and how will its focus shift in the coming months? This week I sat down with Dan Roberts at VECKTA for a webinar on these topics. A link to the recording is in the comments, and here is my summary of key points from our discussion: The focus right now is on safe harbor strategies, which can be the same or different for FEOC and the ITC more broadly. Here are a couple of examples: - EPCs are targeting qualification for the domestic content adder, with higher thresholds than FEOC requirements. Two birds with one stone, if you can make it work. - Developers and IPPs are spending 5% of their budgets in 2025 to safe harbor solar projects from FEOC requirements, even when they plan to use the “physical work test” for the start of construction at a later date. Parallel paths with more flexibility for larger projects. After the 2025 safe harbor window, FEOC compliance will be required. But the market sees this risk differently from a couple of angles: - There is cautious optimism that the solar supply chain will figure out how to deliver FEOC compliant products before too long, this is similar to the domestic content pathway. - Battery storage, on the other hand, faces more challenging FEOC requirements. The market is still concerned that OEMs will struggle to meet the thresholds here, let alone provide formal claims or guarantees. There are also different perspectives across end customers who own their own systems and IPPs: - Customers manage their own compliance risk and are often comfortable using manufacturer data to support their claims without a formal guarantee. -IPPs rely on more conservative tax equity that typically requires documentation warranting and representing compliance or an insurance product to protect them from potential ITC recapture. It’s tricky because manufacturers typically warranty only the physical performance of their products. And if the ITC recapture risk exceeds a manufacturer’s revenue on a project, it would be a tall ask for OEMs to cover liquidated damages. But at the end of the day manufacturers are the ones who control sourcing, location of origin, and ownership. They’re in the best position with the best information to stand behind compliance claims for their products. Because of these looming requirements, Dan and I are both seeing the project crunch right now, from EPC backlogs to IPP bandwidth constraints. Everything is getting pulled forward: - Projects previously planned for the next 2-3 years are getting pulled into the next six months. - I’m expecting projects previously planned for the next 6 years to get pulled into the next 2-3 years. The immediate rush is to get projects safe harbored by the end of the year, particularly for FEOC even when overall ITC safe harbor is approached with a different strategy on a different timeline.

Battery Projects Are Safe.  Solar? You Need a Plan. The new OBBBA law brings big changes to solar tax credit eligibility—and you’ll need a smart strategy to get the most out of your solar goals. Key takeaways: • Battery energy storage projects are not affected; the ITC remains intact. • ITC ends for solar projects not placed in service by Dec 31, 2027—but only if construction starts after July 4, 2026. • Projects that start during the next 12 months have four years to be placed in service and receive the ITC. • “Placed in service” means a project is ready to operate. Utility interconnection is not required. • MACRS depreciation for solar energy property is eliminated but is replaced with permanent 100% bonus depreciation. • The IRC §48E Investment Tax Credit (ITC) remains intact for third-party leased commercial solar PV energy property. • New rules prohibit solar tax credit eligibility if “material assistance” is provided by a Chinese-owned entity, for projects that start construction after December 31, 2025. • Any new IRS guidance on the start of construction safe harbor, compelled by a White House executive order, is not likely to survive legal challenge if it adversely changes previously issued guidance. What to do now: • To preserve ITC eligibility, contract and spend at least 5% of eligible project costs ASAP. • Begin soft-cost activities like engineering or permitting. This strategy protects your project from legal and tax risk while preserving key incentives. Read the full breakdown here: https://lnkd.in/eV53tTug #solar #energystorage #taxcredits #cleanenergy #commercialsolar #renewables #projectdevelopment #energystrategy

Strategic Mine Planning (SMP) The long-term blueprint that defines how a mineral resource will be extracted sustainably, profitably, and safely over the entire mine life. Strategic Mine Planning ensures that every stage—from exploration to rehabilitation—is aligned with business goals, market demand, technology, ESG expectations, and regulatory requirements. 1. What is Strategic Mine Planning? Strategic Mine Planning is a long-term decision-making process that determines: When, where, and how to extract ore How much to mine each year (production scheduling) Which technology and equipment will be used How resources/reserves will be converted into financial value How to optimise NPV, IRR, mine life, stripping ratio, costs, and ESG impact It typically covers 10–30 years, depending on mine size 2. Key Objectives of Strategic Mine Planning 1. Maximise the economic value of the mineral deposit (NPV-driven). 2. Ensure long-term stability & sustainability of production. 3. Reduce risk related to geology, market, environment, and operations. 4. Optimise resource utilisation and convert maximum reserves to profit. 5. Improve safety and ESG performance for social license to operate. 6. Create a foundation for tactical and operational mine plans. 3. Levels of Mine Planning Strategic Mine Planning consists of three hierarchical levels: A. Long-term Planning (Strategic) – 10 to 30 years Resource evaluation & block modelling (e.g., Surpac, Datamine) Pit optimisation (e.g., Lerchs–Grossmann algorithm) Mine life strategy & production targets Technology selection & infrastructure planning CAPEX–OPEX modelling Market forecasting Sustainability framework B. Medium-term Planning (Tactical) – 3 to 5 years Annual production schedules Equipment fleet optimisation Drilling, blasting, haulage plans Budgeting & manpower planning C. Short-term Planning (Operational) – Daily to Monthly Shift-wise drilling, blasting, loading, hauling Dispatch & fleet management Grade control Fuel, cycle time, productivity KPIs 4. Key Components of Strategic Mine Planning 1. Geological Model 3D block model Grade distribution Resource/reserve classification (UNFC, JORC) 2. Mine Design & Pit Optimisation Pit limits Pushbacks & phases Haul roads, ramps Production benches & sequences 3. Production Scheduling 4. Equipment & Technology Strategy 5. Financial Optimization CAPEX & OPEX forecasting Discounted cash flow (DCF) modelling Sensitivity analysis (grade, fuel, price) NPV maximisation 6. Risk Assessment 7. ESG & Mine Closure Integration 8. Strategic Mine Planning Workflow (Step-by-Step) 1. Exploration & Data Collection 2. Block Modelling (3D) 3. Pit Limit Optimisation 4. Mine Design 5. Production Scheduling 6. Equipment Optimisation 7. Cost & Revenue Modelling 8. NPV Optimization 9. ESG Integration 10. Approval & Implementation

Today (Sept 2nd, 2025) is a defining day in the development of wind and solar projects in the USA. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) counters the previous support for solar, wind and storage developers provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 🔘 Accelerates tax credit sunsets 🔘 Tightens beginning of construction (BOC) rules; and, 🔘 Supply-chain rules From September, 2nd, to be eligible for federal tax credits, a developer: ❌ can no longer demonstrate BOC by deploying 5% of the projects allocated capital or completing at least 5% of the physical site construction. ✅ must show on-site physical progress of significant nature to qualify (e.g., foundation excavation, rack installation). ✅ projects continue benefiting from the four-year Continuity Safe Harbor meaning they have four years to be in service. After July 5th 2026, the four-year buffer goes away, and all projects must be operational by the end of 2027. Decision dichotomy: 1) If a project misses BOC eligibility, it loses access to the tax credits. This makes the cheapest supplier the default choice. 2) If a project meets the BOC requirements, the final procurement decision should be evaluated as a tradeoff between cost premium and ITC impact. So what should Developers do? ▶️ Accelerate BOC milestones for solar and wind before July 2026 to lock in Continuity Safe Harbor. ▶️ Estimate non-Prohibited Foreign Entity supplier switching cost impact on CapEx to determine whether Investment Tax Credit offsets justify higher CapEx: At 30% ITC, the threshold is at 42.9%. At 50% ITC, the threshold is at 100%. ▶️ If procuring from non-PFE suppliers is determined to be more economically appealing, diversify supply chains by securing non-PFE suppliers early to avoid bottlenecks. ▶️ Consider reallocating capital toward storage where timelines and credit certainty remain strongest. Read the full article on the Modo Energy Terminal and sign up to our Newsletter to get this information directly to your inbox.

Supply chain management in solar EPC projects above ₹100 crore (large-scale utility projects) Large scale solar EPC SCM demands robust planning, risk mitigation, and integration between suppliers, contractors, and project financiers. Projects face unique challenges and require best-in-class industry practices for timely and cost-effective execution. Key Features of Large Solar EPC Supply Chains Global Sourcing with Local Optimization: Major components—modules, inverters, mounting structures, cables—are sourced globally, often from Asia. It is vital to navigate trade, regulatory, and logistics risks while maximizing local content to comply with Indian policies and avoid supply shocks. Long-term Supplier Agreements: Locking in prices and supply capacity with key vendors, especially for critical raw materials like polysilicon, aluminum, and copper, helps hedge against price volatility and shortages. Integrated Project Scheduling: Large-scale projects coordinate site preparation, equipment arrival, and construction crews to ensure resources are deployed just-in-time, minimizing site storage costs and idle periods. Best Practices & Guidelines (India-focused)Due Diligence & Benchmarking: Strong focus on supplier and contractor qualification processes, including technical capability, financial health, compliance with Indian and international standards, and ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) risks. Risk Management: Active scenario planning, buffer inventory for critical items, and diversified supplier base to withstand disruptions ranging from policy changes to natural disasters and logistics delays. Portfolio Approach: Utilities and IPPs executing a pipeline of projects often pool procurement to negotiate better prices and ensure faster deliveries, while also developing joint workforce training with EPC partners to address skilled labor shortages over multiple projects. Digitization: Adoption of project management, logistics, and order tracking platforms, AI-driven progress monitoring, and remote inspections to drive transparency and predict issues before they cause delays. Compliance & Quality: Adherence to best practice standards (such as the India Edition of the EPC Best Practice Guidelines), robust warranty and insurance coverages, and detailed handover protocols to operations and maintenance (O&M) teams for long-term asset reliability. Challenges and Critical Success Factors Inflation & Currency Fluctuation: Price volatility in global commodities and forex risk for imported content must be hedged in contracts whenever possible. Permitting Delays & Grid Integration: Land, environmental, and grid approval processes can critically impact project schedules; proactive stakeholder engagement is crucial. Cashflow Optimization: Timely payments and supply chain financing tools (such as supply chain credit platforms) help EPCs manage large working capital requirements without project delays

They said we were crazy. Remember 2019? We were just another junior with drill results. Fast forward to today - first gold project approved in San Juan in 17 years.  When we started drilling at Hualilan, everyone told us the same thing: "You need $100M minimum to build a gold mine in Argentina." When we announced plans for our $200M processing plant at Hualilan, the skeptics came out in force: "Another junior with big dreams and empty pockets." Here's what we built instead: a model where you don't have to choose. Our PFS just dropped, and we're generating cashflow WHILE we build the future. Let me walk you through it 👇 In mining, timing's everything. Gold at $3,380? The window is wide open. But windows close. So we created our own timeline: - Start mining thru Toll Milling: 2025 - First cashflow: November 2025 - Initial capital: $4.2M - NPV at today's gold price: $123M+ How? We're trucking our ore to the Casposo plant while we build our own facility. Both timelines run in parallel. The numbers that matter: - 465,000 tonnes @ 6.16 g/t Au - 7-month payback - AISC: $1,454/oz - First gold project approved in San Juan in 17 years But here's what makes this work... This isn't about choosing between quick cash and long-term vision. It's about building the structure to have both. The $250M plant is happening - engineering is underway. But why leave gold in the ground while we build? Three things this taught us: 1. Perfect timing doesn't exist - but you can create your own by structuring around existing infrastructure 2. Cashflow changes everything. Fully funded to production means different conversations with governments, contractors, and capital markets 3. The best projects aren't always the biggest deposits - they're the ones with executable pathways that actually get built I remember 2019 when Hualilan was just drill holes and vision. Now we have permits, toll processing agreements, and a clear path to production starting in 9 months. To our shareholders wondering about dilution - we're fully funded to cashflow. That's not luck. That's structure. To the industry still running the traditional playbook - at $3,300/oz versus our $2,500 base case, parallel execution captures value sequential models leave behind. The first Environmental Impact Assessment approval in San Juan in 17 years didn't happen by accident. Neither did structuring toll processing agreements that preserve our construction timeline. To everyone who questioned whether a junior could navigate Argentine regulations, secure environmental approvals where others couldn't, and structure this without massive dilution - you pushed us to build something better. The future of mining isn't just finding deposits. It's structuring them so they actually get built. Sergio Rotondo Co-Founder & Executive Vice Chairman Challenger Gold Link to PFS Summary https://lnkd.in/eaSF2XFP

"We need these reports ASAP". If you've heard this before, you know those reports are only as good as the data they're built on. And in most situations, that data sucks. Your HubSpot instance probably has the following: • Inconsistent lifecycle stages • Unclear deal definitions • Mixed-up customer status • Properties nobody uses • Reports nobody trusts The root cause? Building without blueprints. Before touching HubSpot, we align on four core documents: 1. 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽 Defines exactly how leads move through: • Marketing stages • MQL/SQL criteria • Sales handoffs • Post-sale markers • Revenue taxonomy 2. 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗽 Maps your unique: • Deal stages • Exit criteria • Required fields • Probability markers • Closed/lost reasons 3. 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗽 Standardizes: • Onboarding stages and pipelines • Health scores (via HubSpot) • Expansion signals • Churn indicators 4.  𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 & 𝗖𝗥𝗠 𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 Aligns teams on: • Property & Field definitions • Required properties • Reporting standards • Naming conventions inside your CRM    Then We Build: The 90-Day Implementation – with definitions clear, we implement in phases: 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝟭-𝟭𝟱) • Configure lifecycle stages and automation (includes lead object) • Create custom properties (UTMs + hidden fields) • Basic Account/Lead scoring (with new Beta) • Core integrations 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝟭𝟱-𝟯𝟬) • Configure deal stages (and the lead object) • Forecasting and goals • Routing and lead assignments (territory) • Individual and team dashboards (v1) 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 (𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝟯𝟬-𝟰𝟱) • Set up ticket pipelines. • Build customer health score. • Automation of renewals • Clear definition of upsell/renewal triggers 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝟰𝟱-𝟲𝟬) Using Data Dictionary & Taxonomy : • Setup data hygiene dashboards • Deduplication via Koalify • Standardized naming and folder structure • Error reporting and notifications    𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝟲𝟬-𝟵𝟬) Tell the story clearly through: • 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀: Track time at each stage to find and remove roadblocks, improving the overall customer experience. • 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀: Identify drop-off points across the journey to refine engagement strategies. • 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀: Monitor volume at each stage to ensure a steady flow from lead to loyal customer.    There is a better way to get where you're going, but it takes the right foundation. #hubspot #crm #data  

🎯 The Power of Planning in Utility-Scale Solar Projects 🌞 In my years managing utility-scale solar projects, one lesson stands out: a solid project plan is not just a roadmap—it's the foundation for success. I’ve witnessed firsthand how meticulous planning transforms a project from an idea on paper to a thriving energy hub. Without a comprehensive plan, even the best teams can struggle to navigate the complexities of large-scale solar installations. One project that comes to mind involved coordinating multiple stakeholders across different regions. We encountered a significant challenge when there was a delay in the supply of goods on-site. This unexpected issue had the potential to derail the entire project. To adapt, I had to quickly reassess and change the site planning, creating more buffer in our timeline to ensure we stayed aligned with the project baseline. By staying agile and proactively adjusting our plan, we avoided delays and kept the project on track. Good planning is about more than just ticking boxes—it’s about foresight, communication, and adaptability. By setting clear goals and continuously revisiting our strategy, we were able to stay agile, address challenges proactively, and ultimately deliver a project that exceeded expectations. In the world of utility-scale solar, success hinges on the strength of your plan. Reflecting on my experiences, I can confidently say that the time invested in planning pays off tenfold when you see the results. What’s your take on the importance of planning in solar projects? Let’s discuss. #ProjectManagement #UtilityScaleSolar #RenewableEnergy #BESS #HuaweiFusionSolar