How should we prepare for a large security project?

Everyone wants what’s best for his or her university or college project, but quite often, the opinions on what is best differs from one stakeholder to another. Without a finite delegation of authority and agreed-upon roles — determined in the very beginning — the project is sometimes left open to interpretation by all involved and, in some instances, can cause delay in implementation and completion.

Most large campus projects require a wide variety of skills and expertise in order to complete the work. With individual stakeholders assigned to the same project, yet originating from separate on- or off-campus groups, such as the IT department, campus planning, facilities management and university police, this cross-functional team can be both beneficial and problematic. For campuses to benefit with a positive outcome it is crucial to define the roles and responsibilities of each group, while also setting clear objectives, so that consistent, seamless collaboration is achieved by all parties throughout the life of the project.

In the beginning establish who the owners are, who is taking the lead, who will be supporting and contributing and who will complete day-to-day operations. Keeping an open communication strategy among all stakeholders eliminates unnecessary strain and inefficiency throughout the project.

By building positive team dynamics and working toward a common goal, the process of moving from planning and designing to receipt and ownership can be a smooth process from beginning to end.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Kyle Gordon is vice president of Business Development, Commercial Strategy, for STANLEY Black & Decker He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Image courtesy of MiEN Company

    6 Ways to Pull Off a Major District Construction Project

    Designing and building a large-scale project on a K–12 campus is a monumental undertaking that requires the right blend of ideas, funding, design and execution to get it right. The process also relies on multiple partners, each of which has to handle its respective aspect of the project while also keeping the district’s broader mission and goals in mind.

  • Allegion US Partners with Two Colleges for Mobile Credential Technology

    Allegion US recently announced a partnership with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and Denison College, in conjunction with Transact + CBORD, to install mobile credential technologies campus-wide, according to a news release. Implementing Mobile Student ID into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will allow students access to campus facilities, amenities, and residence halls using just their phones.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

Digital Edition