In the upcoming years in the Netherlands, the Dutch government will be focusing on renovating infrastructure assets. Moreover, a shift from organizing each project individually to a more program-oriented approach has been observed in renovating infrastructure, whereby synergy a prominent feature is. In addition, it is becoming increasingly apparent that non-functional goals that focus on adding value (secondary goals) are outlined for construction programs besides functional goals. However, minor studies have been conducted to examine how achieving diverse program goals can be controlled and how a synergy can be optimally utilized in infrastructure renovation programs (IRP). The method used to improve utilizing this full potential is twofold, it consists of a literature study followed by empirical research, which consists of conducting three case studies and their synthesis. The proposed solution to gain control over both the primary and secondary goals of IRP is to shift the focus of control on performance this in turn would take control of the process. Regarding obtaining interpretable information, careful and constant attention to the connection between which content is essential and how this is acquired is critical. Considering the program organization, firstly, stimulating a collaborative working environment when executing tasks and creating awareness of the beneficial collective program management approach is essential. Secondly, implementing a change management procedure has been suggested. Lastly, the program management team should prioritize what needs to be coordinated on program level and what should be organized for all projects individually. The empirical research performed has generated in new synergy benefits that have not been described in scientific literature previously. Those new synergies found are the opportunity of empowering political urgency, removing obstacles that are in the way of performing research, decision-making based upon broad knowledge and a comprehensive overview of risks. To utilize all forms of synergy, the equilibrium between making the program manageable and utilizing synergy should be found by a combination of working in departments on tasks and practicing an integral way of working. To utilize the advantages of conducting research collectively, the focus should be directed upon the developments of the application-oriented innovation by associating the innovation directly to the program goals and involve knowledge institutions in the process. In order to utilize the program’s potential, it is recommended to program managers to notice and understand the forms of synergy accessible. Also, it is recommended for program managers to be aware of the tension between project and program management. Besides, a recommendation to program managers is to focus on the attitude of the program team towards the collective program approach. Furthermore, it is recommended that program managers reflect on their program to find out what barriers occur in their problem. Hence, the program manager can use this research to concretize actions on how to achieve improvements of their program. In addition, enabling the power of the iterative process is recommended. Lastly, structuring the improvements in the light of the program management cycle gives footing.

Most of the large infrastructure projects (LIPs) are characterized with significant time delays and cost overruns. In order to be able to deploy the LIPs more effectively, make optimal use of the resources and investments and timely deliver the projects NETLIPSE was set up. NETLIPSE developed a project assessment tool called the Infrastructure Project Assessment Tool (IPAT) which helps in evaluating and assessing the LIPs to identify the vulnerabilities present and measure the capability of the project at all stages of its development and delivery. The IPAT assessments provide valuable insights to client organizations to improve their project performance. With the IPAT tool, several infrastructure projects in Europe were assessed. Since the data of the individual IPATs is owned by different clients, no thorough comparisons were made so far. The goal of the research was to identify learnings from assessment reports that can be used for improving future infrastructure projects by thoroughly comparing the data obtained from individual IPATs. Additionally, the effectiveness of the tool and the theoretical basis of the assessment tool was evaluated.
Five common elements were identified i.e., themes and scores, the context of the project, learning environment, knowledge exchange and the significance of reflection. The IPAT includes all these elements which were also deemed vital in the project assessment tools that were researched. Thus, the elements identified served as an essential basis on which project performance was measured.
The IPAT assessments aid in the exchange of knowledge in the form of best practices and lessons learned in the field of project management in order to efficiently deploy LIPs. The research identified five main learnings from the IPAT assessments that can be used for improving future large infrastructure projects. They are-
• The best practices and lessons learned in the field of project management are continuously evolving with time. Being aware of these evolvements is vital for the execution of projects.
• The best practices in the field of project management have broadened to include the overall context of the project and not just focus on the technical aspects.
• The opportunity to improve the project’s performance, progress, the processes involved, and outcomes/deliverables exist in all project phases.
• The IPAT assessments promote knowledge exchange. This gives the project management team an opportunity to adopt some of the best practices and customize them according to the requirements of their respective projects.
• The IPAT assessments gives the project team an opportunity to take a step back, review the project and learn from it. Continuous learning from projects facilitates better execution of the upcoming phases or future projects.