Assessing resilience in a project-oriented organization: An exploratory case study using the Resilience Analysis Grid

Bigogno-Costa, Vinícius; Cardoso Junior, Moacyr Machado

doi:10.1590/1678-6971/eRAMR250011

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Knowledge, Strategy and Innovation • RAM, Rev. Adm. Mackenzie 26 (5) • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-6971/eRAMR250011 linkcopy

Assessing resilience in a project-oriented organization: An exploratory case study using the Resilience Analysis Grid

Avaliação da resiliência em uma organização orientada a projetos: Um estudo de caso exploratório usando o Resilience Analysis Grid

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Purpose: The study proposes a framework for assessing organizational resilience using the Resilience Analysis Grid (RAG), a questionnaire-based tool, in a project-oriented organization. The proposed method is assessed through a case study, aimed at identifying systemic and individual factors that pose risk to the potential of resilient performance in a public technology development organization.

Originality/value: The study approaches resilience from a new perspective, borrowed from the safety management field, and applies it in project management concepts. In addition, it presents the first instantiation of the RAG in a project management context, proposing the exaptation of the framework.

Design/methodology/approach: The transposition of the RAG framework is supported by the design science research paradigm. In the case study, the questionnaire is built cooperatively with the stakeholders and administered to all projects in the organizational portfolio. The results are aggregated through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and processed in order to highlight singular and systemic aspects of the projects’ performance in the organization. Finally, strategic actions are proposed to mitigate the risks identified.

Findings: The methodological design proved to be fit to the purpose, from the perspective of the stakeholders and project managers involved in the study. Through its instantiation in the case study, it allowed identifying sources of risk such as organizational struggle with learning, and prioritizing task and resource allocation, among others, subsidizing the proposition of strategic actions for systemic intervention.

Keywords:
resilience; resilience engineering; project management; Resilience Analysis Grid; RAG

Participants		Stages of involvement
Title	Role	Step 0	RAG phase							Post-RAG
Title	Role	Step 0	1	2A	2B	2C	2D	3	4	Post-RAG
Organizational focal point	Establishes the aim of the assessment, considering the current status of the organization and its strategic goals, and manages the benefits of the research outcomes	x	x	i	i	i	i	i	i	i
Subject-matter experts (SME’s)	Aid the development of the research instrument (questionnaire) and should be sourced both from the governance structure (blunt-end) and from the ongoing project management teams (sharp-end)	o		x	x	x	x		*
Project managers or project management team members	Key subject of the study, provides the information of the ongoing situation of the projects in the organization by responding to the questionnaire. In the end, they are informed of the results of the assessment.							x		i

CF ID	Contributing factor	Item ID	Item rationale
Responding (15/42)
R.1	Standards and procedures for project management	R.1.1	Roles of PM and others involved in the project governance structure
R.1	Standards and procedures for project management	R.1.7	Documents and artifacts to be produced by the project as a function of the project lifecycle
R.2	Management of key project aspects	R.2.1	Scope implementation
		R.2.2	Schedule and time allocation
		R.2.3	Cost and budget allocation
R.3	Communication and stakeholder management	R.3.4	Responding to information demands
R.4	Decision-making in the project environment	R.4.2	Dependency on decisions beyond the PM’s scope, and time for this decision-making
R.5	PM and project team maturity, experience and capabilities	R.5.5	Previous experience in project management or project environments
R.6	Change management	R.6.1	Having a clear process for categorizing, deciding upon, and implementing changes in the project
R.7	Risk management	R.7.2	Risk response: triggers and contingency plans
R.8	Resources management	R.8.1	Allocation of human resources
R.8	Resources management	R.8.3	Allocation of physical resources (materials, equipment, infrastructure) external to the organization
R.9	R.9.4	Organizational assets	Tool for quick internal communications
R.10	Organizational aspects	R.10.1	Adequation and burden of the governance structure
R.10	Organizational aspects	R.10.3	Prioritizing project-related activities over non-project-related activities
Monitoring (14/32)
M.1	Project data and indicators	M.1.1	Ability to collect representative data from the project
M.2	Standards and procedures for project management	M.2.1	Comprehensive activities list for PM’s on how to monitor and control a project
M.3	Communication and stakeholder management	M.3.1	Ability to communicate the most up-to-date information on both expected and unexpected demands
M.4	Management of key project aspects	M.4.1	Monitoring the scope implementation
		M.4.2	Monitoring the project schedule
		M.4.3	Monitoring the project costs
		M.4.4	Tracking the project objectives
M.5	PM and project team maturity, experience and capabilities	M.5.3	Keeping track of the status of the team
M.7	Risk management	M.7.1	Risk monitoring: monitoring of identified risks
M.7	Risk management	M.7.2	Risk monitoring: monitoring of risk triggers
M.8	Resources management	M.8.3	Monitoring availability of physical resources in the organization
M.9	Organizational assets	M.9.1	Integrated enterprise governance system for keeping project data and information
M.10	Organizational aspects	M.10.1	Organizational follow-up of project status
M.10	Organizational aspects	M.10.4	Organizational follow-up of its own status (stocks, knowledge resources, etc).
Anticipating (15/36)
A.1	Management of key project aspects (Planning project lifecycle)	A.1.4	Periodically revisiting the project objectives
A.2	Standards and procedures for project management	A.2.3	Tools for planning and performing status forecast
A.3	Lessons notes and reports	A.3.1	Reviewing other projects documentation and learned lessons
A.4	Project data and indicators	A.4.2	Forecasting project scenarios based on performance indicators
A.5	PM and project team maturity, experience and capabilities	A.5.2	Tracking team expectations and future plans
A.6	Communication and stakeholder management	A.6.1	Stakeholder identification and analysis
A.7	Risk management	A.7.1.1	Risk identification: broadness of risk identification throughout the project scope
		A.7.2.2	Risk assessment: providing a clear risk prioritization
		A.7.3.1	Risk response planning: planning proactive responses to identified and prioritized risks
A.8	Resources management	A.8.1	Projecting future project human resources demands in time
A.8	Resources management	A.8.2	Projecting future project physical resources demands in time
A.10	Organizational assets	A.10.2	Organizational strategic plan
A.11	Organizational aspects	A.11.1	Revisiting organizational strategic objectives
		A.11.2	Incentives and support to risk management culture
		A.11.5	Organizational efforts to train and prepare current and future personnel in project management
Learning (8/20)
L.1	Standards and procedures for project management	L.1.2	Standardizing documentation for registering, keeping, and sharing lessons learned
L.2	Management of project lessons learned	L.2.2	Time allocated for collecting learned lessons
L.3	Sharing and disseminating knowledge across the projects and the organization	L.3.3	Time between learning a lesson and its effective implementation
L.5	Organizational assets	L.5.1	Organizational database of learned lessons in current and previous projects
L.6	Organizational aspects	L.6.1	Organizational structure for supporting learned lessons activities and book-keeping
		L.6.2	Activities and culture related to lessons learned
		L.6.5	Efforts for sharing and disseminating knowledge and learned lessons across different projects
		L.6.6	Openness to error

	P.1	P.2	I.1	I.2	I.3	I.4	I.5	No. +1	No. -1	Sum
R.1	+1	0	-1	-1	-1	+1	-1	2	4	6
R.2	+1	-1	0	-1	-1	-1	-1	1	5	6
R.3	+1	-1	-1	+1	+1	+1	-1	4	3	7
R.4	0	-1	0	-1	+1	-1	0	1	3	4
R.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
R.6	0	+1	-1	-1	-1	0	0	1	3	4
R.7	+1	+1	-1	-1	-1	+1	-1	3	4	7
R.8	0	0	-1	-1	-1	+1	0	1	3	4
R.9	+1	-1	-1	-1	+1	+1	-1	3	4	7
R.10	+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
M.1	+1	0	0	-1	-1	0	+1	2	2	4
M.2	0	0	+1	-1	+1	0	0	2	1	3
M.3	+1	0	-1	0	0	0	0	1	1	2
M.4	0	0	0	0	-1	0	0	0	1	1
M.5	0	0	-1	0	-1	0	0	0	2	2
M.7	0	0	0	-1	0	-1	+1	1	2	3
M.8	0	0	-1	0	-1	0	0	0	2	2
M.9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
M.10	0	0	0	0	-1	+1	0	1	1	2
A.1	+1	-1	-1	-1	0	0	0	1	3	4
A.2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
A.3	+1	0	0	0	-1	0	+1	2	1	3
A.4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
A.5	+1	+1	-1	-1	-1	+1	+1	4	3	7
A.6	+1	+1	0	-1	-1	-1	+1	3	3	6
A.7	0	+1	-1	-1	0	0	0	1	2	3
A.8	+1	-1	0	+1	-1	-1	-1	2	4	6
A.10	0	0	0	-1	0	-1	-1	0	3	3
A.11	+1	0	0	0	+1	-1	0	2	1	3
L.1	0	0	0	0	0	+1	0	1	0	1
L.2	0	+1	-1	-1	-1	-1	+1	2	4	6
L.3	+1	+1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	2	5	7
L.5	+1	0	0	0	-1	-1	-1	1	3	4
L.6	0	0	0	-1	0	0	0	0	1	1
	P1	P2	I1	I2	I3	I4	I5		Sum color code:
No. +1	16	7	1	2	5	8	6		Systemic
No. -1	0	6	14	18	17	10	9		One stands out
Differential	16	1	-13	-16	-12	-2	-3		Non-systemic

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Editora Mackenzie; Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie Rua da Consolação, 896, Edifício Rev. Modesto Carvalhosa, Térreo - Coordenação da RAM, Consolação - São Paulo - SP - Brasil - cep 01302-907 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
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[TFN1] Note: x = effective engagement in the stage and contributes towards its objective; o = optional engagement; i = informed about the ongoing situation of the research and its outcomes; * = in the particular case of the pre-test cycle, SME’s are informed about the results of the questionnaire administration and shall determine that it is ready for the final administration.