In large-scale projects such as infrastructureFehmarnBelt-tunnel Project, area developmentDijkversterking Project, or the energy transitionOffshore Waterstof Project, contracts form the formal basis of collaboration. They define not only what needs to be delivered, but also how, by whom, and under what conditions. A well-structured contract is therefore not an obstacle, but a strategic tool for project management.

However, in practice, contracts are often not fully read or understood. They are perceived as complex and, as a result, are underutilized. At BAEKENMeer weten over BAEKEN, klik hier., we view contracts as the manual for the project: clear, guiding, and protective, provided they are properly interpreted and applied correctly.

Working within recognizable frameworks.

Contracts provide structure and predictability. Standardized contract forms such as FIDIC, UAV-GC, and NEC4 offer uniform formats that are widely recognized in the market and legally tested. These standards ensure consistent information presentation and clearly define roles, responsibilities, and procedures.

At BAEKEN, we are familiar with these contract forms. This enables us to quickly locate the right information, understand risks, and set up projects in a structured way. Standardization in this case doesn’t mean rigidity but rather efficiency: it accelerates the startup phase and prevents ambiguities that could later lead to disputes or delays.

Agreements on responsibility and uncertainty

A core function of a contract is the allocation of risks. Contract forms explicitly define who is responsible for what parts of the project—and the associated risks. These include responsibilities related to design, ground risks, permits, or price increases.

For example:

• UAV-GC places much of the responsibility on the contractor, including design and execution.
• FIDIC Red Book distributes responsibilities in a more traditional manner, with a clear distinction between design and execution.

At BAEKEN, we carefully analyse this risk allocation in the initiation phase, ensuring that project control is aligned accordingly. We make sure the risk register, control measures, and planning buffers match the contractual reality. This helps us avoid surprises and allows for proactive management.

Flexibility in the face of uncertainty

A relatively new trend in contract formation is the rise of two-phase contracts. This contract form is used mainly in innovative or complex projects where there is still significant uncertainty in the early phases.

In the first phase, the client and contractor collaborate on the design, risk identification, and cost estimation. After that final agreements are made in the second phase regarding execution.

The benefits of this approach include:

• Greater control over risks before execution begins.
• Better alignment between design and manufacturability.
• Strengthened collaboration and trust between parties.

At BAEKEN, we support both clients and contractors in making the most of this flexibility—without losing control over project management.

The contract as an active management tool

A contract is not just relevant for lawyers or contract managers—it must be embraced throughout the project team. At BAEKEN, we promote contract awareness: from planners to risk managers, from controllers to work preparers.

We ensure that the contract is not a “document in the drawer” but an integral part of:

• Progress reports,
• Risk assessments,
• Decision-making and change control,
• Document management and acceptance procedures.

This makes the contract an active reference point throughout the entire project, leading to consistency, traceability, and strong decision-making.

Contracts as the foundation for trust and management

Contract forms are more than legal documents: they form the foundation for structure, collaboration, and risk management in projects. Whether it is UAV-GC, FIDIC, NEC4, or a two-phase contract, the strength lies in understanding, applying, and adhering to them.

At BAEKEN, we help our clients view contracts not as limitations, but as a strategic compass. We ensure insight, interpretation, and application, so that projects remain manageable and collaboration is strengthened.

A well-understood contract is not a burden, but a key to successful project management.

In projects where dozens to thousands of documents circulate, from technical drawings to progress reports and contract changes, having an overview is not a luxury, but a necessity. Document control is the foundation on which reliable information management is built. Without a proper structure for document handling, errors, delays, and risks of claims or rework will arise.

At BAEKENMore about BAEKEN, klik hier., we do not see document control as a mere administrative requirement, but as an indispensable link in professional project controls. It supports clear communication, traceable decision-making, and structured collaboration, precisely the elements essential for success in complex projects.

One version of the truth

Projects generate large volumes of information: plans, plannings, drawings, analyses, contracts, memos, and reports. Without structure, this information disappears into folders, inboxes, and SharePoint-like environments where no one has a clear overview anymore.

A well-designed document control system ensures that:

• it is always clear which version of a document is valid,
• the origin of information is transparent (who changed what, and when),
• documents are uniformly classified and remain easy to find.

It is essential to implement clear workflows for document management. We distinguish between official project documents (with legal or contractual value) and working documents, to prevent confusion about which materials are authoritative. Our approach brings calm, structure, and clarity, crucial in projects with many stakeholders and high documentation demands.

Document control as risk

In many projects, claims, delays, or escalations arise because it’s unclear what was agreed upon or approved, and when. A missing signature, the wrong version in circulation, or an incomplete decision memo, small errors with major consequences.

Document control mitigates these risks by:

• recording approval processes,
• managing and automatically archiving versions,
• linking decisions to clear document statuses (draft, review, approved, final).

This is especially vital in contractual environments (UAV-GC, FIDIC, DBFM). It is crucial to always be able to fall back on accurate, complete, and accessible project records, contributing to legally strong positions and smoother collaboration.

Information as a steering instrument: document control within project controls

Document control does not stand alone, but feeds into all other aspects of project controls: scheduling, progress, risk, and finance. Think of:

• making the right drawings available before execution,
• tracking decision documents for scope changes,
• logging meeting minutes as a formal basis for agreements.

At BAEKEN, we integrate document control with scheduling and management systems. This way, we can automatically link information to project phases, deadlines, and checks. Document control then becomes more than storage: it becomes an active source of insight and control.

Conclusion: reliable information, reliable projects

Without clear and reliable documentation, the rest of project controls stands on shaky ground. At BAEKEN, we make document control an integral part of project controls, not a bottleneck, but an accelerator.

Our approach ensures:

• clarity and overview in complex document flows,
• minimization of errors and risks,
• and maximum reliability in collaboration and decision-making.

Document control may not be the most visible part of a project, but it is the most decisive when it comes to control, grip, quality, and trust.

Microsoft Project, often abbreviated to MS Project, is a widely used tool for project management and project control. It provides functions for planning, progress recording and resource management and is used in many organisations as a basis for project control.

At BAEKEN, we value MS Project as a user-friendly, accessible tool that can be used well in the early stages of projects or in smaller environments. However, we also recognise its limitations, especially in collaboration, cost management, and managing resources across multiple projects. In this article, we explore the strengths and weaknesses of MS Project within the field of project controls, while considering how it can help shape your project’s future success.

Realistic planning on an individual project basis

MS Project excels at planning individual projects. Using Gantt charts, task structures, dependencies and milestones, project schedules can be built quickly and clearly. It is possible to:

• Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) with logical task groups;
• Define dependencies (FS, SS, FF)southfinish-start (FS), start-start (SS), en finish-finish (FF);
• Make critical paths and milestones visible.

These features make MS Project ideal for classic planning issues in linear or less complex projects. At BAEKEN, we sometimes use the tool in the start-up phase or as an analysis tool to quickly test scenarios. Its visual representation and low entry threshold make it a pleasant tool for communicating planning to stakeholders.

Resource management: useful, but limited to a single project

MS Project makes it possible to allocate resources to tasks and visualise the workload over time. This provides insight into the feasibility of planning with available capacity.

However, MS Project has clear limitations here:

• Resource management is by default limited to a single project file. Cross-project resource levelling requires additional tools or complicated workarounds.
• It is difficult to centrally manage shared resource pools without complex configuration or integration.

For organisations with multiple concurrent projects, this is a major drawback. At BAEKEN, we recommend MS Project for resource management only within relatively simple projects. For more complex environments, we switch to more advanced planning solutions that foster greater collaboration and flexibility.

Cost management: possible, but not robust

MS Project provides basic cost management functionalities, such as assigning rates to resources and tracking planned versus actual costs. Combined with progress input, SPI, CPIsouthSchedule Performance Index (SPI) and Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Earned Value insights can be generated.

Yet the limitations here are significant:

• Cost visibility is often fragmented and not scalable across multiple projects.
• There is no central cost structure or linkage to ERP systems.southEnterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Reports require manual construction or export to Excel.

For full-fledged project control on costs, as required in EPC contracts or infrastructure projects, MS Project falls short. At BAEKEN, we use it occasionally for cost analysis, but for deeper integration and reliability, we rely on tools like Primavera or dedicated EVM software.Want to know more about Earned Value Management? Read this article

Collaboration: no multi-user environment

A major drawback of MS Project is that it does not offer a true multi-user environment. Only one user can work in a project file at a time, unless complex workarounds are set up via SharePoint or Project Online. This limits:

• Collaboration between planning, control and execution teams;
• Real-time updates and progress recording by multiple users;
• Integration with wider project management systems.

At BAEKEN, we consider collaboration and transparency essential within project management. Therefore, we recommend MS Project in environments where collaboration is small and manageable, and where central planning doesn’t require team involvement.

MS Project as a stepping stone to mature project controls

MS Project is especially suitable as an entry-level tool for organisations looking to professionalise their project planning. It is user-friendly, visually strong and connects well with other Microsoft tools (such as Excel and Teams).

At the same time: what starts simple often grows out of it.

When multiple projects, teams, resources, or budgets come together, MS Project hits its limits. That’s when it’s time to invest in more robust systems that drive integration, collaboration, and deeper project control.

Conclusion: useful, but with limits

Microsoft Project provides solid basic functionality for planning, resource and progress management within single projects. At BAEKEN, we use it pragmatically: as a quick and accessible tool for project structuring and communication.

However:

• Resource management across multiple projects is limited;
• Cost monitoring is not deep enough;
• Collaboration is difficult without external workarounds.

This is why we see MS Project as a starting point, not the end. In a mature project controls environment, it becomes the stepping stone to better integration, broader collaboration, and deeper control.

Our maxim: use MS Project when it fits but dare to grow as soon as it pinches.

Change management and scope management are two distinct but interrelated aspects of project management. Understanding the difference between them is essential for effectively managing projects.

Scope Management

Definition: Scope management involves defining and controlling what is and is not included in the project. It ensures that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully.

Key Activities:

1. Scope Planning: Developing a detailed project scope statement that defines the project’s deliverables and boundaries.
2. Scope Definition: Breaking down the project into smaller, manageable parts (Work Breakdown Structure – WBS).
3. Scope Validation: Formalizing acceptance of the completed project deliverables by the stakeholders.
4. Scope Control: Monitoring the project’s scope and managing changes to the scope baseline.

Objectives:

• Clearly define project deliverables and boundaries.
• Ensure all necessary work is included.
• Prevent scope creep by controlling changes to the project scope.
• Maintain alignment with project goals and stakeholder expectations.

Change Management

Definition: Change management involves handling any alterations to the project, including changes in scope, schedule, costs, and resources. It ensures that changes are evaluated, approved, and implemented in a controlled manner.

Key Activities:

1. Change Identification: Recognizing the need for changes, whether they arise internally or externally.
2. Change Evaluation: Assessing the impact of proposed changes on the project.
3. Change Approval: Obtaining formal approval for changes from the appropriate authorities, often a Change Control Board (CCB).
4. Change Implementation: Executing the approved changes and updating project documents, schedules, and budgets.
5. Change Monitoring: Tracking the impact of changes and ensuring they are implemented effectively.

Objectives:

• Manage alterations to project scope, schedule, costs, and resources.
• Ensure changes are evaluated thoroughly and approved appropriately.
• Minimize disruptions and risks associated with changes.
• Maintain project alignment with its goals and objectives despite changes.

Conclusion

While scope management and change management are distinct processes, they are closely interrelated. Scope management defines the boundaries of the project, and change management handles any alterations to those boundaries as well as other project aspects. Effective project management requires both clear definition and control of the project scope and a structured approach to managing changes to ensure project success. By integrating scope management and change management, project teams can maintain project integrity, adapt to new information and requirements, and achieve their objectives efficiently.