"The Airport Model™" Article #1 Introduction: A Standalone Model for Improving Project Delivery Capabilities in Technology Organizations
- Shlomi Ozalvo
- Dec 8
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
1. From Isolated Island to Popular Resort: The Evolution Trap of a Growing Organization
Imagine you purchased a remote, exotic island to develop a luxurious resort.
In the initial construction phase, air traffic was minimal: equipment and workers arriving in the morning, leaving in the evening. The airspace was "sparse". All that was required was a skilled Pilot (Project Manager) and a functional Aircraft (Execution Platform). The entire organization was focused solely on Execution.
After construction was complete, the resort became a popular destination, and Demand surged: suddenly, 6+ commercial flights were scheduled daily, in addition to the arrival of private jets owned by the world's wealthy. The airspace becomes congested.
This is where the evolution trap begins:
And this is the economic mistake: Would it occur to anyone to manage this busy airport, with dozens of takeoffs and landings per day, without establishing and managing a Control Tower to handle the inflow and outflow?
Without central oversight and control over the Demand, there will be more Aircraft and Pilots who cannot take off or land as needed, because there is no function to manage the airspace and synchronize them.
I encounter many technology organizations getting stuck in the same place: they grow from an isolated island to a popular destination, and respond by adding "productive" resources – they hire more developers and Data personnel (more Pilots and Aircraft). This is a clear preference for investing in working hands that immediately appear to generate value, over establishing a Control Tower and organizational Infrastructure (which are considered overhead/governance resources). Thus, they continue to rely only on the Pilot and the Aircraft, and discover (and sometimes are unaware) that as the airspace becomes "busy", their delivery spirals into economic and systemic turmoil.
2. The Analogy and the Mental Failure
This analogy is the core of "The Airport Model™".
The model was developed by Shlomi Ozalvo (Owner of PMx Evolution) as an innovative analogical-strategic framework for analyzing, diagnosing, and improving project delivery capabilities in technology organizations. In the article series on the Intentional Delivery blog, I aim to help you build and improve project delivery capabilities by understanding the interdependence within the system. The model will provide ways to harness the entire organization to focus on delivery that maximizes business value.
The Mental Failure: "We Are Busy"
In many cases, the pressure to gain market share causes the organization to focus only on being "busy", serving orders, and working harder. The constant argument becomes: "We don't have time to establish infrastructure or plan".
In this situation, the organization sinks into the mud: it neglects the governmental and infrastructural components, and a growth spiral is created – they become increasingly busy, but achieve fewer and fewer critical results. The overall utilization of the organization dives toward diminishing marginal returns.
3. Fundamental Definitions: When Must You Build an Airport?
"The Airport Model™" is relevant only after the organization crosses the complexity threshold. The most prominent symptom that should raise a red flag is when there is constant competition for shared resources among different projects.
The model becomes necessary when organizational delivery characteristics include:
Volume of Activity: Managing over 5-6 active projects concurrently (a threshold indicating a genuine need for Portfolio Management).
Diverse Requirements: Two different types of demand exist (e.g., new feature development vs. maintenance/technical debt).
If this situation exists, your old model is dead, and it's time to examine the entire system and consider a structural change.
4. Presenting the Model: The Four Elements and the Flow of Delivery
As shown in the central illustration of "The Airport Model™", this is our analogical framework for diagnosis. It splits the organizational setup into four components, starting from the Infrastructure, through Control, and to Execution. The following four components determine the fate of every project in the organization, and understanding them allows us to start "flying" consistently.
The Guiding Principle: The weakest link in the delivery system dictates the overall pace; therefore, absolute synergy is required!
The Pilot (Project Manager): The executor on the ground: navigating the Aircraft according to the flight plan, managing daily risks, and demonstrating tactical leadership skills
The Aircraft (Execution Platform): Determines the flight speed (Velocity) and the accuracy of information. Your methodology (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid) and tools (Jira, Monday).
The Airport (Organization): The basic infrastructure: Work culture, quality of procedures, resource leadership (the aircrew), trust, and accountability.
The Control Tower (Portfolio Project Management - PPM): Responsible for managing the entrance interface: controlling airspace congestion, prioritizing takeoffs/landings based on business value, and allocating routes and resources.
5. Conclusion: The Blueprint for Systemic Correction
The "Airport Model™" provides a shared language and a neutral analogy for diagnosing the root cause. Instead of treating only emergency landings (failed projects), we focus on ensuring a comprehensive, stable, resilient, and leading aviation system. To transition from reactive project management to leading delivery management, you must evaluate and improve each of the four components of the model.
The model demonstrates how failure in the infrastructural components (The Airport) and the control component (The Control Tower) disrupts the work of the excellent Pilot. In Article #2, we will present the analytical proof – we will reveal the surprising data that shows how much influence each of these four components has, and how technology organizations err in splitting investment.
6. Our Roadmap in the "The Airport Model™" Series:
To complete the journey to leading delivery management, continue reading the following articles:
Article #2: The Hierarchy of Influence – 70% of Delivery Failure is Systemic
Article #3: The Organizational Evolution Trap – Why Must We Grow a Suitable Delivery Ecosystem as the Organization Grows?
Article #4: The Pilot - Why is the Project Manager Essential for Delivery Success, Despite Having Limited Influence?
Article #5: The Aircraft – The Execution Platform: A System That is a Tool, Not a Religion.
Article #6: The Organization – Do You Own a World-Class Airport or a Dirt Runway.
Article #7: The Control Tower - The Lack of Airspace Control Leading to Organizational Self-Collapse!
Article #8: The Complete Model and the Organizational Action Plan (100% Delivery).
