Beyond the point of no return: On the management of deviations

This article explores how deviations are managed in practice in a diesel power plant project. The article builds upon an analysis of a case study of a power plant project and a true story of mountaineering. Metaphorically the paper uses mountaineering to shed light onto the management of deviations and the decisions that follow. At first sight the comparison is farfetched, but once the picture is painted there are similarities that make it worthwhile. The analysis demonstrates the impact of the point of no return on formal procedures when the actions associated with deviations are forced and how these actions are by necessity sanctioned after the solutions are found.