About TCP

Paul Turner, P.Eng, PMP

I am an electrical engineer and project management professional specializing in Outcome Assurance for megaproject delivery – I make project outcomes predictable, verifiable, and fit for purpose from day one.

I began my career in the aerospace sector, working on satellites and launch systems for the Canadian Space Agency and payloads for the International Space Station. In that environment, outcomes are non-negotiable. Systems must work exactly as intended, the first time, under real operating conditions. Failure is not an option, and quality is designed, governed, and verified – not inspected in after the fact. That experience fundamentally shaped how I think about project success.

When I later transitioned into the power sector – delivering hydroelectric generation and HVDC transmission systems – I was struck by how differently outcomes were treated. Despite far greater capital exposure, projects often relied on fragmented accountability, late-stage testing, and the assumption that issues could be “fixed later.” The result was predictable: cost overruns, schedule delays, and systems that technically complied with specifications but failed to deliver the outcomes they were built for. This is why, globally, the majority of major projects miss their objectives.

Seeing the same pattern repeat in the water sector made the problem unmistakable. The issue was not technical capability – it was the absence of outcome-led governance, early verification thinking, and lifecycle accountability. After more than 25 years across high-risk industries, it became clear that projects do not fail because they are complex; they fail because outcomes are not deliberately assured.

That realization led to the creation of Turner Capital Projects, The Outcome Assurance Leadership Council, and the Institute of Commissioning and Assurance (ICxA). Together, these organizations advance Outcome Assurance as a leadership discipline – through consulting, training, standards, and advocacy – to help project teams define success early, govern toward it deliberately, and verify it systematically.

Projects that succeed start with the end in mind. They establish a clear definition of success, align decisions to that outcome, and verify readiness long before assets are placed into service. Outcome Assurance provides the structure to do exactly that.

If you are responsible for delivering complex projects – and want outcomes that are predictable, defensible, and operationally successful – I invite you to explore how Outcome Assurance can change how your projects perform.