Small and Plant Project Delivery Excellence - A Course for Project Managers
Small and Plant Project Delivery Excellence is a 3-day training course that focuses on capital project planning and execution in the context of small and plant-based capital projects. Organizations spend between 30 to 65 percent of their capital budgets on small projects (less than US $5 million). IPA research has found that these small projects are frequently less successful than the larger projects executed by the same company. These small and plant projects are a mix of maintenance, regulatory, and revenue-generating projects. Both central project groups and plant-based project groups execute these small projects.
The objective of the course is to present Best Practices and key learnings that program participants can apply to small projects in improving their performance. The course focuses on the specific work processes for smaller projects. Attention is paid to practices associated with executing projects in operating plants. The unique aspects of small and plant projects addressed in the course include annual budgeting process, small project teams and resources, revamp issues, and turnaround/shutdown interface issues. Most small projects that are executed in operating facilities involve some amount of revamp work. This module discusses the critical issues that revamp projects face and outlines strategies to address those issues.
Course materials are based on the cumulative findings of over 20 years of research. IPA maintains proprietary databases of projects executed by more than 200 companies. The IPA databases store detailed information on over 3,000 small capital projects. IPA uses these databases to conduct quantitative research and has identified practices and work processes that lead to more effective use of capital invested in small projects. Small and Plant Project Delivery Excellence integrates key aspects of this body of knowledge into a single course.
Small and Plant Project Delivery Excellence Course Content
The course covers 3 days and is made up of 11 separate modules. The modules present the material in coherent and concise packages. The instruction method includes lectures supported with presentation slides and additional reading, active class discussions, class exercises, and breakouts. The specific course modules for Small and Plant Project Delivery Excellence are the following:
Module 1: Business Stake
This first module sets the stage for the entire course by giving some basic definitions and reviewing the basic structure and purpose of a small project delivery system.
Module 2: Front-End Loading
A key element of project success, Front-End Loading (FEL), is the process of defining the project before detailed design work begins. The module presents details around FEL and explains the importance of FEL to project outcome performance.
Module 3: Portfolio Management
The module in the course focuses on practices for aligning small and plant projects with business needs. Issues that can greatly affect smaller projects such as cash flow restrictions will be explored. This module covers issues related to portfolio management and project selection. We will conclude with a summary of the practices found to drive excellence in small and plant projects.
Module 4: Team Effectiveness
Small project systems are often constrained by resource limitations. This module addresses the core competencies required by a project system. It also covers team composition and effectiveness for small projects.
Module 5: Site Factors Component of the FEL Index
This module addresses the site definition component of FEL. It presents Best Practices for site definition and explains why these practices are critical to project success.
Module 6: Design Status Component of the FEL Index
This module presents the engineering definition component of FEL in detail. It includes a detailed discussion of what specific engineering deliverables should be complete prior to the start of production design.
Module 7: Project Execution Component of the FEL Index
This module covers the owner role in project execution and control. Best Practices and IPA research findings are discussed.
Module 8: Value Improving Practices
This module defines Value Improving Practices (VIPs), explains how the proper use of VIPs drives project outcomes, and describes each VIP in detail.
Module 9: Contracting Strategies
This module will discuss definitions of different contracting approaches and the rationale for using them. It also presents research on the effect that different contracting approaches have on project outcomes.
Module 10: Construction Safety
This module addresses the role of the owner in construction safety and presents research into the practices that drive better safety performance.
Module 11: Project Controls
This module covers the owner role in project execution and control. Topics include design, procurement, and construction management. Best Practices in project control are discussed.
Course Benefits
Participants have the opportunity to gain a firm understanding of the key drivers of success for these critical projects, which often are overlooked by large corporations. The learnings provided in the course will be directly applicable to ongoing and future projects. The Best Practices presented throughout the course provide participants with tools and techniques that can be immediately used to improve the effectiveness of their project systems, which will result in better project results. In addition, participants will benefit from networking with other project professionals throughout the course.
Target Audience
This program is intended for individuals who would benefit from a comprehensive course on how to develop and/or implement an effective project delivery system for small or plant projects. The course is designed for project professionals from owner companies, such as plant engineering managers, experienced project managers, and project control specialists. Contractor personnel sponsored by an owner are invited to attend. In addition, the course is also valuable for plant and business managers who are responsible for portfolios of small capital projects. The ideal participant would have previous capital project experience and have a working knowledge of basic project management concepts and techniques. This course does not teach fundamental project management skills such as cost estimating, planning, and scheduling but provides a detailed treatment of Best Practices and key learnings from IPA research.