Front End Planning Toolkit 2014.1
The purpose of this toolkit is to define the functions involved in front end planning and to provide a process that can be used in the planning of capital projects. This tool integrates existing CII planning resources, including updated planning tools, such as fourth editions of the PDRI documents and the CIAT tool, information flows supporting the process, and Project Condition Investigation Cards. The hope is that this toolkit will encourage use of these resources and promote consistency and excellence in planning in order to improve capital project effectiveness. The toolkit was developed for both owner and contractor usage.
Please note that this toolkit covers planning activities from Phase Gate 0 through Phase Gate 3. Activities beyond Phase Gate 3, such as design, construction, commissioning/start-up, and operations are shown to put the planning activities in context, but they are not a part of planning. Each of these activities may be further developed by CII at a later date. An overview of the front end planning process is available.
The toolkit can be used for two major purposes. First, it is a guide for individuals or project teams that are involved in planning a capital project. Depending on the phase of the planning process, the team can access information, tools, links, references, and deliverable lists that will assist a team's planning activities. Second, it can be used as a guide by organizations to develop their own web-based planning processes. By using the toolkit format, documents, templates, and tools, an organization can adapt the toolkit for internal use.
The process presented in this toolkit is, by necessity, generic. Every organization’s business environment is different, and every project differs in terms of size, type, and complexity. The underlying process of performing planning is the important issue.
The first version of the toolkit was developed in 2006 by CII Research Team 213, Support for Pre-Project Planning. CII Research Team 242, Front End Planning for Renovation/Revamp Projects updated the second version in 2008, having added materials that were developed by CII after the first version had been published. The new materials included information flow and renovation issues relating to front end planning. CII Research Team 268, Project Definition Rating Index Summary Documentation updated the toolkit in 2012 to incorporate infrastructure planning issues, as well as research results and other materials developed since Version 2.0. This most current version was initiated by CII staff to update the tools to comply with CII style and quality standards. Since this is an ongoing process, further updates are forthcoming. All materials in this document draw heavily on more than 20 years of CII research and development on front end planning.
