Project Controls Improvement Tool and User Guide

Publication No

IR322-2

Type

Installable program

Publication Date

Nov 01, 2016

Pages

125

Research Team

RT-322

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DOCUMENT DETAILS

Abstract

Key Findings

Filters & Tags

Abstract

In order to improve project progress and performance assessment, project teams need to know which metrics to use and how to enhance their reliability. When measuring project performance, project teams need to address two important questions:

Are the metrics currently in use the most relevant and robust metrics available to assess project progress and performance?
Are necessary steps being taken to ensure the reliability of these metrics during each project phase?

CII Research Team 322 (RT-322) developed the Project Controls Improvement (PCI) Tool to address these industry-wide questions and to identify potential gaps in current in-flight project control practices. Based on surveys, case studies, and review by a panel of experts with more than 350 years of experience, as owners and contractors, RT-322 crafted a tool that contains valuable information on the Core metrics and Critical Reliability Factors to ensure robust project progress and performance assessment. This software is an effective tool to improve cost and schedule outcomes at both the project and organizational levels.

The PCI Tool has four main components to identify possible gaps and provide resources for improvements in progress and performance assessment:

The Metrics Gap Analysis Module enables project stakeholders to identify strengths and areas for improvement in their current project control plans.
The Reliability Gap Analysis provides a resource for stakeholders to examine their metrics on a holistic level and determine if projects are achieving Critical Reliability Factors to ensure that assessment is meaningful and robust.
The software also includes a Metrics Dictionary and Maps Module to promote standardization of metrics definitions, usage, and selection.
The Project Controls Utilities Module that further explains detailed aspects of the software’s module analysis and provides resources for implementation and training.

This user guide consists of a detailed explanation of the different components and features of the tool (Chapter 2), step-by-step user instructions (Chapter 3), and different implementation use cases (Chapter 4).

Project management and control teams can use the PCI Tool to evaluate current practices regarding project progress and performance assessment. Users receive customized suggestions regarding improvements in their metric implementation, enabling project teams to make improvements based on identified gaps and recommended actions. The software’s customized reports can be saved and shared among stakeholders and partner organizations. In addition, since PCI Tool includes information related to diverse metrics and reliability factors, it can also be used for educational or training purposes in owner and contractor companies. Some potential applications include:

a reference for project managers and control teams for project control plan development
a gap analysis tool to evaluate current in-flight project control practices
a source of potential corrective actions to improve current progress and performance assessment practices
a document to track reliability improvement practices across different project phases
an owner’s reference for formulating contractual project control requirements
a training reference for entry-level project control professionals.

The PCI Tool enables project stakeholders (e.g., project managers, project control teams, engineering managers, cost engineers, and schedulers in both owner and contractor organizations) to better monitor, control, and communicate project progress and performance assessment.

Key Findings

IR322-2, Project Controls Improvement (PCI) Tool and User Guide

I.   Metrics Gap Analysis Module
Identify the gaps in your project control plans and the recommended additional metrics for improved progress and performance assessment.
II.   Reliability Gap Analysis Module
Continuously assess and build reliability into your project controls through achievement of 15 Critical Reliability Factors (CRFs) and 83 indicators.
III.   Metric Dictionary and Maps
Delve into a comprehensive database of project controls metrics, including information related to metric categories, definitions, equations, uses and interpretations, references, additional resources, and metric maps
IV.   Project Control Utilities
Through the Core Metrics Directory, learn about 20 Core metrics and how they can provide greater insight for project cost and schedule outcomes. Also identify factors and indicators to improve reliability, using Reliability Improvement Checklist.

Filters & Tags

Knowledge Area

Performance Assessment, Project & Program Management, Project Controls

Project Phase

Detailed Scope, Detailed Design (Engineering), Procurement, Construction, Commissioning & Startup

Project Function

Project Management, Project Controls, Construction, Commissioning & Startup

Industry Group

Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Buildings, Infrastructure

Research Topic

Improving Project Progress and Performance Assessment

Keywords

Project Controls, Progress Measurement, Performance Assessment, In-flight Project Control Metrics, Core Project Control Metrics, Forecasting and Diagnostics Metrics, Metrics Dictionary, Metric and Measurement Reliability, Reliability Improvement Factors, rt322