Skip to Content (custom)

RT-435

Enhancing Alignment and Communication of Business Drivers in FEP

Opportunity/Problem Statement

A recurring challenge in Front End Planning (FEP) is the misalignment between business objectives set by owners and the execution strategies employed by project teams. Insufficient communication and lack of early alignment between stakeholders, including business owners and EPCs, contribute to this misalignment. When project objectives are not clearly identified and aligned with business strategies—such as contracting, funding, procurement, and fabrication—projects may deviate from their intended goals, leading to inefficiencies, increased costs, and delays. Existing tools like the Alignment Thermometer (RT-113) lack specific action guidance regarding alignment between project delivery and business objectives. Past CII research (RT-DCC-07) addressed the assessment of business-project integration but not communication for alignment.

The challenge is not only to align all stakeholders but also to ensure that the right multidisciplinary teams are involved at the right time. In particular, project managers must be equipped to ask the right questions at the right time, from the right group, to avoid negative impacts on the project. More detailed, project-level alignment management guidance is needed to ensure effective alignment.
 

Research Questions

How can we streamline and improve the efficiency of Front End Planning?
  • How does the project team establish clear communication channels to ensure that business objectives are effectively translated into actionable project plans and that all stakeholders are aligned throughout the project lifecycle (e.g., what and how much needs to be produced)?
  • In what ways can the project delivery team better incorporate the business constraints, risks, and trade-offs and needs to ensure alignment and project success?
  • How can we improve the communication and documentation of business drivers and realist project constraints to prevent misalignment and support successful project outcomes?

Expected Outcomes

  • One possible outcome is an expanded CII Alignment Thermometer (replacing the original one)
  • Tool(s) that facilitates initial alignment on project business drivers.
  • Matrix defining roles and timing of decisions and interfaces.

Notes on Scope

  • Business needs are developed by the business side of the owner organization.
  • The project can also quantify the impact of early alignment in terms of cost and schedule impact.
  • CII members mentioned that this may overlap with IPA’s BEAM tool. We acknowledge the possibility and encourage the team to make sure that we leverage existing resources and build on them to improve delivery.
  • The RT outcomes should address the identification of stakeholder identification
  • Address documentation of trade-offs and risk. Documenting trade-offs and negotiations during the project to serve as a basis for the business case and manage scope creep. Incorporating accepted risks into the project documentation provide more visibility throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Business Case Review: Implement a process for reviewing the business case at project closeout to validate performance against original objectives.
  • Continuous Communication: Establish a process for continuous communication and revisiting the project documentation to accommodate changes and new drivers during the project.

Preferred Member Background

  • Expertise in Front End Planning process / implementation.
  • Individuals at the interface between business and capital project delivery

Related Research and Resources

Roster

Members

Hal Brothers, Autodesk, Inc.

Camelia Bucur, Hatch

Steve Cabano, Pathfinder, LLC

Kim Forbes, McDonough Bolyard Peck, Inc.

John Gorman III, Chevron

Tara Harbin, Southern Company

Julie Kickham, ExxonMobil Corporation

Academic

Kristen Parrish, Arizona State University

Shiva Pooladvand, Arizona State University

Mark Stapp, Arizona State University