Success is in the Handoff
This research was undertaken to better understand the flow of information during front end planning. In addition, this research sought to better understand front end planning and to identify areas where it may be improved.
The front end planning process was carefully diagrammed as consisting of 33 distinct information flow activities, each with its own information flow entities and interactions across the five primary phases of front end planning.
Business Plan
Contract Strategy
Project Execution Plan
Facility Scope Plan
Product Technical Plan
The Information Flow Activities Diagram provides a precedence logic diagram of the front end planning process, identifying each activity and the precedence relationship with the other activities. As a result, the project team can identify the process to properly plan a typical engineer, procure, and construct (EPC) project. By following this diagram, the project teams may better utilize time and effort when planning projects.
An analysis of data from 51 projects was undertaken to determine if there are duration, resource, and additional execution differences between successful and less successful projects. The analysis identified that successful projects devoted more time and resources (both internal and external) to execution of the information flow activities. In addition, the findings indicated that there were execution differences between successful and less successful projects.
