Work Packaging for Project Control
Work packaging is an application of the management principle that a whole can best be managed by breaking it into manageable parts and assigning responsibility for detailed management of each level and element. In the case of a construction project, the parts involve engineering, procurement, construction, and startup.
The Control Schedule for a project presents in logic format the plan for completing the total project. It is a mid-level schedule with enough detail to establish key relationships. Its activities are the control level work packages from engineering, procurement, construction, and startup. More detailed schedules using more detailed work packages will be developed by the various project participants for short-range planning.
A work package involves some combination of personnel, materials, and equipment. It also involves time. Through complete definition of a work package in the form of a catalog or data set, a basis is established for scheduling, budgeting, and controlling.
The engineering effort is planned to meet the needs of procurement and construction. This requires early determination and Control Schedule packaging of any engineering deliverables required to support a procurement contract and those deliverables needed by construction personnel to do their work.
Procurement effort is directed toward the timely delivery of critical materials and equipment to the field. Thus, tracking of critical procurements as Control Schedule work packages is an essential part of the work packaging and controlling system.
Construction effort, in the case of a manufacturing or process facility, looks to startup milestones as the ultimate guides for planning. If there is no startup phase in a project, the owner’s need date is the target. Construction work packages on the Control Schedule will follow the area concept until such time as construction activity begins to overlap startup. At that time, the Startup Plan will govern.
Startup is tracked by system on the Control Schedule. System completion is scheduled to meet the owner’s need date for the facility. A Startup Plan will be prepared early in the project and be the guide for detailed startup activities.
Overall, work packaging provides the structure for efficient integration of engineering, procurement, construction, and startup. It also is the structure needed for integration of cost, schedule, and materials control.
