Project & Project Management:
A project is a group of activities with a defined scope, execution timeframe, and established budget.
Therefore, a project must have:
• A desired outcome (encompassing quality, performance, and safety)
• Start and finish dates
• An established budget (in terms of people, money, machines, materials, and man-hours – the 5Ms of a project).
Project management is the process of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling a project to ensure defined outcomes are safely met within a specified timeframe and budget. It is the process of ensuring effective project delivery.
Project Phases: The phases of a project include:
• Initiation phase
• Definition phase
• Execution phase
• Handover & Close-out phase
Initiation Phase: The main goal during this phase is to identify, assess, and develop an idea or opportunity to establish its benefits and alignment with the organization’s broader objectives. Activities in this phase should result in options to be evaluated in the next phase if stakeholders approve further development of the idea or opportunity.
Definition Phase: Depending on the value and size of the idea or opportunity, activities in this phase are typically divided into pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. If the definition phase is not divided into pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, the goals outlined in these studies should still apply as appropriate. The primary goal of a pre-feasibility study is to further define an idea or opportunity, narrowing down various options from the initiation phase to a single preferred choice after detailed technical and commercial evaluation. The main objective of a feasibility study is to justify the technical and economic viability of an idea, assessing the risk and reward profile to a level that enables stakeholders to decide whether to proceed with execution.
At the end of the definition phase, most of the deliverables listed below (though not exhaustive) should be available: • Justification • Workscope • Estimate (& Work) Breakdown Structure (EBS/WBS) • Detailed Design Drawings & Specifications @ ~60% complete • Estimate, with +/-10% level of accuracy • Master Schedule • Key Performance Indices • Delivery Method • Contracting Philosophy/Strategy • Execution Plan • Identification of Key Personnel.
Execution Phase: After the stakeholders have given an idea/opportunity a “thick green tick” for implementation after definition, the next phase is Execution (i.e., when it becomes a project). During this phase, the following should either be carried out regularly, implemented, or made available, as a minimum:
• Resources Allocation
• Execution kick-off
• Preparation of Project Processes & Procedures
• Contracts Award
• Detail Design Drawings and Specifications
• Change Management System
• Risks & Opportunities Register
• Meetings and Regular Reviews
• Progress Reports (including Schedule updates, Earned Value, and Commitments, as a minimum)
• Commissioning, Performance Test & Handover Plan
• Training Plan for Operating Personnel
• Undertake Pre-commissioning
• Preparation of Deficiency List
Handover and Close-out Phase: Once an idea/opportunity becomes an executed project, the handover/close-out phase must happen naturally. This phase consists of:
• Commissioning & Performance Testing
• Completion of Deficient Items
• Completion of As-built Documentation
• Project Personnel Assessment & Redeployment
• Close-out Report
• Handover to Operations
• Conduct Post Implementation Review and Lessons Learnt
• Communication of Project Learning
• Archiving of Project Data
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