Part 2 of 3: Communication & Coordination of Interfaces
By Kelly Maloney, Product Manager, Coreworx
Published in Collaboration, Management and Control Solutions (CMCS) Newsletter
Introduction
This article, the second in a three part series, continues the discussion on Interface Management, its importance to mega capital projects and how it is emerging as a recognized discipline in the industry
Our first article focused on the importance of alignment, and how critical it is to the success of an Interface Management program. Alignment of key stakeholders is critical to ensuring everyone is working towards the same goals, with clear methods to resolve potential conflict.
This article focuses on the importance of standardized processes that support the Interface Master Plan, that protect both contractors and owners organizations and reduce risk with respect to interface related issues.
Communication
”Communication is a process that allows entities to exchange information by several methods”
- New World Encyclopedia
Communication includes:
- Content – what is communicated, the message
- People – Sender, Intended Recipient, Information Only
- Purpose – what is the expected results
- Channel – through which medium
Importance of Communication
An important component of any Interface Management program is to plan how communications will be conducted between all parties. Individuals must know what information to communicate, how to communicate this information, and when to communicate it.
The importance of effective communication is crucial when project participants are globally dispersed. Mega capital projects involve multiple parties, often in different geographical locations, which can lead to cultural and language differences that increase the need to collaborate to effectively work together. Regardless of where individuals reside, effective and timely communication must occur for the successful implementation and completion of project interfaces.
Let’s consider a capital project with an estimated TIC of $5 billion. A project of this size consists of many contract or scope packages which are awarded to multiple contracting parties. Each contracting party will have responsibility for the completion of many project interfaces, with each interface requiring the exchange of deliverables and information between contractors responsible for other scope packages.
Figure 1 Capital Project Communication Channels
The number of communication channels is staggering! A robust communications plan that addresses for how these communication channels will be managed is essential to interface management. Current methods of managing interfaces through spreadsheets and email do not provide the level of control or real-time up-to-date information required. Even the most sophisticated spreadsheet will not properly document the distribution of information properly to support a project of this size. The project team, including external contractors, must use sophisticated tools and processes to monitor and control communication related to interfaces. Otherwise, information is lost, forgotten, or simply not documented or shared.
Managing the Communications
The Interface Management process is designed to provide a way to document and track project interfaces from Front End Planning (FEP) through to project completion and hand-over. The process includes:
- Identification and definition of an interface
- Communication procedure for requesting, responding to and tracking an interface.
- Documentation of all information about an identified interface.
- Monitor & Control of interfaces
- Close out of an interface
Identification & Definition of Interface Agreements
The first step in enabling effective communication is to identify and document all project interfaces. Each interface must be defined, including a description of the interface, the key parties involved and overall responsibilities of each. While the common goal of each party is to complete the interface, each party is working to meet individual objectives and working against individual schedules. Nevertheless, both parties’ objectives must align with the overall project objectives and project schedule. Once documented and made available, interfaces are easily accessible and provide responsible parties with accurate up-to-date information and can be monitored and controlled.
Communication Procedure
As the project progresses, changes to technical details may occur and new interfaces will be identified and documented. The communications procedure must support this dynamic environment, while at the same time providing an automated method to notify interested parties that a change has occurred or a new interface created. Contractors must also have an easy method to track and report on this information exchange. This includes requesting, responding to and tracking the related information.
Documentation of Interface Agreements
An Interface Agreement (IA) is by definition a document that defines a deliverable that is measureable and bound by a time frame. The deliverable is acknowledged and agreed to between two contracting parties – both a requestor and a responder. The key success factors in documentation of interfaces are how contractors come to an agreement, what information is recorded in the agreement and, ultimately, how the agreement is closed out. During project execution contractors play dual roles; at times they fulfill the role of requestor and at others they are the responder, depending on their responsibility at the interface.
Monitor & Control of Interfaces
Through automated business processes, you can ensure that the right information is delivered to the right person at the right time. Through the use of notifications and alerts, all parties to the Interface are kept informed of important decisions and changes which occur. All interactions between contractors relating to interfaces are managed and coordinated to avoid incidents resulting from misunderstandings and lack of information.
Interface Managers need the ability to monitor the status of all agreements and the overall progress of the interface. Interface Managers are typically required to produce monthly reports and attend weekly interface meetings to discuss interface progress; they can automatically generate required reports through an online Interface Register.
Close Out of Interfaces
Upon completion of an interface, contractors need to communicate its close-out and notify key stakeholders. Benefits of effective communication in the close out of an interface include:
- increased awareness of project complexity through thoroughly documented interface details
- improved accuracy in progress reported against work packages and contractor scope packages
- building stronger relationships between contractors with timely communication, coordination and cooperation
Conclusion
Effective communication is a key factor in the success of an Interface Management program. Your communications plan must address the needs of, and be accepted and acknowledged by all parties.
Interface management encourages transparency and facilitates open communication and accountability while at the same time removing barriers to success. When your communication plan is implemented as part of a structured interface master plan, disparate information is transformed into knowledge, allowing lessons learned to be more effectively applied to future projects.
<< Part 1 | Part 3 >>
Kelly Maloney is a Product Manager with Coreworx for the Interface Management product line. She brings over 15 years of enterprise software experience to Coreworx in product management, business analysis, software training, implementation, technical support and quality assurance. Kelly works at the Coreworx headquarters in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Chevron Case Study
Fluor Case Study
Nuclear Demo
Mining Cost Control