Executing the Project

Assume that you, as project manager, led the project planning process. You now have the PP, a written, collaboratively-prepared document. You and others, certainly members of your project team and possibly the client, owner, customer, and/or stakeholders, have already obtained value from the PP because of the broad and deep thought that went into preparing it. Now, how do you use the PP Use it throughout project execution. Don t leave it on the shelf The PP is your project s road map, flight plan, or float plan.  

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In this phase of the toller selection process, we assume the long list became a short list and now one or more candidate tollers from the short list will be given an opportunity to prepare a commercial bid. This by no means indicates the short listed tollers are perfect. There may be deficiencies that need to be corrected in concert with the client. With proper effort, one will be successful and be engaged for the toll. Sometimes it is appropriate to decide on a backup toller, as complications can develop that prevent the primary candidate from executing the project as originally planned, due to an incident in their plant, departure of key personnel, or unexpected production demands on the toller. 

The result of the basic design phase is a rather precise plan of the project and an accurate cost estimate that will constitute the basis for the hnal go/no go decision. The environmental impact of the project and all relevant permitting issues need also to be resolved during this phase. The detail engineering hnally will provide the necessary information needed to execute the project. 

Compliance to and documentation of regulations increase the engineering hours required to execute the project and the Project Manager must ascertain that they are acknowledged and the impact on cost, and sometimes schedule, is included in the cost estimate and project execution plan. 

All answers must be documented in a formal manner with copy to all bidders unless they refer to a particular bidder s proprietary know-how or alternate proposal to execute the project in a uniquely different manner. These unique alternatives could be welcomed, and even encouraged, but should never be considered unless the bidder responds first to the bid package. 

The importance of the sponsor having already calculated its internal costs for executing the project cannot be overemphasized in this situation. In this example, despite the relative uniformity of daily rate fees across the three CROs, there are significant variations between the line item (or task) bids, as well as the bottom-line or total bids. Only with the sponsor s own estimate for comparison can sensible and informed revisions by the CRO be requested and, most importantly, it allows assessment of which of the CROs has provided the most realistic bid. Beware of the practice of simply choosing the lowest or average bid (i.e. on an empirical basis) it may well be that the highest bid is the only one that includes everything needed to successfully complete the study. 

The project manager facilitates the team-building process and collaborates with the project team to create and execute the project plan. The project manager also acts as the liaison between the team and the client. He or she continually monitors the progress of the project and reports project status periodically to both the client and other interested stakeholders. The project manager works to ensure that the client is satisfied and that the project is completed within the parameters of scope, schedule, cost, and quahty. 

A key member of the project planning team is the project manager because he or she will have primary responsibility for executing the project plan. The project planning team may also include one or more members of the project definition team to ensure that the thinking that went into defining the project is reflected in the project plan. If the project definition team is not represented on the project planning team, a draft of the project plan should be reviewed by one or more project definition team members. 

Once the first edition of the operating manual has been published, the team that executed the project will probably be disbanded. Control of the manual passes from the writing team to the operations and maintenance departments. It is important to have a proper handover for two reasons. First, handover represents a formal and even legal transition—the writers are saying that the procedures are, to the best of their knowledge, accurate, and complete, and the operations department is saying that they are satisfied with the product that they have been given. 

Six standard basis profiles are available within Aspen IPE for estimating the capital cost. These model the nature of the contractor to execute the project, depending on the size of the project, as shown below. Three of the profiles are for projects to be executed by an Owner company (0, 1, and 2), and the other three are for projects to be executed by Engineering and Construction firms (3, 4, and 5). For the small depropanizer project of this example, the LOCAL CONTRACTOR is appropriate. 

Develop a portfolio of candidate supply chain related improvements organized by process. Classify the improvements using one of the strategy frameworks, like that shown in Figure 5.4 or a local adaptation that better fits the organization. Organize teams to execute the projects. Section 15.2 recommends team stmctures and participation. 

Reporting and control performance, which allows those executing the project to record and report the project s progress. 

Project Management Planning, Executing, and Closing EXECUTING THE PROJECT... 

The Critical Path Method (CPM) enables us to answer the four questions. Note that the four questions relate to the Chapter 5 project planning-execution-closing process. That is, first question applies to planning the project, the second and third questions to executing the project, and the fourth question to closing the project. 

D. Outline the content of the presentation you and selected members of your team, and others in your firm, such as an office manager or other executive, will make at the interview. Within the outline, explain how your firm would execute the project, who will be speaking about what, supporting visual aids and/or handouts to be used, and the questions likely to be asked by representatives of the prospect during or after your presentation. 

Of particular importance is selecting a project manager, team members, and outside consultants, if any. The next sections describe project phasing and team selection. We now explore issues in executing the project. This includes the overall "flow" of the project and the teams needed to implement. 

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