Front End Planning Tool (FEPT) Based on an Electronic Process Management

Abstract

Research indicates that good front-end planning (FEP) results in the achievement of higher levels of project performance. By facilitating collaboration among stakeholders in diverse locations with the use of workflow-enabled processes, such pressures can be reduced, and the overall process and results of FEP can be improved. With these goals, a front-end planning tool (FEPT) has been developed as support for owners and major contractors who are engaged in front-end planning. This paper presents the new FEPT and describes how it has been used for construction megaprojects in the nuclear power, oil and gas, and mining industries. The paper begins with the definitions related to and an explanation of the general process for implementing and applying the FEPT and then describes and analyzes how the FEPT was applied in case study projects in order to test its validity. The results indicate that the FEPT increases the efficiency and effectiveness of front-end planning for the megaprojects studied and that it has the potential to produce similar results for other megaprojects.