Interface Article

8/2/2019 Interface Article

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Interface Management

INTRODUCTION

In recent times, the projects have become very challenging as deliveries crunch and big designs roll out

faster with the aid of sophisticated software. Construction can be simulated to identify potential issues

in advance. In this process, many of the concepts learnt a few years back become redundant and many

remain.

The fundamentals remain strong and they are continuously being adapted with changing scenario of EPC

and computer world. This article intends to present the need for identifying interface and emphasize on

the importance of interface in a project. Interfaces exist at all stages of the project life cycle.

BASICS OF A PROJECT

The question what is a project? is answered in many ways. A fit for purpose definition would perhaps

sound as follows: A project is an endeavor to create something unique.

A simple flow of the various stages of the project for a project is as shown below:

There are many sources from where a project can initiate. In oil and gas industry, typically a project can

initiate from any of the following business streams or verticals:

Exploration Petroleum technology

Drilling and well technology Concept development and engineering Project development

Plant operation, maintenance and modifications including HSE, Risk, legal requirement etc.

Marketing and supply

- oil and products

- gas sales and supply

Concpet FEED Invitation to BidEngineering,

Procurement,

Construction

Transportation,Installation,

Hookup

Precommissiongand

Commissioning


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Once the intent for doing a project is established, the basic process to achieve the intent is defined. The

first stage is called as feasibility study and the second stage is referred to as Concept stage of the

project.

Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) is a project stage in which the concept is turned into a tangible

idea. This is a very important phase of the project as it identifies various technical solutions and defines

financial requirements of the project and thus prepares the business case for funding and recovery of

the investment in the project by interested parties. The project funding should comply with government

rules and regulations

It is the choice of the owner to decide whether a FEED stage should exist in a project or not and if it

does, then what is the extent of it. Many times, FEED is an extension of concept itself.

Thus it is amply clear that the following interfaces are to be addressed at FEED stage of the project:

1. Interface with financial institutions.

2. Interface with Contractor.3. Interface with government agencies.

The accurate determination of investment capital and project costs in all projects as well as its stages

has strong affect to the project success and efficiency. The required levels of accuracy of project cost

estimates vary at different stages of project development, but at all times, the need to cover the various

risks associated with finance need to be addressed (for eg: contract currency, rate of exchange etc) .

It is well known that design decisions made at the beginning stage of a project life cycle are more

tentative than those made at a later stage, the cost estimates made at the earlier stage are expected to

be less accurate. Generally, the accuracy of a cost estimate will reflect the information available at the

time of estimation.

The project cost estimates may be viewed from different perspectives because of different institutional

requirements. The risk factors for a project need to be clearly documented to arrive at a logical project

cost.

More often than not, the result of the FEED studies lead to defining the tender package (also called as

ITT, ITB etc). The tender package defines the commercial, legal, financial and technical requirement of

the project. It is floated to various companies to get the best possible technical solution at the best

possible price. There can be different business models in the ITB or maybe proposed by the bidder. It is

the onus of the tendering committee to sift through all the responses to the ITB and answer the queries

within. It is the work of the tender committee to then rank the bidders and submit it to the owner(s) for

making an award of contract.

Once an award is made, then the project enters into the next stages of Engineering, Procurement,

Construction, Transportation, Installation, Hookup, Pre-commissioning and finally commissioning of the

project. All the terms are self-explanatory.


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DEFINING INTERFACE

There are many ways of defining interface . In general terms, interface management is systematic

control of communication that is generated during execution of the project.{1}

It is a very important aspect of the project. The objective of the Interface management process

is to facilitate agreements with concerned regarding roles & responsibilities, timing for providing

information and identification of critical interfaces early in the project through a well-defined process.

The overall goal is the early identification of issues with potential for impact to cost or schedule, to

minimize or remove their impact and promote clear, accurate, timely, and consistent communication

with other stake holders for exchanging interface in order to avoid mistakes, miscommunication, wrong

procurement, erroneous fabrication etc .

Thus interface management initiates its presence from the tendering stage and up-to the mechanical

acceptance or performance guarantee of the facility. The owner has a different set of interface afteraccepting the facility and this part is called as operation. Operation is thus differentiated from project

and is more focused on running day to day matters.

In broad, there are two types of interface for a project group:

Internal Interface for eg: those related to engineering, procurement, installation,

commissioning etc.

External Interface for eg: land acquisition, power sanction, environmental clearance, legal,

financial etc.

INTERFACE PROCESS

Irrespective of the type of interface, the interface management process involves many stages. The first

stage is to identify an interface. The second stage is to provide a method to formally document and track

the exchange of information between project participants. The last stage is to monitor the performance

of all involved in the register in making available the required information. The interface register can

have any format, but it should address the following issues clearly:

Identification and recording an interface

Creating an interface agreement

Agreeing / Resolving Conflict

Monitoring the status Reporting the status

Closing the interface agreement

The Stake holder/ promoter /owner is usually in-charge of external interfaces. The steps involved in

external interface are different from one project to another.


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We will look more towards internal interfaces as many steps here remain unchanged irrespective of the

project.

DEFINING INTERNAL INTERFACES

The important interfaces in a project are related to the following areas:

Scope Controlling the planning, execution, and content of the project is

essential. At the end it is important that what you intended to make in

the first place.

Time Managing everything that affects the projects schedule is crucial. A

delayed project can be a lost opportunity.

Cost Projects cost money, and this knowledge area centers on costestimating, budgeting, and control. It can so happen that the timing of

the project can be such that the cost is down.

Quality No project is a good project if the deliverable looks like tyre instead of

donut. Quality work requires a continuous commitment by all, it needs

monitoring, feedback and correction cycle to be working full time. Many

times quality can result in overrun of schedule and budget and hence it

needs to be defined correctly.

Human Resources The members of the project team must get their work done. Hiring or

assigning people who are competent and managing is important for the

success of the project.

Communications Project managers spend 90 percent of their time communicating.

Communications management focuses on who needs what information

and when. In addition to formal communication, informal

communication goes a long way in success of a project. Many times

something not said produces better result.

Project Risk This knowledge area is about avoiding disaster. The focus is on how to

anticipate risks, handle them when they arise, and take advantage of

the opportunities that can help a project.

Procurement This knowledge area is concerned with the processes to create vendor

contracts and to purchase goods and services as per project

specification and in the cost and time allotted for the same.

Integration What happens in one area affects attributes of the other areas.

Integration needs a very pragmatic handling since its purpose is to

ensure the coordination of all the other knowledge areas.


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Fig 2: The Famous Project Triangle: Change to one side, affects other.

The INTERFACE CIRCLE

Management defines the procedures and rules for the Man and Machine to work in order to complete

the project keeping all the external factors related to Man,Management and Machine in view.

Man Machine

Management

External Influences

PROJECT


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Interface examples:

As we have noted above, there are many types of interface in a project and there is a definite need for

an interface register for a successful project. Some typical example for defining interface is noted

below:

Example 1:

Interface No Work Activity Responsibility Start Finish Remark

1 Key Plan A XX.XX YY.YY Northing

and easting

by surveyor

2 Elevation drawing B xx.xx yy.yy See Plan for

dependent

activity

3 Process Flow C Xx.Xx Yy.Yy Concept byClient


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Example 2:

Conclusion:

The information shared above is generic and it can be adapted to any project model. Modern projects

use sophisticated commercial software to simple XLS to maintain interfaces.

The biggest interface of human to human and appreciating the work of another person is the most

important interface for a successful project.

Interface Matrix

Internal Interface External Interface

Home Office

Design Center

Procurement Div

QA / QC

Finance

Project Office

Store

Fabrication

Erection/ Testing

Commissioning

Design Review

Valid License

Progress Register

QA / QC

Finance

Common!

Documents

Interface Article