What Kind of a Plan is a Project Controls Plan?

Have you ever been assigned to a project, where each member of a team had the same perspective of how Project Controls should be conducted in the project?

Have you ever experienced working in a project where there was a well-established Project Controls execution strategy in place?

Your answer is probably “No,” isn’t it?

The reality is that the Project Controls staff assigned to a project would have different perspectives of how Project Controls should be executed in the project. However, the expectation is that the Project Control team to be fully aligned as to what Project Controls approach being implemented for the project.

Considering the diverse background and experience levels of the Project Control team, this is only possible if an agreed upon set of Project Controls rules and guidelines are set in the project up front. This is achieved with the development of a “Project Controls Plan” for the project.

Watch this video to learn what a Project Controls Plan is in a project.

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Video Transcript:

Have you ever been assigned to a project, where each member of a team had the same perspective of how Project Controls should be conducted in the project?

Have you ever experienced working in a project where there was a well-established Project Controls execution strategy in place?

Your answer is probably “No,” isn’t it?

The reality is that most Project Controls professionals have learned and developed Project Controls skills from various sources and applications. Some learned a specific skill based on their experience in a special project or industry. Others learned how to conduct an effective Project Controls from senior staff or mentor in their organization. Some have the experience of managing & controlling the project from an Owner’s standpoint, while others have the contractor’s perspective.

The bottom line is that the Project Controls staff assigned to a project would have different perspectives of how Project Controls should be executed in the project.

On the other hand, the owner, the project manager, and other project team members expect that the Project Control team to be fully aligned as to what Project Controls approach being implemented for the project.

Now let’s better understand what a Project Controls Plan is in a project.

What is a Project Controls Plan

Project Controls Plan is a well-defined Project Controls execution strategy that describes specific processes, procedures, systems, & tools used by the Project Control team throughout the project lifecycle.

Therefore, the Project Controls Plan is a well-defined documented Project Controls approach that the Project Controls team needs to follow in a project.

AACE® International Recommended Practice No.60R-10 considers the Project Controls Plan as the communication tool for instituting the Project Control process.

What Kind of a Plan is a Project Controls Plan (PCP)?

With the understanding of what the Project Controls Plan is, the question is what kind of a plan the Project Controls Plan is.

Is it a Gantt chart? Is it a Process Flowchart? Is it a Narrative?

Well, Project Controls Plan is a “narrative” or qualitative representation of the project control process.

“Project Controls Plan is a narrative or qualitative representation of the project control process, while the estimate, budget, schedule, etc. represent the quantitative aspects.” – AACE® International RP No.60R-10; Developing the Project Controls Plan

Project Controls Plan is a narrative, a document, but it is not intended to be a one-time effort and then archived among other project documents.

The effectiveness of the Project Controls Plan is when it is considered as a “dynamic document.” It is expected that the Project Controls Plan be kept current and continuously get updated during the life of the project.

First of all, it needs to get formal approval. The person (or group of people) authorizing the Project Controls Plan may be an SME (subject matter expert), project sponsor, project director, or project manager.

Once approved, formal revision control and management of change policy should be introduced to allow for any editing or updating the content of the PCP.

Project Controls Plan (PCP) vs. Project Execution Plan (PEP)

Project Controls Plan may not be a stand-alone document. In some cases, you see the Project Controls Plan as part of the overall Project Execution Plan (PEP).

The Project Execution Plan (PEP) is the primary document that defines how the overall project will be undertaken. There is a usually a section in the PEP that addresses the Project Control execution strategy.

In some cases, the Project Controls Plan is embedded within the PEP and controlled as part of the Project Execution Plan. You may also refer to a separate standalone PCP document within PEP. Either case, the project controls execution strategy need to be documented and controlled.

In Conclusion

Project Controls Plan needs to be developed in a project to define a set of project controls rules and guidelines for members of the project control team to promote a common understanding of duties, project controls work-flows, processes & procedures, and applications.

Ensuring quality, efficiency, and consistency in producing the project controls deliverables is another benefit obtained by developing a Project Controls plan.

For more resources on Project Controls Plan, please check the following resources:

Other Resources on Project Controls Plan:

References

AACE® International Recommended Practice No.60R-10; Developing the Project Controls Plan
AACE® International Technical Paper OWN.1845; What Is So Important About a Project Controls Plan? – By Stephen L.Cabano & Paul G. Williams
Guild of Project Controls Compendium and Reference (CaR)- Module 01-3 – Developing The Project Controls Plan

About the Author, Shohreh Ghorbani

Shohreh is the founder and director of Project Control Academy, the leading provider of comprehensive online training programs in Project Controls. Shohreh has served tens of thousands of professionals and several international corporations build their technical Project Controls knowledge and shave off years of trial and error in learning the vital skills in controlling their projects.

Shohreh is a licensed project management professional (PMP) recognized by Project Management Institute (PMI) and holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering.

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