Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The heavy industrial construction sector represents a significant portion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Alberta. The level of construction activity has strained industry's ability to execute projects effectively leading to significant concerns about low productivity cost and schedule overruns. A benchmarking system was developed over the past several years to assess the performance of the Alberta construction projects. Analysis of the results obtained to date indicated a need for new metrics and modifications to current metrics in the heavy industrial sector including gas processing plants, well pads, well sites and other industrial project types in Alberta and in Canada. There is a further need for a new performance assessment system to assess project performance during project execution. A new research study is needed to determine further enhancements and modifications to the existing COAA performance assessment system. This third benchmarking research study, identified as Phase 3, will have several components: (1) implement the recommendations for benchmarking pipeline and SAGD projects; (2) determine how best to benchmark particular project types including gas processing plants, well pads, well sites and related projects in Alberta and in Canada; (3) develop a complimentary performance assessment system that will benchmark projects phase by phase as they are executed and (4) develop corporate level oversight tools based on the complimentary project performance assessments that will allow executives and managers to monitor the performance of projects by phase throughout the project life cycle. Benchmarking training for industry professionals must continue to allow industry to properly assess and improve project performance. The new performance assessment system, identified as 10-10, will be based on the concept of anonymously surveying members of a project's management team regarding project performance, team dynamics, and organizational relationships. The 10-10 surveys will use simple statement-based questions to identify leading indicators throughout a project's development life cycle that warn executives and managers of impending problems. *