Interface Project Plan

Interface Project Plan

Introduction

The purpose of this plan is to establish an interface management process to manage key interfaces that arise during the planning and execution of the {PROJECT}. In order for the project to eliminate waste (time and capital), interfaces must be managed. The interface management process consists of planning, identification, approving, auditing and closing-out interfaces. Closing out these interfaces is critical to the successful implementation and execution of the {PROJECT}. This procedure addresses the following:

Outline the process for successfully coordinating and managing all key interfaces.
Define the responsibilities for each of the teams involved with the interface requests such that the individuals are accountable to follow up the required actions.
Define how key interfaces are identified, logged into an interface register and tracked until completion.
Logging all key interfaces into an accessible register, and actively keep the interface register up to date.
Define the workflow that interface requests will follow throughout their life cycle.
Establish the process to monitor the status of the interface requests contained within the register, and actively make certain that all requests are closed-out in a timely manner.
Implement the system by which the parties coordinate their interface activities.
Facilitate communications between parties, including conflict resolution.
Promote clear and consistent communication among the involved project team members for transmitting interface information.

Objectives

The primary objectives of this procedure and its implementation are as follows:

Identify the appropriate personnel who will be responsible for each interface request and for resolution of the interface request
Provide a system which will facilitate the identification of interfaces, and address the specific interface request requirements
Establish a procedure that promotes efficient management of interface issues from initiation to close out
Define methods for communication and coordination of interface requests between various parties
Facilitate clear and frequent communications amongst parties
Facilitate the agreement of a schedule for interface request resolution and close-out
Define a means for the control, expediting, and reporting of progress on the transfer of interface requests
Define processes of assurance that interface requests are effectively identified and managed

Principles

COMPANY’s expectations for CONTRACTOR’s Interface Management Procedure are to:

Ensure internal interfaces are identified and managed early via a structured process;
Ensure agreement between CONTRACTOR and CONTRACTOR groups on roles, responsibilities and timing for providing such information;
Promote clear, accurate, timely and consistent communication with CONTRACTOR groups for transferring internal interface information required to progress the Services;
Identify internal interface issues with potential for impacts to cost or schedule quickly and communicate to all relevant CONTRACTOR groups, including Company, in order to minimize their impact;
All participants within the CONTRACTOR and CONTRACTOR groups are responsible for identifying and communicating internal interface issues to their lead supervisor, manager, or the designated

Interface Coordinators:

Internal interface issues will be identified, catalogued, assessed for impact, assigned and managed throughout the duration of the PROJECT;
Internal interface issues will be resolved at the appropriate working level within the Project organization to minimize rework (for example, engineers responsible for the design and design verification);
Regularly advise Company on the status of resolution of internal interface issues;
Internal interface activities will be coordinated with other CONTRACTOR work groups and process such as Management of Change, HES, QMS, and Risk Management to improve process efficiencies and avoid duplication of efforts.

All internal interfaces, whether with subcontractors or suppliers or consultants, shall be established through written procedures. These procedures shall ensure:

Development of comprehensive internal interface matrices and registers
Full understanding of work scope accountabilities and responsibilities by all CONTRACTOR and CONTRACTOR group personnel
Information distribution through a formal system at the required times
Regular, documented meetings and other communication to complete internal interface agreements and agree on assignments, actions, and dates for tasks to be completed
Single-point accountability for internal interfaces

Interfaces

An interface is defined as a point of connect between entities working on a common project. This point can be:

Physical - Physical interaction between components
Functional - Functional Requirements between systems
Contractual - Interactions between subcontractors/suppliers
Organizational - Information exchanged between disciplines
Knowledge - General information exchanged between parties
Resource - Points of dependencies between equipment, material, and labor suppliers

Internal Interface

An internal interface is one where the complete responsibility lies within CONTRACTOR’s scope of work.

External Interfaces

Any part of the Scope of Work under the responsibility of CONTRACTOR which may influence, or be influenced by, the scope of work covered by any other contract related to the PROJECT.

Key Interfaces

Key interfaces are interfaces that are managed by the {PROJECT} Interface Management Team, nominated leads and/or interface coordinator. The {PROJECT} Interface Coordinator will oversee and monitor these interface activities and will provide proactive support to the nominated focal points for coordinating interfaces within each discipline. Key interfaces will be entered in the {PROJECT} WIMS and tracked to completion.

Roles and Responsibilities

Interface Manaer

Develops and implements the Interface Management Procedure.
Ensures consistency in the project wide application of the Interface Management Procedure.
Oversees and monitors project wide internal and external interface management activity.
Maintains the master Interface Request Register.
Regularly reports on status of key interface activity.

Interface Coordinator

Participate in Interface Meetings with affected/involved parties as required to manage interfaces.
Review outgoing interface requests and serve as interface request approver
Ensure resolution of inbound interface requests
Actively monitor interface request register to: expediting requests and open/update/close requests on behalf of their team
Provide collaborative interface resolution support.
Serve as PMT liaison between contractor and operating plant point of contact.
Inform Interface Manager of potential impacts due to unsatisfactory resolution response.

Resquesting Party

The requesting party is the Individual submitting an Interface Request for a response. The requesting party should raise. The request be will send to their team’s IC for approval while notifying the IM team of the new request.

Responsible Party

The responsible party is the Individual responsible for responding to an Interface Request. Once a request has been sent to a responsible party, they should provide their response and any supporting documents in WIMS (See Section 5.8). This will begin the closeout process for the interface request.

Interface Procedure

General

The Interface Management Process for {PROJECT} shall follow these steps:

Identify the Interface Manager for {PROJECT}
Develop Interface Management Plan and Procedures.
Identify the various teams that will interact with one another to resolve interfaces
Identify the individual or individuals that will act as Interface Coordinator for each team
Select the workflow that each interface request will follow
Implement Interface Management training to all relevant interface personnel
Organize interface workshops with project entities to Identify Key Interfaces and required dates
Execute Interface Requests with involved parties as needed
Monitor, Track and Report on Performance and Progress to completion. The key activity at each of these steps is to conduct collaborative interface coordination meetings and elevate any conflicts or non-performing interfaces to the PIM for resolution.

Workflow

Raising a Request

Interfaces may arise from:

Interface Meetings
Review of Contractor Document Registers
Documentation Review
Interface planning/workshop sessions
Interface requests arise as project progresses

Validating a Request

The new request will send an email notification to the requesting team's interface coordinator. The interface coordinator should review the request to ensure:

The request description is coherent, and free from errors.
The select due date is reasonable.
The description of the request represents a single issue. Since each request has a single responsible party and due date, the request should be able to be approved, responded to, and closed independently of all other requests.
The request is not a duplicate of a previous request.
The request does not violate any confidentiality agreements dictated by the project contract.

Approving a Request

Once the validity of a request has been confirmed, the requesting interface coordinator should approve the request. Upon this approval, the request will have a status of PENDING RESPONSE, and an email notification will be sent to the responsible party, indicating a response is required.

Responding to a Request

Once a response has been determine, the responsible party, or responsible party's interface coordinator should enter the response into the RESPONSE field, and click the RESPOND action. The request will send an email notification to the requesting party and have a status of PENDING ACCEPTANCE.

Closing a Request

Upon determining that a response is satisfactory, either the requesting party or the requesting team's interface coordinator can click the ACCEPT action. When the request has been accepted, it will be closed.

Request Revisions

If a response does not satisfactorily resolve the request, the requesting party can reject the response and send it back to the responding party for revision.

Cancelling an Interface Request

Once an Interface Request has been raised, a request number has been assigned and relevant parties have notified. At this point, to cancel the request, the interface manager, or requesting Interface Coordinator will have access to void the request:

Interface meetings

The Interface Manager (IM) is responsible for holding interface meetings every 1- 2 weeks as needed. All interface coordinators and key parties should attend. During these meetings:

The IM will have a copy of the most recent interface register
High priority and overdue items will be addressed and discussed to expedite close-out
The remaining open items can be discussed for status updates and clarifications
Any new interface requests that have not already been logged into the interface register should be entered into WIMS at this point

Reporting

The standard reports are as follows:

Interface Register
- Includes the following fields
  - Request #
  - Title
  - Description
  - Component
  - Requester
  - Responsible
  - Status
  - Required Date
  - Response
Interface Request Report
- Includes all information stored with an individual interface Request
Project Interface Overview
- Team and request status count summarized data
Contact Report
- Name, contact info, team, and position information for all project team members