Workflow driven IM System

In a study conducted by Shokri (2015) a workflow driven interface management system is introduced for curbing interface issues on mega projects. This workflow is adopted from the interface management system presented earlier but it is further developed or extended to provide a more in-depth vision of what each phase consists of.

Shokri (2015) stated that an Interface Management framework must be carried it in six steps.

Step 1: Interface identification – This is the initial phase of the workflow where all the project related information is identified, studied and analysed to ensure efficient identification of all interfaces within the project environment. This phase, reviews all designs, contracts, specifications and so forth to identify possible overlapping areas between all areas of the project and submitted for approval by the interface manager.

Figure 2.3: Interface identification Source: Shokri (2015)

Step 2: Interface Documentation – After all interface points are identified, these are documented so that all responsible people are identified. This information is therefore send forth to the interface manager and team for approval.

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Figure 2.4: Interface documentation Source: Shokri (2015)

Step 3: Interface Transferring – Once the contract for a particular package is awarded all the relevant information with regard to interfaces is tracked and transferred to the awarded contractor. The contractor can then start interfacing with all the relevant parties who are responsible for the interface. This enables the awarded party to review and check if they agree with all interfaces.

Figure 2.5: Interface issuing Source: Shokri (2015)

Step 4: Interface Communication – This step ensures that the awarded contractor communicated all the information pertaining to an interface including description of interface, responsible people and need dated for the interface. An interface agreement is further developed when both parties owning an interface agree to the interface. This avoids any delays as all parties know the interfaces they are responsible for.

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Figure 2.6: Interface communication Source: Shokri (2015)

Step 5: Interface monitoring and control – This step ensures that the interface management team monitors all interfaces through noting all the deadlines that are underway, progress of interfaces and the durations attached to each interface. The interface manager of each work package needs to keep track of all interfaces and ensure that all the relevant dates are met so as to not delay the project.

Step 6: Interface closing – Parties involved must agree on accuracy, efficiency and completion of communicated deliverables.

Figure 2.7: Interface Closing Source: Shokri (2015)

31 2.5.4.5 Design Interface Management System

The design interface management system is a structured methodology forming the drawing design structure matrix. It identifies the design interfaces that are existent within a project.

The Dims process commences with the identification of elements such as systems, main components and sub components and it further identifies the construction dates associated with these components together with the design durations. The second step of the process identifies both the physical and the design interfaces; these interfaces are identified in with involvement of parties involved. The physical interfaces between components are captured using the physical interface matrix and from then the design interfaces are identified through the design interface matrix. “The DIM captures the design information interfaces between the physically interfaced components and the design disciplines involved” (Venkatachalam and Varghese, 2008:171). These design interfaces are identified through workshops with the entire project team to ensure that all interfaces are accounted for. Lastly, all interface related issues are captured in the Design Interface Agreement.

2.5.4.6 3D Models

3D models have in recent years been a major attraction in the construction industry as they assist all stakeholders to better understand how the building functions prior to it being constructed. 3D models have been recognised as being easy to understand, providing design optimization, allowing collaboration, allowing for clash detection between elements, better control over methods of construction and so forth. 3D models have been favoured for their ability to improve the design process of the project and in being able to assist the clashes that are in existence by bringing together designs from other systems. The most recent tool within the industry is the building information modelling. Building information modelling is based on traditional CAD, geometry based CAD and parametric modelling techniques. (Chen, 2014).This tool has the ability to eliminate clashes between the different structural components.

32 2.6 Summary

The management of interfaces on mega projects is becoming an interesting area of study within the construction industry as the boom of mega construction projects continues.

Noteboom (2014) noted that interface management related risks amount to about 20% of project cost while Han et al. (2007) stated that major projects are experiencing overruns as a result of the inadequate management of communication and interfaces between stakeholders in a project. The traditional projects do not possess quiet a large number of interfaces and can thus be managed through the use of traditional project methods such as work breakdown structure, rasci method, high level interface management system and 3d models. These strategies have not been rendered efficient for the management of large scale interfaces within mega projects. The stakeholders within these projects all have to conduct work in parallel with each other in order to complete a portion of the entire system. Shokri (2015) has emphasized interfacing between stakeholders to be addressed at an earlier stage within the project in order to reduce any interface risk that might arise later.

Mega construction projects have been characterised as having multiple stakeholders both local and international, different procurement strategies, different contracts, complex scope of work, complex engineering function and so forth. These characteristics give rise to thousands of interfaces between the project and organisations. The complexity of mega construction projects creates many points of interaction between the different project components as multiple parties are involved in the implementation. Therefore, the higher the complexity in terms of scope and technology associated with the project the greater the number of interacting points arising from contracts, engineering, scope and so forth. The complexity of the project needs to be clearly dissected and understood so as to identify all interfaces.

A number of gaps exist within literature regarding the management of interfaces. These gaps include lack of understanding of mega project complexity and its influence on project interfaces, lack of understanding of different interfaces that exist within project, root causes of those interfaces and the lack of unified interface management strategies. Project complexity has been labelled as a vital component of preparing for the management of interfaces (Ahn et al. 2015). Within this research the types of interfaces that exist within mega projects are identified through gathering data through the research case study. This

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enables the researcher to gain more knowledge on this issue in order to assist projects especially in the South African context to define and understand the different interfaces that might possibly exist within a mega project.

Furthermore, the main sources of interfaces on mega projects are further unpacked as these will enable projects to be weary of the possible sources that give rise to interface challenges.

Literature does not provide comprehensive information regarding these root causes. Different stakeholders within projects tend to deal with interfaces in a non-collaborative effort thus neglecting to execute efficient pre planning for the interfaces and the possible sources that might give rise to them. Thousands of interfaces exist within a mega project but the important part is in deciding where these interfaces can possibly stem from during the different intervals of the project. Moreover this study aims to expand on the limited factors that have been identified within literature. Lastly, the workflows that have been identified within literature present a single workflow while the study introduces a stage gate workflow emphasising the importance of fully developing the workflow as the project goes through the different stage gates of the project.

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