Workshare for Project Managers
© Copyright 2009 WorleyParsons Services Pty Ltd
This document has been prepared on behalf and for the exclusive use of WorleyParsons. This document may not be reproduced without the express permission of the Business Process Owner
Workshare Training – Workshare for Project Managers
Rev Description Orig Review WorleyParsons Approval
Date
A Issued for review Neil Grunwell ---- 25-Aug-09
B Revised and reissued for use Stella Durdin Suren Thurairajah
Suren Thurairajah
Workshare for Project Managers
Introduction ... 1
Workshare Overview ... 1
A WorleyParsons Definition of Workshare ... 2
The Importance of Workshare – a business imperative ... 3
The Role of the Project Integration Engineer ... 5
Why the PIE role is so important ... 6
Major Accountabilities of the PIE ... 7
The ‘Human’ attributes of a PIE ... 7
The Career Opportunities the PIE role can create ... 8
Workshare Methodology Overview ... 9
Initiating a Workshare Opportunity ... 10
Engaging the Supporting Office ... 10
Defining the Work Split between the HO and SO ... 11
Undertaking a Gap Analysis ... 11
Scoping the Work Split ... 13
Developing an Estimate of Hours (and Cost) ... 15
Selection of Key Personnel ... 16
Project Kick-off ... 16
Are you really ready to kick-off Workshare? ... 16
Managing the initial start-up (the first 30 days) ... 17
Inter-Entity Work Orders ... 17
PAAF Process ... 17
Workshare Kick-off Meeting ... 19
Team Induction(s) ... 20
Project Execution ... 21
Work Release Package (WRP) development & maintenance ... 21
Collaboration Tools ... 24
Utilizing SharePoint as a Project Workshare Portal ... 24
Web Conferencing Tools ... 25
Cultural Awareness – An Introduction ... 27
What is Culture? ... 27
Examples of Cultural Differences in Behaviours and Gestures ... 29
Key Competencies for Managing across the Globe ... 30
Self Awareness ... 31
Communicating Effectively – Developing the Knowledge and Skills ... 32
Module Summary ... 34
ABOUT THIS FACILITATOR GUIDE
This Facilitator Guide has been designed to assist facilitators effectively deliver the training module.
Other course material includes:
PowerPoint slides
Participant Guide
Participants should be provided with a printed Participant Guide which they will use to take notes and /or answer questions and activities where necessary
This Facilitaor Guide guide matches the Participant guide in layout but also includes the following extra assistance for facilitators:
Copies of the slides that correspond with the content
Colour-coded boxes with additional information and/or guidance for the facilitator
“Facilitator Resource” section at the back of the guide with question sheets to be printed.
Prior to Facilitating
To adequately oprepare for facilitating the course the facilitator should:
Read the presentation slides and course content. Ther are additional notes on the slides to help you prepare.
Print “Facilitator Resources section at the back ofthis guide to use for a wrap up and review activity.
Timing Guide
Start Finish Topic
09:00 09:30 Course Intro &Workshare definition in the WorleyParsons context 09:15 09:30 EMS Workshare process overview
09:30 09:45 Initiating a Workshare Opportunity 09:45 10:15 Project Kick-off and Execution
10:15 10:30 Communication and Collaboration Tools 10:30 10:45 Cultural Awareness – a brief introduction 10:45 11:00 Wrap up & Review exercise
Information for facilitator in boxes like this.
INTRODUCTION
Workshare is no longer an option but is now a business imperative to both assist in overall growth and to maintain WorleyParsons’ competitive edge.
Even as market conditions change between times of high resource requirements and lower workloads in some regions, Workshare is still important to balance short term resource needs and to provide attractive delivery options in terms of both schedule and cost.
Course Objectives:
The desired outcome of this module is that you will be able to demonstrate understanding of:
the Workshare philosophy and work processes and their importance to WorleyParsons
the role of a Project Manager, Project Integration Engineer (PIE) and Discipline Lead in Workshare set-up and execution
the Project Manager’s role in contributing to the Workshare scope split definition and Work Release Package (WRP) development
the concepts of Cultural Awareness introduced in this module. Introduce self
and explain the objectives of the session.
Before continuing on, get people to do a basic introduction including:
Name
Role
Any experience with Workshare
Expectations for the course
Note their expectations on a flipchart/whiteboard so you can refer basck to them later.
WORKSHARE OVERVIEW
A WorleyParsons Definition of Workshare
Workshare occurs when one office packages a portion of the project scope for execution by another WorleyParsons office. The Home Office (HO) retains accountability for overall project performance.
A sometimes heard misconception is that Workshare involves a High Value Execution (HVE) component. HVE is just one type of Workshare opportunity. All WorleyParsons offices globally can be Workshare locations – either in a Home Office or Supporting Office role.
There are a number of variances in the process to accommodate the scenarios that we encounter in such a diverse business but the key elements required to
successfully deliver are consistent.
If a proposal is bid by one office and then fully executed by another office, it is not considered to be Workshare – the executing office becomes the contract holder.
The Importance of Workshare – a business
imperative
Workshare is no longer an option but is now a business imperative to assist in both the overall growth and to maintain WorleyParsons’ competitive edge.
Why Workshare?
The Benefits of Workshare
Resources – optimize the use of our global resource pool and assist in maintaining workloads across offices, aid retention and improve stability of key personnel.
Specialist Skills – optimize the use of our extensive and diverse specialist skills across the organization.
Market Position – remain competitive or improve competitive position in an increasingly internationalized market by demonstrating the ability to adapt to the needs of global delivery maximizing skill usage, minimizing cost and maintaining quality of output.
Profitability – has the potential to maximize profitability of opportunity.
New Opportunities – using Workshare opens up new opportunities for Slide only has a
list of these points. Refer the group to detailed information in This slide is animated so that only the heading shows at first. Before revealing answers get suggestions from the group for these points. Reveal answer and allow time for them to document.
We work in a globally competitive arena
Our competitors have embraced Workshare and the use of
low cost centres
Customers have ‘commoditised’ the design market and we
need to adapt to a new environment:
Customers consider it acceptable to shop around for the
lowest cost
We need to be able to compete on both quality and price
We need to leverage the global execution capabilities within
the organisation
some project opportunities are of such a large size that a
single office could not execute them to an acceptable
schedule
Successful Workshare delivery enables WorleyParsons to
sell a ‘one WorleyParsons’ global solution – a potentially
marketable differentiator
Impacts of Workshare on our Staff
Workshare can be perceived as taking work from the location to go to a ‘cheaper’ location. This is not the intent. It is about bidding and winning more work,
maintaining our competitive position and improving employment stability in the long term, enabling us to execute larger projects using multiple offices and resource leveling. As we are able to bid and win larger projects, for individuals, there is greater opportunity to work on diverse, world scale projects.
Any office can be the receiver of Workshare projects (ie. the SO) resulting in new opportunities and generating work during local ‘lulls’.
Also at an individual level, there are new roles and new skills to develop to adjust to this changing industry and potentially gain exposure to different offices and cultures.
How Workshare is implemented
1. Planning at the early stages of a project (even at the bid strategy stage) including early engagement of the SO.
2. Proven Methodology – corporate procedures, guides and templates. 3. Assigning of key resources (including the PIE).
4. Regional Workshare Manager and Coordinators (for location support).
Tools used
1. Collaboration Tools – to facilitate communications. 2. Global coordination and resource planning.
3. Knowledge Management – capture of ‘go-bys’ and lessons learnt.
4. Alignment of global systems and procedures to better leverage technology. 5. Ongoing training.
Key Success Factors for successful Workshare Execution
There are a numbers of key success factors that will significantly influence Workshare delivery so you must ensure:
While a number of the above tasks and processes will be not necessarily beer4 undertaken by the Project Manager directly, the Project Manager still has responsibility for ensure that these tasks and processes are undertaken in accordance with our EMS work processes.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Answers are as follows:
1. Scope definition is accurate and clear
2. SO is able to deliver the agreed scope, any capability gaps
are understood, level of HO support is agreed and provided
where required
3. Communication Plan is well defined
4. All HO and SO responsibilities are clear
5. A clearly defined budget estimate and schedule is in place
and agreed
6. Progress Measurement method is defined
7. Risk assessment and mitigations are in place
8. Deliverables (and expected content) are clear – use ‘go-bys’
as needed
9. Focal points at both HO and SO are in place and trained
10. All other stakeholders are clearly identified
11. All procedures and standards are listed and made available
to the SO
This slide is animated so only the heading shows at first. Before showing details get them to work in pairs and write down their own list of what they think the KSFs are.
Get them to share their responses before showing the slide.
THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT INTEGRATION
ENGINEER
Why the PIE role is so important
Having executed Workshare projects across the company for several years now, we can say with great certainty that there is a requirement to put sufficient effort into the coordination of work and information flow between the HO and SO to ensure a successful Workshare outcome.
There are instances where the Project Manager or Project Engineering Manager decides to take on the role of the PIE themselves. In almost every instance this does not work because they:
1. Normally have many diverse issues to deal with.
2. Do not have the time to prioritize Workshare issues over other project activities.
3. Do not have enough time (at the right time) to deal with the day-to-day queries, meetings, conference calls, emails and other communications necessary to ensure Workshare activities run smoothly.
Importantly also, this is not the best use of a Project Manager’s or Project
Engineering Manager’s time. Their focus should be on the overall project delivery and Customer relationship management.
Having a clear and effective focal point in the form of a PIE in the HO (as well as an equivalent in the SO) immediately creates a positive impact on the project. Hence we have now recognized this is a specialist role that is the key HO focal point. The PIE will be the main ‘go-to’ person for the discipline leads in relation to any Workshare related issues.
Major Accountabilities of the PIE
On a project, the PIE would normally report to the Project Manager or on a mega-project the Project Engineering Manager. For functional reporting (training, development, performance reviews, etc.) the PIE would normally report to the Location Engineering Manager or Manager of Projects.
The role of the PIE is quite diverse and incorporates elements of engineering management, project management, project controls, systems and document management. The chart below indicates the major areas of work effort for the PIE.
The ‘Human’ attributes of a PIE
While a good understanding of the key work elements of the PIE role is important, unless the PIE has good communication skills and puts the appropriate level of effort into driving those communications for the team, there will still be significant interface issues for the project. The PIE can succeed in this area by:
Acting as a mediator when required.
Proactively expediting late documents and answers to queries.
Ensure regular discussions are taking place between the HO and SO teams – facilitating where required.
Communicating, communicating and communicating more – better to ‘over-communicate’ than ‘under-‘over-communicate’.
The selection criteria for persons wanting to take on a PIE role will be heavily weighted towards strong interpersonal skills including:
The selection criteria for persons wanting to take on a PIE role will be heavily weighted towards strong interpersonal skills including:
Where required, additional specific training in these areas can be arranged through our HR groups.
Career Opportunities the PIE role can create
The PIE position is an excellent development position for both existing Project Engineers and discipline engineers looking to gain broader project delivery experience and a potential move to a Project Management career path. As the role covers such a broad range of project delivery activities across
engineering, project management and cost / schedule management, the experience gained in this position can be an excellent stepping stone into Engineering
Management, Project Management or General Management career paths.
In addition, exposure to other locations, countries and cultures will provide a broader range of experience than can be gained from working within a single office project environment.
Specific industry experience relating to the project being undertaken is generally not a prerequisite, as it is the interpersonal / communication skills and understanding of the overall work processes that are most important to the successful execution of the role.
This detail is not on any slide. Ask the who group for suggestions and list on a whiteboard/flipchart. Suggested responses are:
Collaboration Diplomacy Persuasion Sensitivity Conflict Resolution Cultural Awareness
WORKSHARE METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW
The WorleyParsons Workshare methodology is described via the ‘Workshare Procedure’ in EMS (document ref. EPP-0041).
This outlines the steps involved in the process and the available tools to support the process. In summary this covers:
Project Award Where we want to make sure Workshare is
considered from day 1 and included in the overall Project Execution Plan (PEP). Also note that it is important to let the SO know as soon as possible that the project is awarded (in case they have other preparatory work).
Project Kick-off Meeting This is where the overall Workshare Execution Plan
should initially be discussed with the team and the role of the PIE and other key project roles are clarified to the key members of the project team. You can raise this if not raised directly by other project team members.
Workshare Planning This is where we undertake detailed planning, gap
analysis of the SO, scope definition, cost control / progress measurement set-up and schedule development.
Workshare Execution Commemcing with a Workshare kick-off meeting
and readiness review (we want to make sure both HO and SO are really ready to start!) followed by any training of team members in the Workshare process if required. Then, moving into monitoring and issue resolution.
Workshare Closeout Making sure we have addressed all elements of the
Workshare Execution Plan (if in place) and individual Work Release Packages.
Go to the ‘Workshare Procedure’ in EMS by selecting the ‘Engineering Delivery’ workflow and click on the ‘Documents’ tab. Point out the other Workshare supporting documents here and in the ‘Forms’ tab. Open up the ‘Workshare Procedure’ – EMS no. EPP-0041 and start stepping through the process at a high level. Hightlight the points listed in the table on this page.
INITIATING A WORKSHARE OPPORTUNITY
Workshare opportunities are normally initiated in two basic ways (with several variants).
Planned The project is bid on the basis that a portion of the work will be executed by a SO.
Unplanned The project was originally based on a single office execution but a change in circumstances has resulted in the need to engage a SO. This could be due to:
In either situation there is a requirement to scope the work and estimate the hours and costs associated with the SO work package(s) and most likely seek approval from the Customer prior to proceeding.
Engaging the Supporting Office
The importance of engaging the SO at the earliest opportunity cannot be over-emphasized.
It promotes buy-in to the project from the SO.
The SO can assist in scoping the work split and can start planning resource allocations and recruitment if required.
The SO will most likely have ideas and execution options that will assist in ‘selling’ the proposal to the Customer.
It ensures that the HO has an early clear and accurate understanding of the cost of work to be executed by the SO.
Answers are as follows:
Scope increase – resulting in the project being too large for the HO to
execute on their own.
Schedule acceleration – requiring a larger resource pool for a short
duration making it impractical to recruit in the HO.
Cost saving opportunity – particularly the incorporation of a HVE
centre into the execution.
Specialist skills of the Support Office – there may be an area of the
project requiring specialist skills that the HO may not have but another
WorleyParsons office does.
In the ‘heat of battle’ the Home Office project team may sometimes have priority conflicts and in the lead up to committing the work to the SO, barely engage or in rare instances, not engage the Support Office at all prior to committing the work to that office. This obviously does not provide the ideal kick-off to a sound working relationship and can result in ongoing conflict between the groups.
This is where the Project Manager with support from the PIE can assist the Location Workshare Coordinators (where they are in place) and Regional Workshare
Managers in raising the flag for the SOs and pushing for that early engagement.
Defining the Work Split between the HO and SO
Undertaking a Gap Analysis
When looking to engage another office for a Workshare opportunity, it is important that the HO clearly understands the capabilities and resource levels of the proposed SO so that there is no misalignment of expectations in terms of what can be
delivered and especially the quality expected as part of that delivery.
If the SO capability is not clearly understood, a good methodical way of determining this is to undertake a gap analysis looking at areas such as:
Have the SO team undertaken similar projects before? Perhaps they have done something similar in another industry sector.
Is the team familiar with the required codes and standards?
For each software system that must be used, does the team have local expertise and support?
Does the current ICT platform support the required software? This applies to EDS, document & data management, project controls, collaboration tools, etc.
A discipline by discipline review of the skill sets that the project Workshare scope requires to verify that suitable expertise is available in the SO. The gap analysis can be performed at two levels depending on the circumstances:
Organizational Level Gap Analysis
Where it is intended to develop an ongoing long term relationship with a SO to execute a series of similar size / industry projects, a gap analysis may be
undertaken at the organizational level to determine the areas of expertise and hence the most appropriate activities for the SO to execute on those projects. This can then create efficiencies in bidding, scoping and reduce the risk of execution issues across the range of projects.
An example of this would be to undertake a gap analysis with a HVE centre (such as Beijing or Bangkok) prior to commencing a series of projects for a specific
Customer, a particular CSG or for an Improve contract.
Project Specific Gap Analysis
A project specific gap analysis should be considered when a suitable organizational gap analysis is not available or where you are
Looking to work with a new SO where skills are not clearly understood.
Looking to work with an SO that you have previously worked with but on work that is now significantly larger or more complex in nature than undertaken previously or work in an industry sector in which work has not previously been undertaken in conjunction with that SO.
Looking to work with an SO in an industry sector outside of the SO’s normal operating field.
For example, a number of offices initially started through working within a single Customer Sector Group (CSG) but are encouraged to develop skills across all CSGs where possible. Workshare provides an opportunity to support this by enabling the SO to work under the direction of an experienced HO in an industry area where they may otherwise find it difficult to get ‘a foot in’ on their own. It is worth remembering that many of our technical skills are transportable across industries when supplemented by experienced industry professionals.
Managing the ‘Gaps’
It is the project management team’s responsibility to ensure that if required, a gap analysis is undertaken. It is highly likely when conducting this assessment that there will be gaps in industry specific knowledge and / or skills. It should not be instantly assumed that the HO should not give work to a SO that includes these gap areas. Consideration needs to be given to:
Assisting the SO team to undertake training in the gap areas (particularly around software and systems).
Bringing key members of the SO team in to the HO team during the early phases of a project to gain experience and understanding of the specific project issues.
Seconding experienced key personnel from the HO team into the SO to provide on-site guidance and support.
Using the Gap Analysis for planning HVE Skills Development
Gap Analysis, particular Organization Gap Analysis should form the basis of forward planning for skills development in HVEs. The Gap Analysis form, once complete, clearly identifies gap areas and the type/level of those gaps. This information should be used to develop training programs, recruitment initiatives and expat involvement in looking at filling those gaps over time. Priorities for gap filling should reflect regional and global HO strategies and potential up coming projects.
Looking for opportunities to fill gaps on projects is encouraged as a way to minimize overhead costs.
Scoping the Work Split
Probably the number one consideration and starting point in developing the scope split is to ‘keep it simple – minimize the interfaces’. If a gap analysis has been completed, use this in establishing the scope split. Both the HO and the SO should be involved in the development of the scope split and sign-off on the final agreed split. It is the responsibility of the HO to ensure that all scope allocated to the SO can be effectively undertaken by the SO with support and training requirements considered and included. Generally, packages fall into one of these main categories:
Horizontal Running across plant areas / facilities. Common examples being
P&IDs or civil works – normally single discipline packages. Vertical Portion(s) or area of the plant is packaged and will likely include
The ideal situation for a vertical package split is a very clear set of boundaries (as diagrammatically represented below):
Unless the capability does not exist within the SO it is not recommended that elements of the vertical package (eg. structural design) are removed and
undertaken by the HO, even if the HO has the available resources. This creates many complex interfaces that will put significant strain on both the HO and SO design teams.
Where this is unavoidable, be prepared to devote additional time and resources to managing the information flow and query resolution.
The agreed scope split is documented in the Workshare Execution Plan (WEP) and subsequent Work Release Packages (WRPs).
SO
HO
SO HO HO HO
Tip/‘Go-by’: To remember the difference between horizontal and vertical packaging,
use the “one for all – all for one” approach. Horizontal = one discipline in all areas Vertical = all disciplines in one area
Developing an Estimate of Hours (and Cost)
When considering the costs associated with estimating Workshare projects, there are three additional elements to consider over and above the estimating of a single office execution project.
From a Discipline Lead’s perspective, we want them to make sure that the additional coordination hours are considered when developing the estimate of hours.
SO estimate of hours / cost
Based on the agreed scope split.
Note – SO provides cost to HO which the HO may then mark-up to pass on to the customer.
Covers engineering, design, procurement, etc.
Management, coordination and support
HO engineering discipline coord. hours
Additional coordination hours. These would normally be captured as listed tasks on the discipline estimating forms.
Kick-off meetings
Regular progress meetings
Design Reviews WRP input Query resolution Review of deliverables HO Workshare support hours / costs
This needs to cover the cost of the PIE, visits to SO for HO team, placement costs for HO personnel seconded to SO, additional ICT Hardware and software, etc.
These hours / costs are
captured on the HO Workshare Coordination estimate
template.
PIE hours
Support services (eg. EDS, ICT, BSG) Orientation visit to SO HO personnel assignment costs in SO SO visits to HO (non-labor only)
Visa and additional taxation costs
Selection of Key Personnel
While we have discussed in previous sections the importance that needs to be placed on candidate selection for the PIE role, the selection of other key team members will also influence the success of a Workshare project. These include:
Project Manager
Discipline Lead Engineers
Discipline Lead Designers
Where possible nominate personnel with previous workshare experience. Whilst technical ability is important, there are traits that are equally important when filling these roles on a workshare project.
Look to find personnel which have the following:
Excellent communications skills
Open minded
Open to the concept of workshare
Culturally sensitive
Willing to find solutions to new problems – virtual teams come with a new set of issues
In some cases, the focal point of a discipline may not be the ‘lead’ or manager but one of their subordinates who could be better placed to undertake the coordination / interface role for their area.
PROJECT KICK-OFF
Are you really ready to kick-off Workshare?
Thorough planning and preparation prior to kicking off a Workshare project is essential. It is recommended that prior to kicking off the work, a ‘health check’ be undertaken to assess the readiness of the project to commence its Workshare activities. This should include items such as:
Is an Inter-Entity Work Order (IEWO) in place and a Personnel Assignment Authorization Form (PAAF) and process operational?
Are all systems operational (including Timesheets, CAD, etc.)?
If required, has the Workshare Execution Plan (WEP) been prepared and issued?
Have timesheet codes been set-up and published?
Ask – what the potential issues could be if you don’t have these things in place.
Managing the initial start-up (the first 30 days)
Generally, when a project kicks off (whether Workshare or not), there are a number of tasks and actions that have to be completed in a short period of time for the project to reach its full running speed. Without a method of tracking these tasks / actions it is likely that a number will be missed or delayed affecting the efficiency of the project team.
While a project schedule will highlight the major activities, there is still a need to manage the detailed tasks, issues and actions.
Inter-Entity Work Orders
The Inter-Entity Work Order (IEWO) is the key document used to record the agreement between offices where inter-entity invoicing is required. From a Workshare perspective it is meant to capture the agreed budget, hourly rates (or lump sum values) and payment terms for work carried out by the Support Office –
work should not commence without a signed IEWO.
The general guidelines for setting up an IEWO are:
Conditions should be fair and agreed by both parties. The IEWO should be signed by both parties.
If the risk is passed on to the SO, so should the associated rewards.
Unless there are special reasons, the WorleyParsons Standard Conditions of Contract should apply between entities.
The currency of the IEWO should normally be in the currency specified by the SO.
Handling of taxes should be clearly defined.
An IEWO is not required for offices in the same region operating on the same finance system. For example, for the Perth office to engage the Melbourne office (both in ANZ and on Oracle), an IEWO is not required to facilitate the transfer of costs between entities within the finance system. However, some projects within the regions still choose to use the IEWO as a way to document the commercial agreement plus T&Cs.
PAAF Process
A Personnel Assignment Authorization Form (PAAF) is often required by projects to provide a mechanism for gaining approval for start of work by an individual and their assignment conditions by the Customer. The PAAF generally covers:
Position Details & nominated candidates details
Employment Type & associated Sell Rate build-up – wwe generally do not show the HVE cost rates to the Customer.
Additional Assignment Costs – mobilization, ongoing living expenses and demobilization costs.
Whether a retention bonus is applicable to the position.
Length of assignment.
The process may vary from project to project and the PAAF form may be project specific. In general, the corporate process for issuing the PAAF to a customer should be as follows:
1. Initial PAAFs and any revisions will be originated by the project’s nominated Rates Schedule custodian. This is normally either a project controls or finance representative (eg. Project Accountant).
o HR should then review and sign-off the PAAF to verify: o Position Title
2. Salary and assignment conditions are correctly represented
3. The Project Manager (or their nominated delegate) is then required to review and approve the PAAF for:
o Salary and Sell Rate build-up o Position Title
o Assignment conditions correctly represented.
4. The PAAF can then be issued to the Customer for approval / sign-off. 5. Once approved, the details are entered in the finance system so that the
correct rates are applied to an individual’s timesheet hours.
6. The hard copy filing (including any revisions) is securely maintained by the project.
Workshare Kick-off Meeting
The Workshare kick-off meeting is the first major opportunity to:
Introduce the key team members from both offices.
Review as a team the content of the WEP.
Review key schedule milestones.
Review schedule for input data required to get work underway.
Review the 30-day look ahead.
Agree on protocols for communications and future meetings.
Ideally if the project budget can support it, the kick-off meeting should be a face-to-face meeting as this is the most effective forum and can also be used as a way of introducing some team building. Cultural awareness training can be run at the same time as the kick-off meeting and is recommended particularly for large projects and where offices have not previously worked together – this reiterates the need to consider these costs in the overall project estimate.
The PIE should arrange and facilitate the meeting with the attendees generally being as follows (depending on the scope):
HO PIE and SO Coordinator
Discipline Leads – HO and SO
EDS Coordinators – HO and SO
Project Controls – HO and SO
Document Control – HO and SO
Project Manager (and Project Engineering Manager if in place)
Note: A separate EDS kick-off meeting is held between the EDS teams from each office.
Team Induction(s)
For Workshare to be successful the HO team needs to understand what it means to them. While a project specific Workshare induction should be undertaken for the key team members such as discipline leads, project control, etc. it is recommended that all personnel on the projects go through this induction as even if they have no direct interface with the SO it is likely that what they produce is either an influence on or influenced by the deliverables from the SO.
The PIE should prepare and facilitate this induction and may also run the induction. It is valuable for the Project Manager to attend at least at the start to reinforce the importance of the points covered.
The Workshare Induction should cover:
Why the project is using Workshare.
An overview of the SO and their capabilities.
Team responsibilities, key activities and overview of work split (including timesheet and document approvals).
Workshare enablers to be used (eg. Project Portal) and how to access them.
Any specific milestones or execution issues that the team should be aware of.
PROJECT EXECUTION
Work Release Package (WRP) development &
maintenance
General Purpose of the WRP
The WorleyParsons Work Release Methodology is the overarching vehicle for scoping and coordination of the Workshare elements of project delivery. At the core of this methodology is the Work Release Package (WRP) which describes in detail the scope of work to be performed by the SO.
When a project has a number of WRPs, a Workshare Execution Plan (WEP) can be used to collect the common information so that it is not repeated in each package. The WRP then generally contains information specific to the package and
references the WEP.
Responsibility for development and maintenance
The WRP is developed jointly by the lead personnel from both the HO and the SO. It is a good idea for the PIE to take a coordinating role in pulling the WRP(s)
together to ensure the content is appropriate and there is consistency across WRPs. Generally, the HO will develop the first draft for review by all stakeholders (including the SO). Early involvement of all stakeholders in both offices is a key to
successfully completing the WRP. The PIE will also be required to ensure that the documents are updated to reflect any scope changes. Both the HO and SO must sign-off the WRP prior to formal issue.
WRP Content Overview
Completed WRPs will generally cover the following topics (although topics may vary depending on the scope of work and which EMS WRP template is used):
Scope of Work Objective Statement
List of expected deliverables
Completion status of any work to be transferred from HO
Specific exclusions
Home Office responsibilities Role & responsibilities prior to WRP execution
Role & responsibilities during the course of WRP execution
Identification of key stakeholders (including the PIE)
Supporting Office responsibilities Role & responsibilities of SO personnel
Identification of key stakeholders (including SO Coordinator)
Specification & Standards If a WEP is in place, only list those over and above those listed in the WEP.
Input Information List of information (data / models /
documents, etc.) to be supplied by HO for the SO to start work.
Estimate Breakdown of estimate and hours by task
and deliverable type / group
Schedule Key milestones and interface points with
the overall project master schedule.
Engineering Design Systems If a WEP is in place, only list any
deviations or additions to those listed in the WEP.
ICT If a WEP is in place, only list any
additional requirements associated with the WRP.
Scalability of the WRP
As we undertake a broad range of Workshare projects from small relatively simple single discipline packages (eg. P&ID drafting) to large complex multi-discipline packages across all four CSGs, three WRP templates have been created and are available in EMS:
EPF-0050 – WRP Template (Small Projects) – also known as a ‘Quick Release
Package (QRP)’ and is meant to cater for small once through type packages of work documenting only the minimum required to define the work scope either as a stand alone document or under the umbrella of a WEP. Part A covers the general
information you would expect to see while Part B provides a simplified format for describing the scope of work and execution parameters.
EPF-0049 – WRP Template (Medium Projects) – this is used when a WEP is not
planned and there is only one or two WRPs on the project. This effectively becomes a combined WEP and WRP for these scenarios.
EPF-0048 – WRP Template (Large Projects) – is used under the umbrella of a
WEP to detail the scope of work and execution requirements for large complex packages. It is very important that the scope is expressed in sufficient detail that there will be no misunderstanding of the requirements by either HO or SO
personnel. It should also be made very clear what if anything is explicitly excluded from the work scope.
COLLABORATION TOOLS
The use of communication and collaborations tools is critical to the success of a Workshare project. Having the tools in place and the skills available to set-up and maintain them will make a big difference to the successful delivery of the work scope.
While it is not expected that a Discipline Lead will need to be an expert in setting these tools up, you should understand what they do, how to use them and where to go for support.
Utilizing SharePoint as a Project Workshare Portal
All employees should be familiar with the fact that WorleyParsons has been utilizing SharePoint as its main tool for intranet services and for project portals. We have found this to be an effective tool that is relatively easy to set-up and has the ability to be configured to an acceptable degree to suit project needs without the use of HTML programming resources (it is menu driven).
This is the most commonly used tool for sharing information and documents across groups and disparate project teams.
Ensures that all project participants have access to the current information at all times.
Maximizes the efficiency of the team and other participants across a range of locations.
Provides facilities for team news boards, discussions and sub-group sites.
Provides a document upload / download facility with check-in / check-out capability if required.
Access to areas of the project portal on SharePoint can be provided to Customers, vendors or sub-contractors with secure access control.
Useful tips on using a SharePoint Workshare Portal
Create a folder for each WRP.
For multi-discipline WRPs, create discipline sub-folders under the WRP folder.
Create two sub-folders under each WRP / discipline – one for ‘HO to SO’ documents and one for ‘SO to HO’ documents.
There isn’t a limit on the number of documents or files that can be uploaded to a folder but there is a limit of 50Mb per file.
You can create sub-folders with restricted access for confidential information (default access is all WorleyParsons personnel).
Get your team members to subscribe to the pages that they are involved with using the ‘Alert Me’ function so that they do not miss new items posted.
Sample Workshare Portal
A sample site has been generated so that you can get a feel for the type of content and layout that will work for most scenarios (refer screen shot below).
Tip: A SharePoint Information site is available on the NOW! Providing tips and guides on
Web Conferencing Tools
There are two main web conferencing tools that are available across the majority of our business and can be used for:
Conference calls – most locations can dial-in using a local number (cost effective)
Web Conferences – using telephone conference call and web services to sharing of presentations, user’s desktop, on-line marking up of documents, etc.
The available tools are:
Genesys – an external provider and requires a user account. This is useful in particular if any participants are not connected to the
WorleyParsons network – if you do not have a Genesys account
you will need your Project Manager’s permission to get one (charged to the project) or you will need call on the PIE to set the session going for you.
MS communicator – requires connection to the WorleyParsons network by all participants (can be via VPN). This is a useful tool also for one-on-one ‘chat’, calls and desktop sharing.
From a Workshare perspective this is a very valuable tool for managing your Workshare Coordination Meetings where issues can be discussed and documents shared on the screen to assist in getting information and issues across to all participants. As it is fairly quick to set-up, it can easily be used for adhoc meetings and discussions.
Additional Information: A SharePoint site has been set-up providing user guides and
information about how to get a Genesys account set-up at the following link:
CULTURAL AWARENESS – AN INTRODUCTION
In both our professional and home environments we meet and interact with a
diverse range of people with differing social backgrounds, different priorities on what is important to them and from diverse cultural backgrounds.
If we expect everyone we interact with to have the same ideals, beliefs and values as ourselves, we are being both unrealistic and misguided. We are all ‘built’ differently and it is this diversity that provides the innovation, inspiration and challenge that our societies need to learn, grow and develop.
As the majority of us grow up and start our working careers in the same country, we develop an inherent general understanding of the people around us and what is generally assumed ‘acceptable’ behavior in our interactions with others. Without examining the values that drive how we think, feel and live, it is easy to assume that people from other countries and cultures should understand those things that you take for granted.
This is an incorrect assumption. Unless a person has been exposed to your culture; it is more than likely that they will have been raised in an environment with different values and beliefs which will result in different social behaviors.
By being aware of these cultural differences, we can better communicate, better read situations and experience rewarding working and social relationships with our colleagues in other offices.
This is particularly important for a PIE as it is highly likely that you will be
coordinating work between offices in different countries and hence different cultures.
Note: It is worth iterating that this is about cultural awareness – not trying to force one
set of cultural values onto another group.
Experience proves that merely crossing cultural boundaries can be considered threatening, while positive attempts to interact may provoke defensive responses. Misunderstandings may be compounded by either an exaggerated sensitivity to possible slights, or an exaggerated and over-protective fear of giving offence.
What is Culture?
“The values, beliefs, norms and traditions within an organization that influence the behavior of its members” – The Oxford University Press Dictionary of Business “By dealing with cultural differences up-front one can avoid some of the surprises” – Tryggve Sthen, CEO Volvo Global Trucks
Our values and beliefs, which cannot be seen by either ourselves or others, drive our behaviours which can be seen.
For example: if it is important to maintain harmony or ‘save face’ then you are likely to see an individual or groups who do not reject the ideas of others and who remain quiet in order to avoid criticizing or rejecting an idea or presenting bad news. Imagine that group interacting with an individual or group who believes in being forthright. People in that group are likely to be blunt in rejecting an idea that they think will not work and will express their feeling directly rather than glossing them over with politeness.
Examples of Cultural Differences in Behaviours
and Gestures
Different groups can have quite different perceptions of the same behaviors and gestures. Here are some common examples:
Showing the thumb up in certain parts of the world means “Everything’s o.k.”. However, in some Islamic countries (as well as Sardinia and Greece) it is interpreted as a rude sexual sign.
In western European countries (especially between pilots or divers),
“Everything’s OK.” is shown with the sign of the thumb and forefinger forming an “O”. In Japan this sign, especially with the fingers curled means “now we may talk about money”, In France it means “nothing” or “without any value” and in Eastern Europe and Russia, it is an indecent sexual sign.
In some countries silence and reflection is valued. In the Americas as well as in Arabic countries the pause between words are usually not too long, while in Japan pauses can give a contradictory sense to spoken words. Enduring silence is perceived as comfortable in Japan, while in India, many European countries and North America it may cause insecurity and embarrassment.
In some Asian countries, if you are invited to dinner, it is well-mannered to leave right after the dinner. If you don’t then it may indicate that you have not eaten enough. In the Indian sub-continent, ,most of Europe, South America and North America, to leave immediately after dinner is considered rude because there is an expectation that you will stay on and enjoy the company of the hosts an not just ‘eat it and beat it’.
In Africa, avoiding eye contact or looking at the ground when talking to elders or someone considered of higher social status is considered a sign of
respect. In contrast, these same actions are often interpreted by Europeans, American, Canadians and Australians as signals of deception, shame or guilt
Different cultures maintain different amounts of personal space when meeting and conversing with one another. Northern Europeans leave each other more space that Southern Europeans. By understanding the
difference, someone use to more personal space will not interpret someone standing close as threatening or aggressive. and someone use to less
personal space will not interpret someone standing far away as remote, aloof or scared
Key Competencies for Managing across the Globe
Organizationally, WorleyParsons has a corporate culture that is underpinned by guiding values and principles. These have been turned into management practices and systems and one practice that underpins WorleyParsons strategy is the
promotion of effective cross-culture worksharing. It is, however, at an individual level that you can make the most difference.
The key competencies for managing globally are: 1) Self Awareness
2) Communicating Effectively – developing the knowledge and skills 3) Managing the processes and tasks.
We will now look at items 1 and 2 above (as item 3 is being covered by our EMS / WPMP work processes and associated training).
Our Vision and Values
Our Vision
WorleyParsons will be the preferred global provider of technical, project and operational
support services to our customers, using the distinctive WorleyParsons culture to create value for our customers and prosperity for our people.
RELATIONSHIPS
• Rapport with all stakeholders • Open and Respectful • Collaborative approach to
business
AGILITY
• Smallest assignment to world
scale developments
• Local capability with global
leverage
• Responsive to our team’s
preferences
• Optimum solutions
customised to needs PERFORMANCE
• Zero harm
• Results for the projects
we work on and our internal stakeholders
• World class capability
and experience LEADERSHIP
• Committed, empowered and
rewarded people
• Integrity in all aspects of
business
• Energy and excitement • Minimum bureaucracy
Self Awareness
Self awareness in this context could be defined as being aware of your own
“personal reactions to people who are from a different culture”. Being self aware also assists in understanding the feelings and needs of other people (being empathetic).
Very few people have inherent cultural awareness which means that all of us have to put in considerable effort to develop (and maintain) it. This means that we need to examine our own biases and prejudices, develop cross-cultural skills and promote an environment for others to become more culturally aware.
Beware of Stereotyping and Typecasting
“Once formed they tend to persist; they tend to perpetuate by various selective processes: selective recall, selective interpretation, selective retention and selective replay… One has to make a conscious and deliberate attempt to overcome these selective processes” – Samover, Porter, Jain 1981).
While we need to understand how different cultures may perceive our behaviors and actions, we also need to consciously and deliberately think about how we might be stereotyping or typecasting individuals or group of individuals in to overcome our tendencies to-do so.
Understand the Perceptions of your own Culture
It helps greatly in communicating with other cultures for you to understand the way other cultures may view your own culture. As people from different cultures encode and decode messages differently, recognizing how your own behaviors and actions can be interpreted by other cultures can help you to adjust the way a message is delivered so that it has the best chance of being clearly understood.
Communicating Effectively – Developing the
Knowledge and Skills
The ‘tyranny of distance’ can make communicating across locations difficult at the best of times. Adding different cultural mixes can amplify what would otherwise be minor issues into significant issues. These issues can most often be attributed to:
Language (speaking) Even if you have learned the vocabulary of the
other party’s language, the selection of the most appropriate words and the intonation of delivery can have an impact on the message received.
Language (understanding) Even though the other party may speak your
language quite well, their understanding of everything you say at your normal speaking pace may be limited.
Assumptions It is easy to assume understanding and knowledge
of areas that you take for granted. This can lead to frustration for both parties if instructions are not crystal clear.
The Situation More often than not, project timelines can create
pressures that can result in meetings or conference calls being colored by emotions which can create even more frustration and misunderstanding between the parties.
What can you do to improve communication across cultures?
When coordinating multi-cultural teams and even more so when language skills are unequal, there are a number of ways that you can effect improvements in the communications:
1) A relatively easy step you can take to reduce the risk of making some elementary mistakes is to research in advance the culture and
communication conventions of the groups that you are going to be working with.
2) Write up roles, responsibilities, agendas, records of discussions and actions agreed to, because often the written word is easier to understand than the spoken word.
3) gives the participants (and yourself) more time to prepare questions / responses and reduce the risk of unintentional ‘emotive’ responses. 4) When writing, the choice of words is very important – more care should be
invested in preparing (and reviewing) text prior to issuing as it is likely to be thoroughly analyzed by the recipient.
5) Avoid using slang and idioms – chose words that will convey the most specific meaning.
6) Listen carefully – if in doubt, ask for confirmation of understanding
(particularly important if different languages or local accents / pronunciation could be a problem).
7) Respect the difference in other culture’s communication formalities and styles – watch for changes in body language or unintentional silences in conference calls). Remember that the outcome of any communication is to gain rapport in order to get agreement and to deliver a result.
8) It may not be possible to learn the other party’s language but it is a sign of respect to learn a few words and the gestures of greeting someone. 9) In specific circumstances, a translator should be considered to convey
MODULE SUMMARY
There are a number of key areas that Project Managers and their teams can positively contribute and influence the successful delivery of a Workshare project.
1. Understand the capabilities of the Supporting Office (use ‘Gap Analysis’ methods if required).
2. Make sure your estimate of hours reflects any additional coordination effort required.
3. Keep the scope split as simple as possible – even if it means releasing work to the SO that you could do yourselves.
4. Ensure information is handed to the SO on time and review documents in the agreed timeframes.
5. Review the status of the Work Release Packages regularly.
6. View the Supporting Office as part of the team – work with them to resolve any issues – no “us and them” or “it’s their problem now”.
7. Communication! Communication! Communication! Make the time to do it, make it clear and do it regularly!
8. Use the support services available – Workshare Coordinators, EDS team and IT Services.
