Summary: Front End Planning

Front End Planning is a means used to yield effective, simple and easy-to-use scope
definition and alignment tools. It is an important process that improves the probability of
project success by developing strategic information for the users. The PDRI (Project
Definition Rating Index)- based on industrys best practices- allows the manager to
measure the level of scope definition and to compare it to anticipated project success.
Further, Alignment is important as a process to incorporate all the distinct priorities and
requirements into a uniform set of project objectives that met the business needs for
the proposed facility.

As per the module, PDRI- Buildings can effectively be used to improve the predictability
of project performance. However, it alone cannot ensure project success. Only when
combined with good planning, alignment and good project execution, it can significantly
improve the probability of meeting or exceeding project objectives. It also identifies
areas of risk. Under PDRI, the Basis of project decision are Business Strategy, Owner
Philosophies and Project Requirements. The Basis of Design are decided on the Site
Information, Building Programming, Parameters, and Equipment. The Execution
approach involves procurement strategy, Deliverables, Project Control, and execution
plan. All these basis of analysis are effective when used by project managers or
coordinators to organize and monitor the process of pre-project planning. Thus, CII
front-end module research underscores that greater the pre-project planning greater is
the success in terms of both cost and cycle time design and construction of the
proposed facility. Another tool in the Front end planning module is the Agreement
Matrix. It has the potential for measuring agreement between the objectives of the
project participants at intermediate points and can offer insight into areas of
inconsistency about objectives and priorities among owner, designer and constructor.
This tool can be used at front end to measure the effectiveness of objectives to
designers and constructors and provide valuable quantitative feedback device.