The Project Charter is a document that helps define an organizations primary goals, objectives, and priorities. The Project Charter provides:

• Justification for project undertaking
• Identification of business objectives
• Delineation of roles and responsibilities
• Project Scope and deployment plan
• Key stakeholder identities
• Project constraints and risks
• Direction of the solution
• Overall plan of how the solution will be used in the organization
• A document that can be updated as an organization’s needs and usage evolves

The Project Charter will help to prioritize the importance of the initiative and serve as a reference of authority for the execution of the project.

Critical to the success of an enterprise implementation will be a dedicated team led by an experienced Project Manager. The enforcement of control and monitoring mechanisms that are used to monitor and manage the overall project and sub-projects is important. The Project Manager will also recognize and address potential problems before they negatively impact the project.

Proactive Communication

Throughout the implementation, our project team will be proactive in communicating with your staff. We will provide status updates to address operational needs and to ensure effective communication between all team members. The Project Manager will report progress since the previous reporting period (typically weekly). The status reports will contain the following information:

• Accomplishments – What was completed in the reporting period, including issues that were resolved;
• Activities in Progress – Those activities that are underway at the end of the reporting period;
• Outstanding Problems – External items that have an effect on the project;
• Outstanding Issues – Project-related items that are being worked on at the end of the week (i.e., those issues on the issues log that are still “open”);
• Project Status – The status of each task underway or scheduled to be underway at the end of each project reporting period.

Based on our experience, we have found that the most successful implementation method breaks the engagement into phases. Each of the phases is structured into the following four logical stages and builds upon the previous phase to yield an ever improving outcome.

Stage 1: Discovery and Requirements Specification
Stage 2: Configuration
Stage 3: Deployment
Stage 4: Support and Maintenance

We believe this approach enables the project team to respond appropriately to the tasks in each stage; thereby meeting the project phase objectives and deliverables. Each stage will maximize resources and employ the appropriate methodology for the different outcomes expected for each set of activities.

The perception of success or failure in many projects is largely determined by the participants’ expectations. It is our philosophy that in order to meet and exceed customer expectations, the expectations must be defined and realistic. The combined project team has to believe that the project plan is achievable in the desired time frame and budget. Our experience demonstrates that a phased approach to the deployment of both product and policy will maximize the chances of success. A phased approach will accomplish five key objectives:

• Build on the strengths of the organization;
• Realize an incremental return on investment;
• Provide greater flexibility to adapt to the deployment plan;
• Minimize the variables that can affect installation of both product and policy; and
• Maintain project momentum.

Stage 1: Discovery and Requirements Specification

The first activity of the implementation is to conduct the discovery session(s). The Hill team would lead the project team through a detailed discovery and requirements analysis process as it relates to the PMWeb solution. The PMWeb Implementation team will provide the following key deliverables to be used as a basis for the other stages and future phases. Specific deliverables categorized below include:

• Project Charter – The Hill team with your assistance will create a Project Charter, we will take conversations from the first demonstrations and conversations and use them as a reference point as to the overall goals and priorities of the PMWeb Implementation. Any existing documentation created from previous company process documentation is valuable and will be used to expedite this process.
• Detailed Project Schedule, including Tasks and Timelines

The Deliverables above will be provided for review and approval at completion of Stage 1. From this mutually agreed upon document we will be able to further define the specific implementation and training needs for the enterprise.

Requirements Specification Methodology - The methodology flow chart depicts the process we will use in conducting the detailed discovery requirements specification sessions. Discovery session meetings will typically be conducted on-site, on-line meetings and conference calls can be effective for follow-up meetings.

Stage 2: Configuration

The Configuration Stage is when the implementation team members become fully engaged in the project by delivering the hands on configuration required to support the document from Stage 1.

Stage 3: Deployment

Hill’s philosophy with the deployment of software is to roll it out in a controlled manner in order to minimize risk. Our recommendation is that we roll out the application to a target group of users in order to verify that all aspects of the application are functioning as previously tested during the user acceptance testing. Selecting 1 or 2 projects as part of the initial rollout is recommended.

Once the initial “pilot project” has been successfully completed, the application would then be published for use by a controlled number of users as a continued risk management strategy. The time duration between initial and subsequent rollouts is something the project team will decide based on user feedback.

Stage 4: Support and Maintenance

The final stage for each phase of the project will include the project close out activities and transition of the application into long-term support. The project close out process will include the following:

• Review project deliverables to ensure full compliance
• Review remaining non-critical open issue and corresponding action plans
• Review of the support help desk process, procedures, and hours of operation
• Formal turnover from project implementation to support

Hill-PCI’s Remote Scheduling services facilitates team-based collaboration using web based meetings between Hill-PCI’s leading scheduling consultants and your project team to help streamline project coordination and improve team efficiency through accuracy in progress updating, schedule forecasting and critical path management.

HilI-PCI employs the industry standard in construction scheduling software, Primavera Project Manager (P6v7), and utilizes it to its fullest potential to monitor all relevant aspects of the project to ensure that delays are realized early to minimize cost, efficiency is maximized and risk is effectively managed. Through the use of P6, Hill-PCI’s scheduling team can deliver the reports that delve deep into the issues affecting the project timeline and present that information in a clear, concise and relevant fashion.

Hill-PCI is prepared to take a leadership role as Scheduling Lead, responsible for any and all issues that relate to scheduling. Our effectiveness and development of our many years of combined unique experience, translates our ability to produce through efficient management and coordination of all scheduling activities. Hill-PCI management approach is full integration into Client’s organization, sharing your values, goals and strategies. Scheduling Manager is fully committed to working with Client’s project team, to achieve an on time project, by both providing added value by early issue identification as well as proactive approach to identify potential gains during the lifetime of project. Some of our tasks will include:

• routine progress updates,
• review of critical path,
• identifying potential risk areas,
• providing a monthly schedule narrative

Hill-PCI also places a great emphasis on its Executive Summaries and Monthly Project Schedule Narratives. As part of the official Project Record, the Executive Summary provides an excellent accounting of time along for the duration of the project. Along with this static data, these narratives include sections whereby Hill-PCI uses multiple levels of expertise to develop a concise analysis on potential problems to the project. This serves as a type of “early warning” system that gives greater flexibility to the project team to develop innovative solutions to managing delays and risk.

Hill-PCI’s Schedule Narratives were developed from its extensive Claims background and as a result all relevant information necessary to ensure that project risk is effectively managed has been included in these narratives. Examples of these items include the section in the Executive Summary for “Potential Problems” were potential delays are identified weekly as a result of analysis from the project team.

Hill-PCI offers its clients a full spectrum of construction claims services enabling them to complete construction on-time and within budget, while minimizing claims and other problems.

Claims Consulting – Hill-PCI’s approach to claims resolution is broad-based and relies on the participation of Hill-PCI’s multi-disciplined staff of engineers, architects, attorneys, contract administrators, construction managers, accountants and scheduling specialists. Such a range of expertise is essential in analyzing the often complex liability, causation and damage components of a claim. Hill-PCI’s technical and contract experts conduct a detailed analysis of the claims, break them down event by event and issue by issue, to help facilitate resolution. By reviewing and analyzing all relevant project documents and performance data, our team can help get to the root of any dispute.

Litigation Support – Should litigation be unavoidable, Hill-PCI provides claims analysis and technical support to clients and their legal counsel. We help prepare issue files and requests for admission, answer and prepare interrogatories, and assist in depositions. Hill-PCI’s experts also provide expert witness testimony and often present the claims analysis work we’ve done through expert reports. Our engineers, architects, contract administrators, construction managers, certified cost engineers and schedulers possess highly specialized skills in all phases of the construction process. As experts, they provide insightful recommendations which consider the competing issues and provide credible, objective analysis of our client’s position.

Expert Witness Testimony – Hill-PCI’s staff includes hundreds of experts with vast experience in every industry sector and discipline; they have the technical skills on hand to quickly get to the heart of even the most complex issues. When litigation requires an expert to testify, Hill-PCI has a thorough understanding of even the most complex issues and will assign an appropriate expert with the experience and expertise relevant to the client’s requirements.

Cost and Damages Assessment – Hill-PCI’s approach to evaluating cost and damages begins with a performance audit of the contractor’s costs. Based on the results of its claim analysis and audit, Hill-PCI then prepares an independent estimate of costs the contractor may be entitled to recover under the appropriate remedy granting clause of the contract (e.g., suspension of work, differing site conditions, changes clause) or under alternative breach of contract or tort theories. The damage review will include an analysis of the contractor’s efforts to mitigate its damages, evaluation of its cost accounting system, and analysis of the propriety of the method employed to calculate damages.

Delay and Disruption Analysis – A team of Hill-PCI professionals with in-depth industry experience will evaluate your project’s schedule and identify all possible pitfalls in scope, logic, sequence and duration. They will help sort out critical vs. non critical activities, evaluate resource loading and perform “What If” and “Time-Window Based” analysis. Hill-PCI’s experts utilize the most sophisticated methods for establishing and evaluating schedule conflicts, analyzing delays/acceleration, conducting productivity analysis, auditing costs and determining damages.

Project Neutral – As construction budgets and schedules for completion continue to tighten, today’s construction projects are increasingly fraught with tremendous risk. Disputes over even the smallest of issues can quickly escalation, with crippling consequences to the parties involved and the project itself. The Project Neutral is a unique form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) developed by Hill-PCI that blends technical analysis and mediation services to help parties reach a fair, negotiated settlement swiftly, inexpensively and without contention. Retained jointly by the parties, Hill-PCI objectively assess the issues in dispute and presents its finding to both parties. On the basis of their finding, a trained mediator leads the Hill-PCI team in moving projects toward a negotiated settlement. This process allows both sides, and their counsel, to maintain control of the process and the resulting settlement.

Our proven method of integrating proprietary templates in the schedule development process ensures that schedules are at the proper level of detail and accuracy to deliver an effective tool for managing your plan at a lower cost. Hill-PCI Group’s years of experience in building, maintaining, and reviewing CPM schedules are a new solution to scheduling in tough times. With Hill-PCI’s support, you stay in control and on top of your project, making sure it’s performed efficiently, cost effectively, in a timely manner, and is well documented. So whether your projects are roads, bridges, airports, high-rise, industrial, infrastructure, medical, and hospitality, let Hill-PCI Group’s scheduling expertise work for you.

Standardized, Routine, and Purposeful Schedule Updates can make the difference between a smooth running project and one that is full of surprises. Schedule updates, whether weekly or monthly, should follow certain guidelines to ensure their success in defining the projects current status from week to week or month to month. Once instituted, the schedule update process should occur in a consistent time frame to allow planning by the parties involved. This makes it a part of a weekly or monthly routine and can encourage participation and raise expectations among the participants. With a planned agenda, the update will run smoothly and the information gathered will increase the project team’s awareness of the current state of the project and highlight the impacts of any known issues on the project’s planned completion.

Setup the Practice –

1. Standardize the process: This leads to project success because it reduces errors; everyone involved knows what is expected; and they realize the value of a coordinated effort.
   • Participants should include the PM, Superintendent and Subcontractors. This is important because each sub can see the impact of their progress on other trades.
   • Define the order of the update process so that no area is left out. A good practice for this is to just start at the top of the project schedule and go through each area. If all current subcontractors are there you can organize it by trade or sub and update them individually.
   • Ask questions regarding what was or was not accomplished. If activities are taking longer or have not started when they should, question why, are there issues? If there are determine if a delay/issue activity should be inserted to project the next couple of weeks’ activities.
   • Review the progress with all project team members and discuss the critical path. Whose work is critical and are there any related activities that could impact it. If the project is behind, what can be accomplished to recover time?
   • Verify the field staff knows where the critical path is and what to be concentrating on as the schedule is dynamic and any changes can have an impact, good or bad.
2. Routine updates: Weekly updates are best because the information is fresh you can monitor progress more closely and identify potential issues sooner. Setup a standing day and time for the project team to come together. We can function more efficiently if we can anticipate what is expected and be prepared to participate. If the project is only updated monthly there will be more preparation necessary by all parties to ensure the meeting runs efficiently and timely.
3. Purposeful updates: Document the update in writing. Although the schedule itself is documentation of the current state of the project, it is often made clearer if it is put in to writing. One way of documenting weekly updates is an Executive Summary. Identify in writing whether the project maintained, lost, or gained on critical path progress. This will give you an at-a-glance view of how the project is progressing. You should also include a section to discuss any issues that are impacting or may impact the critical path. You should only discuss those issues related to the critical path to keep the summary brief. This Best Practice allows project executives and team to stay current on the project’s status, as it reports on a high level, one page summary following each update. This is a quick and easy synopsis of project health, critical issues and potential problems and allows the project team and/or owner to know what to expect.

Setting up a standardized process for weekly updates will improve both the quality and time it takes to accomplish an update. Making the update a routine will help to ensure everyone is prepared and knows where and when it will take place. By putting the critical schedule update information in writing, it solidifies the purpose of the update and makes it useful in managing the progress and identifying any potential or ongoing issues.

We combine our executive and field level knowledge with industry standard products to deliver a quick and lasting return on your software and professional service investment. Whether you are looking to implement new software or improve an existing solution, Hill-PCI Group has construction expertise, IT knowledge and experience to assist you. We offer a variety of training services that will support your construction technology.

Administrative, End User and Executive Level Training for the following products:

• PMWeb (Estimating, Cost Management, Document Management, Scheduling and Asset Management).
• Meridian Systems Prolog, Prolog Converge
• Oracle Primavera P6, P3, SureTrak, Contract Manager
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Crystal Reports

As project control experts, we realize that in addition to implementation services your team will need training at the user and administration level.Hill-PCI has created a three-pronged training solution that will meet the needs of your various end users.

1. Pilot Team Training

The Pilot Team Training occurs after the Hill-PCI Consultants have performed configuration and focuses on the solution built for your enterprise. This training prepares a core team for performing their own functional test validation after initial configuration based upon the Discovery Specifications.

This course will also aid in understanding the business and technical reasons for effective planning of successful functional testing of the configured solution. The implementation team will be introduced to established software testing concepts, procedures and tools which will enable effective quality testing of the configured solution against the actual business objective requirements identified and defined in Discovery Requirements.

2. System Administrators Training

Advanced Administrator training prepares the solution administrator to take ownership of the configuration at the conclusion of testing.

• Understanding Configuration Tools
• Application Security
• Portfolio Administration
• Creating Import Specifications
• Setup of Application for Remote Users

3. Application OnDemand eTraining

Hill-PCI has developed an interactive eTraining course for PMWeb and Prolog Manager designed to augment in person training. Our 10 years of experience are highlighted in these lessons which are available on demand, 24/7. The OnDemand eTraining is a great tool for newly hired staff or for existing staff to brush up on their skills. Interactive lessons walk users through step by step exercises. Users learn at their own pace without the need to travel or be away from their jobs to learn basic skills.

OnDemand eTraining will help you fully realize the benefit of your software investment by making sure your employees are trained to use your software correctly.

• Risk Workshop - Designed to determine concerns relating to risk assumption, shifting and sharing; and to develop a model that blends the approaches to the risk that are acceptable to the client and other parties, and is consistent with the selected project delivery approach. In addition, Hill-PCI’s team will determine what other risk approaches or contract provisions have been problematic in the past given the client’s current Outsourced Risk Management contract.
• Contracts Commercial Review - Following review of the proposed terms of the various contracts for commercial consequences including liquidated damages, responsibility assignments and the allocation of potential risks, Hill-PCI will evaluate internal and external project factors that may affect contract performance and project viability.
• Procedures Development
• Monitoring
• Engineering and Construction Package Review - The Hill-PCI team will review the package to confirm agreement with commercial documents, as well as consistency among the various documents in the package. We will also identify interface areas and confirm that responsibilities are clearly assigned without ambiguity or redundancy, identify potential problem areas, and provide an outline of recommended improvements to the engineering and construction packages from a risk perspective rather than a technical design review.

Once the initial set of risk assessment tasks has been completed, Hill-PCI will recommend further risk mitigation and avoidance procedures specifically applicable to the project with clearly-defined responsibilities of each of the parties and the required interrelationships. A more accurate assessment of current project organizational structure as well as recommendations for streamlining or strengthening the organization will also be provided as a part of risk mitigation procedures. At the conclusion of the risk assessment, our client will be provided with a written report of Hill-PCI’s findings and a set of specific recommendations for corrective action.

• Circus Circus Luxor Resort
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit
• Lexington Insurance Company
• Dubai Municipality
• US General Services Administration
• Peak Oilfield Service Company
• Samsung Engineering and Construction
• US Department of Energy
• Capital District Properties
• Wembley National Stadium
• New Cotai Entertainment, LLC
• Public Service Electric and Gas