Improve Deficiency Tracking with Commissioning Software Tools
Commissioning engineers, project managers, civil engineers and/or
managers almost always need to report on multiple teams at a time while meeting
strict deadlines. Commissioning management systems software tools make it
possible to plan the entire commissioning process right at the outset of the
project, instead of waiting until the project closeout.
Find here why the convention deficiency tracking methods don’t work
anymore, how you can improve the entire process of project commissioning and
what the key features of an advanced Commissioning Management Software (CMS)
are.
Improve Deficiency Tracking with Commissioning Software Tools
Commissioning
engineers, project managers, civil engineers or managers almost always need to report
on several teams at a time while meeting tight deadlines. Commissioning management systems software tools make it possible to plan the entire commissioning process
right at the outset of the project, instead of waiting until the project
closeout.
The Conventional Deficiency Tracking
Traditionally,
project deliverables and deficiencies have been monitored on spreadsheets and paper-based
documents. In general, walk-down inspections of the equipment is performed with
the associated consultants, contractors and clients. During these walkthroughs,
all stakeholders have their chance to figure out deficiencies that are added to
a spreadsheet, which may give rise to multiple challenges, like:
- Who will be accountable for rectifying every item?
- What will be the deadline for fixing the items?
- Will there be the need to check every deficiency to find if it is closed?
Although the spreadsheet
procedure was suitable several years ago, the staggering amount of information
produced on projects these days makes the traditional procedure of handling the
work manually with spreadsheets a back-breaking task.
Moreover,
tracking deficiency and closeout are tough processes as there are so many
moving components, in addition to the involvement of different stakeholders.
There is often a risk of human error or missing anything that may turn into a
huge problem later on in the commissioning process.
When it is
about commissioning projects, details matter a lot. An inappropriate setting or
a supposedly trivial problem can result in devastating systems failure. There
are myriad examples in the history of industrial disasters that show how missed
details can cause catastrophic fiscal losses as well as loss of life. The 2010 Deep
Water Horizon oil spill and the 2017 Grenfell Tower Fire are just the two best-known
instances.
An Improved Way to Commission Projects
When
traditional deficiency tracking methods don’t work, how will you ensure that every
detail is inspected and each deficiency is checked and fixed on time – which is
to the critical commissioning activities?
The answer to
this question is commissioning
management software (CMS). These
tools not just streamline the tracking of the progress of any project, but they
also offer a handful of additional benefits.
Once a
deficiency is identified, it is added to the CMS along with a description of
the issue, supporting pictures and specific references to figure out the contractual
deficiency. As each deficiency is added to the CMS, it is categorised and an
owner is assigned a due date, associated with the schedule of the project.
The classification
and due date specify the importance of every deficiency and what the outcome
could be if it isn't fixed in a timely manner. This makes it clear who would be
responsible for addressing the issue and the deadline to resolve the issue. Every day reports will show outstanding errors as well as the team members responsible for
any unexpected delays. This approach makes every project team member accountable
and helps every individual involved understand the status of critical tasks and
who should take the necessary action.
When it is
about project management, another challenging task is monitoring documentation
deliverables. Modern-day projects produce a huge pile of paperwork and therefore
a complex method to fetch and monitor all the crucial information is required. Similar
to tracking deficiencies, commissioning management systems software can be utilised to check if the
documentation is received, which is then archived in an organised fashion. The due
date of every document's deliverable is associated with the project schedule,
and the owner of every deliverable is identified.
The team working
on the project can run a report on a daily basis to find out any outstanding documentation,
the professional(s) accountable for submitting it and the date it needs to be
submitted on. A CMS can efficiently organise all the documentation received to make
the handover to the client simple and easy, once the project completes.
Projects in
future will continue to become more complicated as more information and details
would be required to manage the information. The only [read: best] way to handle
all such critical details and warrant top-notch quality is to take full
advantage of the advanced tools like commissioning management software to streamline and manage information.
Without
making use of a commissioning
management software solution on the project, the details may become
overwhelming quickly and can result in larger issues later on in the project.
Features of Advanced Commissioning Management Software
Advanced commissioning management systems software solutions are designed to streamline and enhance the commissioning process. If you need to have a predictable and organised commissioning process in place that fix deficiencies while ensuring compliance to every stakeholder, you definitely need commissioning management software (CMS). Your ideal CMS should have the following features:
- System Handover: The tool should document, gather and report crucial information in an organised manner throughout the entire commissioning phase, keeping you always ready for an easy and quick closeout.
- Safe Start with Scheduling Assurance: Planning of tests and inspections for a particular system and/or equipment well in advance. Keeping the process on track with backup into the system.
- Commissioning and Pre-Commissioning Checklists: Commissioning inspections start with checklist templates, so having a checklist library is important. A great commissioning management software solution should feature an exhaustive set of electrical and mechanical checklists.
- Deficiency Monitoring and Categorisation: A CMS should track deficiencies efficiently and communicate the problems in an organised manner; from identification to resolution.
- System & Equipment Focus: The CMS should enable systems and equipment to integrate into every step of the commissioning phase.
- Documentation and Data: A good CMS should have multiple reporting features so that you can manage your data in real-time. It should allow you to upload supporting documents, images, scans, test reports and files, including SWPs, O&M manuals, as-built drawings, SOPs and red-line.
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