Project Execution Planning - PEP

Bridging the Gap Between Business Strategy and Engineering Execution

pathadmin — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:57:58 +0000

Bridging the Gap Between Business Strategy and Engineering Execution

pathadmin Fri, 10/17/2025 - 13:57

Date time

September 24, 2025

Across the capital projects landscape, one recurring challenge continues to surface: misalignment between owner corporate business objectives and engineering solutions. This disconnect has led to countless projects running over budget and missing key schedule milestones, costing organizations both time and credibility and deteriorating owner financial and other business drivers.

In response, the industry is embracing a more intentional approach to aligning owner business and engineering goals during the earliest stages of project development. This front-end alignment requires business leaders to make critical decisions on capacity, future expansion, and the willingness to adopt new technologies before detailed engineering begins.

What was once viewed as a best practice is now becoming a non-negotiable standard for all major and even plant-level projects. The organizations that succeed in this new environment will be those that treat alignment not as an administrative step, but as a strategic advantage. One that ensures every engineering and project decision directly supports the company’s long-term business goals.

#CapitalProjects #ProjectManagement #EngineeringLeadership #ProjectExecution #ConstructionManagement

Strengthening Project Outcomes Through Effective Project Execution Planning

pathadmin — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:01:08 +0000

Strengthening Project Outcomes Through Effective Project Execution Planning

pathadmin Thu, 10/16/2025 - 16:01

Date time

September 17, 2025

We recently led a repeat Project Execution Planning (PEP) training for a major international petrochemical company. Twenty-four project leaders came together to strengthen their skills and align on the principles of effective execution planning.

Over two days, participants explored the PEP as a living document that drives alignment, accountability, and consistency. They also focused on the owner and contractor relationship, learning how clarity in roles and responsibilities keeps projects on track despite challenges.

Interactive exercises moved the training beyond theory, showing how the PEP functions as more than a checklist. It is a tool that unites people, processes, and objectives.

Sessions like this reflect the industry’s commitment to higher project standards. By embedding strong execution practices early, organizations can reduce risks, improve efficiency, and achieve cost, schedule, and quality targets.

At Pathfinder, we are proud to help teams build these disciplines into their culture. Project execution planning is not a one-time activity. It is a mindset that leads to more predictable and successful outcomes.

FREE WEBINAR: How CII's Construction Readiness Assessment Tool Can Help with Project Restarts

pathadmin — Mon, 11 May 2020 17:03:31 +0000

FREE WEBINAR: How CII's Construction Readiness Assessment Tool Can Help with Project Restarts

pathadmin Mon, 05/11/2020 - 13:03

Date time

May 19, 2020

Tuesday
May 19, 2020
1:00pm - 2:00pm Central

REGISTER

Starting construction before enough design information, materials, and installed equipment are on hand is a significant error that too many projects make. CII’s Construction Readiness Assessment (CRA) tool computes a project-specific construction readiness score using 200 readiness factors spanning 15 categories (ex. Project Team, Procurement, Materials Management, etc.). This score is then compared to readiness benchmarks derived from industry data and company-established goals. The tool also highlights areas of improvement and outputs a report of the actions that should be taken to significantly enhance project construction readiness.

This tool is perfect to help assess your readiness to restart projects stopped or significantly slowed by the response to COVID-19. Even if your project started well, is it ready for the post-COVID-19 environment it will face going forward? Assessing your project now will identify the changes needed in order to restart more effectively.

Steve Cabano
President
Pathfinder, LLC

Jimmy Cravens
Vice President
Pathfinder, LLC

Mike Pappas
Associate Director of Deployment
Construction Industry Institute

REGISTER

Project Slowdown/Restart Planning

As the world figures out how to deal with social distancing, virus testing, and an economy turned upside down, the worldwide Engineering and Construction environment is in project slowdown/shutdown mode. Now more than ever, it is important to get slowdown/shutdown and restart construction protocols right. Matters such as staffing, materials storage and protection, partially completed construction packages, contract issues, labor support, infrastructure sanitized and secured for effective use and a myriad of other related issues can have an even bigger impact on restart than the actual shutdown itself, if not handled properly.

Pathfinder’s Project Slowdown/Restart Planning initiative is an efficient facilitation effort using proven Construction Industry Institute (CII) tools, modified to address COVID-19 issues, and internally developed tools that have been honed over many successful initiatives.

The following 5-phase approach can be adjusted based on where you are in the project at the time of shutdown.

For more information on

Pathfinder's Project Slowdown/Restart Planning solution

CLICK HERE

Pathfinder Presenting at the Pipeline Leadership Conference, November 4-5, 2015

pathadmin — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 18:39:02 +0000

Pathfinder Presenting at the Pipeline Leadership Conference, November 4-5, 2015

pathadmin Mon, 10/26/2015 - 14:39

Pipeline Project Execution in the Rapidly Changing Oil & Gas Environment

With the recent shift in energy market trends (from speed to market to capital cost minimization) and its effects on pipeline and midstream projects, how will project issues such as life-cycle quality, owner/contractor relationships and overall project execution strategies be impacted? What are the innovative ways of aligning land owners, contractors, suppliers and operators to the newly-defined business objectives? Are traditional project planning and execution Best Practices still applicable in today’s project environment? Will pipeline projects be able to lead the industry in safety and economic returns rather than fall prey to historical major project cost overruns and schedule delays?

This presentation will outline the required project planning and execution activities often considered optional during the last several years of project development, now mandatory in the newly-defined, cost-driven environment. Innovative contracting strategies, stakeholder alignment, clearly-defined scope definition and aggressive project controls are now essential to project success. Claims avoidance will also be critical in today’s execution environment.

To register: https://plconference.com/registration/

Pathfinder wins 2nd Place in 2013 Best Paper Award from Power-Gen

pathadmin — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:27:29 +0000

Pathfinder wins 2nd Place in 2013 Best Paper Award from Power-Gen

pathadmin Tue, 12/10/2013 - 11:27

Pathfinder's presentation/paper on "The Owner's Role in Project Execution" received a 2nd place award in the Industry Trends/Competitive Power Generation Track at the 2013 Power-Gen Conference in November.

The paper discussed that in today’s active power industry project environment, we are driven to rely on our engineering and construction contractors more than ever. Our contractor community is ‘resource-stretched’ due to extensive capital project activity in the power market as well as the unprecedented growth in other process-related industries in North America. Owners today must provide clear guidance as well as appropriate levels of oversight and due diligence, to assure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

A number of innovative contracting methodologies can aid in this important and necessary owner oversight role. These include owner self-managed, contractor engineer/procure/construct, incentive contracts, and hybrids. Compensation methodologies are also a consideration such as lump sum, reimbursable cost, unit cost, etc. This paper will identify proven methods to ensure owner’s project success along with telltale signs that can indicate performance problems.

Proven project management techniques such as project execution planning, independent project reviews, cost/schedule risk assessments and contract strategy workshops will be discussed. The level of effort to implement these techniques, along with the proven benefits, will be considered. The session will allow the opportunity for participants to question panel members and raise real life project issues.

To receive a copy of this presentation please contact us.

Pathfinder presenting "The Owner's Role in Project Execution" at POWERGEN - November 13, 2013

cmcintyre — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 15:08:39 +0000

Pathfinder presenting "The Owner's Role in Project Execution" at POWERGEN - November 13, 2013

cmcintyre Wed, 11/13/2013 - 10:08

During the presentation today, Steve Cuneo will discuss the following...

In today’s active power industry project environment, we are driven to rely on our engineering and construction contractors more than ever. Our contractor community is ‘resource-stretched’ due to extensive capital project activity in the power market as well as the unprecedented growth in other process-related industries in North America. Owners today must provide clear guidance as well as appropriate levels of oversight and due diligence, to assure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

To receive a copy of this paper/presentation please email us.

Summer 2013

cmcintyre — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Summer 2013

Work Breakdown Structure vs. Code of Accounts and Why are Mega Projects so Challenging to Effectively Contract and Execute - Part 2

cmcintyre Mon, 07/15/2013 - 00:00

Available downloads

Panorama Summer 2013

Pathfinder presents at Houston Business Roundtable

cmcintyre — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Pathfinder presents at Houston Business Roundtable

cmcintyre Wed, 06/19/2013 - 00:00

The Impact Mega Projects have on In-Plant Project Execution

To receive a copy of this paper/presentation please email us.

Spring 2013

cmcintyre — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Spring 2013

Managing Mega Projects in Today's Complex Plant Based Project Environment and Why are Mega Projects so Challenging to Effectively Contract and Execute

cmcintyre Mon, 04/15/2013 - 00:00

"What Will Make the Difference Next Time?" was presented at the PMI-SAC Conference in November 2012

cmcintyre — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:00:00 +0000

"What Will Make the Difference Next Time?" was presented at the PMI-SAC Conference in November 2012

cmcintyre Thu, 11/01/2012 - 00:00

To receive a copy of this paper/presentation please email us.