Process and Organizational Assessment, Development and Training

Many owner organizations have capital asset planning and project system processes. However, many systems lack either "depth" (supporting processes at the functional level for cost engineering and project control), or "breadth" (comprehensive coverage of programs, portfolios, and projects linked back to business strategy). Through assessments, workshops and training, we can help you develop, reengineer, and implement broad business or specific functional processes integrated with your overall systems and aligned with your business and technical objectives. We can also help you plan and develop the owner staff capabilities needed to support the process.

Methods and Tools Development and Training

Within your company processes are many sub-processes or steps (e.g., validation, risk management, etc.), methods (e.g., conceptual estimating, control systems, etc.), and tools (e.g., cost models and estimating systems, contingency estimation, historical databases, etc.) that must be developed or acquired. Through consultation, workshops and training, we can guide or coach you in your methods and tools developments.

Implementation and Task Support

We can work with your staff as needed to apply your owner processes, methods and tools in specific investment capital planning or project situations. For example, we can perform estimate and schedule validation, build and implement database structures and systems, develop cost or schedule models, lead risk analyses, and so on. We can also help you manage, oversee or review the cost engineering and project control efforts of your contractors.

Cost Engineering/TCM Training

In addition to task and tool-focused training, we specialize in custom Cost Engineering training. Owners need cross-functional, multi-skilled staff that can contribute effectively to the entire TCM process over the life cycle of the company's capital assets, portfolios and projects. A typical training program might include modules on TCM, followed by key functional areas such as estimating, planning & scheduling, cost/schedule control, risk management, value management, investment decision making and so on.

Estimate Validation and Assurance

This our namesake service. We use a unique process-focused approach to validate estimates. We first examine the processes, practices, structure, tools, skills, and data that are the basis of the estimate. Only then do we quantitatively check content and results. An estimate must have both a solid basis and the right bottom line to ensure project success. The Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002 has significantly increased the emphasis on estimate validation and estimating process assurance.