ALICE can work with granular schedule data to generate insights, but what about situations where details are not yet known or available?
Owners leverage ALICE across the project lifecycle to minimize project risk and make data driven decisions that improve project outcomes, using the data that they already have.
Watch the video below or read this article to learn the most common use cases for ALICE with owners, data inputs for each use case, and the value outcomes that can be generated.
Pre-Construction / Feasibility Studies
Context:
The level of data detail available to the owners in pre-construction is limited and schedule durations are typically based on historical benchmarks rather than bottom-up resource estimation. There may be limited value for the owner in optimising the schedule too heavily in the pre-construction. Based on that, what is the intended use of the tool?
Solution:
The MacLeamy curve highlights that influencing project strategy is significantly easier and more cost-effective during the early stages of a project. Consequently, this is where owners can derive the greatest value from using ALICE.
Understandably, early project stages are characterized by limited data and detail. However, owners typically possess key information about the project scope and maintain strong institutional knowledge regarding preferential approaches and critical sequence logic. These factors position owners uniquely to leverage ALICE for exploring alternative delivery strategies, unlocking substantial benefits. Indeed, we frequently observe owners using ALICE to establish project strategies from scratch (i.e. establishing the baseline).
This capability can be further enhanced by incorporating assumed or historical data. For example, owners can employ trade assignments (i.e., identifying the types of trades involved without specifying the exact number of operatives or teams) alongside a high/medium/low effort point system to develop schedules from the ground up, identify bottlenecks and unlock them before putting the schedule out to tender.
Early-Stage data:
- Hard and soft logic.
- Owner-specific constraints, such as permits, overall project duration, and third-party interfaces.
- Procurement and design-related information.
- Assumed trades, effort levels, production rates, and equipment (optional).
Key Value Outputs:
- Comprehensive exploration of sequencing and delivery strategies.
- Development of schedules that set clear demands for EPCs/GCs and bidders to respond to.
- Insights into required durations to meet completion windows and interfacing constraints.
- Directional analysis of bottlenecks and opportunities, including actionable details to address challenges or capitalize on efficiencies.
Owners can leverage ALICE to test various delivery strategies, even with limited data, unlocking insights into optimal durations and sequences.
Construction / Execution
Context:
Owners manage the schedule at a relatively high-level e.g. L2, with the L3-5 schedule detail including resource groups, production rates etc typically managed by the EPCMs/GCs and sub-contractors. How does the tool typically work for the owner in Execution? or is the use of the tool limited to EPCM/GCs?
Solution
Current Challenges for Owners in Execution:
Owners often rely on EPCM/GC updates for schedules, leaving them reactive and with limited visibility into execution data. This creates risks when issues arise.
How ALICE Supports Owners in Execution:
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Forecasting and Recovery:
- Owners can use ALICE to model production scenarios based on actual performance (e.g., adjusting excavation rates to 95%).
- Running scenarios then enables data-backed decisions on effective recovery methods to mitigate further delays before they happen.
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Managing Variations and Changes:
- Owners can simulate responses to owner-led project changes (e.g. late delivery of modules) to identify cost- and time-effective solutions. Such information can be used to challenge or collaborate with GCs, reducing/avoiding claims.
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Leveraging GC Schedules:
- ALICE allows owners to upload EPCM/GC schedules. If detailed data is embedded inside, the owners can leverage this to analyze scenarios, and gain insights into acceleration strategies or adapting to changes effectively.
By integrating ALICE, owners gain control over strategic decisions during execution, fostering proactive, collaborative project management.