Applied Systems Thinking Facility Commissioning

Heinz Inabnit is Chief Development Officer at Sancon Commissioning.

A privately‐held commissioning and start-up engineering service partner.

Heinz oversees the development operations of Sancon's Canadian entity.

Within Heinz's twelve years working with Sancon, he has led the operations team on many high-value projects and is now spearheading major strategic shifts for transforming business development processes and expanding Sancon’s portfolio.

Applied Systems Thinking for Commissioning

Applied Systems Thinking is a holistic approach to problem-solving and decision-making that focuses on understanding the interconnectedness and interdependence of all the various elements of a system.

In the context of commissioning, Systems Thinking can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of commissioning processes and the outcomes.

Here are some key ways in which systems thinking can be applied to commissioning:

1. Define the system: Commissioning involves a range of stakeholders, including commissioners, providers, service users, and regulators. A Systems Thinking approach involves defining the boundaries of the system, identifying its components and relationships, and understanding the feedback loops that influence system behavior.
2. Identify key drivers: Systems Thinking involves identifying the key drivers of system behavior, which may include factors such as funding, regulations, workforce capacity, and service user needs. By understanding these drivers, commissioning decisions can be made that take into account the likely impacts on the wider system.

1. Map the system: Mapping the system involves creating a visual representation of the system, including its components, relationships, and feedback loops. This can help commissioners to identify potential bottlenecks, areas of inefficiency, and opportunities for improvement.
2. Consider multiple perspectives: Systems Thinking involves considering the perspectives of all stakeholders involved in the system, including service users, providers, and commissioners. By taking a multi-perspective approach, commissioners can ensure that their decisions are informed by a wide range of perspectives, which can improve the quality and relevance of commissioning outcomes.

1. Use data and evidence: Systems Thinking involves using data and evidence to inform decision-making. By collecting and analyzing data on system performance, commissioners can identify areas of strength and weakness, and make evidence-based decisions that are more likely to have a positive impact on the wider system.

Overall, a Systems Thinking approach can help commissioners to make more informed and effective decisions that take into account the complexities and interdependencies of commissioning systems.

Real time reporting during project commissioning using Applied Systems Thinking

Real-time reporting during project commissioning can help identify issues early and allow for corrective action to be taken before they become more serious problems.

A systems thinking approach to real-time reporting involves looking at the project commissioning process as a system, with interrelated components and feedback loops that influence system behavior.

Here are some key ways in which applied systems thinking can be used to inform real-time reporting during project commissioning:

1. Define the system: Identify the boundaries of the project commissioning system, including the various components and stakeholders involved. This may include the project team, vendors, contractors, regulators, and other stakeholders.
2. Identify key performance indicators: Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to track the progress of the project commissioning process. KPIs should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Examples of KPIs may include the number of defects identified during commissioning, the percentage of commissioning activities completed, or the number of change orders.
3. Use data and evidence: Collect data and evidence on the performance of the project commissioning process, using KPIs to track progress. This may involve collecting data on issues such as defects, delays, and cost overruns, as well as collecting feedback from stakeholders such as the project team, vendors, and contractors.
4. Analyze the data: Analyze the data collected to identify patterns and trends in the performance of the project commissioning process. This may involve using tools such as statistical process control, root cause analysis, and cause-and-effect diagrams to identify the underlying causes of issues and identify areas for improvement.

1. Communicate findings: Communicate the findings of the analysis to stakeholders in real-time, using tools such as dashboards and reports to provide a clear and concise view of the performance of the project commissioning process. This can help stakeholders identify issues early and take corrective action before they become more serious problems.

By applying a systems thinking approach to real-time reporting during project commissioning, stakeholders can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the performance of the commissioning process, and identify opportunities for improvement that can help ensure the successful completion of the project.

Normalized hours associated to Commissioning check sheets

Normalized hours are a method of estimating the time required to complete a specific task or activity based on historical data. Normalized hours can be used to estimate the time required to complete commissioning check sheets by analyzing historical data on the time required to complete similar check sheets in the past.

The process of estimating the normalized hours associated with commissioning check sheets can be broken down into the following steps:

1. Define the scope: Define the scope of the commissioning check sheets that will be analyzed. This may include the specific systems or subsystems that the check sheets are associated with.
2. Gather historical data: Gather historical data on the time required to complete similar commissioning check sheets. This may involve reviewing data from previous projects, or from other similar systems or subsystems.
3. Normalize the data: Normalize the data by taking into account factors that may have influenced the time required to complete the check sheets in the past. For example, factors such as the complexity of the system or subsystem, the skill level of the personnel involved, or the availability of resources may have influenced the time required to complete the check sheets.
4. Calculate the normalized hours: Once the data has been normalized, calculate the normalized hours required to complete the commissioning check sheets. This can be done by averaging the time required to complete similar check sheets in the past, taking into account the factors that were identified during the normalization process.
5. Refine the estimates: Refine the estimates of the normalized hours as more data becomes available. This may involve adjusting the estimates based on feedback from personnel involved in the commissioning process, or based on changes in the scope or complexity of the project.

By estimating the normalized hours associated with commissioning check sheets, project managers can better plan and allocate resources for the commissioning process, and ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.

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