The external interface management process is useful to ensure that the myriad of project elements are properly coordinated, responsibilities assigned, problems identified, conflicts resolved, resolutions documented and roles understood by all involved.

The responsible-accountable-consulted-informed chart can be as complex or as simple as needed for the job. (Graphic courtesy of Mustang Engineering)


Until the advent of deepwater oil and gas projects with global participants, formal communication procedures for parties responsible for certain deliverables had not generally been considered a necessity. On shallowwater projects, the basic facility was typically designed and engineered principally by a single firm, and one person could literally keep all the interface information in his or her head. Fabrication followed engineering in linear progression. Interfaces were less complex. Therefore, scheduling and communication conflicts could often be resolved informally or with a minimum of written correspondence.


In contrast, today’s deepwater facilities present a much more complex atmosphere.



  • Facilities are larger and represent a huge capital investment;

  • Projects can take years from concept selection to start up;

  • Project participants are highly specialized and are often continents and time zones apart;

  • Engineering and fabrication of various components may be out of normal sequence; and

  • Design-build time cycles are more compact and costs for schedule delays can be astronomical.


Hence, the need for a comprehensive set of interface procedures is critical to manage material and communication interfaces among participants handling multiple project facets including topsides, hull, subsea components, risers, umbilicals, pipelines and drilling, as well as loadout, transportation, lift and installation contractors and, of course, the client. With all this complexity, it is logical that an Interface Coordinator should be appointed to manage those procedures.


Why the interface coordinator?


In the deadline-driven world of deepwater oil’s designing/building/installing of massive production facilities, it becomes critical to "short-circuit" decision loops at every stage of the process.


The interface coordinator position has become a "must have" because the time-critical nature demands that someone be assigned to observe all aspects of the project, orientate themselves to the nature and consequences of big picture decisions being made, help management decide upon a proper recommendation and be a part of the final action taking place. This “Observe, Orientate, Decide, Act” loop, must take place continuously in a project’s life. The interface coordinator acts as a catalyst for this cycle.


Who is that person?


The interface coordinator does not take the place of daily coordination among the team members. Rather, this position supplements the activities needed to keep the project moving forward, becoming the project manager’s “eyes and ears.”


This person should possess many talents. He or she can relate to participants at all levels. Oral and written communication skills are required. A strong technical background is needed to understand project complexity and know the intricacies of each design facet. The coordinator must be organized. Above all, the candidate should be proactive. The coordinator needs to anticipate potential problems and communication breakdowns, interpreting the potential impact of events and fostering resolution among the parties while actions are still controllable. The interface coordinator should not be construed as a clerical position. Rather, the coordinator must be active and visible, often assuming the role of negotiator in facilitating conflict resolution.


The tools needed


There is no standard “one size fits all” project interface toolbox. On many smaller and less complex projects, participants can manage with a tool as simple as an Excel spreadsheet. In other cases, frequent face-to-face contact and extensive meeting minutes with precise action items can suffice. In more complex situations, however, it is advised to have a formal plan which is endorsed by the operator.


One of the most recognized tools in interface management is the RACI responsibility matrix chart, a tool originally developed by the military and utilized successfully in many industries to identify roles and responsibilities. The acronym defines the four responsibility roles of various project participants:



  • R= Responsible – the individual working on the activity;

  • A= Accountable – the person who must sign off before an action item or solution can be effective;

  • C= Consulted – the party who has the needed information or the capability necessary to influence a task or decision;

  • I= Informed – the individual who needs to be kept abreast of the results.


The responsibility matrix can be basic or detailed depending on the number of participants and the project’s complexity. Each activity should have a minimal number of “R”s and a sole “A” to clarify the ultimate authority level. A limited number of “I”s and “C”s for each task should be identified so that only the necessary participants are involved. The matrix should be developed only after lists of specific functions and responsibilities have been agreed upon by all participants.


Interface schematics are also useful to pictorially and simply represent the total scope of work and emphasize the boundaries between the various interfacing parties.


In addition to a responsibility matrix that specifies “who” and “what,” a milestone schedule defines the “when” by listing key dates and levels of criticality assigned that deliverables, whether equipment or documents, must meet to assure project success.


An electronic data management system (EDMS) can be an important part of the interface process, allowing documents to flow from one participant group to another with minimal disruption. It can be a critical repository for all pertinent interface documents with a permanent record of interactions and multiple generations of essential project documents that can be used for referral or any needed conflict resolution. A caveat to note is that a complex project generates voluminous information. Having total access is not always needed. In fact, there should be dissemination only on a “need to know” basis so that the system does not break down from overload.


Similarly, there should be a separate interface query register established, used for tracking miscellaneous issues that need clarification between participants. These documented queries are a follow up to discussions between groups.


Finally, there should be periodic meetings of all interface coordinators with the project management team. Our experience has been that the smoothest working projects are those with regularly scheduled meetings, called and attended by operating company personnel. Those meetings not only provide a forum to air unresolved issues and settle conflicts, but also offer management an opportunity to demonstrate its involvement and support of project teams.


Benefits and detriments


The interface process, when implemented correctly, lessens ambiguity about roles and tasks and drastically reduces misunderstandings. Closer teamwork is encouraged and duplication of effort is reduced. Decisions can be made quickly and with more clarity. Better planning is a natural result of interfacing with other participants, allowing project stages to be “frozen” earlier, and rework to often be reduced.


Without the use of an interface management process, open ended scheduling by each of the delivery teams, can lead to procrastination by those remunerated on a lump sum basis as opposed to teams whose compensation is more schedule driven. Lead times can slip. Workloads can be unequally divided. Continuity can be disrupted by the departure of a team member if there is insufficient documentation to identify the replacement’s responsibilities or previously agreed upon issues.


Timing of interface implementation is critical as well. If the process is not in place until after the front end work has been completed, certain decisions have already been made and are hard to undo. Informal relationships among parties may have been established and new communication channels may be hard to create.


The bottom line


For the external interface management process to work effectively, there has to be full client support and endorsement. The higher the level of “buy-in,” the more effective the process and more tangible the results. Associated with the level of support is the timing of the interface management team formulation. The earlier, the better. Generally the commencement of the front-end engineering and design process is the most advantageous time to start creating the team. The skills of the interface team, by facilitating the flow of timely and accurate information, will assist in the smooth transition of the project toward a trouble-free installation and commissioning.