In the first stage of plant redesign, a leading service provider depended heavily on its principal designer. This post describes a practical case of how this dependency has been mitigated.
Sector: Private
Industry: Servicing
Domain: Chemical plants
Organizing plant redesign: Preparation
Current situation
Context. Competition with other companies.
Way of working. Redesign for renovation or expansion of a plant covers three stages. In the pre-sales stage, one designer is assigned internally to make a conceptual design. If the customer (i.e., the owner of the plant) shows interest, a small team of designers makes a basic design in the sales stage. If the customer accepts the basic design and places an order, a larger team of designers makes a detailed design in the fulfilment stage.
Position. Plant redesign offers room for innovation. An investment in renovation or expansion is relatively limited and the customer can then take more risk than with new build, which is much more expensive. An innovation that works well in renovation or expansion can then be introduced as proven technology in new build. Deliberate innovation in renovation or expansion therefore provides a solid brand reputation, which is a competitive advantage in new build.
In practice, the principal designer is the only one who has mastered the pre-sales stage of plant redesign. Training for this stage is going too slow. Hiring is not an option since the expertise required is unique.
Ambition
Challenge. Increase the pool of innovators for the pre-sales stage.
Objective. Accelerated training for the pre-sales stage.
Indicator. Security of revenues from new build orders.
Organizing plant redesign: Execution
Function. Draft a design | Create a design brief.
Content. Estimate the time needed to make a conceptual design for renovation or expansion of a plant:
Calculate the average time of completing similar tasks (regarding type of plant, turnover, geographical conditions, political situation, etc.).
Contribution. Accelerated training for the pre-sales stage: positive.
Kind. Strategy.
Nature. Experience.
Market position. Temporary advantage.
Merits. Reputation.
Priority. Now.
Action. Document, present, and study.
Function. Draft a design | Create a design strategy.
Content. Adopt a fail-safe innovation strategy to make a conceptual design for renovation or expansion of a plant:
Introduce a new technology for one apparatus that can be bypassed in case of failure and use proven technology for all other apparatus.
Contribution. Accelerated training for the pre-sales stage: positive.
Kind. Strategy.
Nature. Knowledge.
Market position. Unused advantage.
Merits. Reputation.
Priority. Now.
Action. Document, teach, and learn.
Function. Draft a design | Create a design problem.
Content. Derive a customer’s implicit requirements for renovation or expansion of a plant:
Appraise customer traits to inform requirements elicitation.
Contribution. Accelerated training for the pre-sales stage: positive.
Kind. System.
Nature. Experience.
Market position. Temporary advantage.
Contribution. Stakeholder needs.
Priority. Now.
Action. Document, present, and study.
Function. Draft a design | Review a design concept.
Content. Review a design concept regarding its performance:
Analyze the performance as well as the sensitivity of a design concept’s performance.
Contribution. Accelerated training for the pre-sales stage: positive.
Kind. System.
Nature. Experience.
Market position. Unused advantage.
Contribution. Stakeholder needs.
Priority. Now.
Action. Document, present, and study.
Function. Draft a design | Validate a design concept.
Content. Display commercial acumen:
Assess a design concept from a commercial perspective.
Contribution. Accelerate training for the pre-sales stage: positive.
Kind. Skill.
Nature. Instinct.
Market position. Unused advantage.
Merits. Stakeholder needs.
Priority. Now.
Action. Recruit and onboard apt team members.