Synthesis of a Model for Life‐Cycle Project Management

Abstract

The focus of this article is on life-cycle objectivebased project management models in general. The model has been designed (1) to facilitate employment of life-cycle objective-based project management approaches and (2) to support concurrent engineering and construction, thus promoting greater integration of total processes under which projects are proposed and implemented. In order to synthesize the functions designed in the model, we undertook a detailed case study of a large capital project. This case study has been documented in separate articles; only the results of the study will be presented in this article. While this field research shed light on the actual needs and requirements, the design of the functions was approached from first principles. They incorporate the basic shift from the traditional objectives of cost, time, and quality to life-cycle objective functions, such as return on investment, facility operability, and life-cycle integration. This article describes the fundamental philosophy and framework for the development of life-cycle project management in general and contrasts this with the traditional project management models.