Robert Goings
Industry Consultant Purdue EPCOM
Professional Profile
Robert has more than 35 years solid experience spanning all capital project stages (owner and contractor), mostly concentrating on increasing capital project value through work process improvement (oil, gas and petrochemical, both international and domestic). He has broad experience in knowledge management, change management, continuous improvement and work process development (and documentation) along with guiding the supporting IT solutions and tools that support the Pre- FEED, FEED and EPC phases of a project toward organizational effectiveness and operational excellence, along with increased quality and safety.
His past 15 years have concentrated on Front End Loading (FEL) and the use of Value Improving Practices (VIPs) and industry best practices to assure maximized capital project performance via lean principles for continuous improvement. Robert has diverse training, mentoring and facilitation skills to implement a comprehensive FEL methodology (in the Pre-FEED and FEED phases, which is where maximum impact can be achieved), along with VIPs and industry best practices and to close gaps in value streams to maximize capital project performance.
He has strong analytical, verbal and written communication skills (robust project reporting, presentations, technical writing for work processes, manuals/procedures, training/classroom capabilities, and facilitation ability).
Specializations and Key Skills
- Development/use of value tools, e.g. deliverables monitoring and management, etc.
- Benchmarking of Capital Projects
- Continuous Improvement (Kaizen, 5s, etc.) of Capital Projects and Associated Work Processes
- Value Management for Capital Projects
- Knowledge Management for Capital Project Delivery Systems
- Organization Development and the Associated Change Management for Performance Gap Closure
- Implementation of Lean Principles for Capital Projects and Associated Work Processes
Representative Examples of Engagement Experience
- Developed a Value Management system for a large Japanese EPC company. The effort featured the use of Value Improving Practices (VIPs) and industry best practices for capital projects. Work included a knowledge management program with a specific lessons learned work process.
- Worked for a large EPC company in the role of implementing and coordinating the use of VIPs and industry best practices. The project was a chemical megaproject designed using global EPC contractors and was constructed in the Middle East. The VIPs and best practices had a major impact on positive results for the completed project.
- Held a capital project performance advisory role for a Middle East energy (owner) company to realign its capital project work processes. Value streams were targeted via Independent Project Analysis (IPA) project benchmarking results. Revised existing work processes as well as developed new work processes for this effort. Was key to the development of related manuals, procedures, etc. for the work processes. Compiled scopes of work for the IT developers who designed the associated IT solutions and tools to implement the new and improved work processes. Developed a deliverables “library system” that listed key project deliverables, gave descriptions of each, with a responsibility matrix, and then held each deliverable accountable via a dashboard tracking tool.
- In various positions with a Middle East energy (owner) company, over many years, led capital project benchmarking efforts, analyzed and identified performance gaps and put gap-closing measures in place. During this time, engaged in all aspects of work process improvement that included the implementation of numerous value-related practices, including a world-class lessons learned system. In this role, also coordinated and facilitated many work process improvement teams.
Education and Certifications
- AAS Mechanical Technology – 1983 – Hinds Community College (Mississippi)
- BS Business Administration – 1986 – University of Redlands (California)
- MBA – 1989 Strayer University (Washington, DC)