Project OBS — Guide & Templates
Prepared by Ekton Project Analytics · ekton.us
What This Guide Covers
This comprehensive textbook explains how to design the Project OBS (Organizational Breakdown Structure) to efficiently manage complex Transmission & Distribution (T&D) projects. You’ll learn exactly who is Accountable (A) versus who is Responsible (R) at each level, and how the performing OBS node owns each Control Account (CA) at the WBS Leaf and appoints a CAM as the single accountable person. Multiple Work Packages (WPs) with different OBS teams deliver under that CA.
Non‑negotiable Principle. Exactly one CAM is Accountable (A) per Control Account. Many WP Leads may be Responsible (R). This removes ambiguity and protects schedule/cost integrity.
Key Definitions. T&D = Transmission & Distribution (e.g., lines, OPGW/telecom, substations, feeders/reclosers/sectionalizers). The project uses ITR phases (A Installation, B Pre‑Commissioning, C Commissioning/Functional) and a portfolio PMO/VDO. Ekton acts as the independent controls/analytics layer, including Planning & Controls and Project BI.
Table of Contents
Core Principles of Project OBS
OBS vs WBS (Clear Distinction)
- WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) = what we build (product/services), down to the WBS Leaf where a Control Account is managed.
- OBS (Organizational Breakdown Structure) = who delivers or governs on the project (participants and teams), organized by stream/function/area.
- Control Account = the intersection of a WBS Leaf and one performing OBS node; that node appoints the CAM.
Accountable vs Responsible (Zero Ambiguity)
- Accountable (A): the CAM — exactly one person per Control Account. The CAM is a project function held by a named individual (e.g., Construction CAM, Pre‑Commissioning CAM, Commissioning CAM).
- Responsible (R): WP Leads — discipline or subcontractor leads executing specific WPs inside the Control Account (they may belong to child/collaborating OBS nodes).
- Consulted (C) and Informed (I) add transparency (Engineering, QHSE, Ekton governance, Finance, Owner).
Phase Boundaries for Control Accounts (Recommended Approach)
- Do not span phases by default. A/B/C sign‑offs are natural breakpoints. Create phase‑bounded Control Accounts, e.g.,
SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑A(Installation),…‑B(Pre‑Comm),…‑C(Commissioning). - Each phase CA has its own CAM (usually aligned to the phase function). If there is a compelling reason to keep one CA across phases, document why and maintain sub‑ledgers per phase.
Why This Matters. Phase‑bounded CAs align with sign‑off checkpoints and reduce ambiguity. If more than one organization truly performs distinct budgeted chunks, create separate CAs. If you keep one CA, keep one CAM as A and assign multiple R’s at WP level with a written RAM.
OBS Levels & Coding System
Standard OBS Levels
- L1 Project Team & Governance (OBS root — leadership & governance lanes; not scope)
- L2 Participants (Owner governance lane, EPC, Ekton, Subcontractors, OEM)
- L3 Streams (e.g., SS, TL, DIST, PROG)
- L4 Functions (PM, ENG, CON, PCOM, COM, PC, QHSE, DOC, SCM, FIN, IS)
- L5 Areas/Assets (SSB, SEC03, BLDG‑CTRL)
- L6 Delivery Teams (PRI, PCT, SCADA, CBL, AUXAC, AUXDC, CIV, STR, LNS, OPGW…)
Example OBS Nodes
L1‑PROJ‑‑PM‑‑— Project Team & Governance (root)L2‑OWNER‑‑GOV‑‑— Owner — Project Governance OfficeL5‑EPC‑SS‑CON‑SSB‑— EPC — Substation Construction Department — Substation BL6‑EPC‑SS‑CON‑SSB‑PCT— EPC — Protection & Control Team — Substation BL4‑EKT‑SS‑PC‑‑— Ekton — Project Controls — SubstationL4‑EKT‑SS‑COM‑‑— Ekton — Commissioning Governance — SubstationL4‑EKT‑PROG‑PC‑‑— Ekton — Project Planning & Controls — ProgramL4‑EKT‑PROG‑IS‑‑— Ekton — Project Business Intelligence — Program
Use short, import‑friendly codes. Token format: L<level>-<Party>-<Stream>-<Function>-<Area|Asset>-<Team>. Parties include OWNER, EPC, EKT (Ekton), SUB1/2…, OEM.
CAM — Control Account Manager Role
CAM Checklist
- Approve CA scope, budget, time‑phasing, and readiness rules tied to ITR A/B/C.
- Define entry/exit criteria for each WP; confirm evidence is captured and filed.
- Coordinate WP Leads; remove constraints; align supply chain and access.
- Maintain risk/change log; escalate per thresholds.
- Confirm month‑end status and gate readiness for the CA.
Minimal CA Charter (Template)
- WBS Leaf / CA: SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01 — Substation B: Transformer Bay 01
- Phase: A — Installation (ITR‑A)
- CAM (A): Bay Construction Manager (named individual)
- Performing OBS Node (owner): L5‑EPC‑SS‑CON‑SSB‑ — EPC — Substation Construction Department — Substation B
- Gate criteria: Evidence set defined and filed; no carry‑over into B without closure of A CA
The CAM is the named individual Accountable (A) for a Control Account at the intersection of the WBS Leaf and the performing OBS node. The OBS node owns the CA and appoints the CAM. The CAM is a real project title held by a person (see Role Library below). They own the baseline, confirm evidence (ITRs), manage risks/changes, and steer Work Package leads.
Role Library — CAM Titles (T&D Projects)
Substation (per Phase CA)
- Phase A CAM: Bay Construction Manager
- Phase B CAM: Pre‑Commissioning Lead (Substation)
- Phase C CAM: Commissioning Manager (Substation)
Transmission Line (per Section CA)
- Phase A CAM: Line Section Manager (Construction)
- Phase B CAM: Testing & Pre‑Commissioning Lead (Lines)
- Phase C CAM: Line Commissioning Manager
Ekton (Independent Assurance & Controls)
- Turnover & Readiness CAM: Ekton Turnover Lead (OBS: L4‑EKT‑SS‑COM‑‑)
- Controls & Analytics CAM: Ekton Controls & Analytics Manager (OBS: L4‑EKT‑PROG‑PC‑‑)
- Project BI CAM: Ekton BI Manager (OBS: L4‑EKT‑PROG‑IS‑‑)
Control Accounts & Work Packages
Work Package (WP) — Micro Charter
- WP ID/Name: PCT‑TRF‑01 — Protection wiring & tests
- Responsible (R): John Smith — PCT Lead (
L5‑EPC‑SS‑CON‑SSB‑PCT) - Entry: Cabling ITR‑A closed; DC live; panels installed
- Exit: ITR‑B secondary injection pass; punches cleared
- Evidence: test sheets, settings checksum, photos
Phase‑bounded CA Naming (Examples)
SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑A— Substation B: Transformer Bay 01 — Installation (ITR‑A)SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑B— Substation B: Transformer Bay 01 — Pre‑Commissioning (ITR‑B)SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑C— Substation B: Transformer Bay 01 — Commissioning/Functional (ITR‑C)
Control Account = the managed performance unit at the WBS Leaf (scope, time, cost) bounded to a phase. Default in this guide: Phase‑Bounded CAs — create separate CAs per phase (A/B/C) for the same WBS Leaf. Inside each phase CA, you can have multiple Work Packages (WPs) led by different OBS teams.
Phase Barriers & Evidence Management. Gate movement (A → B → C) is not a progress slider; each phase is a separate Control Account with its own CAM and evidence set.
RACI & RAM Templates
Simple RAM — EPC CA (Phase‑Bounded)
| Level | Item | Accountable (A) | Responsible (R) | Consulted (C) | Informed (I) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑A — Installation | CAM: Bay Construction Lead | WP Managers | Engineering, QHSE, Ekton Governance | Finance, Owner |
| WP | CBL‑TRF‑01 — Cabling & Terminations | CAM | Cabling Lead | Engineering, QHSE | Ekton |
| WP | PCT‑TRF‑01 — Protection Wiring & Tests | CAM | PCT Lead | OEM, Engineering | Ekton |
| WP | SCADA‑TRF‑01 — Points & SAT | CAM | SCADA Lead | PCT, Owner Ops | Ekton |
| WP | AUXDC‑TRF‑01 — DC Checks | CAM | DC Lead | Engineering | Ekton |
Simple RAM — Ekton CA (Ekton is Accountable)
| Level | Item | Accountable (A) | Responsible (R) | Consulted (C) | Informed (I) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | TURN‑SSB‑TRF‑01 — Turnover & Readiness Management — Bay 01 | CAM: Ekton Turnover Lead | WP Managers | EPC PM, Engineering | Owner |
| WP | DOS‑SSB‑TRF01 — Dossier Assembly & Evidence QA | Ekton CAM | Ekton Dossier Manager | EPC Doc Control | Owner QA |
| WP | GATE‑SSB‑TRF01 — Gate Facilitation & Readiness Reviews | Ekton CAM | Ekton Readiness Lead | EPC Commissioning | Owner Rep |
Implementation Tip. Use a RAM on every CA. If a WP needs another organization to be Accountable, model that as its own CA with its own CAM (as shown for Ekton).
Worked Examples
Example A — Substation Transformer Bay
- WBS Leaf:
SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01— Substation B: Transformer Bay 01 - Phase CAs:
SSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑A— Installation — CAM (A): Bay Construction Manager — OBS Owner: L5‑EPC‑SS‑CON‑SSB‑ — EPC — Substation Construction Department — Substation BSSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑B— Pre‑Commissioning — CAM (A): Pre‑Commissioning Lead (Substation) — OBS Owner: L4‑EPC‑SS‑PCOM‑‑ — EPC — Pre‑Commissioning Management — Substation ProgramSSB‑BAY‑TRF‑01‑C— Commissioning/Functional — CAM (A): Commissioning Manager (Substation) — OBS Owner: L4‑EPC‑SS‑COM‑‑ — EPC — Commissioning Management — Substation Program
- Representative WPs (R) inside
…‑A: Cabling & Terminations (R: Cabling Lead), Steelwork & Busbars (R: Structural Lead), Lighting & Bonding (R: LTG Lead). - Ekton CA (Accountable):
TURN‑SSB‑TRF‑01— Turnover & Readiness Management — Bay 01 — CAM (A): Ekton Turnover Lead — OBS Owner: L4‑EKT‑SS‑COM‑‑ — Ekton — Commissioning Governance — Substation- WP:
DOS‑SSB‑TRF01— Dossier Assembly & Evidence QA — A: Ekton CAM; R: Ekton Dossier Manager - WP:
GATE‑SSB‑TRF01— Gate Facilitation & Readiness Reviews — A: Ekton CAM; R: Ekton Readiness Lead
- WP:
Example B — Transmission Line Section 03
- WBS Leaf:
TL‑SEC‑03— Transmission Line: Section 03 (KP 12+000 → KP 18+500) - Phase CAs:
TL‑SEC‑03‑A— Installation;TL‑SEC‑03‑B— Pre‑Commissioning;TL‑SEC‑03‑C— Commissioning. - Representative WPs (R) inside
…‑A: Foundations (R: Civil Lead), Tower Erection (R: Structural Lead), Stringing (R: LNS Lead), OPGW Splice & Test (R: TEL/FO Lead). - Ekton CA (Accountable):
READ‑TL‑SEC03— Independent Readiness & Gate Facilitation — Section 03 — CAM (A): Ekton Readiness Manager — OBS Owner: L4‑EKT‑TL‑COM‑‑ — Ekton — Commissioning Governance — Transmission Lines- WP:
READ‑TL‑SEC03‑B— Pre‑C readiness reviews — A: Ekton CAM; R: Ekton PCOM Lead - WP:
READ‑TL‑SEC03‑C— Commissioning readiness & punch closeout — A: Ekton CAM; R: Ekton COM Lead
- WP:
Example C — Program Controls & BI (Ekton Accountable)
- WBS Leaf:
PROG‑CTRL‑BI— Program Controls & Business Intelligence - CA:
PROG‑CTRL‑BI— CAM (A): Ekton Controls & Analytics Manager — OBS Owner: L4‑EKT‑PROG‑PC‑‑ — Ekton — Project Planning & Controls — Program- WP:
PC‑PROG— Planning & Controls — A: Ekton CAM; R: Ekton PC Lead - WP:
BI‑PROG— Project BI — A: Ekton CAM; R: Ekton BI Manager
- WP:
Frequently Asked Questions & Common Pitfalls
Q: Can one person be CAM for multiple CAs?
A: Yes, if they are Accountable for each CA. But avoid overload — each CA needs active management. If the CAs are in different phases, consider appointing different CAMs per phase.
Q: What if a WP needs two organizations to be Accountable?
A: You cannot have two A’s in one CA. If two organizations truly share accountability, split the CA into two CAs (one per accountable OBS node) or redefine the scope so one organization is A and the other is R.
Q: Why phase‑bounded CAs?
A: Natural breakpoints for sign‑off, budget, and evidence. Each phase has different risks, teams, and readiness criteria. Phase‑bounded CAs reduce ambiguity and improve control.
Q: Can a WP span phases?
A: No — a WP is inside one phase‑bounded CA. If a work activity spans phases, model it as two WPs (one per phase CA).
Q: How does Ekton fit in the OBS?
A: Ekton is a participant (L2‑EKT‑‑‑‑) with its own OBS nodes for independent governance, controls, and analytics. Ekton can be Accountable (A) for its own CAs (e.g., Turnover & Readiness, Controls & BI) and Consulted (C) on EPC CAs.
Q: What if the WBS changes?
A: The OBS and CAs must realign. The OBS is more stable than the WBS, so changes to the WBS may require CA re‑mapping. Use the same principles — one CAM per CA at the WBS Leaf.
Common Implementation Pitfalls. (1) Not defining the CAM clearly. (2) Letting CAs span phases without clear sub‑ledgers. (3) Confusing A and R. (4) Not using a RAM for each CA. (5) Not aligning the OBS coding with the project’s actual participants and governance.
OBS Implementation Best Practices
Planning Phase
- Start OBS design early in project planning
- Involve all key stakeholders in OBS development
- Align OBS with contract structure and delivery model
- Define clear escalation paths and decision gates
Implementation Phase
- Train all CAMs and WP Leads on their responsibilities
- Establish regular CA review meetings
- Use consistent coding across all systems (P6, ERP, etc.)
- Maintain OBS documentation as a living document
Monitoring & Control
- Track CA performance against baselines
- Monitor WP completion and evidence collection
- Conduct regular OBS health checks
- Update OBS for organizational changes
Continuous Improvement
- Capture lessons learned for future projects
- Refine OBS templates based on project experience
- Share best practices across the organization
- Update role libraries with new positions
Success Indicators. Clear accountability, timely gate passages, accurate progress reporting, minimal scope creep, and effective issue resolution are key indicators of a well-implemented OBS.
Need Professional OBS Implementation Help?
Ekton provides independent project controls, analytics, and governance for complex T&D projects. We can help you design and implement the OBS, set up phase‑bounded Control Accounts, train CAMs, and build the RAM/RACI templates.
咨询服务
Custom OBS design and implementation for your specific project needs.
- OBS Structure Design
- Control Account Setup
- RAM/RACI Development
- Implementation Support
Training Programs
Comprehensive CAM and WP Lead training with practical workshops.
- CAM Role Training
- Work Package Management
- Evidence Management
- Practical Workshops
Tools & Templates
Ready-to-use OBS templates, RAM matrices, and implementation guides.
- OBS Templates
- RAM Matrices
- Implementation Guides
- Best Practice Documentation
Contact Us Today: info@ekton.us · ekton.us · +1 832-302-8721
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