There’s a moment in every shutdown, turnaround, or project when everything should be winding down — tools packed away, permits closed, and teams preparing for handover, however, this is where bottlenecks can occur.
Execution isn’t completion.
Once the work is “done,” the real bottleneck begins: the completions phase — where quality assurance, inspections, documentation, and sign-offs converge, often creating delays, risk, and commercial impact.
At IAMTech, we’ve seen this pattern across heavy industry for decades, which is why we developed iCompletions — a module within our standard iPlan suite, purpose-built to streamline, control, and accelerate the final 5–10% of every STO event.
Why Completions causes so many Problems
Completions has long been one of the most overlooked stages of a project. Yet historically, it is the stage where good plans are slowed by paperwork, manual tracking, and inconsistent processes. Common issues include:
• Paperwork bottlenecks
• Lost or incomplete QA evidence
• Late or poorly tracked punch list items
• Unclear ownership and approval paths
• Multiple spreadsheets and disconnected systems
• Schedule slippage at the most expensive time
The result is avoidable delay at the most expensive and pressurised moment of a shutdown. But these problems don’t just cause delays — they increase operational risk, reduce confidence in asset integrity, and often inflate STO costs.
iCompletions removes these barriers by giving every discipline a shared, real-time view of what’s complete, what isn’t, and what’s holding up certification — without relying on manual tracking or missing paperwork.
From Chasing Paper to Certifying Work
iCompletions replaces scattered QA/QC processes with a clean, centralised dashboard showing package progress, inspection status, outstanding punch items, and upcoming hold points. Event filters keep users focused on the right scope, while role-based permissions ensure each person sees exactly what matters to their function.
Instead of hunting for information, supervisors and inspectors stay aligned and productive, reducing lost hours and unnecessary friction.
Its completions, made visible.
Control Charts that keep Quality on Track
At the core of iCompletions are digital control charts — structured QA/QC sequences defining what must happen before a package can be declared complete.
Documents, inspections, evidence, notes, and approvals are all captured in order, with each step time-stamped and logged. This eliminates skipped steps, missing signatures, and uncertainty about what still needs to be actioned. No missed / skipped steps, just confidence and traceability.
It replaces assumption with assurance — ensuring work is not only done, but properly verified.
Punch Lists without the Chaos
Punch lists often cause major delays, especially when manually tracked. Items are recorded inconsistently, assigned vaguely, and tracked across multiple spreadsheets or emails.
iCompletions makes this process fast, structured, and auditable. Items can be categorised by discipline, assigned to the correct owner, given due dates, and tracked until closure. Completion notes provide clarity, and all activity is logged automatically.
Nothing disappears - every outstanding item is tracked until resolved, ensuring quality before certification.
A clean punch list means a clean handover — without last‑minute surprises.
Reporting that keeps pace with Reality
Completions reporting is traditionally reactive and out of date by the time it reaches management.
With iCompletions, reporting becomes live and actionable. The Event Completion Matrix shows every package, every control point, every punch item, and the overall progress percentage — all colour-coded for instant clarity.
Managers gain the confidence of real-time insight, not end‑of‑day estimates or assumptions, improving decision-making, forecasting, and stakeholder communication.
What this means for your Teams
iCompletions transforms the completions stage for every role involved.
• Supervisors gain visibility and predictable sign‑off.
• Inspectors follow a clear digital workflow without paperwork.
• Managers receive accurate, real-time reporting for better decisions.
• The organisation gains a fully auditable, fully traceable QA/QC record.
In short, iCompletions ensures that work isn’t just finished — it’s finished correctly, safely, and with full assurance.
The Bridge Between Execution and Handover
Shutdowns and turnarounds often succeed or fail in the final 5–10% of work. Every site knows the story: great planning, strong execution — then a scramble at the finish line.
Completions has long been the blind spot of STO delivery, not because teams lack capability, but because the process itself has never been given the structure it deserves.
With tighter schedules, smaller teams, and rising expectations, the organisations that stay ahead will be the ones that bring clarity and discipline to the point where projects traditionally fall apart — often in those late-night firefights in the sign-off Portakabin.
Control at completions isn’t optional; it’s where reliability is proven, events become predictable, and handovers become safer.
Author:
James Holt, Commercial Director - IAMTech.
Author Bio:
James Holt is the Commercial Director at IAMTech, having joined the company in May 2024 after over two decades in operational leadership roles within the global contracting sector. He spent 22 years managing operations with the last two years responsible for overseeing the operational HSE Managers across the UK, Ireland, and Nordics. Prior to joining IAMTech, James served as Head of Performance at Altrad UK, Ireland & Nordics, where he was instrumental in enhancing efficiency and driving performance initiatives. His early leadership roles included global organisations such as Aker Kvaerner and Cape plc. James brings deep real-world insight into how industrial software products are adopted and used in the field.
