Independent Project Analysis (IPA) is one of the leading firms in project evaluation and in project system benchmarking, and has become the industry leader in quantitative analysis of project management systems. The largest oil companies, chemical producers, pharmaceutical companies, forest product companies, and consumer products manufacturers enhance their capital productivity using IPA's project evaluation system and project system benchmarking services.

IPA has recommended the use Value Improving Practices (VIPs) in conjunction with Front End Loading to achieve Best-In-Class. VIPs are often used in improving a project’s performance and allowing it to proceed to the next phase of a Stage-Gate process.

VIPs are a collection a value improvement methodologies where a subset of the VIPs are selected for a project based on its unique requirements. Below is a list of the more common VIPs recognized by the IPA:

• Setting Business Priorities
• Constructability
• Value Engineering
• Technology Selection
• Waste Minimization & Management
• Design To Capacity
• Process Simplification
• Energy Optimization
• Facility Systems Performance
• Predictive Maintenance
• Customizing Codes, Standards and Specifications
• Life Cycle Engineering Information Management
• Reliability Modeling

Also see:
Value Engineering (VE)
Benefits of using Value Engineering (VE)
Tutorials and Movies about the Value Methodology
Facilitation, Team Leading and Support Services
Training in the Value Methodologies