At the heart of all successful Reliance projects lies a concept called “microplanning”. Reliance performs highly detailed analysis of every project prior to implementation which requires an in-depth understanding of complexity, processes, resources, challenges, redundancies, and potential disruptions involved. Once such a detailed project plan is made which incorporates all these elements, unforeseen complications are few and time and cost overruns are naturally prevented. Falling behind schedule happens only when the project is not well planned into strictly controlled processes. Microplanning is conceptually very similar to the “Detailed Design” block in the systems engineering V shown in Fig. 7.​1 of Chap. 7.

Microplanning is applied extensively by all employees across all Reliance businesses. At its heart, microplan involves setting a clear goal and establishing well-defined intermediate steps or micro-milestones leading to that goal. Each intermediate step is understood as a process which needs to be optimized both individually and in relation to all other processes that are connected to it. To the extent possible, intermediate processes required for the final goal are implemented in parallel to minimize overall process time. If any intermediate step of the process interferes with other processes, accommodations are made to both processes to minimize disruptions and interference. Once intermediate steps and processes are identified, processing times and costs for each intermediate step can be benchmarked. Once this is done, potential reconfigurations of the process sequence and stepwise innovation can be implemented. This enables accurate estimation of cost, time, implementation challenges, and prevents overruns since the original estimates have factored in all these elements. Microplanning is practiced not just with regard to projects implemented by Reliance employees but with vendors as well. This is partly why relationships with vendors are so close, so as to understand their capabilities, resources, limitations, and processes to accurately predict their success with the project. RIL’s microplanning method involves making alternative plans and creating redundancies for any task to manage unforeseen complications. This is the management equivalent of fault tolerance.

Microplanning enables measurement since intermediate processes are well-defined which helps with forecasting and innovation, both for the project on hand and with the global enterprise. Consider the following example of buying and installing a large prefabricated equipment for a particular refinery process (such as a boiler). Microplanning involves the following major steps and implementation:

For the example above, microplanning therefore enables a solutions-based approach instead of just installing the equipment. It breaks an overall plan into small intermediate steps to visualize work flow with strict metrics between steps. This ensures a process stays on track without cascading delays. The project is viewed not just from construction, installation perspectives, but it is integrated with training, safety, and specifications of remote processes which may be influenced by it. For the example above, if the equipment weighs 100 t, at the outset itself it enforces load requirements on the roads required for transporting this equipment and size and strength of the jetty for unloading this cargo. It enables a global view—how does this process interfere with others and what steps can be taken to minimize such disruptions or enhance synergies? Once these intermediate tasks are identified, costs and time frames can be accurately estimated and contingency planning—such as weather-related disruptions—performed. Paradoxically enough, a micro-view enables a holistic approach and possibly prevents expensive reengineering of linked processes.

Once the microplan is ready, processes with long lead times can be identified. In this case, the construction of the equipment itself is perhaps the rate determining step with the longest lead time from conception to delivery. Construction of the appropriate size jetty, road, heavy lift cranes, transportation trucks, electrical/piping requirements are others. This must, however, be done in parallel at the outset itself; otherwise implementation of the primary objective will be delayed. Personnel required for operation of the equipment must be hired, adequately trained well before delivery to enable error-free immediate operation once installation is complete. This too needs to be done in parallel, perhaps halfway along the way. This can be represented graphically as a flowchart for better data visualization, project management, and road map planning. Predicted dates for completion of intermediate milestones can be mapped onto the flowchart and the microplan shared with all members of the implementation team ranging from equipment vendors to construction personnel. Microplanning therefore requires close teamwork, high quality communication with all members of the project team, and with interrelated processes to be successful. Microplan is also related to checklists discussed in Chap. 7.

Since microplanning maps intermediate steps so well, it lends itself well to measurement and improvement in the form of kaizen. It enables targeted investments in process improvement and improving efficiency to be made. An example narrated by Reliance’s master builder involves speeding up the time for hardening and drying concrete. The microplan for construction allocated 3 weeks for this step during phase 1. During phase 2, innovations in this step were identified in the form of additives which speed up drying time. This speeded up the process to 12 days instead of 21 days during the construction of phase 2 [2]. Construction microplans were then updated to reflect this development and adjust downstream processes to exploit this breakthrough.

A personal experience with microplanning would enhance appreciation of the utility of this principle. My visit to the Jamnagar refineries was implemented using a visit “microplan”. The microplan was based on the following principles:

During my visit to Jamnagar, I met executives from these departments and human resources together in the refinery conference room. The microplan was implemented in this manner because:

The visit was planned down to the minute of departure from the refinery to arrive in time for our return flight back to Mumbai from the nearby town of Rajkot 130 km away. The microplan had made allowance for traffic disruptions should the highway be blocked by an accident on the way. This simple example shows how microplanning can be applied to any matter for efficient implementation.

Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani started his business in India manufacturing textiles under the Vimal brand name. Focusing on polyester-blended clothing, the business was a huge success with booming demand for durable, easy to maintain, affordable synthetic fabric. The hypothesis he posed was that since polyester is the main feedstock for the textile business, manufacturing polyester and integrating it with downstream textile manufacturing would have competitive advantages and synergies for both. For the new venture into raw material, the risk is mitigated to some extent by the captive market from the existing business thus hedging the venture to some extent. In short order, Reliance came to dominate manufacture of polyester and synthetic fabric in India and spawned a globally competitive petrochemical industry. Extending this concept backwards, since oil products are the feedstock for the petrochemical industry, Reliance expanded into the oil refining industry. Finally, since the main cost of oil refining is crude oil itself, Reliance completed the process by entering the oil exploration business with successful crude oil and gas drilling in the KG-D6 field in India. This is called backwards integration, when a company progressively expands into earlier steps of its manufacturing chain.

Microplanning and backwards integration play extremely useful roles in clinical medicine as will be shown in the following sections. Following a visit to the Jamnagar Refineries, these were applied in great detail to day-to-day clinical neurology.