Front-end planning is arguably the most impactful activity in the management of construction projects. Small projects oftentimes have minimal planning completed prior to the start of the design and construction, much to the detriment of the project success. This paper summarizes the research efforts to develop a front-end planning tool specifically for small projects, namely the project definition rating index for small industrial projects (PDRI-SIP). A set of 41 specific elements relevant to the planning of SIPs was developed. Five separate workshops were held in which 65 industry professionals evaluated and prioritized the proposed elements. The tool was validated by more than 50 completed and ongoing SIPs. Statistical analysis showed that projects with better scope definition had significantly improved cost and schedule performance than projects with lesser scope definition. Comparison of front-end planning practices for small and large industrial projects showed planning for project execution over project feasibility being significantly more important on small projects. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by detailing the development of a novel front-end planning tool designed for use on the most prevalent project type in the industrial construction sector and in-depth analysis of front-end planning practices for small and large industrial construction projects. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.