Introduction
- Planning and Scheduling are two of the most critical elements for project success. Project planning is much more than simply following well-established procedures.Proper planning determines the direction, goals, scope, quality and ultimately the outcomes for any given project.
- The purpose of Project Planning is to establish an acceptable plan to execute a project in an effective manner through the review of project scope and objectives.
- Define activities, durations, and relationship logic to implement the project plan
- Monitor, update, and communicate the schedule to reflect current status and the impact of project changes.
- The Planning and Scheduling professional provides the project management team with the expertise to deliver the project in the most effective manner.
- SNC's highly pprofessionals are using Primavera Project Management( P6) as main software for scheduling and besides Microsoft Office especially Excel for cost analysis and reporting.
Project Planning
Project Planning begins as early and continues as the project moves through the various phases of the project life cycle from project conception through to project completion, and closeout. Rather than a straight-through process, it is best thought of as a planning cycle; and the following terms should be identified.
- The physical feature and technical objectives (scope).
- Work breakdown structure (WBS).
- Resource commitments and organization breakdown structure (or OBS).
- Timeline initially and then the schedule later in the planning process.
- Budget estimate
Based on previous, the recommended sequence of actions to develop the project plan is as follows:
- Define the project scope.
- Establish the work breakdown structure (WBS).
- Identify resources and availiability (people and capital assets).
- Establish timeline and sequence of deliverables; and
- Determine the budget for each component activity, work package, or group of tasks.
Project Scheduling
Scheduling Phases
- Scheduling involves two distinct phases:
- Schedule development
- Schedule management/control.
- For these phases, project management sources identify the Planning and Scheduling Professional's responsibilities to include the following:
- provide expertise to develop methodologies, techniques and tools for planning and scheduling;
- provide direct support and expert consulting advice to project personnel regarding planning and scheduling;
- ensure that required project planning and scheduling controls are appropriately implemented and maintained; and
- assist the project manager to establish realistic and achievable schedule baselines.
Schedule Development
During the schedule development phase, the Planning and Scheduling Professional will interface with, and obtain input from, project personnel for the development of a project schedule that reflects the defined scope of work. The major output/deliverable from the schedule development phase is the project baseline schedule as documented in the schedule basis document. After schedule development is complete, including quality review and acceptance of the baseline schedule, and then scheduling transitions to the next phase of schedule management and control. The schedule development phase is outlined as folllows:
1. Initiate the schedule development process.
- Schedule model & methods; and
- Schedule development process & procedures
2. Obtain input/data for schedule development.
- contract schedule specifications;
- other requirements;and
- output from project planning is input to schedule development
- schedule scope of work
- project execution approach/methodology;
- Work breakdown structure (WBS)
- project milestones and key events;
- activity definitions; and
- logical relationships.
3. Develop detailed project schedule.
- quality analysis;
- constructability analysis.
4. Schedule development output/deliverables.
- baseline schedule;
- cash flow;
- resource histograms; and
- basis of schedule is documented.
5. Schedule reports and deliverables.
6. Project and schedule closeout.
Schedule Management and Control
The scheduling management and control phase includes the following:
- Implementing the schedule procedures and processes required to maintain the project schedule during the project execution phase.
- Accomplishing progress updates, critical path and near critical activity analysis, schedule change management, forecasts and recovery plan, progress reporting, and providing timely output and deliverables to the project team.
- During the schedule management phase actual progress is tracked, critical and near critical path activities are monitored, and variances or trends analyzed and reported to the project participants. The Planning & Scheduling Professional will interface with, and obtain input from, project personnel for the progress and tracking of project activities. The Planning & Scheduling Professional assists the project by analyzing effects to the critical path activities; identifying changes to the project that affect schedule forecasting; and by developing recovery schedules and alternate course of action. The Planning and Scheduling Professional develops schedule progress reports, analyzes and reports forecasts for all significant project activities. The schedule management and control phase is outlined as follows:
1. Implement schedule management and control procedures.
- Develop methodologies, techniques and tools for scheduling.
- Provide support and advice to project personnel regarding scheduling.
- Ensue project scheduling controls are appropriately implemented and mailtained.
2. Maintaining the schedule during the project execution phase by:
- Tracking progress by updating the project schedule on a regular basis to assess actual performance against the plan.
- Assess impacts on the critical path and near-critical activities and report critical work activities to the project manager. A crritical work activity is defined in several ways:
-
- An activity that is not meeting the required rate of production such that the project objectives will be met on or ahead of schedule.
- An activity that requires a resource allocation that is either unattainable or unmanageable.
- An activity whose late completion will delay the timely completion of a project objective.
- Monitor schedule deviations and variances and assist in developing alternative methods for corrective action.
- Perform value analysis upon recommended alternatives to determine cost/benefit tradeoff, and present recommendations to project management.
- Revise the schedule as directed by project management and ensure that schedule changes are communicated to all project team members.
3. Schedule coordination and communication.
- Present and answer questions on project plans and schedules at project meetings.
- Perform analysis to evaluate alternative plans, work-around courses of action, or otherwise amend, plan, schedule and forecast as directed by project management.
- Work with concerned project cost engineers, quantity surveyors, estimators, and material control personnel, to ensure cost and schedule integration.
4. Schedule change management.
- Revise the approved baseline schedule only when a change order indicates a change in scope or duration.
- Keep time-phased copies of the schedule of the work as historical records as the project progresses.
- Provide schedule-related recommendations to the project management team on strategies to recover from project delays.
5. Schedule reports and deliverables.
- Perform schedule analysis and provide periodic reports of schedule content to the project management team.
- Issue status updates and approved revisions of the schedule that reflect work progress and time elapsed.
6. Project and schedule closeout.
- Upon completion of the project, verify that the as-built schedule reflects accurate completion dates for each schedule activity.
Commitments