2017 Construction CPM Conference Ron Winter, PSP, FAACE Schedule Analyzer Software CPM ACTIVITY STATUS

Transcription

1 2017 Ron Winter, PSP, FAACE Schedule Analyzer Software CPM ACTIVITY STATUS

2 Ron Winter, PSP, FAACE Bachelor of Science in Engineering Construction Scheduler US Air Force Navigator Construction Scheduler Master of Science in Systems Management Programmer, Project Manager, Customer Support, and Industrial Trainer Construction Scheduler Developer of Schedule Analyzer Software 2

3 Introduction Documenting activity status really matters Improper or imprecise statusing often causes problems Cause conflict between project stakeholders Affect critical path of project schedule Affect time and cost in delay situations Most CM textbooks devote very little space to this subject Definitions of status needs to be standardized Rules for applying status needs to be developed 3

4 Introduction Types of statusing problems Statused to have begun when not Failure to note actual start In-progress status incorrect Statused to have finished when not Failure to status as finished Changing or restating period status Disagreement on current status 4

5 ACTIVITY STATUS 5

6 Reasons to Update Reasons for Updating Status Reflect best estimate of project completion Maintain schedule s usefulness as management tool Evaluate work procedures and performance Contractual requirement 6

7 Issues Not Started In-Progress Finished Completed Work Projected Work No Actual Start No Actual Finish Actual Start No Actual Finish Actual Start Actual Finish 7

8 Activity Start Two constraining forces to activity start Logical predecessors Hard constraint Soft constraint Administrative requirements Appropriate workers showing-up Required common materials and tools present Required minor tools and support equipment Access to the work area Availability of required utilities Useable plans Supervision 8

9 In-Progress Activity Accurate knowledge of work scope is essential to assess status If scope changes, then status can change nonlinearly Work to be completed better understood Unexpected additional work discovered Damage to completed work 9

10 Status In-Progress Act Numerically estimated using Remaining Duration Estimate made by working party Working party gets the benefit of doubt Can request backup verification if seriously in doubt Might be called Estimated Remaining Duration Planned productivity Current resource availability Uncouple the RD and Percent Complete to track Cost Percent Complete 10

11 Status In-Progress Act Using Percent Complete is problematic Some scheduling programs use Percent Complete Recommend converting RD into Percent Complete and inputting Can result in fractional days for RD Activity may start on the same day predecessor finishes Leaving PC at 99% to cover punchlist is poor If activity is substantially complete then 100% Retained logic can cause late starts for successors Confusing to view in Gantt Chart Typical retainage will cover the costs being tracked 11

12 Status Relationship Lag Activities experience non-linear progress Relationship lags typically based on time Status determination requires lag re-evaluation Other than remaining lag estimates, Activity statusing does not involve logic changes Statusing the project involves logic changes Using Oracle Primavera P6, Start-to-Start lags can be statused Based on Actual Start Based on Data Date 12

13 Status Front-Loading Un-proportionally large status earned at start Many do not allow this practice Progress payment is larger Reasons to front-load Fund small sub-contractor s early outlays Major equipment only compensated after install Reasons for uneven progress Learning curve Interruptible work Delays Technical difficulties Varying manpower 13

14 Frequency of Statusing Open question that should be discussed Status at least as often as contractually required reporting period More often than published involves Bad: Wasted effort More chances to corrupt the schedule Good: Status is more accurate Status is more granular Allows for better productivity analysis 14

15 Frequency of Statusing Other than by contract, frequency depends on Occurrence of specific control events Degree of uncertainty Magnitude of the project Time to completion Troubles encountered PM s ability to process updates Unplanned status updates occur when Unexpected revision in work sequence Delivery problems Change in activity duration estimates 15

16 Status Involvement Absent contract language, contractor responsible May be just the contractor s scheduler Better if both PMs, Suncontractors, and scheduler walk the job together Agree on status Person responsible for work should estimate RD May involve superintendent of follow-on work How complete is necessary to begin next task Networked scheduling systems sometimes allow for status updating by Primary Resource Someone responsible for allowing the update 16

17 Parts of Activity Status 17

18 Parts of Activity Status 18

19 Parts of Activity Status 19

20 Parts of Activity Status 20

21 Parts of Activity Status 21

22 Parts of Activity Status 22

23 Parts of Activity Status 23

24 SCHEDULE UPDATE PROGRESS 24

25 Update Process Two types of schedule updates Status of planned work Revisions to schedule to indicate plan changes Status discrete activities from schedule Create Update Report from likely activities Sometimes called a Turnaround Document Status taken at the end of the workday Entire project statused at the same time Pictures of current progress very helpful Recommend annotating/narrating essential issues 25

26 Comments IN a Picture Using Windows Explorer: Properties / Details 26

27 Update Progress Design drawing status can be assessed Weighted drawing count Averaged base manhours per drawing Percent complete Status calculation Evaluation by discipline Evaluation of % complete of earned versus spent Activity pacing delays should be re-affirmed Verify status of deliveries with every update Critical deliveries may legally bind supplier 27

28 Once Status is Taken Make a copy of current before updating Sometimes called Baseline Schedule Write a narrative or list of what was changed P6: Do not re-calculate until update is complete Early Start will change & update Planned Start Meaningless Planned Start date will be frozen Establish new Data Date First moment new/continuing work can begin Be careful when statusing resources Updating resources can change activities 28

29 Update Progress Update and publish status as soon as possible Difficulty and cost of correcting increases with time May need to be revised and re-published after review Process must be complete prior to next update Two sets of updates 29

30 REVIEWING STATUS 30

31 Reviewing Status Reviewer should verify status accuracy & completeness Contractor s estimate assumed accurate Reviewer can question individual instances Verify reasonability of actual dates Especially out-of-sequence early starts Progress made without an Actual Start date Actual Start and Original = Remaining Duration 100% complete without Actual Finish date All suspended activities should be closely reviewed 31

32 Reviewing Status Actual dates in the future Actual dates later than or equal to Data Date Incompatible for software using Oracle/Primavera P6 Retained Logic setting P6 Progress Override setting Less problematic for Microsoft Project P6 Actual Dates software setting Actual Date equal to Data Date is in the future Should not be allowed 32

33 Reviewing Status Be wary of negative progress Remaining Duration increases over last update Started activities become unstarted May legitimately be the result of Revised workplan or scope Better understanding the scope of work Delay or disruption Damage to existing work All cases should be explained in the narrative 33

34 What About Delays? Non-scheduled status assessment upon Notice of Potential Claim/Delay Status all near-critical activities, not just delayed Note any potential concurrent delay Accurate As-Built schedules essential for TIA s Inaccurate As-Built dates will hamper later delay analysis Actual dates verified at the time of the delay carries more weight than those researched later 34

35 Jobsite photos Meeting minutes Inspection logs Certified workhour submittals s Daily reports Progress reports Change Order files Pay applications Productivity reports Confirming Status Installed quantities reports Deficiency reports Material receiving logs Transmittal logs Drawing logs Superintendent diaries Project correspondence Field notes & timeline data System turnover data Quantity records 35

36 PROJECT STATUS 36

37 Project Status Project status only available after activities are statused Project status is latest computed, Early Finish date of all activities in the schedule Early Finish date Substantial Completion activity Compare this date with Baseline and last update Ahead of schedule On-Time Behind schedule Should maintain a Schedule Log 37

38 Schedule Log Entries Project identification name Data date of the update Project s planned completion date Current early finish date Project critical total float Slippage/gain project critical TF from prior period Number of activities in the schedule update Location and name of data file or database Update identification number or version Date the schedule update submitted to owner Date the schedule update approved by owner 38

39 Conclusions Status adds complexity to scheduling Regular updates essential to keep schedule current Statusing should follow rules for Accuracy Consistency Time and money saved if accuracy verified contemporaneously Delay analysis depends on accurate status Project status only viable if statused correctly 39

40 Questions? 40