Chapter 8 Project Monitoring and Control It s important to have a schedule, but it s more important to use it

Transcription

1 Chapter 8 Project Monitoring and Control It s important to have a schedule, but it s more important to use it

2 Header1 Project control can be reduced to two basic components: Monitoring and control

3 Construction Time Construction progress is generally measured in terms of days Working days and calendar days Working days schedules are easier to prepare than those based on calendar days Some activities are better measured in calendar days working days may not be meaningful There are shortcomings to each, some of which are common to both

4 Construction Time It is important to be able to convert a working-day schedule to a calendar-day schedule And vice-versa One issue not often clearly resolved concerns the definition of float Are the total float and free float measured in terms of working days or calendar days? It is essential that it be defined in terms that match the time convention in the definition of activity durations

5 Effective Scheduling To be an effective project control tool, the schedule have the following attributes: It must be an accurate reflection of the way the job is actually constructed It must be sufficiently flexible to accommodate changes and to also predict their impact It must allow for corrections as necessary to keep the schedule current or up to date Control consists essentially of monitoring progress and updating the schedule as needed

6 Effective Scheduling Communications should constantly be two-way in nature: Information about the schedule communicated to field personnel must in a form clearly understood Field personnel should recognize that the information they generate is important

7 Monitoring Project Status The first step to using a schedule is to monitor progress in relation to the schedule Scheduled items must be organized in a rational manner as in work breakdown structures (WBS)

8 Monitoring Project Status Many firms elect to develop their own unique numbering system for their projects A carefully crafted numbering system that describes the work activities on a project can be useful for isolating desired work items

9 Monitoring Project Status Monitoring consists of receiving or maintaining accurate reports of events that have taken place on the project and specific work items accomplished Essentially a means by which feedback is obtained on the progress on the project

10 Monitoring Project Status Monitoring can be accomplished through direct observation field visits to the site Appropriate as the sole monitoring mechanism where there is a short span of control or a shallow hierarchy As firms get larger and projects get more complex, it becomes necessary to formalize the method of capturing information One common method uses photography Sequential pictures taken at regular intervals

11 Monitoring Project Status Check-off lists may prove to be effective field personnel indicate the status of various work items Started Finished In-progress

12 Monitoring Project Status Feedback about job progress may also be obtained directly on bar charts sent out to the field Limited value on large projects On very complex projects with thousands of activities, it is best to print out a network Broken down by subgroups such as designated areas on the project or specified crafts

13 Monitoring Project Status It is common to include procurement activities on project schedules especially where major purchases are involved Long-lead items warrant particular attention A general contractor is well advised to include the right to be involved in monitoring subcontractor purchases

14 Monitoring Project Status Safety is a topic that must underlie every activity included in a schedule clearly not a subject to be included only as an afterthought Every activity should be considered in terms of related or specific safety needs

15 Difficulties in Assessing Progress Field project status reports should be provided with the same level of detail as used in developing the original schedule It might be simpler and more accurate to break certain activities into two or three basic activities The primary issue is to attempt to define activities that have durations with approximately the same order of magnitude as the monitoring period

16 Updating the Schedule The schedule is an effective management tool only as long as it bears a reasonable resemblance to the actual project When discrepancies are noted, adjustments must be made to the network known as updating Feedback is important and should come from competent field personnel

17 Updating the Schedule Overall, updating is required whenever the schedule no longer reflects the actual operations taking place on the project Updating is not needed if all duration/cost estimates are accurate and sequencing of the activities is exactly as originally scheduled

18 Controlling the Project The driving force for keeping a project on schedule is money If an activity started on or before its late start date (and/or finished by its late finish date), the project itself will not be delayed Activities started after their late start (or finished after late finish) will cause a delay in the project

19 Controlling the Project Contractors must determine whether it is to their benefit to recover from delays Who is responsible for the delay? Is it economically advantageous to recover lost days? The issue of delay responsibility is related to whether the contractor is awarded, or is liable for, costs and additional time to complete the project

20 Controlling the Project The categories of responsibilities are as follows: Owner (or agent) responsible: Contractor granted time extension & additional costs where warranted Contractor/subcontractor responsible: Contractor will not be granted time or costs may have to pay damages/penalties Neither party responsible: Contractor will receive additional time to complete the project but no costs will be granted and no damages/penalties assessed Both parties responsible: Contractor will receive additional time to complete the project but no costs will be granted and no damages/penalties assessed

21 Recovery Schedules A recovery schedule is one developed subsequent to an update on the schedule, with the purpose of recovering lost time in a project schedule while minimizing the cost of the project

22 Recovery Schedules What is the difference between a recovery schedule and an updated schedule? The updated schedule reflects the reality of the current status of the project No changes are made to logic or durations pertaining to the activities that are yet to be completed The recovery schedule reflects changes in the uncompleted portion of the schedule

23 Recovery Schedules When is a recovery schedule needed? When the scheduled completion date is extended beyond the planned project completion date When certain activities with positive float quickly lose a large portion of the float Might become critical or generate multiple critical paths The owner of the project might also direct an acceleration to deliver the project at an earlier date

24 Recovery Schedules Who initiates the recovery schedule? The contractor who controls the schedule makes a determination about the need for a recovery schedule The owner may also request a recovery schedule to have the contractor demonstrate how a completion date will be met

25 Recovery Schedules The source of the motivation for the preparation of a recovery schedule can have serious legal implications

26 Recovery Schedules Contract documents may require a time impact analysis when an update schedule indicates completion date or interim milestone slippage The contractor, under common law principles, has a duty to mitigate delays to the schedule even if other parties are responsible for causing the delays

27 As-Built Schedules What is the purpose of as-built schedules? The most widely recognized use is in the area of claims, especially delay claims Use of an as-built schedule of the entire duration of a project may show variations from the original schedule were significant As-builts might be prepared to develop a clear historical record of a project

28 As-Built Schedules Sample Network for an As-Built Schedule Sample Bar Chart for an As-Built Schedule

29 As-Built Schedules As-built schedules are not prepared on most projects, and circumstances warranting their use vary considerably A scheduler s particular needs and creativity will determine the nature of as-builts to be developed on specific projects

30 CHAPTER END