Schedule Development A Methodical Approach to Building a Schedule

Chris Carson, PSP, CCM Director Project Controls Alpha Corporation John Potter, PSP Project Controls Manager Alpha Corporation

Resources for Scheduling

PMI Project Management Institute
Practice Standard for Scheduling Practice Standard for WBS & EV

PMI-CoS College of Scheduling PMI Scheduling Excellence Initiative (SEI) project writing Best Practices and Guidelines Scheduling/Claims

AACEi Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering

Publishing Recommended Practices

CMAA Construction Management Association of America

Revising Time Management Chapter of the Construction Management Standards of Practice

Design or Development?
Refer to 2008 presentation at PMI-CoS national conference Schedule Design; Planning for Schedule Development Separate the two processes
Design first Development second Need to plan (Schedule Design) to create the schedule (Schedule Development)

Schedule Design
Why design a schedule?
A schedule meets the criteria for a project in itself A schedule is a guideline or plan for a project A schedule provides a a methodical approach for a project Keeps the schedule development on track Prevents rework due to late understanding of needs Allows buy-in from end users prior to Development Makes the schedule development session much more meaningful Documents the assumptions and intention of the schedule
For reviewer and approver For future reference To facilitate changes in schedulers Place to capture Lessons Learned

Schedule Design
Scope of Design vs. Development
Design Conceptualizing the schedule
Planning Starting with the end in mind Providing concept of final product Creating organizational structure to fulfill the concept

Development - Building the schedule

Input activities Input logic Input durations Review for design compliance Review for CPM methodology best practices Quality control

Schedule Design - Background

Design vs. Development How do PMI & PMBOK handle it? PMBOK identifies six Project Time Management processes, usually defined as part of the project lifecycle, Chapter 6 of PMBOK 4th Edition.
Define Activities. Sequence Activities Estimate Activity Resources Estimate Activity Durations Develop Schedule Control Schedule

Schedule Design - Background

Design vs. Development How do PMI & PMBOK handle it?
These processes are paralleled by a planning effort by the PM team, part of PMBOKs Develop Project Management Plan, PMBOK Section 4.2 (which sets the format and establishes criteria for developing & controlling the project schedule). These processes are documented in what PMBOK calls a Schedule Management Plan contained in the project management plan. This SMP selects the scheduling methodology and the scheduling tool. PMBOK says the majority of effort in the TM Knowledge Area will occur in the Control Schedule process (Section 6.6)

Schedule Design - Background

The inputs for the Time Management Processes used to Develop the Schedule are listed as: These fall under Schedule Design
Scope Baseline Activity List Activity Attributes Milestone List Project Scope Statement Resource Requirements Resource Calendars

These fall under Schedule Development

Project Schedule Network Diagrams Activity Resource Requirements Activity Duration Estimates

Schedule Design - Background

Design vs. Development why emphasize the distinction?
Design tends to be ignored in favor of jumping right into development. Many schedulers elect to begin creating activities instead of Designing. Work is subsequently repetitive, with lots of potential for rework. Results tend to be disorganized.

Avoid planning mistakes and problems.

AACEi: TCM Framework:

7.2 Schedule Planning & Development
.1 Schedule Planning & Development .2 Identify Activities .3 Develop Activity Logic .4 Estimate Durations .5 Establish Schedule Requirements .6 Allocate Recourses .7 Optimize Schedule .8 Establish Schedule Control Plan .9 Review & Validate Schedule .10 Document & Communicate Schedule .11 Submit Schedule Deliverables .12 Develop & Maintain Methods & Tools

PMBOK 3rd Ed. The diagram to the right is a Project Time Management (Schedule) process flow diagram. This diagram gives us an idea about how integral the schedule is to the management of the entire project. The six sections related to schedule development are at the center of the diagram.

Schedule Development Art or Science?

Most texts and good practices state Identify Activities & Develop Logic and skip any details
This is the hardest area for most schedulers Good organization of the schedule is vital It is not that simple

Every scheduler starts Schedule Development differently Using the basis from Schedule Design, the process can be defined and structured

Schedule Development - Process

Assemble development team Design the schedule Identify Level of detail required Identify output needed Activity Code & WBS structures Identify scope of work - Activities (input from subs/primes) Develop the schedule Calculate Durations (input from subs/primes) Assign logic (input from subs/primes) Input to computer Analyze and adjust Finalize the schedule QC checklists & verification Seek final buy-in and approval (includes team) Add resources and costs

Schedule Development Team

Includes stakeholders: Scheduler Superintendent Project Manager Major trade contractors Needs input from: Owner Estimating Senior management A&E, if Design-Build or plans not ready

Schedule Design Review Specifications

Schedule Design - WBS

Develop Work Breakdown Structure. Translate asset scope into component deliverables (decomposition). Ensure consistency in WBS levels, to facilitate comparison.

Schedule Scope & Budget

Prepare a Scope & Budget for the work required to prepare and maintain the project schedule. Even if its an internal document it will come in handy at some point during the project.

Schedule Design
Technical Scheduling Components Design Activity Coding structure
Input Driven - Based on need to organize schedule
Look at Stages and Areas (as well as Phases) Stages: Foundations, Structure, Rough-ins Areas: Determined by expected progress Phases: Usually are repetitive sequence activities

Output Driven - Based on need to report to different stakeholders Based on need to filter & isolate

Schedule Design - Use

Schedule Design Output (Software Driven) Level of Detail
Determine approach:
Bottom-up (starting with detailed activities) Top-down (starting with summary schedule) Both (prepare Top-down, then Bottom-up)

Develop functional Stages, then progress-rate Areas Review use of schedule Identify frequency of updates. Establish smallest activity duration range.

Schedule Design Level of Detail

One of the most important decisions
Depends on the nature, size and complexity of the project Need enough activities to reflect intricacies and interdependencies Too few activities will require use of SS and FS lagged activities; harder to analyze High level of detail will make updates more time consuming High level of detail will allow better monitoring & updating Need ability to monitor individual trade contractors Need enough detail to avoid incomplete activities waiting on others to progress
Example: Office/educational building, corridors will not be completed with the offices/classrooms, so if they are covered by the same activities, there will be multiple activities progressed to 85% (room finishes complete, but corridor finishes not started)

Schedule Design
Reporting
Define all reports Provide examples

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
How will schedule be used?
Management tool for daily trade monitoring, look-ahead schedules generated out of main CPM schedule
Need weekly data, will update weekly

Overview for superintendent to correlate his weekly bar chart which will be used for look-ahead schedules
Need monthly data, will update monthly

Assess minimum duration

For weekly management, smallest typical duration set at 1 to 3 days For monthly overview management, smallest typical duration set at 4 to 10 days

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Break down the project into appropriate Stages
Each Stage may progress somewhat independently from other Stages (other than Intra-Stage dependencies) Facilities
Underground utilities may require some initial work and then run concurrently Foundations will progress alone until sufficiently ahead to start structure Foundations and structure will progress independently from interior work and exterior faade Exterior faade, other than dry-in, will proceed concurrently with interior rough-ins and finishes, but lagged from structure Interior rough-ins will lead interior finishes but can overlap Some interior finishes, such as museum millwork, may require full unencumbered access Site work will proceed separately, but treat as infrastructure

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Break down the project into appropriate Stages
Each Stage may progress somewhat independently from other Stages (other than Intra-Stage dependencies) Infrastructure & Transportation
MOT (Maintenance of Traffic) may dictate sequencing All work proceeds partly independently from other work Earthwork (cut and fill) will progress ahead of but lag utilities Wharf work will proceed separately from piling but lagged Roadway work will progress at a lag from utilities Bridge work will follow abutments but ahead of utilities

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Consider how progress will actually happen
Review & correct the Area sequencing plan Identify the Areas in the project and assess the rates of production
Group Areas with similar rates of production This will keep updates clean and minimize out of sequence or incomplete work - especially true if cost loaded

Think about what will prevent an Area from completing

If completion can be held up due to other rooms or systems, then separate out those rooms into Areas

Important: All sections of the project within each Area should progress at a similar rate Note: The SME (Subject Matter Expert) for each Stage are typically different, but are combined in Areas
They wont be thinking about rate of progress

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Group Areas with similar rates of production
Keep corridors separate (utilities & traffic will slow progress) Offices, classrooms similar rate of progress Labs, exam rooms, and other specialty rooms will progress slower Auditoriums, meeting rooms, theaters, sanctuary (chancel/nave), Kitchens, Bathrooms, Operating Rooms have significant utilities Mechanical & Electrical Rooms will incur lead time issues as well as long installation durations Second floor space MEP rough-ins will progress after first floor MEP rough-ins

Schedule Development
Use Sequencing Plan from Design

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Group Areas with similar rates of production
Each major trade in infrastructure work will operate at its own rate of production this is why Linear Scheduling is popular for transportation work Infrastructure/transportation will have varying rates of progress depending on subgrade conditions Sports fields will progress independently of parking lots Plant work will have individual processes that are relatively independent Renovation work will bring in entirely new requirements for phasing, start with these Justice and Courts work will have production rates dictated by security installations or product lead times

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Watch for switches in Area sequencing
Structure for high-rise will be built from bottom to top Rough-ins will likely follow Finishes will likely not follow:
May run horizontally May start at top floor and move down to bottom

You may need horizontal (or lateral) logic along with vertical (or linear) logic
Rough-in Inspections (linked floor to floor) are predecessor to Hang Drywall (linked side to side)

Schedule Design Level of Detail

Steps to determine level of detail
Identify repetitive work opportunities
A full repetitive type project (high-rise, roadway) needs to be treated slightly differently Separate out the stages Detail a small portion of the repetitive work, summarize the major trades and develop the overview schedule from those summarized trades (we call it an Outline Schedule)

Watch for switches in Area sequencing

Structure for high-rise will be build from bottom to top Rough-ins will likely follow Finishes will likely not follow:
May run horizontally May start at top floor and move down to bottom

Schedule Development - Process

Develop an Outline Schedule High level overview schedule Provides guidance in overall systems durations
Finishes in a medical facility might take 10 weeks Foundation for high-rise might take 2 months

Provides guidance in repetitive areas

Floor to floor structure cycle time might be 7 days Floor to floor finishes cycle time might be 30 days Station to Station roadway storm sewer might take 4 days

Use this Outline Schedule to identify the summary schedule and check for reasonableness Acts as a guideline during detailed development

Schedule Development - Process

Start the Detailed Schedule Development Input activities by Area (detail by trade)
Foundation area
Strip Structural fill Underground utilities Layout footings Dig footings Form/prep footings Set rebar in footings Inspect rebar Pour footings

Try to keep each the similar granularity within each Area (can base on durations)

Schedule Development - Process

Detailed Schedule Development Use the Activity Code Structure to keep trades separate
Develop all activities in all areas Go through each area trade-by-trade Make sure all work scope is covered in each area

Check overall scope of work by trade Go through schedule from beginning

At each activity, question, What activity cannot start until this activity is completed (or partially complete)? Make missing logic connections Ignore dates, just review logic connections & sequencing

Identify hard (physical) logic and soft logic

Schedule Development - Process

Detailed Schedule Development Go through the schedule and review all durations Sort by Activity Description
Compare similar activity scopes to see if durations are same Check full coverage

Summarize to trades, look at count of activities in each trade; should be similar & reasonable Print Detailed Predecessor Report Have report in hand to check relationships

Schedule Development - Process

Detailed Schedule Development Start at the end of the schedule
Work backwards from last activity At each activity, ask, What work has to be done for this activity to start? (what prevents this from starting?) Make the missing logic connections Use the Pred Report for quick entry of predecessors

Compare the areas of the detailed schedule to the Outline Schedule

Should be similar Review and adjust as necessary

Schedule Development - Owner-Controlled, Design Related And Procurement Activities

Treat Owner activities like any other work activities

Look in Contract for specification requirements Submittal approval times specification or verify Consider re-submittal cycle for difficult or highly detailed activities Include all Owner scope of work (include permits, permanent telephone and other utilities, owner supplied equipment, other contracts, Health Department approvals, etc.)
Code Owner activities so they can be filtered and tracked

Owner and Contractor are both interested parties

Ensure the successor activities are accurately defined

Any delays related to these activities should be captured accurately for the protection of both the Owner and the Contractor

Early Completion Schedules

Unintentional Early Completion
Review durations and other components carefully Do not leave float in baseline schedule unless positive that the job can be completed early Constrain Substantial Completion for contractual date Review durations and logic very carefully

Intentional Early Completion

Check specification requirements for early completion Document that project was bid with general conditions to match planned project duration Notify Owner that intention is to finish early Be aware that Owner may suggest formal change order to move the completion date to the scheduled completion Negotiate the completion date during baseline review

Project Team
Who owns the schedule?
Project Manager? Superintendent? Scheduler? Project Team? It is absolutely imperative that someone on the Team has primary responsibility for maintaining the schedule in order for it to be successfully utilized.

Site Visit &/or Photographs

Have you, as the scheduler, ever been to the site? Do you know what it is youre scheduling? It is always helpful to visit the site if possible. Particulary with the project team so they can describe their ideas about how they will be constructing the project.

Characteristics Of A Useful Schedule

Schedule must model the project Proper level of detail (limited number of critical activities) Summarize to one page Team buy-in; all stakeholders involved in schedule process Describes superintendents plan (not the Presidents plan) All activities tied to completion Resource-based durations Meet the specification Include procurement activities (and coordination) Written narrative to identify plan

Schedule Logic - Subcontractors

Subcontractors should be an integral part of Baseline Schedule development team. Teamwork and commitment Schedule must be understandable to subcontractors Subcontractors must be part of any revision or recovery discussion

Typical Areas of Conflict

Stakeholders: Who uses the schedule? Level of Detail Reasonableness of Schedule Approval/Non-approval Issue/Approval Standoff Failure to Involve Major Trade Contractors Failure to include Owner requirements (other contracts, utilities, commissioning, etc.) Early Completion Schedules Ownership of float, contingency time

Know the Contract Requirements Scope of the Work Basic CPM logic rules and how they are applied in the software Contractor means & methods Limitations & constraints of the Owner, Contractor, the Site & the Industry

Questions/Comments

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PMI is a registered trade and service mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

Contact Information
Name Title Company Email Phone Name Title Company Email Phone John Potter, PSP Project Controls Manager Alpha Construction & Engineering Corporation [email protected] (O) 757-533-9368 Chris Carson, PSP Corporate Director of Project Controls Alpha Construction & Engineering Corporation [email protected] (O) 757-533-9368 (M) 757-342-5524
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(M) 206-200-6833

PMI is a registered trade and service mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.