Key Elements of Successful Schedule Management: Part 2

A successful schedule helps in both the management of project execution and in the evaluation of Change Orders that include time extensions and claims involving delay and acceleration. This is the second of two blog posts on key elements of scheduling that contribute to successful schedule management. The first post covers contractual requirements, the work breakdown structure, project scope, schedule logic, and the critical path. This second post addresses resource loading and leveling, schedule accuracy, and developing and maintaining the change control process.

Resource Loading and Leveling
Resources in schedules usually include craft labor, construction equipment, quantities of materials to be moved and/or installed, and permanent materials and equipment. The resource-loaded schedule includes the total quantity of resources required for all activities. Often, labor man-hours and major material quantity requirements are evaluated and tracked in the schedule. Once resources are loaded, an assessment is completed to determine whether the project can support the man-hours and permanent material quantities. Early-start and late-start labor utilization curves often are developed to ensure that sufficient resources are available for the late-start curves. If the project will include a labor camp, then labor utilization curves will define housing requirements.

Labor peaks and valleys relative to resource demand may exist initially and require leveling. There are several ways to level the resources for an activity in a schedule, including these:

• Distribute the resources in the activity differently. For example, use non-linear front-end loading instead of linear-level loading.
• Possibly start the activity earlier or later.
• Revise the logic tie of the activity’s successor from Finish-to-Start (FS) to a Start-to-Start (SS), or a Finish-to-Finish (FF) logic tie, if the successor can start before the work for the activity is 100 percent complete.
• Complete material fabrication and staging work during periods that have low resource requirements.
• As a final resort, consider extending the activity duration.

Schedule Accuracy
It is essential that the listing of the activities in the schedule and in the WBS fully represents the project scope of work. An inaccurate schedule offers no benefit to a project. At a minimum, the time and costs that one might save in preparing an incomplete schedule will be required in making corrections and possibly developing a re-baseline of the schedule. In the meantime, the project suffers as parties rely on a tool that does not represent the project.

An incomplete or inaccurate schedule poses several problems to a project. First, actual work progress remotely follows, or does not follow, the plan defined in the schedule. Work progress continually finishes out of the planned sequence, and the schedule’s critical path frequently changes. Consequently, it is difficult to assess project health and whether contractual milestone and completion dates will be achieved. Problems and issues are not readily apparent and cannot be forecasted or acted upon in a timely manner. It is difficult to predict and manage resource and equipment requirements and usage because the erroneous schedule has forced the project into a reactive mode. Lastly, it is hard to conduct a delay impact analysis or simulate the impacts of different alternatives for a proposed change without an accurate schedule. See the article “Schedule Quality Assurance Procedures.”

Developing and Maintaining the Change Control Process
One cannot effectively measure and credit project performance without development of an approved baseline schedule. In addition, one cannot evaluate the impact of potential and approved changes to the contract scope of work without an approved baseline schedule and an established change process. The baseline schedule serves as a contractual document that all parties involved in the project approve and accept. The project’s owner should regulate and approve any schedule revisions, modifications, adjustments, or changes. The project contract should clearly address the process for completing schedule updates and changes, and the schedule reporting requirements and cycles.

If the change control process is ill defined or ignored, the schedule serves little benefit or purpose, other than possibly meeting minimum project submittal requirements. Without change regulation, the accurate record of the work scope initially planned versus the work scope actually completed is deficient. The schedule, then, cannot be readily used as a basis of record in resolving Change Orders that involve time extensions or acceleration or delay claims.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the success of the scheduling effort on a project depends on accurate information and a dedicated planning process. Many other important elements, however, are also required to support a productive scheduling program. Many projects, although well planned, fail because of insufficient attention to scheduling. Sufficient consideration should be given to these factors:

• Adequately defining schedule activities, sequences, and relational logic among activities
• Sufficient identification of the work packages in the WBS
• Accurate estimation of activity durations
• Sufficient schedule detail to adequately support the project scope
• Established Change Order control and schedule progress updating procedures
• Timely schedule updating and reporting
• Open distribution and communication of accurate schedule information to all parties

The effort and resources committed to supporting the scheduling program must be adequate to meet project requirements, yet reasonable. A scheduling program that is overly complex and onerous to maintain is as likely to fail as one that is too simple and lacking in commitment and support. Successful scheduling programs have sufficient and experienced resources, dedicated support, and a manageable structure.

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