Construction Scheduling

Construction Scheduling

While CPM scheduling may not have wide acceptance in construction, project

managers in other fields have used it for years. The time taken to determine the

critical path and develop the schedule around it is seen as time well spent,

speeding the project towards completion, with less problems. Every project has at least one critical path, and this path is the most important path in the project, because it determines the project finish date, therefore critical path must be given the most attention. Other tasks may have some leeway in the schedule, but not these. In many cases, you may actually be looking at that critical path and planning your work load around it in your head, without doing so formally.

The following are some of the benefits of the critical path method (CPM)

1. It helps predict the total time needed to complete the project (project duration).

2. It helps the project manager define actual start dates for each subcontractor and phase

of the project, providing more accurate scheduling information. This in turn helps

prevent delays. By determining the relationships between different tasks, it is easier to

ensure that they are properly scheduled for maximum effectiveness and minimum

delay.

3. Determines what float or lag time exists on parts of the project. Knowing that allows

some flexibility in scheduling and prevents wasting time on fixing a scheduling problem

that doesn’t exist (fighting a problem that the lag time eliminates).

4. Helps the project management team know where to focus their efforts, by knowing

which tasks are critical to the overall project.

5. Identifies which tasks can be run in parallel with each other, without causing problems.

6. Helps identify which tasks are dependent upon each other, so that it is easier to

determine the impact of problems.

7. Provides a clear project schedule, so that the project management team can know at

any point in time how they are doing in comparison to the overall schedule.

8. Demonstrates is there are multiple critical paths, or if the critical path has changed due

to a task being completed early.

9. By developing a long-range plan through CPM everyone involved in the project has a

better understanding of where their part fits into the overall schedule.

10. Helps reduce waste by providing the ability to schedule more economically.

11. CPM encourages a logical discipline in the planning, scheduling, and control of projects.

12. CPM encourages more long-range and detailed planning of projects.

13. All project personnel get a complete overview of the total project.

14. CPM provides a standard method of documenting and communicating project plans,

schedules, and time and cost performances.

15. CPM identifies the most critical elements in the plan, focusing management’s attention

to the 10 to 20% of the project that is most constraining on the scheduling.

16. CPM provides an easy method for evaluating the effects of technical and procedural

changes that occur on the overall project schedule.

17. CPM enables the most economical planning of all operations to meet desirable project

completion dates.

18. The CPM makes it easier for the project managers to build a team and create human

network for efficient handling of a multitasked project.

19. The CPM binds the entire team together and motivates the human resources in timely

completion of the tasks in a project.

20. The CPM takes into consideration the requirements well in advance to complete a

project in the most efficient way possible.

21. With help of the CMP the project managers can determine the duration and estimate

exact time and cost of the project. It helps to monitor human resources, and the direct

and indirect costs associated with the project.

22. The CPM assists the project managers in planning schedules, monitoring tasks, and

helps control the project expenses.

23. The CPM also makes it convenient for the project managers to calculate the time

required to complete the tasks of the project. That helps them to predict completion

date of every phase, anticipate problems along the way, if any, and react accordingly.

24. Charting in a CPM makes it easier to evaluate parallel activities, handle delays and judge

the outcome of a task.

25. It enables the managers to minimize the project length by monitoring the critical path.

26. The CPM chart clearly identifies critical path/s of the project, which assists the managers

in decision making to address the issue quickly. It also enables the project head to

determine if the task is on schedule or needs boost to accelerate the process.

27. The charting in a CPM also enables the managers to determine start time, end time,

slack time and float time associated with each activity of the project.

28. Makes dependencies visible between the project activities; this is done by constructing

project network diagrams or precedence diagrams

29. Organizes large and complex projects, hence allowing a more systematic approach to

project planning and scheduling, project execution, and risk management

30. Enables the calculation of the float (slack) of each activity. The float tells you exactly

how long an activity can come in late without it impacting the project schedule.

31. encourages the Project Manager to reduce the project duration by optimizing the

critical path and using compression techniques as applicable

32. Increases visibility of impact of schedule revisions, which are usually necessary when

major milestones have been missed or when the risk of missing a major milestone looms

large

33. Enables the Project Manager to optimize efficiency by allocating resources

appropriately, consequently the overall cost can be reduced

34. Provides opportunities to respond to the negative risk of going over-schedule by

identifying the activities that are most critical

35. CPM encourages a logical discipline in the planning, scheduling, and control of projects.

36. CPM encourages more long-range and detailed planning of projects.

37. All project personnel get a complete overview of the total project.

38. CPM provides a standard method of documenting and communicating project plans,

schedules, and time and cost performances.

39. CPM identifies the most critical elements in the plan, focusing management’s attention

to the 10 to 20% of the project that is most constraining on the scheduling.

40. CPM provides an easy method for evaluating the effects of technical and procedural

changes that occur on the overall project schedule.

41. CPM enables the most economical planning of all operations to meet desirable project

completion dates.

42. The CPM makes it easier for the project managers to build a team and create human

network for efficient handling of a multitasked project.

43. The CPM binds the entire team together and motivates the human resources in timely

completion of the tasks in a project.

44. The CPM takes into consideration the requirements well in advance to complete a

project in the most efficient way possible.

45. With help of the CMP the project managers can determine the duration and estimate

exact time and cost of the project. It helps to monitor human resources, and the direct

and indirect costs associated with the project.

46. The CPM assists the project managers in planning schedules, monitoring tasks, and

helps control the project expenses.

47. The CPM also makes it convenient for the project managers to calculate the time

required to complete the tasks of the project. That helps them to predict completion

date of every phase, anticipate problems along the way, if any, and react accordingly.

48. Charting in a CPM makes it easier to evaluate parallel activities, handle delays and judge

the outcome of a task.

49. It enables the managers to minimize the project length by monitoring the critical path.

50. The CPM chart clearly identifies critical path/s of the project, which assists the

managers in decision making to address the issue quickly. It also enables the project

head to determine if the task is on schedule or needs boost to accelerate the process.

51. The charting in a CPM also enables the managers to determine start time, end time,

slack time and float time associated with each activity of the project.

52. Makes dependencies visible between the project activities; this is done by constructing

project network diagrams or precedence diagrams

53. Organizes large and complex projects, hence allowing a more systematic approach to

project planning and scheduling, project execution, and risk management

54. Enables the calculation of the float (slack) of each activity. The float tells you exactly

how long an activity can come in late without it impacting the project schedule.

55. Project Manager to reduce the project duration by optimizing the critical path and using

compression techniques as applicable

56. Increases visibility of impact of schedule revisions, which are usually necessary when

major milestones have been missed or when the risk of missing a major milestone looms

large

57. Enables the Project Manager to optimize efficiency by allocating resources

appropriately, consequently the overall cost can be reduced

58. Provides opportunities to respond to the negative risk of going over-schedule by

identifying the activities that are most critical.

59. CPM is a proactive management method and helps influence the future.

60. CPM is the best decisions making tool for controlling time, resources and cost of the project