An important
aspect of any project scheduling management is efficient handling of resources
to complete the tasks on schedule and within the allocated budget. Scheduling
resources is a complex task as it involves allocating people, equipment and
facilities.
Scheduling
resources involves allocating resources based on the resource availability,
capability, effort required and the scope of project. Construction scheduling
companies can help organizations by solving the problems associated with
resources scheduling. Companies might face problems and construction delays when
they over-allocate resources or under-allocate them as these might impact the
transactions with third party vendors, the profitability, employee trust and
also client satisfaction.
Construction
scheduling companies like ICM contractors can help in preventing and solving the
problems associated with the work capacity and resource availability through
thorough and concise construction planning. Below are the major benefits of
resource scheduling.
Better Structure
Most of the
construction projects involve various departments, teams, resources, vendors and
locations. Having resource scheduling would help in organizing all aspects and
give structure to plan effectively and finish the project in the given time
without construction delays.
Scope of Project
The first
step is defining the scope of the project. The team should list all the tasks
that need to be performed to complete all the jobs inlaid by completing all
tasks and thus, the project.
Have Deadlines
Once the
scope of the project is defined the next step is to estimate the effort
required, along with the time needed to finish the project. This estimation
might include breaking down how many days or hours each task would take and
keeping deadlines to finish the tasks. It might also include the numbers of days
it will take for a task to be completed or the amount of manpower required.
Check Constraints
It is
important to identify the constraints that each task may have and try to work
around them. These restrictions can be skills required by the manpower, a
deadline or time required for the work to be completed. It is better to address
them and plan for unforeseen problems.
Effective Task Distribution
Once the
space of the project is established and the timelines to be followed are
specified, you need to distribute the tasks among the resources available to
you. One should always distribute the tasks in an effective manner and the
resource scheduling tools would help in distributing the tasks.
Distribution of Resources
You need to
identify the resources required for completing the tasks of the construction
project. You should have a clear idea of which are reusable resources, and which
cannot be reused and plan accordingly. You should also determine the amount of
effort required to execute the tasks and the quantity required to complete the
tasks.
Check Availability
Once you
determine how many resources are necessary, you need to check for the
availability of these resources. You need to track the availability of the
people required to perform the tasks. Also, the accessibility of equipment
needed for performing the tasks and whether the equipment is used for a
different project; if this is the case, then other options need to be explored.
Matching Tasks with Capability
You should
also consider matching the capability to perform the tasks along with the
availability of the resources. See what the resources can do and cannot do and
plan accordingly. For example, an individual could have the necessary skills to
finish the task efficiently but might not be available at the right time; or
alternatively, there could be an individual available at the right time but
doesn’t have the necessary skills. Therefore, you need to schedule accordingly
around the availability of the skilled person. A better way to manage the
resources is to have resource schedule database of workers availability and
skillset match with tasks to be performed.
Tracking Projects
Keeping an
eye on the amount of resources consumed is an important part of construction
project completion for cost efficiency and timely delivery of the project. As
the resources assigned to a particular project might be in different locations
it is important to have a centralized system to know how the resources are being
used.
Even if you
have not planned your resources earlier, with proper analysis you can manage the
resources efficiently. There might be several unforeseen construction delays in
the project and if you have the systems in place, you’ll be able to handle these
with proper resource allocation.
Resource
scheduling and construction planning is a crucial part for project management.
Without this scheduling you wouldn’t be able to meet deadlines and would go over
budget.
The process
can be complex but using resource scheduling would be helpful in identifying the
resource availability, make better estimates, analyze the information and make
better decisions.
If you are
looking for resource scheduling solutions, ICM Contractors can help you in
allocating and tracking your resources.