A System to Track Work Progress
at Construction Jobsites
Nelly Garcia-Lopez
PhD Student, Stanford University
A System to Track Work Progress at
Construction Jobsites
N E L LY G A R C I A - L O P E Z , D R . M A R T I N F I S C H E R
ISERC Annual Conference and Expo 2014
Montreal, Canada
June 3, 2014
Content
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
3
Motivation
Method
Overview of idealized system
Overview of prototype implementation
Results
Conclusions and future work
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Motivation
Process to track progress in the field and update a schedule:
4
1. Plan
2. Execute
• Scope
• Cost
• Schedule
• Who, What,
Where,
When?
3. Track
Progress
4. Update
Schedule
• 30% of
Project
Engineer’s
time
• Durations,
resources,
logic
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Motivation
Process to track progress in the field and update a schedule:
+t
1. Plan
2. Execute
3. Track
Progress
4. Update
Schedule
Issues:
Issues:
Slow, manual,
not
standardized
5
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
+t
Incompatible
levels of detail,
Complex logic
update
Big Idea
Develop a Work Tracking System (WTS) that leverages Virtual Design and
Construction (VDC), advances in cloud computing, pervasiveness of
mobile devices, and traditional Project Management Tools to track task
completion and improve on site productivity.
VDC
WTS
Cloud,
Mobile
6
PM
Tools
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Points of Departure
VDC Methods
7
• Multi-disciplinary models to support business
objectives - Kunz and Fischer (2009)
• Integrate VDC methods with field construction
• Scheduling at high levels of detail to support field
operations - Akinci et al. (2000), Morkos et al. (2014)
Power to the
Edge
• Empower workers by supporting work processes –
Alberts and Hayes (2005)
• Reduce coordination overhead – Levitt (2011)
Theory in
coordination
• Timely communication is critical for project success –
Malone and Crowston (1990), Olson et al. (2001)
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Method
Part 1:
Ideal System
Part 2:
Prototype
Development
8
• Analyzed information flows
• Developed views for each
stakeholder
•
•
•
•
Determined the core features
Defined architecture
Implemented prototype
Expert feedback
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Method
Part 1:
Ideal System
Part 2:
Prototype
Development
9
• Analyzed information flows
• Developed views for each
stakeholder
•
•
•
•
Determined the core features
Defined architecture
Implemented prototype
Expert feedback
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Part 1: Ideal System

Analysis of Information Flows in a construction site
Project
Manager
Publish
Get
10
Superintendent
Subcontractor/
Foreman
•Construction
Docs.
•RFI responses,
Change Orders
•Payments
•Updates to
schedule
•Task
coordination
•Prioritized tasks
•Prioritized tasks
•Task assignment
•Construction
Docs.
•RFI requests
•Task status/
completion
•Issue reports
•Progress reports
•Quality reports
•Issue reports
•Progress reports
•Task status
•Punch lists
•Quality reports
•PPC
•Task status
•Punch list
•Issue reports
•RFI responses
•Prioritized tasks
•Construction
Docs.
•BOM/Tool list
•Checklists
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Worker
Part 1: Selected Stakeholder Views
1. Superintendent
2. Subcontractor
3. Worker
11
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Part 1: Selected Stakeholder Views
1. Superintendent
2. Subcontractor
3. Worker
http://worktrackingsystem.com/stanfordProject
Adam
Work Tracking System Dashboard
Dashboard
Subcontractor Stats
Superintendent
Task View
BIM View
Sprints in Progress
Sub.
Task
P.S.
P.F.
A.S.
A.F.
Framer
Framer
Mechanical
Framer
Electrical
Framer
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 2C
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 1C
L1-ZoneA-Install HVAC ducts ZA
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 2B
L1-ZoneA-Install conduit ZA
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 1B
01/15
01/16
01/16
01/16
01/16
01/16
01/16
Today
Today
Today
Today
Today
01/16
01/17
01/16
01/16
01/16
01/16
01/16
Framer
Framer
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 3B
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 4B
01/17
01/17
01/18
01/19
Framer
Electrical
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 3C
L1-ZoneB-Install conduit ZB
01/18
01/18
01/20
01/22
Mechanical
L1-ZoneB-Install HVAC ducts ZB
01/18
01/22
Dry wall
Dry wall
L1-ZoneC-Rock Wall 1C
L1-ZoneC-Rock Wall 2C
01/18
01/16
01/19
01/17
Dry wall
Window
L1-ZoneB-Rock Wall 2B
01/18
L1-ZoneA-Install windows ZA East 01/18
01/19
01/21
Difference
S.
F.
1
1
-
1
-
Backlog
12
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
1
1
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
Alert
Affects
Install
Elevator
Delays
install
server
Free float: 1D
Potential
delay
Predecessor
delay
Part 1: Selected Stakeholder Views
1. Superintendent
Framing Foreman
Stanford Project
2. Subcontractor
Task Dashboard
BIM View
Progress by worker
Sprints in progress:
3. Worker
P.F.
A.S
A.F
Difference
S F
Assigned
P.S.
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 1B
Joe
01/16
Today 01/16
-
-
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 2B
Matt
01/16
Today 01/16
-
-
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 1C
Alice
01/16
01/18
01/17
1
-
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 2C
Rob
01/15
01/16
01/16
1
1
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 3B
Jen
01/17
01/18
1
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 4B
Chris
01/17
01/19
1
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 3C
Mike
01/18
01/20
-
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 4C
Alice
01/18
01/20
-
L1-ZoneC-Frame Wall 5C
Matt
01/18
01/20
-
Backlog:
13
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Part 1: Selected Stakeholder Views
1. Superintendent
2. Subcontractor
Stanford
Project
Joe
Framing Co.
Task:
Sprints:
L1-ZoneB-Frame Wall 1B
3. Worker
Joe
Framing Co.
L1-ZoneB-Frame
Wall 1B
Due
Today
Complete
Issue
Drawings BIM View
Specs
Backlog:
L1-ZoneA-Frame Wall 5A
Due
Tue
L1-ZoneA-Frame Wall 4A
Tue
Completed:
þ
þ
þ
14
Stanford
Project
L1-ZoneA-Frame Wall 3A
Finished
01/18
L1-ZoneA-Frame Wall 2A
01/17
L1-ZoneA-Frame Wall 1A
01/16
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Floor plan
Shop drawing
Other views
Parts List Tool List Checklist
Method
Part 1:
Ideal System
Part 2:
Prototype
Development
15
• Analyzed information flows
• Developed views for each
stakeholder
•
•
•
•
Determined the core features
Defined architecture
Implemented prototype
Expert feedback
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Part 2: Determining the core features
Retrospective case study (Ho et al. 2009) of Solar Decathlon House.
Core Features:
 Task status dashboard showing:
 Task status
 Task assignment (crews/specific people)
 BIM element/Location
 Planned Start
 Planned Finish
 Actual Start
 Actual Finish
 Create/Update tasks
 Visualization of the work being performed
16
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Part 2: Prototype Information Flows
Project Manager
Superintendent
Task status summary,
Task dashboard
Task status summary,
Task dashboard
Create/Update Tasks: Task
Name, Planned Start,
Planned Finish, Element,
Assignee
Assign task: Task Name, Planned
Start, Planned Finish, Element.
Cloud based WTS
Create/Update Tasks:
Element, Assignee
Update Task Status: Report
Actual Start and
Task Complete
Worker
17
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Task status
summary,
Task dashboard
Foreman/
Subcontractor
Part 2: Prototype Implementation
Work Tracking System Work Flow
Revit
Phase
Add ElementID
Shared Parameter to
elements
Export
ElementID
schedule in
CSV format
BIMNamespace
Navisworks
Asana
WTS
Import
BIMNamespace
from Revit
18
Add
organizational/
permission
attributes to
Users
Import Users
from Asana
Create Tasks
Assign Tasks
User List
Export CVS
task report
for
Navisworks
Update user
tasks in
Asana
Create Users
Import Revit
File
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Update Tasks
Import CSV
task report
Report as
complete
Run 4D
Animation
Work Tracking System Dashboard
19
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Integration with Navisworks
20
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Results
Feedback from stakeholders in a mid-rise residential building.
Project manager
• Advantages:
• Easy to see project status
• Namespace creation is a good planning
exercise
• Navisworks work visualization helps see
time slippage
• Limitations:
• Integration with cost controls and payments
• Smoother integration between software
• Mobile availability
21
Superintendent
• Advantages:
• Intuitive interface for weekly planning
• Color coding is useful to prioritize resources
• 4D visualization showing planned vs. actual
helps recreate what happened
• Limitations:
• Automatic synchronization with scheduling
software
• Aggregation of tasks
• Static namespace is unrealistic
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Results
Feedback from stakeholders in a mid-rise residential building.
Foreman
• Advantages:
• Task location helps clarify task scope
• Icons allow prioritization
• Limitations:
• Filter by area
• Filters by subcontractors and workers
• Unclear how to motivate workers to report
task status and completion
22
Worker
• Advantages:
• Clearer task assignment and scope
• Comment section is good to report issues
• Limitations:
• Access drawings and installation
manuals/instructions
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Conclusions
23

The WTS leverages VDC, pervasiveness of mobile computers, and
cloud computing to manage on-site production.

The WTS:
 Manages information flows between stakeholders
 Reduces information latency
 Helps set work priorities
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Limitations and Future Work:
Practical gaps identified:
 Set better information filters for each stakeholder
 Need to manage information at different levels of detail
Theoretical gaps identified:
 Current scheduling practices do not support meaningful data collection
 Master schedules are not connected with production schedules
 Superintendents and foreman depend on intuition to assess work
progress
24
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu
Thank you very much!
QUESTIONS?
Please try out the WTS application
and send us feedback:
worktrackingsystem.appspot.com
25
N. Garcia-Lopez, M. Fischer - 2014 - Contact: ngarcial@stanford.edu