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AEC 2630 Construction Scheduling
First, as projects become more complex and have tighter budgets, we need schedules to help us
manage our construction projects. As a construction project management tool, a schedule enables
the project participants (not just the owner, the contractor, the engineer, or the architect) to
understand the plan for completion. It also allows the parties to coordinate all the elements of the
work. Every day a construction project is delayed, either the owner, and/or both the owner and
contractor, will incur additional costs to support that project. Therefore, we need a realistic way to
measure to what extent the project is delayed. Thus, here comes Scheduling which outlines but the
responsibilities of each party, and the party responsible for each of the activities It allows us to track
performance. Therefore, in this writeup I shall comment on the validity of Mubarak' statement to
come up with a clear answer if there is an interconnection between use of technology software, a
knowledgeable work-team and a supportive Management. Other observations from some few
sources will be highlighted within this essay.
Popescu, 1995, defines Scheduling as the process of assigning the schedule start and finish
calendar dates to all or a group of activities that belong to a project. A careful analysis and sequencing of
activities with their planned durations, the resource requirements and any time constraints need to
be taken into consideration when preparing schedules. This will also involve the monitoring of the
project as well as updating progress where possible during execution. Construction involves a
complex interaction of people, equipment, and materials (here defined as trade interaction). At a
given point in time, dozens of crews may be operating on the site, with many of them constrained in
their actions due to the presence and actions of others. This means interaction among trades is a
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AEC 2630 Construction Scheduling
primary governing factor for activity sequencing. Activities represent the actions of the different
crews, and therefore sequencing is substantially affected by the constraints that govern trades. For
Scheduling a project to be efficient and successful would it should involve teamwork, with personnel
such as the architect, a civil Engineer, Project manager as well as the owner. The scheduler/team
should possess the following:
i.
knowledge of computer software (and perhaps hardware as well) in project scheduling
specifically, but also project management and other related (e.g., cost estimating) software,
ii.
Knowledge of the principles and concepts of project scheduling and control (as part of
project management)
Knowledge of the specific technical field, such as commercial building, industrial, transportation, and
so forth (Mubarak, 2010). Scheduling would also ensure the right materials are procured as when
needed for the project. Safety performance is further improved since the schedule will also be used
in tracking which worker is on site and make sure that protection guidelines are properly followed. A
reliable construction schedule would also allow the scheduler to allocate time better among all the
project stakeholders, which helps them plan their activities better, thus any unpleasant surprises can
be eradicated, while making sure to avoid cost overruns and delays. Developing an acceptable
schedule is often an iterative process, since it requires the scheduling team to review and revise their
duration estimates and resource estimates to create an acceptable schedule. In fact, to maintain
realistic schedules it is necessary to review and revise them throughout the project (Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2013)
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AEC 2630 Construction Scheduling
In a project there should be a choice of the mostly applicable construction method in order to
realize optimum output. Taking for instance that concrete needs to be applied, the decision of whether to
pump or to use wheelbarrows will directly influence the cost and duration of tasks involved in the
construction project. Relative costs, reliabilities, and availability of equipment for the two transport
methods must be considered first before scheduling. Construction Planning and Scheduling
Construction scheduling software can be used to manage a construction project. Through the use of
the software, the Scheduler will be able to standardize processes, gain insight into existing and
potential problems, thereby eliminating communication obstruction and increasing the accuracy of
time and cost estimates. (Echeverry et al, 1989) Project tools which are mostly incorporated in the
scheduling software are the Gannt chart and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), which allows for project
timeline buildup, tracks critical paths and dependencies while managing resources and supplies as well as
initiating workflows, providing audit trails and tracking change requests. The WBS is also used in
sequencing ways in which trades affect each other during construction phase, thus finding a way to
restructure the project.
A scheduling technique common in construction is the Critical path method (CPM). This
calculates the minimum completion time for a project along with the possible start and finish times for the
project activities. There are various Computer programs and algorithms used in calculating the critical
path. With this software, the scheduler will be able to plan ahead, align projects, as per the longest path or
minimum time to complete the project. Tae-Kyung Lim et al (2014), is of the same view that computer
system is important in scheduling since it Provides an automated system that integrates concurrency
practices with the Critical Path Method thus allowing for handling of large networks consisting of
hundreds or thousands of activities frequently encountered in practice. They also highlight the fact that, it
makes use of schedule data generated by commercially available project management software, such as
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AEC 2630 Construction Scheduling
Primavera P6, MS Project, or Sure-Trak which is more familiar with Schedulers. The tracking and
updating will ensure that a project is delivered timeously making the whole process easier. The
Technology requires a knowledgeable management to utilize it in order for the project to run well, thus
comes in the importance of the management team as prescribed by Mubarak.
Once an overall schedule is set, the Project manager is supposed to monitor the progress of the
project and revise the schedule as when necessary. There should be consultation with the Project
team members carrying out the work. It is essential that the Project Manager keeps the team
informed as to the current schedule status. One way is to present the schedule in large prints and
placing it on a wall in a central location of the project office or room, this way the project schedule is
visible to all the team and visitors to the project room. Pierce, D (2013) highlights out that updating
accords the Project Manager to determine if the job is behind, on time or ahead of schedule, thus
enabling to know how the present work status affects the future work. Furthermore, he alludes to
the fact that support can be provided to the team in form of positive and constructive feedback,
which is equally important in that those who choose to react to events almost guarantee failure on a
construction project.
In light of all this it can be noted that the technology software makes it easy for tracking of the
progress of the task, the time spent by each team member on performing a particular task Scheduling a
work or task in project management is all about enlisting the activities, deliverables, and milestones with
the start and finish date of the task, duration of the project, and resources available for each of the
activities. All this will be reinforced by a dedicated teamwork which is positively motivated to complete a
project.
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AEC 2630 Construction Scheduling
REFERENCES
Echeverry, D., Ibbs, C. W., and Kim, S. (1989). "A knowledge-based approach to support the
generation of construction schedules." Proc. of the International Conference on Application of
Artificial Intelligence Techniques to Civil and Structural Engineering, City Univ., London, U.K.
Lee, D.-E., Yi, C.-Y., Lim, T.-K. & Arditi, D. (2010), Integrated simulation system for construction
operation and project scheduling, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, 24(6), 557-769.
Mubarak, S. A. (2010). Construction Project Scheduling and Control. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Pierce, David R., Jr, (2013) Project Scheduling and Management for Construction, Kingston: R. S.
Means Company, Incorporated, Kingston, Massachusetts, United States
Popescu, C. M. (1995). Project Planning, Scheduling, and Control in Construction: An Encyclopedia of
Terms and Applications. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Project Management Institute, Inc. (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(4th Ed.). United States of America: Author.