Home » Library » Daily Journal of Commerce - Monday, July 26, 1993
How's Your Schedule?

Manager's Involvement in Establishing Project Plan a Must for Success

We have all heard the success stories, as well as the horror stories, about what a schedule can do, or could have done, or didn't do, or would have if!

In addition, the majority of contractors are well aware of the network diagram potential. Yet when job site pressures mount, progress starts slipping and changes are occurring daily, the schedule is more often than not set aside until the job is seemingly back under control.

In today's marketplace, projects are sometimes too few and far between to make up for lost profits or excessive cost overruns. The demands and pressures on job site management are intense and often unforgiving. The risks are high and projects must be managed with adequate tools and a confident staff. This includes a project plan that has been carefully thought out and analyzed and then placed into a form that can communicate its message - the project schedule. Job site team members each must have a comfortable and confident level of schedule understanding, including the variety of its formats and the ability to maintain it, manage with it and defend it.

Do You Trust Your Schedule

When confronted, few job site managers would ever admit that they don't know how to use a schedule. However, if asked if they believe in it - I mean truly believe in the message it displays, to rely on it and trust it when work is seemingly out of control - your answers may vary widely. Only a small number of individuals may actually believe in the message unless they played a major role in its development. Whether the schedule is fully computerized or hand drawn, whoever is expected to manage the job site and coordinate specialty contractors and materials must provide hands-on input into its planning. Without this level of participation, the individual may never believe in it. This is not to say that the individuals must computerize it themselves. However, they must be allowed to provide their thoughts, ideas, experiences and supervision "know-how" to secure ownership and commitment to the finished product. When a schedule is developed for the job site manager or when managers are given little time to prepare one, it stands only a slim chance of being utilized. One must spend time planning the project. Trust in the information presented only is evident when the manager can place reliability on the schedule content. This goal must be achieved to truly get the return-on-investment from the time and cost to develop it in the first place.

Where is Your Schedule

Because the typical schedule for an average size project is often developed in a half day or less - yet is expected to function for the full duration of the project - it is no wonder it is disregarded as inaccurate and is not visible at the job site. Concerns that a contractor should have are the failure to use the schedule as it was intended and the failure to implement it effectively. Both failures stem from the contractor's belief and commitment to the schedule itself. For a schedule to receive the respect it requires it must have commitment. For a schedule to be enforced and utilized, it must have the support and belief from the individual and the organization. Having a fancy computer scheduling system doesn't generate miracles for the job site manager. The success of the project schedule relies on the manager's ability to manage with it.

Schedules are Different for Different Purposes

The management of any project has variables that must be considered when developing schedules. Form, format and content are often varied to better convey the message intended. Perception is equally as important as facts. Consider these points to help build an effective schedule:
Purpose - Make it clear at the start what the schedule is intended to accomplish.
Audience - Identify who the audience is and their experience in schedule usage.
Maturity - Develop the schedule as soon as possible and remain current with periodic updates and necessary revisions.
For the Record - Keep in mind that all schedules may be reviewed at a later time and will become part of the project records.
Scheduler's Point of View - Consider the point of view used to develop the schedule, such as level of schedule knowledge, scope of schedule responsibilities, primary sources of input, quality of feedback and organizational loyalties. The schedule itself should be a key topic at the pre-job planning meetings and the above items need to be addressed by top management to maintain the importance of a quality-oriented schedule.

Is Your Organization Respected?

The Project Management Institute defines the title of project manager as "a manager of change." This is not to say that you start out building a highway or a school and end up with a boat harbor or a McDonalds. With regard to construction, it does say that the methods, materials, sequences and resources will change and these changes must be managed - quite often by the job site manager or superintendent.

The schedule is the performance yardstick for the job site managers to identify the scope of the work, to plan both on-site and off-site activities, measure progress, to manage changes, to correct deviations and to be proactive in its use and the management decisions to follow. Belief and respect for the schedule does promote belief and respect for the project leadership.

Finally, a schedule is affected by its origin. How well it is implemented is and always will be a direct reflection on the organization attempting to use it.