Why would you not use the schedule to manage the project?
If you put the effort into developing a detailed CPM schedule with input from the project team members, isn’t the schedule the best road map you have?
One of the great opportunities development of the baseline schedule offers is the project team’s review and input into the analysis of the scope of work for the project.
Depending on how your company estimates and proposes on projects, the people charged with executing the project after the award of the project to your company may have had limited to no involvement or exposure to the project requirements and the basic plan to execute the project based on the proposal.
The schedule development process encourages the project team to review the requirements, understand the sequencing of the work and sometimes even uncover an opportunity to improve on the initial proposed plan.
Assuming the project team has developed a great detailed baseline CPM schedule. I can’t imagine why anyone would not use the schedule to plan and manage work. Management likes to use the schedule to track and measure performance, but I consider the project schedule to be the project team’s best tool for executing the project.
Unfortunately, I run into projects that only produced the baseline schedule because it was required. The progress updates were used for invoice backup only and no effort was put into accurately updating and correcting out-of-sequence work and revising the plan to complete the remaining work in the project. Sadly, these projects do not have a valid schedule to base change order and delay impacts on. They also do not have an accurate idea of if or when the project will complete, much less what is required to get there.
There are many reasons to develop and use a detailed CPM schedule to manage the project. I can’t think of a good reason not to.
I’d love to hear what you think!
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Paul Epperson CCM, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP