My early construction schedule experience was gained while working on the owner’s side of the project. The issues I was concerned with were simple. Is the contractor on schedule? Will the contractor finish by contract completion? Have I delayed the contractor, and if so by how much?
Pretty basic concerns.
As time went on, and I learned from my many mentors, I found that a project schedule is an indispensable tool for managing the project. What better way to manage resources, project cash flow, spot trends in schedule slippage, and manage change order delay claims.
I now know these three things.
- Project planning and schedule development are critical to the usefulness of the project schedule for managing the work. Garbage in / garbage out.
- Maintaining the schedule through accurate updates, revisions to reflect the plan going forward, and the timely inclusion of delays or change orders is essential.
- There will always be those that resist the use of a CPM schedule and those that believe it is the only tool available.
Where do you fall?
Do you believe the schedule is a necessary tool for payment or to meet the contract requirements?
Do you believe the schedule helps with managing the work and projecting your plan going forward?
Do you believe that adherence to the baseline schedule is paramount and no revisions or deviations from this plan are acceptable?
What value do you place on the project schedule?
I’d love to hear what you think!
Please visit https://conschmanservices.com to learn more about Construction and Schedule Management Services, LLC
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Paul Epperson CCM, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP