18 - Programming and Planning Flashcards
Talk me through the principles of financial/programme monitoring of a project
- Programme and cashflow
- Used to plan and monitor
- Key in identifying potential risks, minimising delay, and ensuring the project is completed on time and to budget
Talk me through planning techniques you have used
- Gant chart Contractors programme to identify milestones, monitor progress and plan work, identify areas for acceleration
- Cashflow - to manage and monitor spend, identify under and over spend, variations
What is a Gantt chart and when have you used one
A project management tool that illustrates the work completed over a period of time, including tasks and timeline.
Visual tool with start and end dates, and milestones
What types of programmes and schedules are commonly used on projects?
Client overall programme
Project programme
Contractors programme of works
Financial cashflow
Tender programme
What types of programmes and schedules are commonly used on projects?
Client overall programme
Project programme
Contractors programme of works
Financial cashflow
Tender programme
Critical path
Resource scheduling
What is critical path analysis?
The longest sequence of activites that must be completed to successfully conclude a project.
Activities on the critical path are known as critical activities because if they are delayed the whole project will be delayed
What is the significance of float?
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the subsequent activity or critical path
What are milestones?
Marker of an important achievement/completion of key deliverables in a project
What is the difference between free and total float?
Total Float is the total amount of time a task can be delayed and still keep the project on schedule.
Free Float is the amount of time a task can be delayed without impacting other tasks in the project
Talk me through IT software you might use on a project?
-MS Project - programming
-Spreadsheets i.e. excel - financial management and data reports/analysis
-Word - written reports, i.e. site inspection report, progress meeting minutes, project brief
-Sharepoint - sharing of files
-Outlook - emails and quick communication
-Teams/Zoom/Skype - virtual meetings
-Programme management systems - Procontract, QL, Keystone
How have you used charts/diagrams to display time allocation for various project stages
Contractor produce project programme with key milestones.
I review and feedback to ensure in compliance with contractual docs, and realistic. If required to review for acceleration.
Use this to monitor progress against completion, identify slippage
What charts/diagrams have you used and why?
Gantt chart - project programme
Charts - to demonstrate KPI improvements
What are some of the reasons for rejecting a contractors programme
- Not in keeping with contractual timescales
- Unrealistic/ not practicable
- Does not fully consider all requirements, i.e. statutory requirements, manufacture/lead-in time
- Does not comply with the scope
- Completion and dates not shown
What are some of the reasons for accelerating work?
- Client may require property back
- Client obligations to investors
- To recover time
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Gantt chart
Advantages:
* Visual tool, easy to interpret
* overview of project
* allows you to monitor progress
* allows you to keep track of tasks/milestones
* illustrates overlap and dependancies
* can use to track multiple projects
* allows you to set realistic deadlines/manage expectations
Disadvantages:
* Lacks details
* can be confusing/complex of larger, more complicated projects
* Time to prepare and manage
What is a contingency budget or cost contingency?
The amount of money allocated for additional/unexpected costs. Typically 5-10% of construction budget to deal with unforeseen circumstances
On your case study how did you deal with cost contingecy?
No contingency on this project, SoW was was well defined and agreed, allowed p.sums i.e. to allow for asbestos removal based on outcome of R&D report, cost omitted on return of the report
What is a PEP?
Project Execution Plan
The governing document that establishes the means to execute, monitor, and control projects
How else could you break a project into phases?
Work breakdown structure - system of breaking down a project or programme into manageable tasks, phases, deliverables or work packages
Sub-dividing project into manageable components/tasks, defining the steps needed further and further in detail to achieve the end goal.
i.e.
Level 1 Top-level deliverable or project (the finished building).
Level 2: Sub-dividing the project into main components, eg substructure and superstructure.
Level 3: Breaking down each component into smaller components (eg substructure > excavation).
Level 4: breaking down each component into more components. (eg excavation > place reinforcement)
Level n: Final breakdown into smallest component (eg place reinforcement > pour concrete)
How do you breakdown projects into phases?
Group similar locations and component works together, i.e. kitchens in East London. Contractor breaks down milestones using a GANTT chart
Phase works into planning/design, pre-construction, procurement, construction, and post-construction
What are the advantages/disadvantages of work breakdown structures?
Advantages:
-Can help you clarify scope and objectives
-Breaks project into manageable chunks
-Organisation and prioritisation
-can facilitate communication & cooperation, align expectations & requirements
-Risk and quality management
Disadvantage:
-Can be time consuming
-complex to update and maintain
-can be challenging to capture everything
-May require regular updates/revisions
-may not reflect actual progress/performance
Why might float be beneficial over being on critical path?
Works on critical path have no flexibility and are critical to the completion. The project execution team needs to complete each task before moving onto the next.
Tasks on critical path habe no float and if critical path activites are delayed, the overall completion of the project wsill be delayed
An undertaking with a positive float number forms the non-critical path with a flexible schedule you can move or delay without affecting the completion date.
What is a project plan?
A project plan defines the execution and control stages of a project to achieve the goal
Answers the who, what, where, why, how and when of the project
The plan includes considerations for:
-risk management
-resource management
-communications,
-quality management
-stakeholder management
-schedule management
-change management plan.
-cost and schedule baselines.
What is a key milestone?
a key event or action in a project that marks a significant stage of progress