Level 1 Programming & Planning

Question 1

What is a programme?

Answer 1

Sequence of events

Question 2

What does a project programme identify?

Answer 2

• The overall start date
• The overall completion date
• Start date for each activity
• Completion date for each activity
• Amount of float each activity
• The critical path

Question 3

Benefits of Programmes

Answer 3

a) plan activities
b) monitor progress
c) manage resources

Question 4

Types of programme

Answer 4

• Contractors Master Programme Schedule and sequence of construction activities
• Clients overall programme: everything from appointment through to completion of the project
• Design Programme: describes the sequence of design tasks from the process of design from inception to technical completion.
• Information release schedule: dates which information needs to be released by the design team to avoid any delays

Question 5

Consideration when preparing a programme

Answer 5

Items with a long lead in
Pre-contract works
Pre-fab elements
Works outside the main contract
Relationships with other projects
CDM Planning period

Question 6

What is a Gantt chart?

Answer 6

A way of displaying programme, through a combination of bars each relating to an activity of a specified duration.

Question 7

What is a flow diagram?

Answer 7

A graphical representation of a process of steps/sequences required to achieve an end goals. Helps the team to understand the different process and relationships between activities.

Question 8

What is an activity schedule?

Answer 8

A list of activities which outlines the works required to complete a project. Used for simple projects with few activities, usually presented as a gantt chart.

Question 9

Float?

Answer 9

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the subsequent activity of critical path

Question 10

Types of float: Time Float?

Answer 10

Time an activity can be delayed without delaying the planned completion date

Question 11

Time Risk Allowance?

Answer 11

Duration allowed in each activity by the contractor to account for the risk of not completion

Question 12

Critical Path?

Answer 12

The longest sequence of activities in a project which must be completed

Question 13

Programme Acceleration?

Answer 13

Moving a project closer to completion date at a faster pace than planned, to either complete the works prior to original completion date.

Question 14

Risks of Programme Acceleration?

Answer 14

• Acceleration activities don’t impact the critical path.
• Shift work can lead to inconsistencies in the quality of work
• Night/ weekend work can be expensive due to enhanced payment
• Imbalance between supervision, labour, plant & materials can affect productivity
• More resources mean more welfare, higher risk of H&s.

Question 15

When developing a master programme for a client, what should be considered?

Answer 15

• What is your governance process and timings, key meetings
• When do you want to complete?
• What is their governance process and timings, key meetings etc?
• What procurement route would you consider?

Question 16

EOT Analysis Types

Answer 16

Planned Impact
Time Impact
Time slice window analysis
Collapsed as built analysis

Question 17

EOT: Planned impact

Answer 17

Introducing a delay even sub-network into the baseline programme, needs to be logic linked.

Y: Simple, cheap
N: Doesn’t consider actual progress and changes to the original programme

Question 18

EOT: Time Impact Analysis

Answer 18

Introducing a delay event sub-network into updated programme, needs to be logic linked
Y: Simple/inexpensive
N: Doesn’t capture eventual delay as subsequent project progress is not considered.

Question 19

EOT: Time slice

Answer 19

Updated programme, progress of works divided into time slices, actual critical path.
Y: More sophisticated view on delay, removes complexities of reviewing project as a whole
N: Only done retrospectively, more specialist analysis

Question 20

PERT?

Answer 20

Programme, Evaluation, Review Technique: Creating 3 estimates for the duration of a project.

Question 21

What is dependency in programme?

Answer 21

Where a task or activity is reliant on another task/activity to complete before it can start?

Question 22

How to get from one RIBA stage to the next?

Answer 22

Stage gate approvals: client sign off key deliverables within the stage

Question 23

Types of logic links within a programme

Answer 23

• Start to start
• Start to finish
• Finish to start
• Finish to finish

Question 24

What is the CDM Planning Period?

Answer 24

An amount of time given to the contractor, with the intention of allowing contractors to asses H&S issues and plan their works before construction commences

Question 25

How long is the CDM Planning Period?

Answer 25

Not specified, it should be proportional to the size and complexity of the project

Question 26

Difference between total float & free float?

Answer 26

Total: amount of time an acitivty can be delayed before affecting the end date
Free: the amount of time an activity can be delayed before affecting a subsequent activity.

Question 27

How to create a programme?

Answer 27

• Scope of programme
• Work breakdown structure
• Consult wider team
• Add risk and opportunity
• Run anlalysis of scenarios
• Identify the CP
• Identify assumption

Question 28

How to show progress on a programme?

Answer 28

• Drop line
• % complete metrics
• Jagged drop line

Question 29

Time at large?

Answer 29

When the EOT mechanism is broken and unenforceable meaning completion is effectively whenever it is, removes the obligation to pay LADS.

Question 30

Some alternatives to a Gantt Chart?

Answer 30

• Network diagrams
• WBS
• Sprint cycles

Question 31

Difference between resource levelling and resource smoothing

Answer 31

Both are used to avoid peaks and troughs

Levelling: when resources are constrained, what is the programme going to be?

Smoothing: When time is constrained, can resources be smoothed out to achieve the end date? i.e delay some tasks to get the CP done.