Foreman Series: Making a Weekly Work Plan
In this blog, we’ll dive into how foremen can successfully create a weekly work plan, along with some essential tips to make the process as seamless as possible. If you’re involved in fieldwork, project planning, or construction management, this post will guide you in creating effective weekly work plans.
The Key to Weekly Work Plans:
A weekly work plan is a crucial tool that bridges the gap between the master schedule and daily tasks. It ensures that the current and upcoming weeks are well-organized, filtered from the master schedule, and collaboratively developed by all trade partners. The goal is to create a committed, actionable plan that can be efficiently followed in the field.
To make this work, activities must be:
- Well-coordinated: Avoiding trade stacking and trade burdening.
- Vertically aligned: Matching milestones in the master schedule.
- Handoff-ready: Ensuring smooth transitions between trades with clean, safe, and inspected zones.
How to Create a Weekly Work Plan:
When developing a weekly work plan, here are some quick steps to follow:
- Start with the Norm-Level Takt plan, which filters into:
- Six-week look-ahead plans.
- Weekly work plans, derived from the pull plan.
- Adjust the plan based on your trade’s needs:
- Confirm start and finish dates.
- Ensure the scope and milestones are accurate.
- Commit to handoffs that meet quality and readiness standards.
- Finalize the plan with commitments you can deliver and use it to track daily progress.
The Wrong Way to Create a Weekly Work Plan:
Avoid wasting time with inefficient methods. If you’re asked to create a weekly work plan independently without collaboration and then consolidate it during a meeting, know that this approach will lead to inefficiencies. Instead, a well-organized process starts with a collaborative pull plan and flows into Takt planning.
Tips for Adjusting the Weekly Work Plan:
As a foreman, you should ensure that your weekly work plan is practical and aligns with the broader project goals. Adjustments include:
- Verifying that start and finish dates are feasible.
- Double-checking handoffs to ensure readiness for subsequent trades.
- Confirming alignment with the master schedule’s milestones.
By keeping these adjustments in check, you’ll ensure that your plan is effective and contributes to the project’s overall success.
Responsibilities of a Foreman:
Foremen play a critical role in weekly work planning by:
- Ensuring the plan aligns vertically with the project’s milestones.
- Keeping promises to other trades regarding handoffs.
- Tracking percent plan completion (PPC) to measure success.
By following these guidelines, you’ll save time and improve efficiency while contributing to a smooth workflow for the entire team.
If you want to learn more we have:
-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)
Discover Jason’s Expertise:
Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.
On we go
