Is My Project Actually On Schedule?

Is My Project Actually on Schedule? Here’s How You Can Know for Sure

In construction, one of the most critical questions you can ask yourself is, “Is my project actually on schedule?” The answer doesn’t lie in your macro-level plan or even your norms. To truly determine whether your project is on track, you need to dig deeper into your short interval production plans, look-ahead plans, and weekly work plans. This is where the real tracking happens.

If you’re looking to improve your project scheduling and tracking process, this blog will walk you through exactly how to monitor progress effectively and adjust your plans as needed.

The Importance of Tracking with Short Interval Plans:

When managing construction projects, keeping an eye on the details is crucial. The macro-level plan is important, but it doesn’t always tell you what’s happening on the ground. To ensure you’re staying on schedule, you need to compare your real-time progress with the short interval plans. This allows you to spot any deviations early and make necessary adjustments to stay on track.

One key to successful construction projects is the ability to finish as you go. This doesn’t always show up in your larger plans but becomes evident when you compare your daily or weekly progress with your production plans. It’s crucial to track and update your plans as conditions change on the job site.

Tracking Progress on the Ground:

Let’s take a look at an example from a project we’re currently working on. In this case, I’m on level three of the building, and I have both the look-ahead and weekly work plans for the area. These plans include zone maps and other helpful information that make it easy to identify what’s happening in each zone. For example, I can see that the room I’m in is zone number seven, and the last task listed in that zone is final clean.

The room is mostly finished, but I notice that some tasks are still pending. Permanent power isn’t in place yet, which means lighting, commissioning, and final cleaning can’t be completed. This is a real-world issue that affects the schedule. By recognizing the gap between the plan and actual progress, I can update the production plan to reflect this and communicate with the team to adjust accordingly.

The Power of the Weekly Work Plan:

While the look-ahead plan is useful for visualizing the bigger picture, the weekly work plan is even more detailed and helps you focus on specific tasks for the week. With the weekly work plan, you can break down activities by zone and track progress step-by-step. This makes it easier to see where any delays are occurring and where handoffs between teams need to happen.

Keeping these plans updated is essential. Conditions on the job site can change quickly, and the only way to manage these changes is by adjusting your plans to reflect reality. Field walks are key for this—superintendents and field engineers need to be out on the site with their plans in hand, updating them as they go.

How to Know If Your Project Is on Schedule:

So, how can you be sure your project is on schedule? The answer is simple: compare your real-time field progress with the short interval plans. If you’re not doing field walks and actively comparing what’s happening on the ground with your production plans, you won’t have an accurate understanding of your project’s status.

This is where the true value of tracking comes in. Field walks and consistent updates ensure that your production plans are realistic and reflect the current state of the project. If you’re not updating your plans, you’re essentially operating in the dark.

Key Takeaways:

1. Field walks are essential: You cannot rely solely on office discussions or project software. You need boots on the ground to verify progress.
2. Always update your plans: As conditions change, update your production and work plans to reflect the current situation.
3. Use short interval plans: Regularly track your progress against short interval plans and adjust as needed to stay on track.
4. Collaborate with the team: Share updates with the team, especially the foreman huddle, so everyone is on the same page about where things stand.

Conclusion:

To truly know if your project is on schedule, you must actively compare real-life field progress with your short interval production plans. This requires field walks, consistent updates to your plans, and collaboration with your team to address deviations and adjust schedules in real time. Relying solely on macro-level plans or office discussions will leave you blind to critical on-site realities.