What Is Percent Plan Complete In Construction?

In this blog, we’ll explore the concept of Percent Plan Complete (PPC) in construction, how to use it correctly, where it fits into the construction process, what the real target should be, and how to achieve that target. If you’re here to learn about optimizing PPC, you’re in the right place.

Essential Components of the Last Planner System

In the Last Planner System, there are three core components: deliverables, meetings/huddles, and behaviors.

1. Deliverables: These include the master schedule, pull plan, six-week make-ready look ahead, weekly work plan, and percent plan complete tracking. Each component helps track how well commitments are being met.
2. Meetings and Huddles: Weekly trade partner tactical meetings, look-ahead planning sessions, and daily planning huddles are crucial to ensure that work stays on track.
3. Behaviors: Collaboration, commitment, and respect among trade partners and foremen are key to the success of the Last Planner System. The foremen, as the last planners, play a vital role in maintaining the workflow.

What is Percent Plan Complete?

Percent Plan Complete (PPC) is derived from the weekly work plan. It measures how well commitments were met. In simple terms, it’s the percentage of planned activities completed as promised. For example, if you have 10 tasks planned and complete 8, your PPC would be 80%. This metric reflects how well the construction project aligns with its planned commitments.

Common PPC Targets in Construction

In typical Last Planner System practices, the target PPC is around 80-85%. While this might seem like a reasonable target, I strongly believe that the goal should be 100%. Here’s why: Many believe that hitting 100% means trade partners are sandbagging, or padding their schedules to ensure success. However, I argue that aiming for 80% creates variation, chaos, and distraction. If we’re going to build trust within the team, we should target 100% and rely on accurate planning.

Why We Should Target 100% for PPC

The ideal target for PPC should be 100%. If you’re using the Takt production system (which I recommend), you’ll have properly sequenced zones, a clear plan, and minimal risk of sandbagging. With the right pull planning, trade flow, and phase planning, 100% PPC becomes achievable. By doing so, you remove unnecessary variation, and the system works more smoothly. Missed activities should be rare, and any missed targets should be tracked as variances for future analysis.

Common Variances in PPC

When activities don’t go as planned, it’s important to track variances. Common causes for variances include:

• Scheduled Delays
• Scope Changes
• Resource Issues
• Unforeseen Conditions
• Work Interruptions
• Poor Productivity
• Quality Issues

Tracking these variances helps identify the most frequent issues, enabling teams to take corrective actions and countermeasures to improve project outcomes.

How to Track Variances and Create Countermeasures

If an activity was not completed as planned, mark it as a variance. Over time, you’ll notice patterns in these variances, which can be documented in a chart to identify the most frequent challenges. Conducting root cause analysis on these issues is crucial for improving future performance.

Common Roadblocks and Constraints in Construction

Roadblocks are issues that can be anticipated and removed to ensure a smooth project flow. These include:

• RFI not answered
• Layout issues
• Missing materials or equipment
• Crew not ready
• Miscommunication
• Safety concerns

On the other hand, constraints are permanent or semi-permanent challenges that must be worked around. Examples include:

• Lack of proper work sequencing
• Unleveled labor counts
• Site constraints
• Logistical bottlenecks

By identifying and addressing both roadblocks and constraints, you can create a more efficient workflow.

How to Effectively Prevent Problems

PPC is a lagging indicator, meaning it tells you how well you performed after the fact. To prevent issues before they occur, you need a robust roadblock removal system and a constraint optimization system. Looking six weeks ahead and creating weekly work plans are vital steps to avoid these problems and improve your PPC.