Programming and Planning

Question 1

How would you develop the tender programme?

Answer 1

• Client requirements and key dates
• Experience from similar projects
• Pressure tested by the market
• Structure by RIBA Stages

Question 2

What is the purpose of a programme?

Answer 2

• Ensure effective sequencing of the works
• Administrative tool for monitoring progress of the works
• Legally binding if listed as a contract documents
• Assessing extensions of time
• Assisting with resolution of disputes
• Determines cash flow and resources

Question 3

What are key considerations when developing a programme?

Answer 3

• Understand client/project objectives
• Constraints
• Estimated durations for tasks
• Sequence
• Resources required
• The market and lead times
• Avoiding long durations on a single task

Question 4

What are the elements of a programme review?

Answer 4

• Assess compliance with the scope and tender documents
• Review progress against baseline
• Client reporting
• Assess programme stability
• Assess time risk allowance
• Assess float
• Ensure cost and resource are aligned
• Account for holidays (Christmas etc - other jurisdictions)

Question 5

What is time risk allowance?

Answer 5

• Time allocated for likely delays such as crane downtime, adverse weather, plant repairs etc

Question 6

What are SMART principles?

Answer 6

• Specific
• Measurable
• Agreed
• Realistic
• Time

Question 7

What is float?

Answer 7

• The amount of time a task can be delayed without impacting subsequent tasks or the project’s overall completion.

Question 8

What is free float?

Answer 8

• The amount of time a task can be delayed without impacting a subsequent task.

Question 9

What is total float?

Answer 9

• The amount of time that a task can be delayed without impacting the overall project completion date.

Question 10

What is terminal float?

Answer 10

• The difference between the planned completion date and the contract completion date
• Typically 10% of the overall project duration

Question 11

What is a programme baseline?

Answer 11

• The starting point of the programme. Once established, it is used to measure progress and performance.

Question 12

What is the critical path?

Answer 12

• The sequence of activities determining the minimum time needed for project completion. Any delay to an activity on the critical path will result in a delay to the completion date of the overall project. It is the long string of interrelated tasks.

Question 13

What are the benefits of critical path analysis?

Answer 13

• Prioritising tasks
• Anticipate and avoid bottlenecks
• Identify float

Question 14

What are bottlenecks?

Answer 14

• A stage in a project where a task limits or completely prevents progress with subsequent tasks

Question 15

What is a forward pass?

Answer 15

• Activities start at the earliest possible point to achieve the planned completion date

Question 16

What is a backward pass?

Answer 16

• Activities start at the latest possible date to achieve the planned completion date

Question 17

What is acceleration?

Answer 17

• refers to increasing the originally planned or current rate of progress of the works so as to complete the project earlier than would otherwise be the case.
• If the Employer wishes to investigate the possibility of achieving practical completion before the Completion Date, the Contract Administrator shall invite proposals from the Contractor in that regard
• If a contractor receives an invitation to make proposals, it must either provide an ‘Acceleration Quotation’ or explain why it would be impracticable to achieve an early completion of the works
• The ‘Acceleration Quotation’ must identify the amount of time that can be saved and the amount of the adjustment to the ‘Contract Sum’ that the contractor would require. The quotation must include direct costs, consequential loss and expense and an allowance for the cost of preparing the quotation.

Question 18

What are ways which acceleration could applied to your projects?

Answer 18

• Increased labour
• Extended working hours
• Increased plant and machinery – e.g mobile cranes
• Revised design for buildability
• New materials with shorter lead times

Question 19

What are the drawbacks of acceleration?

Answer 19

• Law of diminishing returns
• Reduced quality
• Increased costs
• Possible deviations from the clients aspirations

Question 20

What is a programme dropline?

Answer 20

The most recognised method of progress reporting. This is a line drawn down the programme on a chosen report date indicating tasks that either are ahead or behind schedule.

Question 21

What is a concurrent delay?

Answer 21

Concurrent delay is used to denote a period of project overrun which is caused by two or more effective causes of delay which are of approximately equal effect. However, if the programme is managed properly, this is very unlikely.

Question 22

What is project crashing?

Answer 22

Project crashing is compressing your project’s schedule to finish it earlier than your initial target.

Question 23

What is a programme hammock?

Answer 23

takes two or more tasks in a programme and shows the actual start of the earliest and the actual completion of the latest. The hammock bar will move as the actual programme tasks move.

Question 24

What is the difference between programming and planning?

Answer 24

A programme refers to a defined sequence of tasks and timescales that are required to complete a project. Planning refers to reviewing and organising the wider tasks required to deliver a project, such as teams, resources and wider objectives. This would be captured in a PEP for example.

Question 25

Name some programming software and when you would use them.

Answer 25

MS Project, Asta, Primeavera. I am only familiar with MS Project, but it is a well known format that is compatible with most members of the professional team.

Question 26

What is a work breakdown structure (WBS)?

Answer 26

A hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. It organizes and defines the total scope of the project. Each descending level represents an increasingly detailed definition of the project work.

Question 27

What is programme lead?

Answer 27

A successor activity starts before a predecessor activity finishes - e.g. loading out all brickwork on scaffold ahead of programme

Question 28

What is programme lag?

Answer 28

A required delay in the start of a predecessor activity - e.g. plaster drying before a mist coat, and subsequent coats of paint drying before a next or final coat.

Question 29

Is the programme a contract document under JCT?

Answer 29

No, although it is often appended to the contract. Therefore the client cannot penalise the contractor missing line item dates on the programme, unless each was an individual section completion (which wouldn’t happen in practice). The contractor is response for the programme activities, but must achieve the defined Sectional and Practical Completion dates. The programme IS a contract document under NEC.

Question 30

Who owns float under JCT?

Answer 30

The Contractor. Under NEC, float can be owned by different parties.

Question 31

What is a base date on a programme?

Answer 31

Under JCT, this is the allocation of risk for statutory changes. The base date is usually the date of the tender submission.

Question 32

What metrics would you use to review a programme at tender?

Answer 32

- Experience from similar projects - - Benchmark data within Arcadis to validate - Look at lead times and ask for confirmation of orders

Question 33

What is a concurrent delay?

Answer 33

the situation on a project which is suffering delay in which two or more independent events have occurred which, if either had occurred on their own, would have caused delay to the project.

Question 34

What is time at large?

Answer 34

Time at large usually means that there is no enforceable date for completion, and the contractor then only has an implied obligation to complete the works within a ‘reasonable time’.

Question 35

What is cash flow important within programme?

Answer 35

- understanding expenditure vs budget from both a client and contractor perspective. Essentially, ensuring both parties can remain in business.