Construction Scheduling: Definition and How-To Guide

1. Critical path method (CPM)

This project management technique involves estimating the minimum project duration and determining the amount of scheduling flexibility to build in. it’s a fast way to develop an accurate representation of the dates that activities will occur.

2. Program evaluation and review technique (PERT)

This technique is used to estimate project duration, identify possible risks, and estimate the durations of each activity. A PERT can be a more visual representation than a CPM.

3. Line of balance (LOB)

This technique looks at productivity rates and crews associated with specific scopes of work. LOB is useful for carrying out repetitive activities and using crews to complete them in a more efficient way.

4. Q scheduling

Also known as quantitative or queue scheduling, Q scheduling uses bar charts to schedule the materials and equipment needed on a project, including the locations and times they’ll be needed. Q scheduling is gaining popularity for its advanced data analysis techniques.

5. Resource-oriented scheduling

This technique involves identifying the resources available for a project and addressing situations in which multiple parties will need access to those resources at the same time. Resource-oriented scheduling is beneficial where resources are limited yet critical for project completion.

6. Last planner system

LPS is a simple calculation focused on planning and coordinating work at the smallest possible increment, anywhere from one to six weeks, to optimize the use of resources and reduce uncertainty. Often a facilitator, designated with the last planner title, is laser focused on the work that needs to be done during a specific timeline.

7. Gantt chart

This is a visual representation of a project plan within a calendar. Gantt charts often are used to display LPS, CPM, resource-oriented, PERT, LOB, and Q schedules.

Each scheduling method offers advantages and disadvantages. Q schedules, for example, access the budding popularity of advanced analytics in construction. Gantt charts underscore the importance of collaboration, and LPS emphasizes a facilitator to keep all parties focused and the project on track.

Step 1: Define the project

Give your project a title and number and include a description. Set key milestones, from project start to handover. Establish the overall budget and identify key stakeholders, from project managers to owners.

Step 2: Develop the work breakdown structure

Establish an outline for the job and identify those scopes of work. Identify major milestones for each scope of work.

Step 3: Identify resources

Build a resource pool that includes what labor, equipment, and materials (LEM) are needed.

Step 4: Estimate time

Establish how long activities will last. Then map out dependencies and include the relationships and logical ties between those activities. Typically at this step, you’re calculating the schedule.

Step 5: Plan for risks

You now have a picture of a project schedule. It’s time to identify, assess, and mitigate risks. Adverse weather, equipment breakdowns, and labor disruptions all present risk. Create mitigation strategies depending on how you want to alleviate risk. The growing field of predictive data analytics helps teams understand risks and mitigate their impacts.

Step 6: Develop a communication plan

The schedule itself is a great communication tool. Every aspect of the project is there, and everyone involved needs to understand and agree to the plan for the overall project on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Step 7: Create the initial schedule

Use automated scheduling tools to confidently establish project start and conclusion dates. Communicate the schedule to all stakeholders. Once the project is underway, it’s crucial to consistently track progress and make any needed revisions.

Step 8: Allocate the budget

This can happen before or while the schedule is being created. Sometimes people manage cost in a different system than the schedule unless it’s contractually required to tie them together. Using a cost breakdown structure identifies funds designated for labor, equipment, and materials.

Step 9: Obtain approvals and finalize the schedule

Typically, work hasn’t started at this step but there’s a picture of the full project plan. Everyone has seen it and likes it. The schedule is distributed to all stakeholders.

Step 10: Set up monitoring and control systems

Store the schedule as your original baseline because once a project commences, you want the ability to run comparisons of a project’s progress versus the initial baseline. Every single reporting cycle is catalogued and stored as a “snapshot” of progress to date. It would be wise to tie progress payments to receipt of schedule updates.

Step 11: Document everything

In construction scheduling, if things don’t go according to plan, you want to know why and when. Maintain change logs to document schedule additions and deletions. Archive the as-built schedule and supporting documents as a “Rolodex” for future reference. Insist that updates are submitted as required.

Step 12: Reflect and learn

The project is complete. Ask all stakeholders what worked and what didn’t and why. Should sequencing have been different? Would Q scheduling have been more effective than resource-oriented scheduling? Analyze the schedule and incorporate lessons learned into the next schedule.

1. Unforeseen site conditions

An estimate on the number of days a project would take to complete was based on conditions being the same across the jobsite. But digging down 15 feet, the construction team found that the substrate was different across the site, delaying the project. Conditions such as these that are unaccounted for can affect any schedule.

2. Weather conditions

Jobsites and construction schedules are affected as climate change makes weather more unpredictable. Budget in weather days or spare float as you build your construction schedule.

3. Supply chain issues

Supply chains are vulnerable to any number of circumstances, including adverse weather conditions, factory shutdowns, and once-in-a-lifetime pandemics. Put contingency plans in place. Cultivate relationships with suppliers to negotiate stable prices and minimize interruptions.

4. Labor availability and productivity

The construction industry continues to face a dire shortage of skilled workers. If the scope of a project changes, that will affect your labor resources and likely your schedule.

5. Cost overruns due to scheduling challenges

Because construction projects often span months or years, the cost of labor, equipment, and materials is susceptible to dramatic spikes. Cost overruns can indicate broader problems with a poorly written schedule and inept project management, as well as plans and budgets inaccurately set from the project’s start.

6. Delay claims and disputes

The industry generally recognizes four types of delays in construction contracts: excusable delay, non-excusable delay, compensable delay, and concurrent delay. If something goes wrong on a project, who’s liable? There can be a lot of finger-pointing around the table, which can derail the schedule.

7. Contractual obligations and penalties

The contract should clearly specify project start and completion dates. Most construction contracts include financial penalties for failing to complete work on time. Penalties often accumulate as a daily charge and can quickly eat away profits.

8. Integration of advanced technologies

The industry increasingly is using construction management software, integrated with multiple point solutions, to create schedules. This could include integration with estimating, modeling, and CSD (combined services drawing) systems, and even with the systems of materials suppliers. Seamless integration saves time and effort, enforces accountability and transparency, and streamlines workflows.

9. Technology learning curve and adoption barriers

There's a learning curve with any new software. When it comes to construction management software, inadequate training budgets make that curve steeper, as does an overall lack of awareness of the software’s value.

10. Coordination among various stakeholders

A challenge in construction is keeping everyone on the same page. Communication becomes a critical component to building trust and relationships among stakeholders. Keeping all parties informed and involved creates a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility for the project’s success.

1. Develop a detailed work breakdown schedule

The first step in project scheduling is creating a well-defined outline that breaks down every task and event to be completed, from budgets to deliverables. Use a WBS to measure project completion, identify milestones, and allocate budget resources.

2. Set realistic timelines

It’s essential that project managers and teams set realistic durations for each task and event to ensure that their projects are completed on time, remain on budget, and meet goals. Building schedules with realistic timelines helps motivate the team.

3. Identify potential risks early

Poor planning early in the scheduling process can lead to rushing a project to completion, which increases quality and safety risks. Thorough project management, factoring in weather, supply chain, and other variables, can substantially reduce schedule risk.

4. Establish contingency plans

Unexpected challenges can affect project delivery, so it’s crucial to build contingencies into a schedule. A contingency plan for your construction schedule reduces the impact of project risks, while improving decision-making and problem-solving.

5. Optimize resource allocation

A project’s success often depends on how efficiently labor, capital, materials, and other resources are allocated, which typically results in cost savings and improved productivity. When developing a schedule, identify the project requirements, consider resource availability, and then allocate those resources.

6. Manage supply chains efficiently

Predictability in supply chain management improves project efficiency, minimizes project delays, and keeps the project budget on track. Establish clear lines of communication, build long-term relationships with reliable suppliers, and use technology solutions to improve visibility, traceability, and efficiency in managing the construction supply chain.

7. Promote open and clear communication channels

Designate early on the methods you’ll use to communicate over the project’s lifecycle. Make sure communication is frequent and relevant. Regular meetings, instant messaging apps, and plain old in-person chats all work.

8. Encourage collaborative problem-solving

Collaborative problem-solving helps teams resolve issues that spring up and quickly address potential roadblocks. Giving employees autonomy to solve problems also helps them refine those skills and fosters trust.

9. Leverage construction management software

Construction management software supports shared planning and scheduling standards across office and field teams, and its built-in best practices improve scheduling processes.

10. Integrate building information modeling (BIM)

BIM, defined earlier in this article, improves decision-making and team collaboration at all stages of a project.

11. Conduct periodic schedule reviews

Think of it as preventive maintenance—regular reviews confirm that the construction schedule is progressing in an orderly manner and allow for adjustments. Use milestones as checkpoints. It’s also helpful to do a schedule check when new members are added or leave the project team.

12. Implement dynamic schedule adjustments

Dynamic scheduling involves the use of real-time data and predictive analytics to help project teams adjust schedules on the fly to ever-changing factors, including weather conditions, machine downtime, supply disruptions, and spikes in demand. Results include improved productivity, reduced downtime and waste, and higher customer satisfaction.

13. Invest in employee training and development

Continuous learning and development help limit two major threats to a construction schedule. Poor safety practices can lead to the sudden shutdown of a jobsite, while chronic rework cripples project progress. Initiate a comprehensive employee training program to reduce safety risk, improve worker skills, and show your commitment to your people.

14. Maintain high morale and motivation

From providing daily box talks to healthier food selections and plentiful hydration stations, an employer’s constant commitment to morale improves safety and productivity. A motivated team with a can-do attitude will rally together to meet tight project deadlines.

15. Ensure clear contractual agreements

Unfortunately, delays and disputes are common occurrences in the construction industry. Establishing clear contractual agreements helps avoid miscommunications and misunderstandings about project timelines, minimizing the risk of legal actions when timelines aren’t met.

16. Implement dispute-resolution mechanisms

Early implementation and proactive management of potential disputes can improve project efficiency and ensure timely project completion. Disputes in construction can arise over schedule, scope, and quality. Ensure that all schedules are realistic and include provisions regarding potential delays. Also, read and understand the contract, negotiate clauses that are unclear, and perform due diligence on estimates, hiring subcontractors, and securing supplies.