A competent construction project scheduler is more than a submittals chaser. Yes, schedulers review and critique contractor submittals and prevent submittal-related delays—but they can do a lot more. Is your team missing out on a critical resource?
Project schedulers can play a critical role in construction planning, say industry pros Olga Russell and James G. Zack, Jr. They can guide: project planning and development, management and control, coordination and communication, change management, and more. Russell and Zack cover many of the beneficial features of project schedulers in their AudioSolutionz webinar, “The Role of the Schedule: Before, During, and After a Construction Project.”
Rely on Schedulers to Stick to the Plan
Expand your idea of the scheduler’s role by looking at relevant job descriptions. A recent job posting for a Florida construction firm called for standard functions (e.g., updating the master schedule, assisting project managers, and gathering schedule information), as well as a host of advanced abilities, including: maintain quality assurance and handle resource planning and cash flow.
A similar job posting for a Chicago firm sought applicants who could analyze drawings, interact with various teams, create cost and manpower load schedules, and evaluate actual construction status relevant to the proposed plan.
Also: Get to Know Gantt Charts
With labor at a premium and supply prices rising, sticking to schedules has never been more important. So before you bring on a project scheduler to track your next project, do your own homework. Get to know the useful tools and software available for planning and monitoring timely project performance.
A good example: “Because of their visual nature, construction timelines that include Gantt charts are especially useful for presentations or meetings with executives, team leaders, and other key stakeholders,” according to construction timeline chart provider Smartsheet. Gantt charts “offer a clear snapshot of current versus expected work completed at important dates or milestones of the project, or at a specific phase.”
What is it? A Gantt chart is a bar chart that depicts work completed over time, explains software maker Project Manager. These charts can show:
- Project start dates
- Project tasks
- Who is working on each task
- When tasks start and finish
- How long each task will take
- How tasks group together, overlap, and link with each other
- The project’s finish date
Finally: Create Contingency Plans
Keeping a project to the construction schedule is no easy matter, affirms consultancy Construct Connect. Tips for keeping projects on-message and on-budget include:
- Review plans, specs, and project documents
- Create and coordinate a master plan
- Create contingency plans
- Communicate and collaborate
- Monitor and document progress
Successful schedule planning, Construct Connect adds, includes not just realistic start dates and task time allocations but also understanding of which tasks can be performed concurrently with other tasks. And then, of course, you must ensuring that suppliers deliver required materials on time.
In other words, there are many overlapping elements to planning, prioritizing, and following a construction schedule. It is as complicated as you think it is, say Russell and Zack—and that’s why you need a good scheduler (and supporting tools) on your team.
