Programming and Planning Flashcards
What is a programme?
The sequence in which tasks must be carried out to complete a project (within a pre-defined time / duration).
What is the purpose of a programme?
- Monitor progress & performance.
- Model delivery of a project.
- Communicate plan to the team & client.
- Use in appraisals & fee estimates.
What are the different types of programme?
Different presentation styles to tailor to the need of the audience.
Gantt Chart
o Relationships between tasks are mapped.
o Critical path is determined.
o Simple, effective visualisation.
PERT – Programme Evaluation & Review Technique
o PERT breaks down the project into events and activities, and lays down their proper sequence, relationships, and duration in the form of a network.
o Shows the time taken by each component of a project, and the total time required for its completion
o Lines connecting the events are called paths, and the longest path resulting from connecting all events is called the critical path.
Network Path Analysis
o Refinement of PERT.
o Maps the connections & dependencies between the tasks.
Cashflows
o Programmes expenditure throughout the project based on sequencing of works/tasks.
o Used to monitor progress through actual expenditure.
o Useful for funding purposes for banks etc.
What is Acceleration?
- Techniques used when a delay occurs to save time in the most economical way.
- Acceleration methods include:
o Resequencing tasks – most cost effective method.
o Incentives
o Changing construction logistics or methods
o Increase resourcing – either people or hours.
How do you measure performance of a programme?
- Droplines – Shows progress against each task but does not show overall impact of delays.
- Baselines – Planned programme against actual.
How do you determine the critical path?
- List activities
- Establish their duration and dependencies
- Draw network diagram
- Identify critical path
What is a forward pass?
- Technique to move forward through network diagram to determining project duration and finding the critical path or Free Float of the project.
What is a backwards pass?
- Moving backward from the end result to calculate late start or to find if there is any slack in the activity.
What is float?
- The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying a subsequent activity
What are the different types of float?
- Free Float – the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the succeeding task.
- Total Float – This is the amount of time which an activity can be delayed without affecting the end date of the project. On the critical path, total float is zero.
- Terminal Float – difference between a contractors planned completion date, and the completion date set in the contract. Float owned by the contractor within NEC!
Why is programming and planning important?
- Model the project
- Communicate the plan to team and client
- To monitor progress
How would you put together a programme?
- Identify tasks, sequence of tasks & relationships between them, duration of tasks and any milestones along the way.
- Collaborate with the team to get buy-in on task durations
When might you adopt different programming techniques and why
- Different levels of detail required for the audience it is being produced for.
Features that help to identify risk around timing?
- These include the critical path and project float.
What is the relationship between critical path and float?
- There is no float on the critical activities but non-critical activities will have float.
How did you determine milestones?
- Workshop with the client to understand the internal approvals required.
- Vacant Possession, Designing at risk post submission.
Give me an example of programme types:
- Gantt chart
- Bar chart in excel
- Time location chart (high rise building, road, infrastructure)
- String diagram – condensed Gantt chart
- Cashflow
What are acceleration techniques?
- Increased resources – people, machines, working days
- Resequencing of works
Who owns the float?
- NEC – Programme is a contract document so the contractor owns the float
- JCT – owned by project, contractor can use it to reduce the delay, client can use it to delay Extension of Time.
What is a key objective of a strategic programme?
- Shows planned to achieve objectives
- Stages of design
- Procurement period
- Construction period
- Client decision dates
- Stakeholder key dates
What is lead?
- Time between placing an order and receiving a product
Example of planning conditions (S106)?
Construction Logistics Plan. Construction Management Plan. Updated pre-demolition/material audit.
Describe how you maintained the short term programme to manage design team performance?
Regular design team meetings to review design deliverables. Listed design studies/deliverables on the programme and track through dropline.
Marketing programme?
Input key marketing deliverables and timescales to track completion of deliverables and procurement / installation of marketing suite
How does cashflow help monitor progress?
Track deliverables and consultant output on cashflow to review whether deliverables undertaken review whether on programme.
How did you produce the planning condition tracker?
- Reviewed S106 agreement with the design team, contractor and planning consultant to then work back from key condition milestones and put key issue dates against each obligation
- Set out condition i.e. prior to commencement of works
- Target submission for condition requirements i.e. phasing plan
- Decision date from LBTH (12 week statutory period)
- RAG rating system to show progress &/or delays
Which key planning application docs were interdependent?
Landscape strategy documents were required in order to inform the Urban Greening Factor assessment report.
