Programming and Planning

Question 1

What is a critical path?

Answer 1

The critical path is the shortest time to complete all activities in a logical order. It is a sequence of activities through a precedence network from start to finish, the sum of whose durations determines the overall duration.

Question 2

What is a programme?

Answer 2

A programme is a timetable showing the forecast start and finish dates for activities or events within a project. When a PM has defined the scope of the project, understood quality requirements and risk and has estimates of activity duration in place, the next step is to put together within a schedule.

Question 3

What is critical path analysis?

Answer 3

This is an activity based technique that determines the overall duration of the identified work based on estimates and logical dependencies. It is the method to determine the critical path and which activities are critical and which have total float (i.e. will not make the project longer if delayed).
It calculates the longest path of planned activities to logical end points or to the end of the project, and the earliest and latest that each activity can start and finish without making the project longer.

Question 4

What is float

Answer 4

The time by which an activity may be delayed without affecting the overall project duration.

Question 5

What is an EOT

Answer 5

An extension of time is a delay to the project that is of no fault of the contractor. The contractor needs to give notice in writing and try and mitigate the delay.

Question 6

How is an EOT managed and what are the implications?

Answer 6

As a CA or EA, when a notice of delay is received, you need to acknowledge receipt and you need to review the EOT claim and challenge it to see if the contractor has tried to mitigate the delay even if they are not at fault. If you accept the delay caused by a relevant event, then you can grant the EOT an the completion date of the project is then adjusted.

Question 7

What does a programme identify?

Answer 7

Programmes will often identify:

1. Dates and duration allocated to tasks.
2. A critical path - the sequence of critical tasks upon which the overall duration of the programme is dependent.
3. Tasks which can only be carried out after the other tasks have been completed.
4. Tasks which can be carried out in simultaneously.
5. Float - the delay in which can be incurred without affecting the critical path.
6. The need for specific resources such as plant, services or materials and their lead time.

Question 8

Why is float useful?

Answer 8

Identifying float can be helpful in highlighting where it may be possible to transfer resource to tasks that are on the critical path.

Question 9

What is a Gantt chart?

Answer 9

An activity / task shown graphically as a bar running horizontally. The preparation of the chart may include a range of basic data spread over columns:

1. Activities, according to the order in which they are carried out.
2. Budget or cost
3. Quantity in its corresponding units
4. predicted performance for working equipment.
5. Duration of the activity.

Question 10

How do you monitor progress and programme on site?

Answer 10

1. Review the construction programme - planned vs actual.
2. Materials on site
3. Number of contractors on site.
4. Review of the contractors signing in log and review against the proposed numbers in the RAMS.
5. Review cash flow forecast - planned vs actual
6. confirm specification of materials are being installed as per the manufacturers guidelines.
7. Whether you are meeting key milestones
8. Design sign off

Question 11

What happens if an activity on the critical path is in delay?

Answer 11

This is likely to cause a delay to the programme unless it can be re-sequenced but might be unlikely as there would not be any float. It could result in an EOT and claim for L&E depending on the nature of the delay or if it is a fault of the contractor there might be provision for LDs.

Question 12

Why is it important to regularly monitor progress against programme?

Answer 12

So that risk are identified, and slippage in programme is caught early and delay is mitigated.

Question 13

What do you mean by a client direct programme?

Answer 13

This was a programme that I put together to demonstrate all of the works that will be carried out by contractors that were appointed directly by the client. These included AV and catering . They were not under appointment by the contractor.

Question 14

During the exercise of aligning client direct programmes and main construction programme, how did you manage discrepancies and clashes in timings?

Answer 14

I acted as liaison between contractors and coordinated comments on programmes. I held meetings with contractors to ensure timescales were clearly coordinated and the team understood when others would be on site and who the main point of contact was.

Question 15

How did you manage having multiple contractors on site at the same time?

Answer 15

• I ensured that the main construction took priority in terms of getting work done.
• I ensured the teams were in communication with one another and knew who there site contact was.
• I ensured there was agreement in relation to protection of equipment on site and areas that were off limits to others and lockable rooms etc.
• I ensured all parties knew what works were taking place when and what areas would be available and not available.
• I ensured that all teams were site inducted.

Question 16

Why were these two particular items client direct and not within the contract?

Answer 16

Mainly as a means to cut out the main contractors overheads and profits and thus lower costs so mainly a cost decision.
However with the AV, the design wasn’t sufficiently progressed enough to move into the main contract at that time in the project.
It also allowed the client to maintain control over these two packages and link with its internal teams (catering and IT).

Question 17

Why were these items carried out on site during construction and not after construction was complete?

Answer 17

Essentially this was to get ahead of the programme. Although ideally better, if we did it sequentially, the overall project duration would have been delayed.
We therefore agreed early access with the contractor.
Taking into account:
Health and safety and the contract clause 2.5 - early use by the employer.
We obtained consent by the contractor and ensured relevant insurers were notified.

Question 18

What were the risks of having multiple contractors on site at the same time.

Answer 18

1. Security
2. Health and Safety
3. Logistics
4. Disruption to tasks
5. Damage
6. Blame
7. Warranty issues
8. Re-do work

Question 19

What is an EOT?

Answer 19

An extension of time is the mechanism which allow the construction period to be extended where there is a delay that is not the contractor’s fault.

Question 20

How had the contractor tried to mitigate the delay to the programme?

Answer 20

It resequenced certain elements and looked at labour resource on site and managed to reduce the extension from 5 weeks to 4 weeks.

Question 21

How do you manage a delay to the programme when it is the fault of the client?

Answer 21

I would expect a notice from the contractor immediately as the delay was known. Once received I would respond asking for impact details and substantiation of the claim so that I could assess. I would also remind the contractor that it had an obligation under the contract to make best endeavors to mitigate the delay. I would assess the evidence provided against the programme, looking at the critical path and mitigation measures attempted and liaise withe the QS and design team on matters that might have lead to the delay before concluding my assessment and making a recommendation to the client. To conclude the matter i would issue a certificate to certify that the EOT had been accepted and a new completion date was confirmed.

Question 22

With the EOT on Project X, why was the concrete found unknown or not part of the demolition?

Answer 22

As part of the assessment, I was required to review why the concrete had been left behind and it was concluded that it was an oversight on the structural engineers part. It seems that this area of concrete fell out of scope.

Question 23

What is total float?

Answer 23

The amount of time by which a task can be delayed before it affects the end date of the project.

Question 24

What type of task relationship are there on a gantt chart?

Answer 24

Finish to start - Meaning one task cannot start until the one before it has finished.

Start to start - meaning a task can only start one another task has started.

Finish to finish - meaning a task can only finish once another task has finished.

Question 25

What is free float?

Answer 25

The amount of time by which the end of a task can be delayed before affecting subsequent tasks.

Question 26

What is the purpose of the critical path?

Answer 26

1. It revels total and free float.
2. tasks with the lowest combined total float describe the critical path. By understanding which tasks will affect the end date, we can pay more attention to them.
3. Tasks that affect another task are understood. These are tasks with free float and need managerial intervention so the next task is not affected.
4. Resource management - tasks with float can have less resource possible.

Question 27

. What are the advantages for using programming software systems for planning?

Answer 27

Advantages include:

1. Quick to use
2. Can quickly be recalculated as circumstances change.
3. Is a good visual aid which clearly shows where we are in the project, the critical path and which activities are behind or in front of programme.

Question 28

What is a project programme?

Answer 28

A sequence in which tasks much be carried out to ensure a project can be completed on time.

Question 29

What can be identified from a project programme?

Answer 29

• the overall start date
• the completion date
• the start of each activity
• the completion date of each activity
• The amount of float
• the critical path
• Tasks to be undertaken sequentially
• Tasks to be undertaken simultaneously

Question 30

What should a programme help you to do?

Answer 30

• Plan activities
• monitor progress
• manage resources

Question 31

What types of programmes are there?

Answer 31

• Contractors’ master programme
• Clients overall programme
• Design programme
• Procurement programme

Question 32

What goes into the clients programme?

Answer 32

Everything establishing the brief, appointing consultants, getting planning permission, design stages and sign off, construction and completion and handover. This will include work outside of the scope of the main contractor.

Generally It will include milestones following the RIBA Plan of works including
Stage 1 - preparing a brief
Stage 2 - concept design at which stage planning consent activities will be included
Stage 3 - developed design - at which stage procurement route is decided
Stage 4 - technical design
Stage 5 - construction followed by client mobilisation and handover.
When preparing the programme I would be having discussions with the client regarding procurement methods and timescales these may impose on the project.

Question 33

What goes into the design programme?

Answer 33

it describes the sequence of design tasks, i.e. from the process of design from inception through the technical design.

Question 34

What goes into the contractors master programme?

Answer 34

The schedule and sequence of construction activities.

Question 35

Can you employ a consultant to produce a programme?

Answer 35

Yes, and this consultant may be responsible of keeping the programme up to date and managing the programme.

Question 36

What should you consider when preparing a programme?

Answer 36

• Items with long lead in
• Pre-contract work
• pre-fabrication elements
• works outside the main contract
• phasing and sectional completion
• planning period
• design periods
• surveys and site investigations.

Question 37

What should the PM do on receipt of the contractors programme?

Answer 37

Check that it is not front loaded.

Check the activity timescales are reasonable and realistic.

Question 38

What is a key milestone?

Answer 38

Specific points along the programme used to measure progress.

Question 39

What is the benefit of having key milestones?

Answer 39

helps the project keep site of key dates and deadlines.

Question 40

How can you monitor progress on site?

Answer 40

• Compare progress to programme
• Compare valuations against the contractor cash flow
• Milestone chart
• ensure regular site visits

Question 41

What are three types of delay?

Answer 41

• Contractor led
• client led
• neutral

Question 42

What is concurrent delay?

Answer 42

Where multiple delays for numerous causes overlap. The difficulty is in determining the root cause. We had this on XX project where there was a design delay at the fault of the contractor as well as a delay due to an unexpected site obstruction. The delays may have happened had different times but the effects are felt concurrently.

Question 43

How do you assess concurrent delay?

Answer 43

• determine the root cause.
• discard any other delays
• look for a resolution. i.e. if there is a client risk and a contractor fault, could an EOT be awarded with no or reduced L&E?

Question 44

What is acceleration/

Answer 44

this is the process of speeding up the work of a contractor so that a particular activity or a project as a whole can be completed before the date required under the contract. The contractor may incur additional costs through acceleration and can claim these against the client. This may also be undertaken voluntarily so that the contractor can move onto another project. They will not be able to claim for additional costs from the client. Bot instances happened on XX.

Question 45

What are the techniques used for acceleration?

Answer 45

• Working overtime
• Adding new shifts
• Additional labour
• Additional supervision.
• Early procurement
• Re-sequencing of work activities
• Different construction methods.

Question 46

What were the key milestone for the XXX change to the WC cubicle.

Answer 46

A milestone is a key event in the project or activity uses to measure progress.
For this particular activity, the milestones were:

• RFC return
• client decision and instruction
• client sign off of images
• final date for order

Question 47

How did you plan objectives with your client?

Answer 47

Initial meetings were carried out in the early stages to understand the employers objectives and brief. These meetings were held with the main stakeholders including client, trustees, end users to understand what was important.
During a sign off period and a change in president, we reflected on these objectives and adapted to bring a new idea of personalisation into them. This was explored further with the trustees and other stakeholders and then process commenced to proceeds so this objective was met.

Question 48

What do you look for on a programme when assessing an EOT?

Answer 48

Firstly I would consult the contract to review which relevant event the contractor was referring to. I would then review the activities delayed due to the relevant event and understand if these were on the critical path or if they would be so delayed that they became critical.
In the case of XXX, these items were on the critical path the ground floor slab was delayed with delayed subsequent floors and the envelop. The ground floor was critical and the items it impacted because critical because of its lateness