This post addresses the general topic of time management and the relationship to managing the risk of delay. More specifically, this post addresses time management strategy issues.
Keith Pickavance is a prominent leader, speaker, expert and author in the construction industry. His authoritative reference book, Delay and Disruption in Construction Contracts, is noted in our Resource Center.
Mr. Pickavance is President of The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). As a member of Time-Management Working Group, Mr. Pickavance and the group authored and have published Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time in Complex Projects. This publication is noted in our Resource Center.
This work (hereinafter called “The Guide”) addresses, among other aspects, time-management strategy as viewed by CIOB. The Guide is an important contribution to many time-related topics including managing risk of delay.
The topics addressed under the heading of Strategy are:
2.1 Planning
2.2 Schedule preparation
2.3 Schedule review
2.4 Progress update
2.5 Change management
2.6 Planning method statement
2.7 Record keeping
2.8 Time-management quality control
2.9 Communications.
The Guide starts its strategy discussion with Planning. With the focus on large and complex projects, the planning is a key to effective management of time. This planning must commence during design and continue into construction. The list of stakeholders includes “…the employer, design team, contractor and subcontractors.” Articulation of the strategy precedes the start of planning and scheduling and is to be revisited periodically.
Continuing to Schedule preparation, Mr. Pickavance notes that the purpose of the schedule is to indicate when work is to be performed (in the future). Of course, preparation of the schedule is to be based on the time-management strategy that precedes scheduling. Lastly, the schedule preparation must include an audit trail (sometimes known as documenting the schedule or by other terms).
In Change management, The Guide addresses Change-risk management. Certainly, management of risk of delay is a major subset of this topic. The Guide asserts that delay-risk management strategy can be addressed through answers to a series of questions. These questions suggest consideration of such fundamentals as “what can go wrong?’ and continue on to likelihood, timing, consequential effects, avoidance, and contingency considerations. As project professionals know, options diminish with time so proactive and timely action is imperative.
The Change management then moves into managerial tools such as the master risk register and related procedures.
When planning the execution of the project and preparing the Project Execution Plan (PEP), the project team considers the Time-Management Strategy. The factors articulated within The Guide are appropriate.
Time-Management Strategy has several additional components and/or related strategies. This strategy must be closely integrated with the Risk Management Strategy as The Guide discusses. Management tools, such as risk registers must be coordinated with the time-management strategy. Time related risks, such as equipment deliveries, permitting and other, must be carefully integrated into the time management strategy. Contingency plans need to be in place.
Time-Management Strategy must be integrated with claims management strategy. More specifically, the time-related issues must be harmonized and synchronized with the claims strategy. Issues such as Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and notice mechanisms need strategy, process and procedural considerations. These KPI’s and notice factors are part of the time-management strategy. The specific strategy, process and procedures are driven by the project specifics.
Good luck and let us all attempt to approach the issue of Time-Management strategy with all the factors as presented in The Guide as well as integrating other related aspects of execution planning.
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