MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Progress Assessment (Part 11)

This post is the eleventh in a series of discussions regarding various aspects of time management as it relates to the risk of delay.  This post addresses planning for and implementing progress assessment.

Planning for and implementing progress assessment is, perhaps, one of the most important aspects of Time Management and, consequently, Managing Risk of Delay.  Timely (early) detection of trends (positive and negative) allows timely managerial action.  Timeliness of action is a heavy influence over the effectiveness of Time Management.  In project work, it is imperative that one finds problems quickly and fixes these problems rapidly.  In order to implement timely action, professional progress assessment is required.

The challenge associated with managing time is intensified in the case of larger and more complex projects as well as fast-track and high technology projects. [Read more…]

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Schedule Updates and Progress Considerations (Part 10)

This post is the tenth in a series of discussions regarding various aspects of time management as it relates to the risk of delay.  This post addresses planning for and implementing progress measurement and schedule updates.

The challenge associated with managing time is intensified in the case of larger and more complex projects as well as fast-track and high technology projects.

In order to professionally manage time (and, therefore, risk of delay) the manager must have a time baseline [typically a Critical Path Method schedule and a Performance Measurement Baseline – please see earlier posts on these topics] and a method to recognize variations from the baseline.  In order to detect variances, the managerial team must have an effective process to measure progress data and update the schedule (or time model). [Read more…]

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Subject Series Summary Update

This summary update provides readers with an overview of prior posts and provides a baseline for future posts that will follow on a timely basis.  The last summary was posted on June 12, 2011.

This summary is very brief and simply serves as an index for readers to follow.  More robust summaries are provided in the June summary.  Of course, detailed descriptions are contained in the individual posts.

Ideally this summary provides a starting point to investigate best practice on many delay-related features of project management.

The Context and Challenge (Part 1) – Talk/Speech by Mr. Keith Pickavance

Time-Management Strategy (Part 2) – Strategy according to CIOB Guide

As-Planned Schedule / Accepted Programme (Part 3) – Establishing the Time Management Baseline

Schedule Preparation and Maintenance (Part 4) – Managing the Time Baseline

Earned Value Management (Part 5) – Importance and Management of the Time Baseline Tool

Critical Path and Earned Value Management (Part 6) – Managing with Critical Path, Earned Value Management and Productivity Tools

Earned Value and Schedule Performance Indicators (Part 7) – Time Management Tools

Schedule Specification Sources and Implementation (Part 8) – Managerial Tools with sources

Recognition and Notice (Part 9) – Managerial Alerting and Action Tools

 

Going forward, we will post other features of MANAGING THE RISK OF DELAY. [Read more…]

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Recognition and Notice (Part 9)

This post is the ninth in a series of discussions regarding various aspects of time management as it relates to the risk of delay.  More specifically, we have titled the series MANAGING RISK OF DELAY, since we focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management.  This post addresses planning for and implementing recognition and notice as a managerial tool.

The challenge associated with managing time is common to virtually all projects.  This challenge is true for most project management situations.  It is intensified in the case of larger and more complex projects as well as fast-track (an ambiguous term) and high technology (similarly, an ambiguous characterization) projects.

In order to professionally manage time (and, therefore, risk of delay) the manager must have a time baseline [typically a Critical Path Method schedule and a Performance Measurement Baseline – please see earlier posts on these topics] and a method to recognize variations from the baseline.

Further, the managerial team must have an effective process to provide timely and compliant notice of the variance to the time baseline. [Read more…]

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Schedule Specification Sources and Implementation (Part 8)

This post is the eighth in a series of discussions regarding various aspects of time management as it relates to the risk of delay.  More specifically, we have titled the series MANAGING RISK OF DELAY, since we focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management.  This post addresses implementing and using a schedule specification as a managerial tool.

The challenge associated with managing time is common to virtually all projects.  This challenge is true for most project management situations.  It is intensified in the case of larger and more complex projects.  Examples include Lump Sum Turn Key (LSTK), Engineer Procure Construct (EPC) and other similarly executed projects.  In addition to the normal issues associated with bulk progress, actions or inactions by the owner can add considerable complexity to this challenge.  Over the past seven years, M&M has program/project managed five projects exceeding $100 million (USD) in investment value (total installed cost).  Thus, practical/practioner experience is engendered in this discussion/post. [Read more…]

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES – Project Initiation Lessons Learned (Part 3)

This Lessons Learned in Project Initiation post is the third in a series of discussions regarding current challenges being encountered in today’s project management world.  We have titled the series PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, since we intend to focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management.  This post addresses the starting point or initiation of the project.  This is a crucial challenge.

The study of lessons learned creates relevance and importance in (sometimes) abstract concepts.  It answers queries regarding the practical side of the issue.  There is a famous quote out there that talks about those that refuse to study history.  It is suggested that you avoid reliving the mistakes experienced by others. [Read more…]

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES – Project Initiation (Part 2)

This post is the second in a series of discussions regarding current challenges being encountered in today’s project management.  More specifically, we have titled the series PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, since we intend to focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management.  This post addresses the starting point or initiation of the project.  This is a crucial challenge.

Authoritative information and guidance regarding project management comes from many sources.  A few that may be obvious include:

In order to frame and organize this topic, we will use the PMI Project Management Processes for a Project as presented in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide).

Many discussion groups and forums can be helpful.  These include AACE, PMI, LinkedIn and others. [Read more…]

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES – Introduction (Part 1)

This post is the first in a series of discussions regarding challenges being encountered in current project management.  More specifically, we have titled the series PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, since we intend to focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management.  This post introduces the topic and sets the framework for ongoing posts on individual challenges.  This series is intended to draw upon many sources within the project management discipline or profession.

Authoritative information and guidance regarding project management comes from many sources.  A few that may be obvious include:

In order to frame and organize this topic, we will use the PMI Project Management Processes for a Project as presented in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide).

Many discussion groups and forums can be helpful.  These include AACE, PMI, LinkedIn and others.

Some blogs (other than this one) provide useful information.  Consider:

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Subject Series Summary

 

The Context and Challenge (Part 1)

This post addresses the general topic of time management and the relationship to managing the risk of delay.

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 CIOB.  Speaking in this capacity, he delivered an excellent talk entitled: ” Managing the risk of delayed completion in the 21st Century.

The link to this streaming video is http://www.multichanneltv.com/ciob/cio004/ and is excellent.  The discussion by Mr. Pickavance provides an excellent basis for development of this topic. [Read more…]

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Earned Value and Schedule Performance Indicators (Part 7)

This post is the seventh in a series of discussions regarding various aspects of time management as it relates to the risk of delay.  More specifically, we have titled the series MANAGING RISK OF DELAY [Subject Series], since we focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management.  This post addresses some managerial tools relative to the integrated nature of time management using critical path and earned value management.

The challenge associated with managing all (critical and non-critical path) work is common to virtually all projects.  This challenge is true for most project management situations.  It is intensified in the case of larger and more complex projects.  Examples include Lump Sum Turn Key (LSTK), Engineer Procure Construct (EPC) and other similarly executed projects.  In addition to the normal issues associated with bulk progress, actions or inactions by the owner can add considerable complexity to this challenge.  Over the past seven years, M&M has program/project managed five projects exceeding $100 million (USD) in investment value (total installed cost).  Thus, practical/practioner experience is engendered in this discussion/post. [Read more…]