How can you ensure accurate CPM scheduling throughout your construction project?

1 Understand the scope and objectives

Before you start creating your CPM schedule, you need to have a clear understanding of the scope and objectives of your project. What are the deliverables, milestones, and quality standards? What are the constraints, assumptions, and risks? Who are the stakeholders, sponsors, and clients? These questions will help you define the scope baseline, which is the basis for your CPM schedule. You should also involve your team and subcontractors in the scope definition process, as they will provide valuable input and feedback on the feasibility and accuracy of your plan.

2 Break down the work

Once you have defined the scope baseline, you need to break down the work into manageable and measurable units. This is where you use the work breakdown structure (WBS), which is a hierarchical decomposition of the project deliverables into smaller components. The WBS helps you organize and assign the work to your team and subcontractors, and also serves as a reference for estimating the duration, cost, and resources of each task. You should also create a WBS dictionary, which is a document that describes the details and specifications of each WBS element.

3 Identify the dependencies and constraints

After you have broken down the work, you need to identify the dependencies and constraints that affect the sequence and timing of the tasks. Dependencies are the logical relationships between tasks that determine their order and precedence. For example, you cannot install the drywall until you have completed the framing. Constraints are the factors that limit or restrict the start or finish of a task, such as availability of resources, contractual obligations, or external events. For example, you cannot start the excavation until you have obtained the permits. You should use a network diagram, which is a graphical representation of the tasks and their dependencies, to visualize and analyze your CPM schedule.

4 Estimate the duration and resources

Next, you need to estimate the duration and resources of each task in your CPM schedule. Duration is the amount of time it will take to complete a task, while resources are the people, materials, equipment, and facilities that are required to perform a task. You should use historical data, expert judgment, and statistical methods to estimate the duration and resources of each task, and also account for uncertainties and contingencies. You should also use a resource breakdown structure (RBS), which is a hierarchical classification of the resources by type and category, to allocate and track your resources.

5 Optimize and update your schedule

Finally, you need to optimize and update your schedule to ensure its accuracy and validity throughout your project. Optimizing your schedule means finding the best way to balance the time, cost, and quality of your project, while meeting the expectations and requirements of your stakeholders. You can use various techniques, such as crashing, fast-tracking, or agile methods, to optimize your schedule, depending on the nature and scope of your project. Updating your schedule means reflecting the actual progress and performance of your project, and adjusting your plan accordingly. You should use regular reports, meetings, and feedback to update your schedule, and also communicate any changes or issues to your team and stakeholders.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?