Project Planning Vs Project Manager - Useful Video

Useful Video - Difference between Project Planning Vs Project Management

 

http://www.projectmanager.com/project-planning-vs-project-management-spot-the-difference.php

 

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Contribution: By Primavera Community, UAE

Level Definitions for programme

                                                  Core Scheduling Papers: #6

Schedule Levels – Major Projects

Level 1 Schedule Executive Summary, also called a Project Master Schedule (PMS). This is a major milestone type of schedule; usually only one page, it highlights major project activities, milestones, and key deliverables for the whole project. It is used to summarise the project schedule in reports and other documents when a more detailed schedule is not required. Frequently developed by the ‘client’ as part of its initial feasibility studies for the project and then maintained by the contractor. Can be used to integrate multiple contractors / multiple project schedules into an overall program schedule.

Level 2 Schedule Management Summary, also called a Summary Master Schedule (SMS). Maintained as a summarisation of the Level 3 Project Coordination Schedule(s). It depicts the overall project broken down into its major components by area and is used for higher-level management reporting. Frequently developed by the ‘client’ as part of its commitment planning for the project and then maintained by the contractor. Can be used to integrate multiple contractors / multiple project schedules for the overall control of a program. It will include the Level 1 information expanded to show activities by area or major item of capital equipment.

Level 3 Schedule Project Coordination Schedule (PCS) also called a Publication Schedule. Initially developed as an integrated CPM overview of the project, the Level 3 schedule is then maintained as an integrated rollup or summary of the Level 4 schedule activities for reporting status to senior management and to report monthly status to major clients, etc. The schedule consists of a set of integrated Level 4 schedules based on Critical Path Methodology (CPM) and is developed with detailed input from the project management team. Usually developed by the ‘main contractor’ as part of its tendering process for the project or by the project team during the initial phases of planning. The Level 3 schedule spans the whole of the project and is used to support the monthly report. It includes all major milestones, major elements of design, engineering, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning and/or start-up. If the Level 4 schedules are primarily developed by trade/sub-contractors, during the initial phases of the project the Level 3 schedule provides the schedule framework and constraints used by the subcontractors to develop their tenders. During the execution phase of the project this schedule defines the overall critical path and is the primary coordination tool for the overall project.

Level 4 Schedule Execution Schedule, also called a Project Working Level Schedule. Level 4 is the detailed working level schedule, where each schedule is an expansion of part of a Level 3 schedule, and is established within the integrated project schedule. This is the key working level CPM schedule displaying the activities to be accomplished by the project workforce and is required for every project. The dates generated by the schedule activities represent the anticipated start and completion of work required to complete the project. If there is no ‘Level 3’ schedule, activities in future months/years may be summary in nature but still provide approximate start and completion dates for major pieces of work (this is called ‘rolling wave scheduling’). Developed by the ‘contractor’, ‘subcontractor’ (trade contractor), or the project team prior to commencing work on the project execution, or work in a phase or area of the project. The Level 4 schedule may be for the whole of the project or a part of the project depending on the size of the project and complexity of the work. A critical factor is keeping each ‘Level 4’ schedule to a sensible size that can be easily managed, updated, validated, etc. ‘Level 4’ schedules may be for major sections of the work or for discrete processes such as a ‘Design Schedule’, ‘Procurement schedule’ and/or a ‘Commissioning Schedule’. Generally, the ‘Level 4’ schedule represents the area of authority of a section manager or engineer, so one manager is responsible for all of the work in the schedule. Activities are generally over a week in duration (depending on the nature of the project). Where used, short term ‘look ahead’ are produced from this level; typically ‘Three Week Look-ahead’ schedules are updated every two weeks. Level 5 Schedule Detail Schedule. The further breakdown of the activities of a Level 4 Schedule. A short term schedule used to map out the detailed tasks needed to coordinate day to day work in specific areas. Blog Contributor: Karthik T. (Planner, UK)

© Practical PM Pty Ltd, 2010 www.mosaicprojects.com.au/Planning.html

What is Planner's Role?

What is Planner's Role?

The planner is a catalyst who chairs the planning activity, and therefore is not an individual who knows every aspect of the project, but is an individual who can organize the thoughts of various people.

The planner must also be a person that can effectively communicate the milestones and goals of the plan, and reporting back to the people who provided various schedule elements, keeping in mind that these individuals will implement the plan and will directly affect the profitability of the project. The key to an effective plan is the success and adaptability of the planner to collect, organize, and translate the schedule activities into an easy to understand format.

(Reference: Kirk D. Gothand, CCC, 2003)

Benefits of Planning

Benefits of Planning 

• Obtain realistic programmes including critical path and milestones
• Cost effective progress monitoring and reporting
• Construction programmes to monitor progress of all stakeholders during the project

Planning

Planning 
With over 14 year’s international experience on renowned projects in Hong Kong, Australia and Middle East, Nitin has consulting expertise in the following areas:

• Construction Programming using Planning tools such as Primavera 6.0
• Resource Scheduling
• Trade Package Programming
• Design & Documentation Programming
• Programme update & monitoring
• As Built Programmes
• Customized Training on project planning software/s

Planning

In today’s world better time management is a fundamentally important parameter to measure performance of a project. Time Management essentially determines if a project is progressing positively or negatively, at any point of time during the project span. Better time management practices lead into better cost control also for the project.

In construction industry Time Management is often defined as Planning and Programming. Planning is a team effort that decides project delivery strategy and Programming is a reflection of the project delivery strategy in chronological steps.

Programming involves outlining work breakdown structure against different phases of a project. A programme defines a critical path for the project and can be used as most important tool for Time Management.