Guild of Project Controls: Compendium | Roles | Assessment | Certifications | Membership

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

Construction Manpower Histogram

5 replies [Last post]
M S
User offline. Last seen 8 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 21 Jan 2011
Posts: 3
Groups: None

Hi all,

Due to lack of Oil and Gas Onshore Construction planning experience, I have a question the answer to which may seem obvious to someone. The answer may really be obvious, however I would still like to hear your views. 

When your onshore construction contractor provides you with their manpower histogram for the duration of the whole project, how can it be verified? In other words, how do you make sure that the contractor has enough people to support the project? 

Is the answer here is as simple as knowing the estimated number of manhours provided by the contractor, as well as knowing their work shifts and how many hours they work each day, and then crosschecking with the manpower figures reported in their histograms? Or there is something else?

Thank you in advance.

Replies

Renzo Constenla B...
User offline. Last seen 2 days 22 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Posts: 20

Hi:

to analyze the manpower required to perform a job, it is necessary to consider quantities of deliverables (drawings, fabrication/installation of equipment/material) and the rate for it (quantities/m-h).

Considering the case for a contractor that will participate in the construction, key indexes are production rates.

The histogram will show the total required manpower (in general, direct manpower) and its distribution along the construction time. A feaseble distribution is the Normal/Gauss (backloaded distribution -like Beta- are risky). Here it is relevant to check the other aspect you mentioned (shift, m-h/day, etc).

When construction is underway, productivity is a key index (performance factor, when considers the EV and Actual m-h).

regards

Bhavinbhai Lakhani
User offline. Last seen 2 weeks 3 days ago. Offline
Joined: 24 May 2024
Posts: 31
Groups: None

Hello MS,

Please following below steps to verify & ensure the contractor has enough people:

1. Review Manpower Histogram.

2. Detailed Manpower Requirements.

3. Crosscheck with Project Requirements.

4. Consider Skill Requirements.

5. Historical Data and Experince.

6. Communication and Monitoring.

7. Contractual Agreements.

 

Thanks,

Patrick Weaver
User offline. Last seen 9 hours 26 min ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Jan 2001
Posts: 380
Groups: None

Short answer - at the start of the project you cannot predict the accuracy of the contractors estimates other than by asking intelegent questions.......  

BUT once work has started, provided you have reliable data you can assess if the current levels of productivity are adequate. There are four data points:

The planned amount of work at a point in time

The actual amount achieved at the same point

The planned effort (man-days)

The actual effort (man-days)

Then you can answer these questions:

First question = are the people deployed doing enough work?

Second question = are the planned numbr of people working on the job?

Third question = What are the consequences of the current level of production?  

The answer to Q3 is key, you can use Work Performance Management (WPM) to get the answer:
 https://mosaicprojects.com.au/PC-3-10-WPM.php#WPM-Overview

Rafael Davila
User offline. Last seen 1 day 22 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 1 Mar 2004
Posts: 5233

  

david kelly
User offline. Last seen 3 days 19 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Feb 2016
Posts: 34
Groups: None
Perhaps more than any other environment I have worked in, productivity is an essential component. 7 x 12-hour days result in how much actual work? I amused to 7 productive hours a day. How is this productivity reflected in the histogram? Do they have historical data to justify their productivity?