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RE: the problems in construction planning process

9 replies [Last post]
Sat, 2007-03-24 12:04
baiyi li
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Dear all:

Can you please give your views on the investigation of problems in current construction planning process. Would you please discussion the questions under following five subsections:

1) an inadequate method for information gathering and management; (2) insufficient training; (3) misunderstanding of the nature of planning process; (4) inadequate methods for planning coordination; and (5) the cumbersome work structure in planning practice. These five problems are discussed in more detail in the following sections.
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Replies

Mon, 2007-04-02 16:14
#1
Vladimir Liberzon
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Project Planner shall create project model that simulates project performance and takes into account all project constraints. The model shall help with management decisions. If the model does not include some project constraints then it will produce wrong estimates and is useless for decision making.
The model that reflects expected dates and nothing else may be used only for tracking of project performance but will not help with management decisions.
I can suggest an analogy:
Project Manager is a Commander,
Project Planner is his Chief of Staff.
Project Planner prepares management decisions and project computer model is his/her tool.
Regards,
Vladimir
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Mon, 2007-04-02 15:32
#2
baiyi li
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Dear Vladimire:

Thank you for your reply. in my knowledge, planning is a very complex and challage job. logistics is one of planing tasks and space planning and waste management planning etc. can planners do it alone or does this a project manager’s job.
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Mon, 2007-04-02 13:18
#3
Vladimir Liberzon
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Dear Baiyi,
why did you decide that logistics is not considered in the construction planning? Proper project schedule shall take into account all resource, financial and supply restrictions.
I agree that some planners create poor schedules but it shall not be considered as a rule.
Regards,
Vladimir
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Mon, 2007-04-02 12:06
#4
baiyi li
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Dear Nieman:

you are aright. I totally agree with you. lsite ogistics is very import in construction planning, however as my experience that the important issue has been ignored in today, and this is one of the reasons of why time-space conflicts happen frequently in current constructin site. This is because that we do not planning well, Such as the planning of material handling, materials on site movement. i do believe that space planning, activity scheudling and construction method selection are interrelated and interdependecy. does any planners think this when planning??????
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Mon, 2007-04-02 10:05
#5
Richard Spedding
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To reply to the original post,

I do not agree that logistics are ignored. The only way that an accurate schedule can be produced is by considering how materials are got to the worksite, and in what quantity, followed by how quickly they can be installed. Equally any schedule where the assumptions made due to incomplete design information are not recorded and compared with the final information is about as much use as a chocolate teapot, as the saying goes.
You must be considering all the projects with planner / schedulers who do not link their networks and pray that they will be elsewhere by the time the job comes to be built.
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Fri, 2007-03-30 00:08
#6
Danya Pearce
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awesome. me too. i have decided to narrow my focus and get paid to research. I am now researching a mining company’s implementation of a project management and planning system to track the projects for the supply chain. i hope to prove the effecencies and value gathered against the cost and time it takes to implement it.....

now i only have to convince my lecturer that it has to do with my course????

where are you studying???

my degree is through the university of bath
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Thu, 2007-03-29 10:30
#7
baiyi li
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yes, i am a research student. very nice to meet you at this forum. thank you
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Mon, 2007-03-26 09:32
#8
Danya Pearce
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hI baiya,

can I ask what you are querying this for? Are you doing research?

Regards

Danya
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Sat, 2007-03-24 12:06
#9
baiyi li
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hi,

my view is :

the construction planning process is not fully understood and there are limited methods, if any, for the management of construction planning. Current construction planning still works on a “throw over the wall” basis - plans are developed only or mainly for control purpose, and ignore the “how” aspect (i.e. how the building will be constructed). Construction method planning is treated as a linear process and isolated from information and logistics management (Sriprasert 2004). Planners are often puzzled by information: they usually receive a large amounts of formal and informal communications with different formats, some of which are not relevant to their role. The quality of the information received is also often poor (i.e. incomplete design information). In order to deal with the uncertainty caused by insufficient information, guesses are frequently made in the planning process, which neither the initial planner, nor the downstream planner will later check. They are usually ignored and left until execution of the plan, when the problems reveal themselves.
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