In the English language, planning is probably one of the most overworked words. Even when the word is related solely to the construction industry, difficulties continue to arise. It is often taken to mean the preparation of designs and other information for a project. It can be taken to mean the approval of a project by the local authority. Even if planning can be restricted to activities related to the actual construction, difference of interpretation still occur (construction method and planning, p4). The Chartered Institute of Building (1991 – planning and programming in construction, a guide to good practice, p1) provided a general definition of planning as “the process of analysis, formulating and organizing the intended actions for the carrying out of a project”. More particular definitions of construction planning can be found in several publications. These definitions, for instance are quoted as follows:
• “Planning is processes of devising and maintaining a workable scheme to accomplish the business need that the project was undertaken to address” (Duncan, 2003 – PMBOK)
• “Planning is the creative and demanding mental activity of working out what has to be done, how, by when, by whom, and with what, i.e. doing the job in the mind” (Neale and Neale, 1989 – construction planning, p5);
• “Planning is the systematic identification of program and project tasks, task schedules, and resources required for task accomplishment” (construction planning for engineers, p5);
• “Planning is the process by which executives anticipate the probable effects of events that may change the activities and objectives of their business. Planning is the conscious determination of courses of action, the basing of decisions on purpose, facts and considered estimates” (Hollins, 1971 – production & planning applied to building, p14);
• Laufer et al (1987) agreed Ackoff’s (1970) definition of planing as a decision-making process performed in advance of action which endeavors to design a desired future and effective ways of bringing it about. However, the modelling of pre-constuciton planning process revealed that 30% of planint tasks are not characlied by decision making. They are more likely information gathering and coordination.
• “Planning is the production of budgets, schedules, and other detailed specification of the steps to be followed and the constraints to be obeyed in project execution” (Ballard and Howell, 1998)

Based on these definition and the investigation of the planning practice in current construction industry (see details in chapter 4: investigation of current construction planning practice). The author discussed with the relevant academicians and industry professionals (through a small workshop) offering a definition of construction planning as an information-driven, multi-disciplinary process, performed in a series of interactive steps, to analysis, formulating and working out what has to be done, how, by when, by whom, with what and in where, in order to carrying out of a construction project.



any more or which definition/definitions are youf favourate?????????