Website Upgrade Incoming - we're working on a new look (and speed!) standby while we deliver the project

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.

Changes in Baseline Schedule

6 replies [Last post]
Sun, 2005-03-27 01:00
Mirza Imam Baig
User offline. Last seen 6 years 27 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 29 Apr 2003
Posts: 39
Groups: None
I am working as a Project Control/ Planning Engineer for an EPC Project.

Data:
The Project comprises of multi-discipline works. Say Architectural, Structural Mechanical and Electrical Works. In my WBS for Engineering Works, I am organizing the project in the following order:

Level 1. Project
Level 2. Discipline
Level 3. Drawings

Each activity in the schedule represents a Drawing. And each drawing has start and finish dates defined and Man-hours / resources allocated to it.

I prepared the baseline schedule and tracking it with respect to the Actual Schedule on a weekly basis.

Question:
The problem begins now. After a few weeks, the drawing list is being revised due to some reasons. This will result in the addition / deletion of the activities. But the total Budget for the Project is fixed. It will not change even there is an addition/ deletion in the drawing list.

Now my question is how to track the Actuals with respect to the Baseline when there is a change in the drawing list and when the Total Budget being the same. Whether I have to change the baseline, redistribute the Budgets each time there is a change and track? Is this the solution to this problem? If there is some alternate to it, please guide me. It is causing me lot of inconvenience. Hope the experts will help me in this regard.

Thanks.

Imam Baig
Planning Engineer
Top

Replies

Fri, 2005-04-01 23:32
#1
Berli Berli
User offline. Last seen 9 years 50 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 20 Jun 2002
Posts: 19
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi Imam,
I aggreed with Ronald. For activity in P3 we usually use the group of deliverable such as Specification,Data Sheet, MTO, Drawing, TBE, etc... For detail monitoring & control the progress I use the excell spread sheet and use some milestone to identify the progress like Issued for comment (IFC) 60% etc...
When the deliverable list has modification by engieeneering team so we can play in the detail list and spread the budget again (without change the Approved Budget). Usually if it happens in middle of project for additional deliverable I will use zero budget so it would not impact to our baseline... and for deleted deliverable I will put the progress to 100% (if we have already issued for Rev A)or the budget will be move to additional deliverable..

Warm Regards,
Berli
Top
Mon, 2005-03-28 12:13
#2
Mirza Imam Baig
User offline. Last seen 6 years 27 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 29 Apr 2003
Posts: 39
Groups: None
Thanks everybody.

I think what Ronald said will be the best solution to overcome this problem. A set of similar drawings shall represent one activity. In this case even if there a revision to the drawing list, it won’t disturb the schedule. Great.

Thanks again
Top
Mon, 2005-03-28 10:59
#3
Bill Guthrie
User offline. Last seen 8 years 29 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 262
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
agree with Ronald, reason is that at the start of a project, most jobs cannot define what is 100% of drawings and specifications. as the engineering develops, then total number of drawings are identified.

so higher grouping summary for batches of drawings and specs is best. Also weight by milestones acheived is a good way to progress them.
regards bill
Top
Mon, 2005-03-28 10:28
#4
Ronald Winter
User offline. Last seen 3 years 37 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 4 Jan 2003
Posts: 928
Groups: None
Imam,

The solution to this problem is to stop trying to track each drawing with a single activity. In fact, I normally track groups of similar drawings as a single activity. This way, when an area of the work needs an unanticipated detail, you add this extra drawing to the activity that this extra drawing ‘sprung-out’ of. If the budget cannot change (which is not so unusual,) then the additional drawing absorbs a portion of the existing budget of the ‘parent’ drawing. Good luck!
Top
Sun, 2005-03-27 12:22
#5
Philip Jonker
User offline. Last seen 15 years 52 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 7 Nov 2004
Posts: 852
Groups: None
Hi Imam,

You sit with the unfortunate problem we all have, that is drawing revisions, we can cope in our planning with a couple of revisions, but when somebody is difficult, and insists on changes, it becomes difficult to control, this is where early warnings, of compensation events come into play, and as a good planner you should spot the problems early enough,
Generally I allow enough time, with the aid of lags, and aproval/rectification activities, to cover most of the revisions,however, when you hit a ptoblem, your float and logig can go out of the door. This is the time to take a firm hand, and pulll things back into place, that is yout job as a planner.

Regards

Philip
Top
Sun, 2005-03-27 04:56
#6
Raj Maurya
User offline. Last seen 3 years 21 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Posts: 132
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
After changing no of deliverables budget should will be changed accordingly but you are forcing that Budget will not change so you need some manupulation work to maitain the budget as it was.
In your case if there is so many changes that affects total duration & cost implications, try to convince the client and revise the schedule and make new baseline.
Top