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Planning and Project Controls...What’s the difference?

13 replies [Last post]
Mon, 2008-11-24 11:58
Jamie Trick
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Hi all,

I was wondering if someone would mind explaining to me, the difference between Planning and Project Controls? My understanding is that there really isn’t much difference between them, as most company’s will either have a Planning department OR a Project Controls department....

can anyone help shed some light on this for me?

Thanks in advance,

Jamie
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Replies

Wed, 2008-12-24 09:06
#1
Luca Basile
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Hi
for my experience the planner, schedule or project control position are seen in different way from diferent companies.

I experienced the PCM position as reporting function in some companies or as right hand of the PM integrating Schedule, Cost, Risk, Commercial & DC in others.

All are good and bad, but most important they all fit with in the organisation and it share of duties and responsabilities.

Cheers
L


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Tue, 2008-12-23 09:50
#2
R. Catalan
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Basic responsibility:

Planning Engineer - prepare or review/approve schedules

Project Controls Engineer - work as above, plus establish a system in unifying the schedule, cost and documentation of the project (by WBS).

cheers,
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Tue, 2008-12-23 04:11
#3
Roberto Jr Bustos
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Basing it from the processes of PM in the PMBoK, identifying scopes, preparing the programme, or basically settingup the benchmarks on how to implement and measure the progress is planning.

checking and monitoring the actual against the plan that is part of the M&C is usually part of project controls.

but in small scale projects, these two are usually done by one person which they call planning engineer, etc.

these two are usually assigned to different persons in cases of multiple packages for large scale programme.

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Fri, 2008-12-19 04:02
#4
Jamie Trick
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Thanks for your input, but as a Recruitment consultant with quite a frw years experience, I do realise that there are different situations for when salary is negotiated.

I was just looking for a general guide, but thanks anyway....

anyone else got some helpful indications?
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Thu, 2008-12-18 23:32
#5
Ashutosh Nema, PMP
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Dear Jamie
Salary is not based on PC or Planner,It is only based on your ability and how much you fit in the company’s requirements.

Ashutosh Nema
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Tue, 2008-11-25 11:08
#6
Jamie Trick
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Thanks Gordon,

Well, it seems like everyone has their own interpretation of what a planner and project controls eng is....which was my opinion when I first asked the question really.

In terms of salay then....would a Planner earn more than PC or vice versa?

Go on the assumption that both have 5 yrs exp with similar backgrounds.

Your thoughts?
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Tue, 2008-11-25 10:54
#7
Gordon Blair
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Mark, Jamie,

Sorry, but I’d say it was exactly the opposite. I would expect a Project Controller to be sat on a project doing the handle-turning and reporting.

I would expect the Planner to be providing qualitative advice, guidance and options to the PM (taking a far more proactive role), and quite possibly fulfilling the PC role as well.

I would expect a Programme or Portfolio Planner to be doing the higher level, strategic interface role if one existed in the organisation.

Am guessing it very much depends on the organisation and sector, but the above pretty much tallies with my experiences in Nuclear and Pharma.

Any other weird and wild permutations elsewhere?
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Tue, 2008-11-25 07:55
#8
Jamie Trick
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Good info,

cheers Mark
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Tue, 2008-11-25 07:44
#9
Mark Chapman
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I believe there are two types of planning type roles:

1. Planner
2. Project Controller.

The planner is the person who works with project manager creating a detailed plan and controlling the project. The planner can work on more than one project.

The project controller works above the planner and looks at a portfolio of projects. The project controller will often concentrate on costs and produces reports for management.

Sometimes the planner and project controller are the same role.There is no ideal situation and each company has its own goals.
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Tue, 2008-11-25 05:46
#10
Gordon Blair
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Samer,

I’m sure most planners will tell you that their job involves an awful lot of monitoring and reporting.

There’s a push at the moment for PCEs (Project Controls Engineers) as they offer a ’more rounded solution’ being able to do aspects of the Planning / Cost / Risk and Estimating work.

To be honest, the majority of it is only what I’d consider to be strings to a decent Planner’s bow anyway, but it allows my end client to pull Tesco shelf stackers in, give them a couple of months training on the various systems and send them out into the world as ’super-duper PCEs’ with the gift of being, at best, mediocre at everything. Say hello to the future, the future is data inputters :/
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Tue, 2008-11-25 03:38
#11
Jamie Trick
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Thanks for yuor help Omar.

Samer: So you want to know the difference between the 2nd and the 4th processes. I would suggest that you read the PMBOK to answer this question

Thank for your help?

Best,

Jamie
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Mon, 2008-11-24 18:15
#12
Omar Grant
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Planning & Scheduling, Cost Control, Change Management are ’sub-sets’of Project Controls. Sometimes Document Control & Estimating also come under PC.

regards,

Omar
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Mon, 2008-11-24 15:41
#13
Samer Zawaydeh
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Dear Jamie,

This can be explain by refering to the PMI processes.

1) Initiation
2) Planning
3) Execution
4) Control and Monitor
5) Close out

So you want to know the difference between the 2nd and the 4th processes. I would suggest that you read the PMBOK to answer this question.

Best,

Samer
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