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Planning Duties? Limits? Specifics? Titles?

7 replies [Last post]
Ferdinand Fincale...
User offline. Last seen 8 years 27 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 2 Aug 2008
Posts: 140
Dear fellows,

I guess in most organizations, employers or managers exploit their employees or subordinates with job responsibilities that are beyond their scope or duty. Then, if ever an employee resist in executing an order beyond his/her responsibility, one will be tagged with insubordination or much worst with incompetence and criticism which is naturally unfair. And if one draws a line not to exceed on his/her duties to simply move on straight forward, repercussion is that you will be among the last in the their list to be rewarded. Isn’t it natural that one has to be rewarded with his/her accomplishments beyond his/her sworn duty in a way of salary increment or upgrade in position? I guess it seldom happens and the exploitation went on and on. These sounds to be idealistic but most often it leads oneself to loss enthusiasm in performing well on their tasks. I guess, it is also a factor that drives employees from transferring or moving on with other employers in search of their ideal working environment.

Talking about our planning and scheduling responsibilities and duties, I hope that you won’t mind me raise the flag of discussing our limits, or may I say our specific duties to the project team. To start with the discussion, may I raise the following subject with the objective of achieving a list of norms in our planning and scheduling responsibilities which could be applicable in any part of the world:

What should be the normal duties and responsibilities of the following job titles?
1. For a Scheduler?
2. For a Senior Scheduler?
2. For a Construction Planner?
3. For a Senior Construction Planner?
4. For a Planning Engineer?
5. For a Senior Planning Engineer?
6. For a Planning Manager?
7. For a Senior Planning Manager?
8. For a Project Control Manager?
9. For a Delay Analyst?
10. …… please add more planning/scheduling job title.

I’ll constantly monitor this forum to gather all the suggestions and opinions to finally make a compilation that will be made available to all planners and schedulers in this PP community.

Anticipating for your comments and contribution.

Cheers! Happy planning!

Ferdinand

Replies

Nestor Principe
User offline. Last seen 12 years 45 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 23 Oct 2008
Posts: 151
Hi R,

Am afraid I cannot give any contribution because my job is to get more EOT otherwise I will be fired. On avoiding overruns, once I done the programme, I only monitor and report progress against programme. It’s PM and construction team’s responsibility to complete the works on schedule.

I respect your opnion.

Best Regards,
Nestor
R. Catalan
User offline. Last seen 12 years 8 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 15 Aug 2005
Posts: 314
Groups: None
All,

Roles and resposibilities varies from one company to another.

A company that has aligned itself in using PMI or globally accepted PM guidelines has better and clear directions on what their staffs should be doing. While the one generated by companies that has management with no proper PM training, a Planner could be doing things beyond his reach.

A more interesting shift to this topic would be a sharing discussion on what we planners should do daily to avoid EOT and cost overruns. Ferdinand & Nestor has a lot to contribute on this.

Best regards,
R. Catalan

Nestor Principe
User offline. Last seen 12 years 45 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 23 Oct 2008
Posts: 151
Hi Ferdinand,

You may be right Ferdie, but how can we clearly define specific roles of every job title if say, in 1 organization the sr. planning engineer reports directly to PM while in other organization the planning manager reports to the PM.

The point am tryimg to come at is start defining role of planning in the organization and then distribute them to specific planning job title.

I don’t know, it’s your call.

Cheers,
Ferdinand Fincale...
User offline. Last seen 8 years 27 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 2 Aug 2008
Posts: 140
Organizational setup and size indeed vary as per the different type of projects. But in this subject, isn’t it worth defining the specific roles or normal roles that there should be for every planning job title? I think that this will help identify one’s function to focus on and be effecient enough in their organizational contribution and responsibility. Besides, the basic pay of each role are really of great difference, isn’t it?

Cheers!
Nestor Principe
User offline. Last seen 12 years 45 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 23 Oct 2008
Posts: 151
In a medium size project, normally the planning is taken care of by 1 sr. planning engineer. In 1 big project, there is planning manager, sr. planning engineers and planning engineers. In extremely big project there will be sr. planning manager, planning managers, sr. planning engineers, etc.

What is the difference of the role of 1 sr. planning engineer in a medium size project from the role of 1 planning team in 1 big project or 1 extremely big project?

Cheers,


Oliver Melling
User offline. Last seen 4 years 30 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 595
Groups: The GrapeVine
A project engineer in one company is a planning engineer in another and a business manager in another. I know Directors who manange less people in one company than senior project controllers do in other companies.

IMHO, there is nothing in a name, its all about experience, as that is what prospective employers are going to pay for.
R. Catalan
User offline. Last seen 12 years 8 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 15 Aug 2005
Posts: 314
Groups: None
All,

Set apart roles and responsibilities from a Consultant and Contractor’s side.

Regards,