“Project Scheduling Enhancements for Avoiding Litigation” by Anamaria Popescu and others.

The study surveyed use of eight functional improvements in scheduling:

1. resource loading,
2. team development of the baseline schedule,
3. weather delay analysis,
4. subcontractor-specific analysis,
5. concurrent delay analysis,
6. turnaround document application,
7. near-critical analysis, and
8. coding structure development.

Three of these are specifically planning efforts: (1) resource loading, (2) team development of the baseline schedule, (8) coding structure development, and (6) the turnaround document application relates to recovery schedule development, another planning effort during execution.

The study found that “The functional improvements, team development of the baseline schedule, and the development of the turnaround document are the most significant in reducing delay claims.” Of these, Team Development of the Baseline Schedule ranked No. 1 in reducing delay claims.”