Dear Planning Planet Member, With all that is going on in the world we hope that this finds you safe and well. | | |
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STAY SAFE |
We would like to pass on our best and most sincere regards to everyone out there and hope that you are able to keep safe and well. We have a rapidly increasing number of organisations coming to us asking if we can help find them good practitioners ready for when we come out of this COVID-19 situation so do let us know if you think we can help you as a company or as a practitioner. If anyone wishes to volunteer to deliver a small online webinar, please do get in touch with us. Above all, stay at home if you can and please, please stay safe. Regards… PPAdmin@PlanningPlanet.com | |
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COVID-19, PROJECT SCHEDULE LOGIC, AND YOU |
Here are some initial thoughts from Tom Polen... The current COVID-19 Pandemic has put the project management would into a blizzard of activity. For me, like many others, the priorities are “family and community first,” “projects next.” While business has urgently decelerated activity within firms globally, many projects continue, but are entering their own triage process, with the following questions as hot topics… A. What can we do right now? B. What can we do later? C. Which scope may be removed entirely? Each project is unique and factors influencing the three questions above may be outside of the owner’s hands, left to local laws and labor availability during this crisis. Project managers are persevering, assessing the impact of this true “black swan” risk event, while engaging in potentially non-traditional approaches in order to maintain resource utilization and corporate revenue. Virtually every project manager I communicate with is now forced to reassess their project in some way. Each of these projects has some form of documented plan, now ripe for revision. A project plan contains a series of activities. These activities have descriptions which tie them to project scope. The underpinnings of the plan itself are the logical ties between these activities. These connections illustrate the downstream slippage to a project when upstream activities are delayed. Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling software allows activities to be modeled, logical ties connected, and delivery forecasts to be calculated. Schedule logic creates a flow of work for the project, which can be elegantly illustrated in beautiful waterfall charts. The questions becomes… what happens when the waterfall is interrupted by a worldwide event? How well does that logic now function? And if there were gaps or inefficiencies in these logical ties, does this COVID-19 event throw the entire plan into chaos It probably does for many projects. However, there are some steps that can be followed to assure the integrity of the existing project plan and assure that the plan can be adapted to today’s current global situation. - Validate all existing schedule logic. The first step is the easiest. Confirm that each activity in the project plan has at least one predecessor and one successor. Only the Project Start Milestone will lack a predecessor and the Project Finish Milestone will lack a successor. This integrity check is merely the starting point.
- The smoothest, most traceable logic type is the Finish-to-Start relationship. When activity A finishes, Activity B can start. However, Finish-to-Finish and Start-to-Start relationships are sometimes used. In the case of a Start-to-Start. When activity A starts, Activity B can also start at the same time. On the one hand, Activity A has a successor. However, if activity A’s Start-to-Start relationship with Activity B is Activity A’s only successor, then, according to the schedule logic, Activity A only needs to start to trigger project events, but never needs to finish. Surely, Activity A needs to finish and hand off work to another function. That relationship also needs to be modeled. In the case of Activity A merely having a Start-to-Start successor of Activity B, Activity A has a “Dangling Finish,” which can be difficult to detect, but can have dramatic impact on the integrity of the project plan.
- While items 1 and 2 are focused on insufficient, non-robust schedule logic, instances of too much schedule logic should be scrutinized. Now, more than any time in recent memory, companies work diligently on work that can be accomplished now. If the schedule logic is so tightly sequenced and bound to long Finish-to-Start sequences of work, scope items that can truly be accomplished today may be forecasted to begin months from now. For teams that currently can perform work, their schedule tasks should be identified, and for each, the team may endeavor to ask “What would prevent us from starting this work sooner?” If obstacles can be removed, and the work started sooner, the schedule logic for those items should be revised to reflect the new forecast and drive execution of those accelerated activities.
In the case of items #1 (Missing Logic) and #2 (Dangling Finish) above, work may experience delays due to labor restrictions, however the true impact to the remainder of the project will not be accurately reflected in the forecast, likely portraying an overly-optimistic view of project completion. For item #3, the project may have voluminous conservative logic which masks opportunities for work to be performed sooner than originally believed. In short, there is never a bad time to fully review your project’s logic, repair weaknesses, unlock efficiencies, and minimize inaccurate forecasting. These three steps are a fantastic starting point to maintaining a healthy plan in a world of uncertainty. I will check in again in the coming weeks with more tips to optimize your project schedules in the face of rapidly changing global conditions. If you'd like to learn more do email us... PPAdmin@PlanningPlanet.com |
CASE STUDY: 10% REDUCTION IN ESTIMATING MAN-HOURS AT GULF COMPANIES |
| Case Study: 10% Reduction in Estimating Man-hours at GULF Companies Learn how GULF Companies improved productivity, standardization and greatly reduced estimating man-hours. GULF Companies no longer has to deal with a labor intensive validation process or insufficient quality control in estimates. They have standardized setup and reporting which has increased productivity especially on large projects with multiple facilities. Read more... |
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DO YOU WANT TO FOLLOW YOUR PROJECT SCHEDULES WITHOUT AFFECTING THEM? |
| Do you want to follow your project schedules without affecting them? Our outstanding patent pending software tool, Portfolio Project, is read only and makes you able to see your schedules, even when made in different software, with no chance of you corrupting them. Of course, exporting to Excel is always an option. Read more... |
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BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION CLAIMS |
| What are Construction Claims? - A construction claim is the assertion of a right demanding either additional time or/and payment due to the result of an action. Why do Construction Claims occur? What is the consequence? Read more... |
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EVA CONFERENCE |
| The show will go on. Date under review. Current fall backs are July and September. An update will be issued April 1. After midday! We will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of this very unique event. This is your opportunity to engage with its attendees and wider supporters through this event in this special year. What to expect: Last year’s event went very well. The best so far - which surprised even me. You can expect fresh looks at old ideas and first looks at things you don't know about. Also, it’s Beethoven’s 250th anniversary, so expect some music. The audience of 120 is predominantly the most senior and influential project and programme practitioners most of whom are working at the sharp end of project delivery of some of the most costly and challenging projects of the day. EVA is probably the only event where difference is not an issue. Where which Body of Knowledge or method does not matter. Forcing choices which don’t always provide the best options. As ever, EVA25 will be different, entertaining and informative. Dinner will be served in the beautiful, wood panelled hall by candlelight. Learn more... |
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WHAT’S NEW IN ORACLE PRIMAVERA P6 PPM PROFESSIONAL VERSION 19 |
Oracle Primavera P6 Version 19 PPM Professional was released in December 2018 and introduced some new functions, including:
- Dissolve Activities with Lag using Retain Lag
- Project Code Maximum Length Increase
- Details, User Defined Fields tab
- Data Date Default for Apply Actuals
- Allow or Restrict Access to Resources from Multiple Parent Resources
- Activity Details, Task tab
Click on this link>>> to read an article on these new functions. Eastwood Harris published books and training material on: Other books, training manuals and instructor PowerPoint slide shows by Paul Harris are available on:- Microsoft Project,
- Oracle Primavera P6 and
- Elecosoft (Asta) Powerproject
More information and links to sellers at our website>>> Paul E Harris
Director,
Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd | |
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HOW TO REMOVE THE GAP BETWEEN ACTUAL BAR AND REMAINING BAR IN SCHEDULE UPDATE IN P6 |
| In the schedule update of Primavera P6, there are occasionally gaps (empty spaces) between the actual bars and the remaining bars as illustrated in picture here. This post explains the reasons and solutions. Read the blog... |
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VAN OORD USING CLEOPATRA ENTERPRISE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TENDER ESTIMATIONS |
| VAN OORD USING CLEOPATRA ENTERPRISE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TENDER ESTIMATIONS IN OFFSHORE WIND BUSINESS Van Oord, one of the world's most renowned dredging and offshore contractors, has selected Cleopatra Enterprise as their cost estimation software of choice. Read the press release... | | Making a way to digital future: Integrated systems in project controls Are you facing challenges in managing projects at different phases in the project lifecycle? An integrated project controls system facilitates the integration of data within various phases of cost engineering, namely cost estimating, cost management, scheduling, and benchmarking. Read the article... |
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COMPLEMENT YOUR PRIMAVERA P6 WITH SCHEDULEREADER & SCHEDULECLEANER |
| Complement your Primavera P6 and XER files working environment with easy-to-use companion tools and save up to 20% on individual license! Combining ScheduleReader and ScheduleCleaner you will cover the 3 most important aspects of any project: viewing, analyzing, and communicating schedule information. Download a FREE 15-day Bundle Trial to experience all features and benefits of ScheduleReader and ScheduleCleaner first-hand. P.S. You can create your own bundle package according to your needs. Just give us a call! |
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HOW TO COMPERE SEVERAL BASELINES USING SCHEDULEREADER |
| The Baseline functionality in ScheduleReader allows you to compare up to four updated versions of a project file. After importing your Baselines into the software, you can see all the changes in the Gantt chart. The graphical presentation of the Baselines bars are displayed right below the original Activity bars. Learn more on how to compere several updated versions of a project file using ScheduleReader here. Plus, you can explore ScheduleReader first-hand by downloading its 15-day FREE TRIAL. |
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CONSTRUCTION CPM CONFERENCE 2021 WILL BE IN GALVESTON ISLAND TEXAS JANUARY 17-20 2021 |
| We are now asking members of our communities to share knowledge. We are now asking those who serve our communities to reserve an exhibit table. Please also enjoy (as you shelter in place) our FREE to Community recording of the live sessions from January 2020 by browsing and then scroll on right column to: View Powerpoints and Videos for 2020 Sessions CLICK HERE Videos of sessions from 2020 being loaded NOW or select lit up VID buttons and enjoy. |
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HOT FORUM POSTS |
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WORKING WITH A GREAT RECRUITER. WHAT TO LOOK FOR? |
It's estimated that there are/ were circa 39,000 recruitment agencies in the UK, twice as many as there are in the USA. How many there will be after the Coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen. Anyway, with so many recruitment agencies out there, many of them are far from impressive, it can be challenging for job seekers to trust the right agency with their short, medium and long-term career aspirations. Recruitment is about relationships; it’s about listening, being available, and having a deep understanding of the job seekers requirements and the employers needs. I specialise in helping Planners, Project Controllers and Claims professionals find the right employer for them, and I work relentlessly to achieve the goals of the job seeker and employer. See some of my testimonials here. Job seekers are more empowered than ever, with a list of demands ranging from benefits, cultural fit, career progression, location flexibility and more. It’s up to the recruiter to understand the job seeker’s requirements and match them to the prospective employers. Now, if you are a Planner, Project Controller or Claims professional looking for work, or an employer looking to hire such a person, then I hope that you would choose to come to me first. But I also want to give you some words of wisdom, so you can make your own informed unbiased choice. What sets a good agency apart? Look for a business/ recruiter that’s got history supplying your profession to the sector that you want to work in. Make sure you check out their LinkedIn profile. If they’ve not got an abundance of positive testimonials stay clear. Here’s what to look out for in a long-term career adviser: - They listen
- They advise
- They focus on cultural fit
- Market knowledge
- Reputation
- Gut feel
Sometimes you just know! If you don’t get a good feeling from your recruiter, then go elsewhere. The chances are there is a disconnect and they may not have your best interests at heart. They may be able to find you a job, but the goal is to find you the dream job. The one that is best for you, your lifestyle and your aspirations. Take all the above into consideration, take note of your gut feel and then invest your time and efforts into the agency that feels right for you. Are you looking for a planning job in either the construction or infrastructure sectors - get in touch and we can tell you we have found to be the best - PPAdmin@PlanningPlanet.com ? |
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"PROVEN PRACTITIONER" A PLANNING PLANET PRODUCT |
| Do you seek PROMOTION or do you want to better UNDERSTAND YOUR Stengths and SKILLS (in private) or do you seek that NEW ROLE? Proven Practitioner provides ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED Go to Premium and sign up! |
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ALTERNATIVE TO PRIMAVERA AND ASTA? |
| A superior alternative to the "most popular" software for us as planners? Spider Project Spider Project offers numerous unique functional features and is the only PM software that optimizes resource, cost, and material constrained schedules and budgets for projects and portfolios. Check it out here... Ask questions here... |
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ARE YOU FOLLOWING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA? |
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE ON PLANNING PLANET? |
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ARE YOU TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF PLANNING PLANET? |
| | | MEMBERS See who you know from within our 150,000+ membership pool! | | GUILD Take a look at the worlds first and only competence based credentials supported by a career path, role descriptors, self-assessment tools and online compendium desk reference of best tested and proven tools and techniques for project controls practitioners. | | BLOG Join other members who share their thoughts and ideas in the form of blog posts. | | FORUM 100,000+ questions and answers to the topics we struggle with (mostly software!) on a day to day basis. | | WIKI A knowledge-base that can be contributed to or utilized by anyone with skills and/or interest in planning, scheduling or project controls. No Wiki page or article is owned by its creator or any other editor, and its content relies upon collaboration and teamwork. How can you contribute? | | BUILD TIMES What is needed to come up with a production rate? A duration of time, the manhours involved, and an amount of work produced? Take a look and get involved. | | JOBS This has been dusty and quiet place for some time now, BUT we have been liaising with recruiters, headhunters and talent managers plus a ream of corporate leaders to try to help us. | | ADVERTISERS Check out our Silver and Gold partners and see if you'd like to be included there also. |
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