Site Experience is a prerequisite for a Good Planner

I would say yes it helps allot. I was very lucky in that regard because I only started studying to become a engineer in my late 20's, I worked on the production side for 8 years where I obtained invaluable hands on experience, I worked on many projects and seen many schedules during my time on site and could see on some that the planner had no clue what he was doing

On a drawing or on a pc somethings always looks easy, go do it on site and its a totally different story.

hi guys , everybody said site experience is important, at the same time data also important , this my openion guys,

Hi there,

I am relatively new to planning (compared to some of you long time campaigners) I came from a University background and thrown into a trainee ship based on sites looking after sub contractors, design coordination, variation management, not to mention on site firefighting (figuratively) from base build, interior commercial fitout, refurbishment, building services coordination and everything in between. I had an opportunity to get into planning and really enjoy it. I do not have a trade background but I have a few clues.

Anyway, I think my site experience has enabled me to make realistic decisions about how to plan a project. Working under senior planners who have never worked on site actually putting up beams and columns it became clear that they had a good understanding of the theory behind the planning, but I simply offered a different way of looking at it and it makes for a more 'practical' project plan.

Essentially I don't believe that site experience is essential, but it does make for a greater clarity when you have to stand up and convince the guys on site why 60 hours a week, working nights through winter is required to get the job done.

For your bridge example, I would take it on, but ask the right questions to the experienced people and trust your ability.

Sink or swim - its the best way to learn

You need to know enough to avoid being blind sided by others and understand what is said to you.  However, the attributes of a good planner are not defined by software knowledge (the software is just a tool) or domain knowledge. The attributes of a planer are defined at: http://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/PDF/Attributes_of_a_Scheduler.pdf

In my career I’ve scheduled construction, engineering, aerospace, IT, business, government and maintenance projects. The key skill is listening and questioning domain experts.

Hi Nanding D.

My answer to your question is yes

"'One cannot detail /assess /develop/forecast a plan if he/she doesnt experiance about it""

Cheers

Shahul

pls can i get step by step procedure on how to plan and set up a function term in a building construction, and possibly an example of time and planning shedule in building site in a tabular form

thanks

Nanding,

I would suggest that you highlight your concerns to your manager, as said already the best planner will have intimate knowledge of what it is they're building however given the right support from within your business and talking to people with the right knowledge and im sure you can succesfully plan this project.

Experience is very important, but before you can get experince you have to do something for the first time right?

Mike,

I got it, just like Obama.

Regards,

Rafael

Nanding,

It partly depends what you describe as site experience, I spent one and a half years on site doing the role of an assistant engineer (dogs body!) when i was first employed as a trainee planner. Coming straight out of college with no real experience of how a site works that was an invaluable lesson, however by no means is one and a half years enough time to fully understand every situation that may be encountered on a construction site.

However, now-days i rarely find the time and as my main role is tender planning and as such all the projects i work on are hypothetical, so as said by Gary, asking the right questions of the right people (subcontractors, colleagues in more hands-on roles etc.) a lot can be learnt, although i do supplement this with regular visits to the live sites to see my thoughts and ideas at a tender stage put into practice, although i would really describe these visits as site experience as they are only a snapshot in time.

Hi Rafael

I suppose Mahatma Ghandi was not really a politician but he was good in both senses of the word:

Moral and effective.

Best regards

Mike Testro

BTW this is post nr 2501.

You can be a good scheduler without site experience but not a good planner. By the same token you can be a good political correspondant without ever being a politician but never a good politician.

A good politician does not exists.

Hi Gary

I am not talking about actually laying the bricks or pitching the roofs - although I have done all of that way back and the experience adds a lot.

Its more about observing the process and getting a sense of scale and time.

I am currently involved in a delay analysis for an offshore oil platform - a career first - so I arranged to go to the fabrication yard in Malaysia for a week to witness the process first hand.

There is no substitute for getting some mud on your boots.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Hi Mike,

I doubt we'll ever change each other's minds on this one, but for me trying to be a good construction engineer without site experience would be like training to be a chef without going into a kitchen.

Trying to be a good planner without site experience is more like trying to be a good political correspondant without ever being a politican. -You don't need to have done the work yourself to be able to accurately describe it.

Cheers,

G

Hi Gary

Sorry but I don't agree - nothing can replace direct on site experience - its like training to be a chef but never going in the kitchen to try the recipes.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Very useful but not essential.

If you spend enough time scheduling other peoples plans and asking the right questions, you can get the experience you need that way.

Hi Nanding

If you can't build it you can't plan it.

You won't know how to build it without site experience.

If you don't know how to build it then you can schedule someone elses plan - but you won't be a planner.

Best regards

Mike Testro