Baseline submission to Client

a clinet can not just ask to remove the review process from the critical path. If it happens to fall on the critical path then so be it. He wants you to take it off of the critical path so that if he does not turn around the review documents in the required time then HE is delaying the project and you will be entitled to a time extension which he wants to avoid. 

a clinet can not just ask to remove the review process from the critical path. If it happens to fall on the critical path then so be it. He wants you to take it off of the critical path so that if he does not turn around the review documents in the required time then HE is delaying the project and you will be entitled to a time extension which he wants to avoid. 

Hi, Kannan.

Managing client activities on the critical path is tricky, fraught with dangers of annoying the client.

One of the things I have often had my clients do is, in very objective and mathematical terms, show them that only are there activities on the critical path but that they have precisely X amount of drag. Then we explain TWO things:

1. That for every day thet the client extends the activity, it will result in an equal (or sometimes greater if it requires time to reassemble the team!) delay for the whole project; but also
2. That they can SAVE an amount of time equal to the activity's drag IF (a) they can shorten it AND (b) they inform us NOW that they will be shortening it AND (c) they live up to that promise. (If they don't, they need to understand that there may be a reassembly delay.)

This has three beneficial impacts:

1. The quantification of drag is so mathematical that it makes the whole explanation objective;
2. It allows the client to see that your analysis can actually HELP the client by showing how to shorten the project; and
3. The client sees that you are knowledgeable of the very latest in critical path theory (i.e., critical path drag).

Fraternally in project management,

Steve the Bajan

The client can certainly quesiton the logic and durations of the items in the schedule. The review of the submission could indeed be on the critical path. This would assume that all of the proper chain of events are correctly shown such as creation of the submittal, review and approval of the submittal followed by any procurement activities which would lead up to installation testing and commissioning, punch list items and final completion.

If I was the client I would also check to see if any unecessary constraints are being used which is making this be on the path critical.

Hi Kannan

So you have the chance to create some reserves which you didn't use up to now, use it. It depends how many approvals you'll need if this really will improve your situation. I would try to discuss this with client's planner and the client to avoid the situation Mike mentioned.

Good luck!

Dieter

Hi Kannan

It seems as though the Contractor is setting up his programme to generate EoT when the client's approval is late.

However in respect of MEP it may be that the approval is critical.

Check all the critical items on a filter \and see if there is any obvious manipulation.

If there is more than 1 critical path that is a clear indication that the programme has been rigged so the first stage is to insist on only 1 critical path and then review that.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Kannan

Critical path does not mean late. You as the scheduler must make both sides aware of this document. Is there a chance to shorten time for creation or for an agreement to shorten the time for approval? Then the critical path may be elsewhere.

One of planner's tasks is to make aware of bottlenecks and show ways to reduce the risk. If client is involved - here by approval of documents - both sides must discuss your proposal how to shorten this sequence.

I'm sure, this document later will make some trouble. So better fight now.

Good luck!

Dieter 

Hi Kannan

In my opinion: Yes. By my experience frequently delayed client's approvals of documents lead to delays of the project.

But what I can't understand is: In a good co-operation contractor in my opinion should show such a bottleneck in his reporting.

Regards

Dieter