18 Questions and Answers

In Planning & Scheduling

  By    
Eng. Jihad Al‐Daoud  
jihaddaoud@yahoo.com 

 
This file is gift to the best site in Planning & Scheduling   
 
 
 

www.planningplanet.com 
 
 
 

 
 

Question (1)
What are the best books in our field (Planning & Scheduling)?

Answer
1- PMBook, Project Management Book of Knowledge.
2- APM Body of Knowledge and Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2.
3- CPM in Construction Management, Sixth Edition” by Plotnick & O’Brien, published by Mc Graw Hill.
4- Project Management Planning and Control by Rory Burke.
5- Project Management by Dennis Lock (Gower).
6- I suggest visiting this site “http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/index.htm”

Question (2)
What is the program that can make comparison between projects with aspects cost of the projects?

Answer
If you want to compare projects with aspects of cost and benefits, you can use Primavera Risk
Analysis (PertMaster).This system is compatible with Primavera and MS Project so you are able to
read all project data in (PertMaster).This system has NPV/IRR analysis features.

Other option you can use Schedule Cracker, is an excellent program you can get more information by
visit this site www.schedulecracker.com.

Question (3)
What are the negative points in Primavera contractor?

Answer
Negative points in Primavera contractor are:-

1. It is restricted to 750 activities.

2. No Enterprise Breakdown Structure.
3. No Roles.
4. No Leveling

Question (4)
What is the best way to be professional planning engineer?

Answer
The best way to be better in planning you must work on other projects, I recommended to
work on other projects in the same time (best way to be professional).

Examples

- See the samples on (Primavera 3)

 
 

- Go to site PMKB Templates / Files forum., it has a lot of templates that will help you to be better in the
planning.

Question (5)
How I can make schedule for buildings in excel sheet?

Answer
If we assume the contract between owner and contractor will be (design & build), the divided for
schedule will be:

Design Phase.
Design Submittal.
Design Approval.
Procurements Phase.
Mobilization Phase.
Construction Phase.
Testing and Commissioning.
Handing over.

Question (6)
How the planning engineer thinking?

Answer
If you want to learn how the planner thinking, make schedule by your hand to small house from
excavation works to finishing works , if you have faced problem in the schedule please contact with me
and I will be happy to help you

Question (7)
Can we put the planning in daily life?

Answer
If you want to see the planning in the life see this example

I wake up at 5:00 AM.

I pray at 5:30 AM.
I take breakfast at 5:45 AM.
I go to the work at 6:00 AM.
I have launch at 12:00 PM.
I go to home at 6:00 PM.
I have dinner at 7:00 PM.
I go to bed at 8:30 PM.

Some days I late to arrive to work at the exact time because traffic jam (excusable delay), one day I
late to wake up at 5:00 AM, so I late to arrive to work at exact time (inexcusable delay).

 
 

Question (8)
On what the level of detail depend in schedule?

Answer
The level of detail used on a certain project depends on several factors:-

1- Culture of the organization managing the project: The level of detail of the schedule you would
be required to make will be that which the organization or team is used to using or comfortable to use

2- Project management maturity: The lower the maturity the more they tend to ask for more general
or less detailed schedules. The higher the maturity they tend to ask or be open for more detailed
sophisticated models which are more in tune with the project needs. Maturity is very closed related to
the capacity of the team. Whether they have the tools, the knowledge, the expertise, in house or
external.

3- Project needs: Project needs are different for the different phases of the project life. The
conceptual, the bidding or budgeting, and the construction phase have all different needs. Also the size
and complexity of the project determines the level of detailed of the schedules. And one more important
factor is the time frame for the construction of the project. If the project needs to be executed in a very
short period of time or can be executed in a very relaxed period of time, the needs will be different.

4- Team members’ requirements: At different levels of the hierarchy and at different functions of the
organization, the level of detailed for the information (including the schedule) will be different. Not only
because of their individual responsibilities, but also because of their individual preferences

5- Specification in the contract: When the specifications have difficult conditions, then the schedule
need more detail

6- More control: To make the schedule easier in control tries to make the duration for activities less
than 20 days

7- Risk level: higher risk level need more detail, lower risk level need less detail

Question (9)
Why the project manager doesn’t listen to the planning engineers usually?

Answer
If you ask any project manager about this issue and if he honest with you, He will tell you "I have more
experience from the planner so I don't need any one to make planning for me", He is true about
experience but he is totally wrong about planning because planner make long-term planning and can
see the critical area in the project, the effective planner is mean reason for finished the project at time.

Question (10)
What is the different between level 1, 2, 3 and 4?

 
 

Answer
The different between level 1, 2, 3 and 4:-

Level 1 – Management (Summary) Schedule:

This will be a single page (A4 or A3) bar chart schedule rolled up from the Level 2 schedule. It will show
contract milestones, key milestones and summary bars based on the WBS to the agreed level of
details. The schedule will reflect the critical path.

Level 2 – Overall Contract Schedule:

In bar chart format, will show the relationship between all the activities in major work areas. This will
also cover important elements like mobilization, sub-subcontracts, LLIs, critical activities and high risk
activities. At initial stage this schedule will set up the framework for detailed Level 3 schedules. During
the updates this schedule will rollup the progress and the forecasts from the Level 3 schedule.

Level 3 – Detailed Contract schedule:

Will be a bar chart based on a Critical Path Method (CPM) network. The activities will be broken to the
small level so that these can be clearly identified, measured, resourced and linked in ‘start-to-finish’
relationship. Start-to-start and finish-to-finish relations will be omitted (or kept to absolute minimum) to
ensure meaningful time analysis.

Level 4 – Detailed schedules and control documents:

Requirement of the Level 4 schedules will be covered in the ITBs and will be finalized upon award of
the contracts.
These schedules identify each deliverable and show the schedule (plan, actual, forecast) for every step
for completing the deliverable. The schedules provide the basis for day to day implementation of the
work as well for progress calculation. Common Level 4 schedules are engineering document register,
Procurement Log, Piling status, Equipment foundation status, Spool fabrication status, testing schedule
etc.

Question (11)
What’s recovery schedule? And who you can make it from A-Z?

Answer
Recovery schedule is a revision of the Master Schedule updated on a certain data date, The Engineer
requested the Contractor to submit this recovery to show how is he going to recover the incurred delays
up to date

There are couples of questions you have to answer your self before starting it:-

1- If you are on the side of the Contractor, do you think you are entitled of any EOT or you do admit
that the delay is all caused by you as the Contractor, if the answer is "No" then go to Step 2,
otherwise, do not submit a recovery schedule, first of all you have to get your EOT for the duration you

 
 

think you’re entitled for, then you can submit a recovery schedule for the remaining delay caused by
you (the Contractor I mean).

Steps to make recovery schedule:-

1- Filter the longest current path (the path with the highest negative float), track the activities causing
the delay and list the reasons and the ways it can be solved (increasing manpower, purchasing a new
shutter system, air flight delivery, etc).

2- Discuss with your management the problem, and the options available to solve it, let the team decide
what's the best thing to do, and apply the change to the schedule.

3- Update the schedule, and see if there is another critical path arising after you corrected the first path,
and repeat the steps above.

4- If you reach at any point that the delay cannot be recovered, just report it to your management, and
again let the team take the decision (extra cost or liquidate damages) it’s a nice team work so do it
properly and you will get the results.

Question (12)
What are the questions that generally asking in interview regarding planning engineer?

Answer
Question generally asking in interview regarding planning engineer

1- Why you are planner?

2- Did you use SF relationship?
3- How can make schedule? (Ideal answer is read drawing, specification and Bill of quantity, read the
contract.
4- What is Total Float and how is it calculated?
5- What is Free Float and how is it calculated?
6- What is a Critical Path and how is it calculated?
7- Difference between Forward and Backward Pass?
8- What is PERT?
9- How to produce S curves?
10- What is a Gannt chart?
11- Points related to Planning Levels?
12- What are WBS structures?
13- One thing I always take of copies of my work from previous / recent jobs, that usually goes down
well, I suppose it helps to brighten their day up a bit?

Question (13)
What is the different between Primavera & Asta Powerproject ?

 
 

Answer
In the field of delay analysis where you have to tell a complex story with simple pictures - simple
enough for a judge to understand.

Other benefits in Asta Powerproject which are not in Primavera 3 are:

1. Infinite UNDO feature.

2. Flexible calendars and work patterns - down to seconds if needed.
3. Border files with embedded activity codes.
4. Multiple link colors and curved vertical links.
5. Stunning graphics.

A delay analysis in Primavera 3 takes 3 times longer than in Asta Powerproject and is about 25%
effective.

Download 24 reasons to use Asta Powerproject rather than Primavera for managing construction
projects brochure (PDF)

Question (14)
How calculate budget man-hours?

Answer
In order to calculate budget man-hour you must have the budget quantity for each activity, from that
and through your standard man-hour you convert your quantity into man-hours, the total of those man-
hours will be your budget man-hours.

This budget can be modified, depend to drawing revision you have every time to check your quantity,
and before you finalize your baseline, you must check your new quantity.

Question (15)
How can I change responsibility, area, step, and WBS for multiply activities in the same time?

Answer
You can use 3 options:
1- Show columns of all activity codes and WBS that need to change then organize it by those group or
filter it then change the first row and highlight to the last row that will require same code. Then right
click and fill cell. Repeat the process on each code and each column.
2- Use Global change.
3- Use export/import function in excel.

Question (16)
How can I importing actual quantity in the Primavera3 ?

 
 

Answer
Exporting from Primavera (Activity ID, Activity Description, resources, Quantity at Completion, Quantity
to Complete, Actual Quantity

After exporting data, open the file extension will be (DBF) and put an equation in (Actual Quantity)
column, the equation will be Actual Quantity = (Quantity at Completion) – (Quantity to Complete)

Insert remaining quantity in (Quantity to Complete) column

Importing the file to Primavera3

Question (17)
How we can change calendar for 100 activities in one click?

Answer
From global change put in (if statement) the specification for activities you want to change their
calendars, put in (then statement) Data Item: put CAL (standard for calendar ID)/ Criteria: EQ / Data
Item/Value: choose your calendar ID

Question (18)
What are the different between WBS Vs Activity Code in Primavera

Answer
WBS Code
1- Are needed to keep order in Portfolio of Jobs especially when activity code values are not shared.
2- Can be difficult or time consuming to reorganize.
3- Can be created from Activity Codes, this makes it easier to reorganize if this satisfies your needs.
4- Most software provide for a single WBS dictionary which makes very hard if not impossible for two
users define their own based on their particular needs

Activity Code
1- Are easier to setup.
2- Meaning of each level is always constant while this is not necessarily so under other outlining
methods.
3- Easier to reorganize the order of levels by simply moving the codes.