1. The role of the planner

In construction and project management, the role of the site planner is essential and goes far beyond simply creating a Gantt chart or preparing a list of activities. A good planning engineer must not only understand their role, but also add significant value, even if this is not fully understood by the project manager. To be effective, a complete planner must carry out a series of critical activities that ensure project progress and success.

  • Estimate physical progress and update the programme.
  • Prepare forecasts and trend analyses based on past production rates.
  • Be proactive in risk management and in any aspect that could improve project management.
  • Document impacts for future claims. This includes taking photographs, saving emails and adding detailed comments to progress reports. The ability to document and properly support events and their impacts is essential to protect the project's interests and ensure that justified claims can be made if necessary.
  • Promote planning and interference-detection meetings to align the whole team on priorities and on the tasks that must be completed each week to avoid delays.
  • Ensure effective communication by adapting language and level of detail to the audience, whether the client, subcontractors or the internal team.
  • Reassess production rates and resource availability with the activity owners.
  • Take into account the work area and equipment size, because size always matters.

The planner as narrator

The site planner is also the narrator of the project's story for the client. They must be able to explain what happened in a way that minimises the consequences of the project's own delays and maximises those of delays caused by others, always without departing from the truth. The way facts are presented can significantly influence the client's perception and expectation management.

In the construction world, if it is not written down, it did not happen. It is therefore essential to always support events, situations, impacts or disruptions with written documentation sent on time and in the form required by the contract.

2. Know the project scope and contract

A basic requirement on any project is knowing the scope of work to be performed and the contractual requirements. However, many professionals fail in this area. To plan a project, the scope must be known in detail, as well as the construction methodology and sequence. This type of knowledge is gained over time, but it can be accelerated significantly by studying all the project technical documentation.

Studying drawings and scopes allows better work sequences to be created, a work breakdown structure (WBS) aligned with the real project scope to be developed, possible omissions in the baseline to be identified, and so on.

3. The key to team unity

Planning must act as a bridge between the different project departments. Areas such as document control, cost control, contract management and daily site supervision are all connected through planning. The planner can lead this communication to ensure effective coordination.

It is important, and very difficult, to create the bridge between direct site personnel and indirect staff. Today there are very popular systems such as Last Planner that directly involve those who perform or supervise the work, improving the accuracy and feasibility of plans by integrating their perspectives.

Planning problems are common and are mainly due to lack of communication. A good planner must strengthen soft skills, act as an internal consultant and promote a culture of planning and early communication.

4. Everything in the schedule matters

A crucial aspect of planning is the schedule, which not only organises activities but also establishes the structure and level of detail required to ensure efficiency and compliance with deadlines.

Activity organisation (WBS) and level of detail

Defining activities with a level of detail consistent with the scope, naming them correctly and organising them properly makes project management and monitoring easier.

Importance of float and contingencies

A programme without float is destined to fail. Estimates that are too tight in relation to contractual dates leave no room for unforeseen events, which are inevitable on any project.

Detailed planning in short-term windows

On long-duration projects, it is advisable to detail short-term activities. Projects usually change during execution. Focusing efforts on detailing short-term work packages allows the team to adapt to those changes more efficiently, ensuring that the schedule remains a useful and accurate tool.

Accurate short-term replanning

When issuing a reschedule or recovery programme, it is essential to ensure that all short-term activities will be executed on the indicated date. Carefully validating these activities avoids significant delays and maintains the confidence of the client and stakeholders.

Issuing a programme that is not achieved creates distrust and can damage the reputation of the planner and the company. It is crucial to be responsible and professional with the information delivered, because credibility is one of the most important assets in project management.

5. The importance of leaving the office

The planner must make regular site visits to estimate the physical progress of the project accurately and update the schedule accordingly. This direct contact with the work site gives the planner a clear and current view of project status, making it easier to identify potential problems early and implement corrective measures.

The planner is often seen as someone who evaluates performance from the office and does not notice the real problems on site. Changing this perception is essential to promote communication and trust within the team.

6. Reporting, from laborious to automatic

Technology is advancing rapidly, and with it the tools available for planning and project management. One of the most notable benefits of these advances is the ability to significantly reduce the time spent preparing reports.

Preparing reports has traditionally been a laborious and demanding task. However, with the evolution of technology, this task has been greatly simplified. Tools such as Power BI have revolutionised the way data is managed and presented.

Excel remains a fundamental tool in report preparation. Its versatility and ability to handle complex data make it indispensable for many professionals. Strong Excel skills can significantly reduce reporting time, thanks to advanced features such as pivot tables, charts, complex formulas and VBA automation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to play a crucial role in report generation. As AI becomes more integrated into project management tools, we can expect the report creation process to become even more automated.

Reducing the time spent preparing reports not only increases efficiency, but also frees valuable resources that can be redirected to other critical areas of the project. Some key benefits include:

  • Greater accuracy by reducing human errors.
  • Informed decision-making.
  • Improved productivity.
  • Better communication.