Construction Delays

Construction delays or slippage in construction refers to delays or disruptions to the project schedule. To manage construction delay, you can use several strategies such as:

1. Develop a detailed project schedule that clearly outlines all tasks, dependencies, and milestones.

2. Regularly monitor and update the schedule, identifying potential delays early and taking corrective action.

3. Communicate effectively with all stakeholders, including the project team, the client, and any subcontractors, to ensure everyone is aware of the schedule and any potential delays.

4. Use project management software to track progress, identify potential issues, and generate reports.

5. Implement a risk management plan to identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies.

6. Adopt a proactive approach to problem-solving, rather than waiting for issues to arise.

7. Regularly review and update your schedules and plans as new information becomes available.

8. Review and analysis of the project performance regularly and adjust the schedule accordingly.

9. Keep a close watch on the resources, budget, and time spent on the project, and take corrective action if necessary.

10. Be prepared to make changes in the project if required to minimize the slippage

These are 10 ways to manage construction delay. There may be more ways and the project manager would choose the best approach to deal with the delay, considering the nature of the project and stakeholder expectations

Fishbone Diagrams

The Fishbone diagrams, which are also called as the Ishikawa diagrams, or Cause and Effect 

5 Whys of Root Cause Analysis

This is a technique which discovers cause and effect relations to probe the problem root cause. The process involves inquiring the potential cause of the fundamental indicators, and obtaining additional information, to investigate at depth. The figure 5 is random, based on the postulation that asking why 5 times generally offers the final root cause. The technique does not limit the questions to 5 whys. Presume a difficulty as consumers waiting at store, for extensive duration. The obvious cause is inadequate number of counters to manage the customers during peak hours, or badly taught clerical staff. A 5 why analysis may recognize somewhat unusual as the root cause. This process necessitates determining as to why the clients have to stop for long durations at the counters. The reply may be that a large number of clients do shopping at the store. This reply directs another question, as to why the clients do shopping during the peak hours. The response may be reasonable cost, and products of a high quality. The questions are repeated till the ultimate root cause of the problem is established.

Appliance

The dissimilarity between fishbone diagrams and 5 whys root cause analysis is basically the approach. Normally, the fishbone diagrams assist as a helpful process for the application of 5 whys. Every branch is used to collect all the whys, in a simple format. This permits the decision makers to concentrate on the whys, and recognize the root cause.

Project Scope Management 

This article will explain the project scope management, as described in PMBOK . It will be useful for those inspiring to obtain PMP certification, or enhance their project management skills.

Introduction

Project scope management ensures all the desired work is properly included, defined, monitored, and controlled. No extra work is carried out, which is called gold plating or scope creep, since it entails utilization of project resources without adjustment of cost and schedule. Product scope is the features and functions of product, service, or result to be created by the project, while project scope is the work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with specified features and functions. Project scope may also include product scope. Scope baseline comprises the project scope statement, work breakdown (WBS), and the WBS Dictionary. Scope baseline can only be changed by the Perform Integrated Change Control Process, which includes a Change Control Board. Scope baseline is used as basis for comparison during the process of Validate Scope and Control Scope.

The processes in scope management are described below

Plan Scope Management

This is the first process in project scope management. In this process the scope management plan is created, which describes how the scope of the project will be defined, validated, controlled, and it provides guidance throughout the project life cycle.

Collect Requirements

Stakeholder needs are defined, documented, and managed, which are the basis for defining and managing the project and product scope. Project success is intimately related to the precise definition of needs, and their decomposition into requirements and expectations of sponsor, customer, and other stakeholders. Requirements are analysed and recorded in the project scope baseline. Requirements are measured as project execution starts, and are foundation of work breakdown structure (WBS). All management plans, including cost, schedule, quality, and procurement plans are based on requirements of stakeholders. Requirements are developed by the analysis of project charter, stakeholder register, and stakeholder management plan.

Requirements are collected from pre-qualified stakeholders, and all differences are reconciled, which leads to consensus. All issues are resolved expeditiously. Group creativity techniques used for collecting requirements are:

•    Brainstorming - generate and collect multiple ideas.
•    Nominal group - brainstorming with voting.
•    Delphi - experts give opinion, and response is anonymous.
•    Idea/mind mapping - ideas mapped after brainstorming.
•    Affinity- ideas are sorted into groups for analysis.
•    Multicriteria decision analysis - decision matrix is used for decision making.

Define Scope

Project and product are defined in detail, by classifying the project boundaries. Final requirements are selected for the project scope, and project scope statement is developed. In iterative life cycle approach, initially high level vision is developed, and later detailed scope is determined, as work progresses. During definition of project scope, all risks, assumptions, and constraints are analyzed.

Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Deliverables and work are subdivided into small components to facilitate their management. Each descending level is more detailed. Work breakdown structure (WBS) defines the complete project scope, with work specified in the project scope statement. Work in lowest level of work breakdown structure (WBS) is called work packages, which can be easily scheduled, monitored, and controlled.

Validate Scope

Acceptance of deliverables are formalized from the customer. Validated deliverables received from Quality Control (QC) are reviewed with customer or sponsor, and acceptance is obtained. Basis for validation and acceptance are the Requirements Documentation, prepared during the process Collect Requirements. Scope baseline is used as reference for validation of scope. Validation of scope involves acceptance of deliverable by customer, and Quality Control (QC) is for their correctness. Normally Quality Control (QC) is conducted before the process of Validate Scope, but may be conducted in parallel.

Control Scope

Project and product scope are monitored, with reference to project scope baseline. Corrective and preventive actions are recommended to prevent scope creep, which is uncontrolled expansion to product or project scope, without adjustment of time, cost, and resources.

This was about project scope management. Hope you understood it well.