Level 3 - Programming and Planning

Question 1

N 1. What is PERT?

Answer 1

Programme, Evaluation, and Review Technique

You create three estimates for the duration of a project,

• The most Optimistic (Shortest)
• The most pessimistic (Longest)
• The most likely (an average of the two)

Question 2

N 2. What is a Project Programme?

Answer 2

A sequence in which tasks must be carried out to ensure a project can be completed on time.

Question 3

N 3. What can be identified from the project programme?

Answer 3

• The overall Start Date.
• The overall Completion Date.
• The start date for each activity.
• The completion date of each activity.
• The amount of ‘Float’ each activity has.
• The Critical Path.
• Tasks which can only be carried out sequentially.
• Tasks which can be carried out simultaneously.

Question 4

N 4. What should a programme help you do?

Answer 4

• Plan Activities.
• Monitor progress.
• Manage Resources.

Question 5

N 5. What types of Programme are there?

Answer 5

• Contractors Master Programme.
• Clients Overall Programme.
• Design Programme.
• Information Release Schedule.

Question 6

N 6. What goes into the Clients Overall Programme?

Answer 6

• Everything, from the appointment of the consultant, through to the completion of the project.
• This will include work outside the scope of the main-contractor.

Question 7

N 7. What goes into the design Programme?

Answer 7

• It describes the sequence of design tasks, i.e. from the process of design from inception through the Technical Design.

Question 8

N 8. What goes into an information release schedule?

Answer 8

• The dates by which information needs to be released by the design team, to avoid any delays.
• This works both ways, for example when the contractor has a Contactors Design Portion.

Question 9

N 9. What goes into the Contractors Master Programme?

Answer 9

• The schedule and sequence of construction activities.

Question 10

N 10. Can you employ a consultant to produce a programme?

Answer 10

• Yes, on large projects they can prepare the outline programme.

Question 11

N 11. What should you consider when preparing a programme?

Answer 11

• Items with a long lead-in.
• Pre-contract works.
• Pre-fabrication elements.
• Works outside of the main contract.
• Relationships with other projects.
• Phasing and Sectional Completion.
• CDM Planning Period.

Question 12

N 12. What is the CDM planning period?

Answer 12

• An amount of time given to the contractor, with the intention of allowing contractors to assess Health and Safety issues and plan their works before construction commences.

Question 13

N 13. How long is the CDM planning period?

Answer 13

• Not specified, it should be proportional to the size and complexity of the project and the risk.

Question 14

N 14. What is a Flow diagram?

Answer 14

• A Graphical representation of a process of steps/sequences required to achieve an end goal.

Question 15

N 15. What is the benefit of using a Flow Diagram?

Answer 15

• It helps the team to understand the different processes and relationships between activities.

Question 16

N 16. What is an Activity Schedule?

Answer 16

• A list of activities which outlines the works required to complete a project/package etc.

Question 17

N 17. What type of contract uses an Activity Schedule?

Answer 17

• A simple project with few activities.

Question 18

N 18. What type of contract uses an Activity Schedule?

Answer 18

• New Engineering Contracts, Engineering and Construction Contract Options A and C.

Question 19

N 19. How is an activity schedule represented graphically on a programme?

Answer 19

• Typically using a Gantt chart.
• Each activity gets a bar.
• With a separate bar for preliminaries.

Question 20

N 20. What should a PM do when receiving a contractors programme?

Answer 20

• Check that it is not front loaded.

- Check the activity timescales are reasonable and realistic

Question 21

N 21. What is a Gantt chart?

Answer 21

• A way of displaying a programme, through a combination of bars, each relating to an activity and having a specified duration.

Question 22

N 22. What does a Gantt chart programme show?

Answer 22

The:
o	Start Date.
o	Duration.
o	Completion date.
o	Of both activities and the project as a whole.

Question 23

N 23. What are the advantages of a Gantt chart?

Answer 23

• Suitable for smaller projects.
• It is suitable for construction as it offers a high level of detail.
• To detailed for cost planning and estimates.
• It shows the times to scale.

Question 24

N 24. What is the critical path?

Answer 24

• The shortest sequence in which a project can be completed in.
• It is also considered to be the projects bottleneck.

Question 25

N 25. What is Critical Path Analysis?

Answer 25

• A way of analysing the programme, to see if the critical path duration can be shortened or activities on it altered.

Question 26

N 26. What do you aim to identify when undertaking a Critical Path Analysis?

Answer 26

* Any items with slack float which can be used to improve the programmes critical path. * Identify the risky items within the programme, i.e. items on the critical path that also have significantly long lead-in-times on materials etc.

Question 27

N 27. What is a Key Milestone?

Answer 27

• Specific points along the programme used to measure progress.

Question 28

N 28. What is the benefit of having Key Milestones?

Answer 28

Helps the project keep site of: o The key dates. o The Key Deadlines.

Question 29

N 29. What is Float?

Answer 29

• The amount of time an activity can be delayed, before it impacts on the completion of the works.

Question 30

N 30. Can tasks on the Critical Path have float?

Answer 30

• No, if they did you would identify them through Critical Path Analysis and amend the programme.

Question 31

N 31. What are the types of Float?

Answer 31

* Total Float. | * Free Float.

Question 32

N 32. What is Total Float?

Answer 32

• The amount of time an activity can be delayed, before it impacts on the overall completion date.

Question 33

N 33. What is Free Float?

Answer 33

• The amount of time an activity can be delayed, before it impacts on the start date of another activity.

Question 34

N 34. What valuation method gives the most accurate cash flow forecast in terms of time and surety of value?

Answer 34

• Stage Payments.

Question 35

N 35. What are Stage Payments?

Answer 35

• Payment which are made in instalments, but do not necessarily reflect the value of work completed.

Question 36

N 36. What is the most inaccurate in terms of time and value?

Answer 36

• Third party certification.

Question 37

N 37. How can you monitor progress on site?

Answer 37

* Compare progress to programme. * Compare Valuations against cash flow forecast. * Use the ‘S’ curve principles. * Milestone Chart.

Question 38

N 38. What does PEP stand for?

Answer 38

• Project Execution Plan.

Question 39

N 39. What does a Project Execution Plan Do?

Answer 39

• Sets out the strategy for managing a project, by defining who does what, and how.

Question 40

N 40. What might be included within an Project Execution Plan?

Answer 40

* The Project brief. * The drawings. * The Procurement Strategy. * The Programme. * The Risk Assessments and Methods Statements. * The Health and Safety Strategy. * The Quality Assurance Policy.

Question 41

N 41. What does ISO Stand for?

Answer 41

• Internal Standards Organisation.

Question 42

N 42. What is the benefit of having ISO?

Answer 42

• It will imply that the product/organisations services are safe, reliable and good quality.

Question 43

N 43. What ISO Standards do you know of?

Answer 43

* ISO 9001. | * ISO 14001.

Question 44

N 44. What is ISO 9001?

Answer 44

• A Quality Management system, used by organisations who want to prove that they consistently meet the needs of their clients.

Question 45

N 45. What is ISO 14001?

Answer 45

• An Environmental Management System, used by organisations who want to prove they consistently consider the environment in their field of work.

Question 46

N 46. CASE LAW QUESTION: CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT ANY CASE LAW RELATING TO PROGRAMMES?

Answer 46

* Yes, Cleveland Bridge UK V Severfield Rowen Structures Ltd. * Cleveland Bridge made and supplied the steel work for the shard, which was installed by Severfield Rowen. * CBUK couldn’t keep up with the fabrication of the steel. * SRS had to extend working hours on site to keep up to programme. * CBUK claimed that SRS held up fabrication due to late instructions and variations. * SRS claimed counter claimed on the basis of the cost of accelerating, defects in fabrication and losses due to the delay. * Issue was that there was no contractually agreed programme. * Judge decision was for both parties to pay almost equal damages to each other.

Question 47

N 47. What are the Three types of delay?

Answer 47

* Contract Led. * Client Led. * Neutral.

Question 48

N 48. What is Concurrent delay?

Answer 48

• Where multiple delays for numerous causes overlap. The difficulty is in determining the root cause.

Question 49

N 49. What types of concurrent delay are there?

Answer 49

* Parallel Fault. * Overlapping Events. * Truly Concurrent Events.

Question 50

N 50. How do you assess Concurrent Delay?

Answer 50

• You must determine the root cause, true concurrent delay is actually very rare. • Once you determine the root cause, you should really discard any other delays. • Use the Malmaison approach. o This is where if it is considered that one of the delays is the clients risks, then the contractor should be entitled to a Extension of Time without loss and expense. o It will have to claim for loss and expense separately.

Question 51

N 51. CASE LAW QUESTION: DO YOU KNOW OF ANY CASE LAW RELATING TO CONCURRENT DELAY

Answer 51

* Yes, Balfour Beatty v Chestermount properties Ltd. * Balfour Beatty were late in completing the works. * Clients issues and instruction to undertake the fit out. * Balfour try to use the variation as a reason for covering the late delivery. * Client ignores the instruction and tries to claim LAD’s. * Judge rules that the actual completion date should be the amount of time required to complete the fit out, added onto the completion date of the original works.