Construction

Online Guide

Plan the Work

Process

Activity:

Task Planning and Scheduling

Revision

July 1, 2005

Description:

Using the Work Breakdown Structure to develop “manageable” tasks, allocating resources needed for performance and putting them into a time-phased format—Scheduling.

Inputs:

·        Construction Phase Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

·        Contractor Construction Schedule (if available; otherwise, the Working Day Schedule)

·        Contract Documents

·        Record of Materials

Tools:

·        Task Planning Worksheet

·        WSDOT Project Delivery Information System (PDIS)

Note: This is a WSDOT internal web site that is not available to anyone outside the agency

·        WSDOT Construction Manual

Steps:

1.      Define Tasks/Activity definition (Levels 5-10)

The Task Planning Worksheet is an excellent tool to help with identifying and defining detailed Tasks that support the production of the deliverables (Level 4). The Task Planning Worksheet helps organize task information, including task description, resources needed, predecessors, successors, etc.

2.      Establish Durations and Task Dependencies:

Review the approved Contractor Construction Schedule if it is available or the Working Day Schedule and develop duration estimates and/or Start/Finish dates for all tasks.  

Note that the Working Day Schedule is used prior to receiving the Contractor Construction Schedule.  If the Working Day Schedule was used to develop the Plan, then it should be updated once the Contractor Construction Schedule is approved.  The Plan should be further updated after major delays, winter shutdowns, or changes that affect the total time for completion.

Review the schedule, dates, and Major Milestones for appropriateness.

3.      Review each task and assign resources and/or estimated costs to the tasks– (generic resources are a minimum):

·         Identify the estimated effort needed for the assigned resource.  Determine whether the resource will be uniformly assigned at a set rate (e.g., 8 hours/day) or a total planned effort in total work units (e.g., 40hours total effort).

·         Identify any constraints associated with the assigned resource (i.e., resource is only available after Oct 15th, or resource is only available 50% of the time)

Be sure to include Dollar-loaded deliverables prepared by specialty groups.

4.      Balance resources for the project and across multiple projects.

Based on appropriate criteria (e.g., resource availability, funding, completion of Major Milestones), shift task performance periods, revise priorities, identify additional resources, or modify approaches to performance, etc., to establish a balanced plan for the use of resources.

5.      Review the “balanced” Construction Engineering Workforce Plan with team members prior to seeking endorsement.

Products:

·        Construction Engineering Workforce Plan for Endorsement

Guidelines:

N/A