How to Controll Project Progress Against Agreed Programmes in the Workplace (07)

If a construction manager manages a realistic programme correctly, they will achieve the completion date safely, cost effectively, whilst maintaining good working relations, thus ensuring repeat work, profit for all team members and the continuing construction of a stable team going forward.  If not, the opposite can be said which can drive a company downwards and possibly to its end!

The complication to controlling projects against agreed programmes is that things do not always go to plan and as I like to phrase it, ‘Change is here to stay’.   A good construction manager must always to be aware that one of their key tasks is to be masters of change management.   This involves, to the best of their abilities, to manage, nurture and massage change, where possible, to suit all stakeholders.

This will involve monitoring works programmes and schedules to ensure they will meet changed circumstances and keeping an key eye on the programme critical path. The programme is a works plan where the completion date is generally set in stone.  If the completion date moves, then incurred costs are accrued such as additional contracted staff, welfare and site costs.

Threats to a critical path on the programme are generally overcome by increasing resources or working hours or by implementing faster, safe working methods and by implementing change with the aid of site meetings, practices and procedures.

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The problem for management NVQ candidates is that they ‘DO’ all of the aforementioned, but identifying what part of their knowledge is applicable to each question within their NVQ so that duplication of answers and confusion is avoided is often an issue.

To prove my point, please review the following typical questions found in the learning outcomes of this Unit:

• Explain how systems for monitoring and recording the progress of projects against agreed programmes can be developed.
• Give reasons why systems, that monitor and record project progress project against agreed programmes, should be developed.
• Explain ways that information on work progress can regularly be collected.
• Explain ways of accurately summarising progress information to relevant people.
• Outline who would need to be informed about work progress on given projects.
• Explain ways that inadequate and inappropriate resources can be identified.
• Explain different methods that can inform relevant people about inadequate and inappropriate resources.
• Explain different methods of specifying and obtaining alternative resources.
• List and describe factors that can create deviations in planned progress on typical projects.
• Explain how deviations from planned progress, which has occurred and which may occur, can be identified.
• Explain how deviations from the planned progress, which may disrupt the programme, can be identified.
• Explain ways that deviations from planned progress can be quantified.
• Give reasons why deviations from planned progress need to identified and quantified
• Explain how circumstances of deviations from planned progress can be investigated.
• Explains ways that corrective action for deviations from planned progress with relevant people can be agreed.
• Explain how agreed corrective action for deviations from planned progress can be implemented.
• Give reasons why corrective actions must be agreed.
• Explain methods that allow recommend options that will help the project progress.
• Explain why recommendations, that will minimise increases in cost and time and help the project progress, need to be made.
• Explain methods that can regularly inform relevant people about changes to operational programmes and demands on resources.
• Explains ways and techniques of suggesting decisions and actions that need to be taken to maintain progress.
• Explain how improvements to progress can be identified from feedback received.
• Explain ways of recommending improvements in progress to relevant people.
• Give reasons why recommended improvements in progress to relevant people need to be made.

The Solution. In order to better enable the seasoned professional to complete this Unit, Controlling Project Progress against agreed Programmes in the Workplace, Rivasure has produced a comprehensive online Audio Podcast Course.  This Unit is one of many online courses aimed at covering all of the key units contained within the Level 6 Construction Management NVQ Qualification. This series of Audio Podcast Unit Courses lays a solid foundation for each specific subject matter. Each Audio Podcast addresses each knowledge question, unpacking each one in detail and providing relevant and specific guidance.

In this Unit the learning outcomes are as follows;

1. Develop and implement systems to monitor and record the progress of the project against the agreed programme(s).
2. Collect progress information regularly and summarise it for relevant people.
3. Identify inadequate or inappropriate resources, inform relevant people, and specify and obtain alternative resources.
4. Identify and quantify any deviations from planned progress which have occurred, or which may occur, that could disrupt the programme.
5. Investigate the circumstances of any deviations thoroughly and agree and implement appropriate corrective action.
6. Recommend options to relevant people that aim to maintain or improve cost and progress.
7. Inform relevant people about changes to the operational programme, and resource needs, and suggest the decisions and actions that need to be taken to maintain progress.
8. Identify improvements to progress from feedback received and recommend them to relevant people.

A learning outcome sets out what a candidate can expect to learn and do as a result of their learning.  This Audio Podcast mentoring series is excellent resource for NVQ candidates and Construction Management learners studying how to control project progress against agreed programmes in the workplace.

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NVQ Additional Guidance

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or recommended 'STARTER' UNIT first

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