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A project schedule can be thought of as a road map in that it depicts the sequenced list of activities that must occur, in a set amount of time, for a team to successfully deliver the project and meet its client’s goals. In short, it’s the schedule that gets you from start to finish.
But even more so, a project schedule is itself a deliverable: proof that your project team has done due diligence in thinking critically through each phase of the project and sequenced it in a logical way that minimizes time, cost, and other risks.
A detailed, easy-to-follow schedule allows your team to understand the critical path and forecast key project milestones to project stakeholders. It enhances your team’s ability to communicate progress, forecasts, constraints, delays, and is the primary tool to proactively identify problems and solve them before they cause budget overruns or delays.
By accurately documenting client or contractor delays, manufacturing lead time issues, and field changes, a project schedule can protect your team and company against liquidated damages and lawsuits that are becoming all too common on large construction projects. Don’t let lazy documentation become the reason you’re entangled in a lengthy, time-consuming lawsuit!
Certified schedulers can be a key component of a successful project team. They are experienced in creating and maintaining baseline schedules, analyzing the critical path, assessing and highlighting risks, and much more. The next time you need to plan out your project, make sure you have someone on your team skilled in schedule development. After all, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
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