Construction projects can take six months to six years to complete depending upon the size of the project. Although the project is planned extensively before starting the construction phase, the stakeholders have to pay attention and change the plans according to the changing situations. In that case, the look-ahead planning helps them keep the project aligned to the schedule and ensure its timely and hassle-free completion.
Table of Contents
What is Look Ahead Planning?
The look-ahead planning, as suggested by the name, focuses only on the construction project activities ahead of the stakeholders. In other words, the parties focus the planning the tasks and activities of the next three to six weeks and their achievement. Such planning allows the stakeholders to divide a bigger project into smaller chunks and paying their whole attention to complete the smaller tasks and activities.
Keep scrolling down this article to explore a brief guide about look ahead planning in construction and implementing it successfully in your project.
Top 7 Steps to Complete Look Ahead Planning Process
A lot of things are usually happening at the same time in construction projects. Paying attention to the little details and planning professionally is what promises the success and smooth completion of the project. Otherwise, the project can easily fall prey to issues like delay, claims and disputes. It is much better to focus on what is ahead of you while planning, instead of planning extensively for months and failing to deliver it efficiently.
Here are the top steps you need to follow to completely implement the look-ahead planning process in your construction project.
1. Update and Adjust Schedule
Before starting a construction project, the stakeholders prepare a detailed construction project and try to follow it diligently. However, as soon as the construction phase starts, things are different from when they were on paper. Therefore, the parties often hire construction project management companies to update and adjust the schedule according to plan and practical conditions.
2. Complete Sound Assignment
The second step to completely implement the look-ahead planning in your construction projects is to complete only the sound assignments during the first two weeks. It means that you should focus only on those assignments that are decided and do not have any pending decision, planning or material requirement etc.
3. Apply Quality Criteria
The next step in the process of implementing look ahead planning in your constriction project is to apply the quality criteria. You can do so by overviewing all the activities until the last week of construction. Then highlight the tasks or activities that can be completed in the given time frame and schedule and the ones that cannot be completed. After that, prioritize the tasks accordingly.
4. Screen CPM Schedules
The next step you need to follow in order to implement the look-ahead planning in the construction project is to screen the CPM schedules. It means that you need to review and analyze the activities in the weeks ahead. You can check if there are pending design, material or equipment needs and fix them to not cause a delay in project completion.
5. Convert Schedule Activities into Assignments
After you have screened the CPM schedule, you need to follow the next step that is converting schedule activities into assignments. You can break down the bigger activities into smaller units of assignments that can be completed in the time span of one or two weeks. In this step, you also need to plan while keeping in view which activities can be completed independently and which ones are linked to others.
6. Compare Workload and Capacity
This is one of the most critical steps of the look-ahead planning that requires the skills and expertise of construction project management. You need to compare the workload and capacity of the labor force. If the workload is more, you can include more labor force or divide the workload if you cannot increase the labor force. In case the workload is less, you need to come up with the solution of engaging the excessive labor force.
7. List the Needed Actions
The last step you need to follow to implement look ahead planning successfully is to list the needed actions. It means that you have to identify and prioritize the actions that need to be completed to follow the look-ahead planning of the coming weeks. You can also hire experts from construction project management companies to plan and implement it professionally to ensure smooth and successful completion on time.
Implement look ahead planning to fix delay issues!
Look ahead planning focuses only on what is lying ahead in the construction project, as the name suggests. Following this type of planning allow the experts and construction projects to give proper attention to the activities that are lying in front of them and avoid any delay in the project. If you are not much aware of the planning, include the project manager to devise the plan and implement it smoothly.