Too many construction teams ask: Why do we even need a project schedule? They are never right anyway and all we ever use them for is to get paid!
The reality? Most schedules fail because they don’t reflect what’s happening onsite. Instead of guiding performance, they become old wallpaper in the trailer. A few examples of why schedules miss the mark include:
- Delays, interruptions, scope changes and unforeseen conditions, are not modeled since “We are not allowed to report any negative total float.”
- Site teams don’t have time to provide updates or key details until it’s too late.
- Risks are not modeled.
- Even the most well thought out baseline can have fatal flaws including:
- Onsite logistics and space constraints aren’t considered.
- Too much work is modeled happening all at once and too fast because timelines are compressed to meet key milestone dates.
- Realistic production rates are not incorporated into work durations and labor resource availability are assumed, never validated with key trades.
Unless the schedule is current, accurate and analyzed for information used to improve a project’s performance and mitigate risks; the project’s time isn’t managed – its reported.
With everyone already so busy what can a team do?
- Knowing the software is not enough! Solid construction schedulers understand how projects are actually built. Save your team significant time, effort, and money while reducing risks by stepping off the critical path to identify these hidden gems and invest in training when necessary.
- Even if your scheduler is not onsite all the time, QC the schedule by reading it out loud like a narrative. Does the schedule accurately tell the story of your project?
- Schedule updates as part of a daily routine: Include it as a topic during the trades’ weekly meetings and keep a copy of the schedule printout handy when completing daily reports. Incorporating a little time every day for updates prevents them from becoming a huge effort at the end of the month.
- Potential risk or issue? Call your scheduler immediately. Don’t wait until its already problem that results in backlogged work. No one wants to spend hours digging through old documents or emails just to find a single date!
So if your construction schedule feels more like a wish list (or wallpaper!) than a roadmap, it’s time to rethink your approach. Bridge the gap between planning and execution by combining advanced scheduling expertise with firsthand construction knowledge, and implementing minor routine tweaks, so onsite teams actually use the schedule as the time management tool it can be.
Need bridging the gap? When you partner with Sekhmet, you’re getting a roadmap built on experience, risk awareness, and execution certainty. Our clients get schedules that aren’t just technically sound — they’re achievable in the field.