A STUDY INTO THE NEED FOR DYNAMIC PLANNING IN THE ONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Nithin Thomas1 and Assem Al - Hajj2

1) Senior Planning Engineer, Habtoor Leighton Group, Dubai, UAE.
2) PhD, Associate Professor, EGIS, Heriot Watt University Dubai Campus, UAE.

Abstract: Time management is considered a major success indicator and therefore requires effective management during a project’s life cycle to exceed and meet client expectations, value and requirements. Process such as control and change management tend to bridge gaps between project planning and actual work execution which enable timely project delivery within budget. It is therefore important to identify and evaluate contemporary practices for programme management and how the industry uses planning as a tool for change and delay management and flexibility. It is important to critically evaluate how plans change and how these changes affect programme management. A detailed literature review introduces programme, delay, change management and current practices for planning processes within the industry. The outcomes and deductions from the literature review formed the basis for a survey questionnaire aimed at a key focus group of industry experts and professionals. Analysis was undertaken on the results of the survey to identify tools and techniques used by the industry, and an assessment on how change and delay are managed within the industry. All project stakeholders were found to be equally responsible for project failure over the general assumption that the contractors are generally responsible for failure. The reluctance of the industry to accept change from traditional set methods for planning and programme management, forms of contracts were clearly evident and concerning. Planners and Project managers were found to be well qualified however over forty percent had no formal membership with professional institutions. Most of the industry professionals were aware of upcoming tools and methodologies however there seemed to be a gap between knowledge and implementation on projects. The need for a dynamic planning approach on construction projects is of prime importance as project design and construction complexities often change. The industry needs further investment in research, thereby increasing awareness for innovative and dynamic planning practices.

Keywords: Construction Planning, Civil, Control, Programme Management, BIM, 4D Planning

Bibliographical Reference:
Nithin Thomas and Assem Al - Hajj. “A STUDY INTO THE NEED FOR DYNAMIC PLANNING IN THE ONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.” In Proceedings of International Conference on Civil and Building Engineering Informatics (ICCBEI 2015), 41. Tokyo, Japan, 2015.

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