ROAD MAPS USED FOR PLANNING OUR VACATIONS

DECEMBER 2024 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

THE ROAD MAPS USED FOR PLANNING OUR VACATION…

I remember a Summer road trip from Texas to New Jersey (where my Dad's family resided). Ask me how we traveled there, and I would say – traveling down numerous ‘pig trails.'  My mother loved the backroads across America - me, give me the good old interstate highway system, and then let's get there! As Pete Maverick once remarked, "I feel the need, the need for speed!". I agree 100%.

THE THRILL OF PLANNING…

My father was a Scheduler and Cost Engineer who worked for numerous Engineering and Construction Contractors during his career. I bet he spent no less than three weeks planning our trip to New Jersey—more than the driving time it actually took us to drive there and return home. But that was his thing—planning, not really the execution part of the equation. 

A quick aside – during retirement, he planned a 'tour' bus adventure (while in his travel agent days) across the State of Texas. He went as far as to drive to the various bus stop locations and would identify places to visit and, more importantly, places for the 40+ folks on the bus to eat. He went as far as making 'verbal contracts' to numerous eating establishments. That is a great idea. IF the tour was ever formed, people signed up and paid the costs to join in the fun. I will let your imagination take this story to its logical conclusion…

AND, THE AGONY OF DEFEAT…

Here are two facts about Project Planning and Scheduling. Both require experts in their respective fields to assemble a quality 'road map' for use during project execution. Dad was good at what he did. What is your guess as to whether we took future road trips with a highlighted yellow map in hand?

However, the highlighted route kept us focused on our 'goal' of seeing the sites as we traveled ever closer to our Summer Objective. 

WILL YOU PAY THE PRICE?

On my first major project, we presented the Home Office Engineering and Design budget for the entire project to our Client. During the meeting, the Program Director for the Client asked, "Well, Debbie Jo, how do you justify that Project Controls has a budget of over 11% of the total Home Office Engineering and Design?". The question seemed to 'hang in the air' for an eternity. No one spoke up, not even the Contractor‘s Program Director. People started shifting in their chairs as an uneasiness settled across the room. 

Then, the deafening silence was broken by Debbie Jo stating, "Well, if you want to know beforehand where the project cost will stand at completion and how we will get to the finish line, you need for my Project Controls team to be on the job, as I have budgeted."  The silence was broken. The room remained quiet as the Client Program Director took one long look at her – then he said, "Well, OK then, let's move on with our review of the man-hours."  Debbie Jo had earned herself a seat at the table and her Project Control team the necessary budget to execute the project.

THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE STORY…

As I state in my book, I love the effort put forth to plan a project. It could be in my DNA from my father. Whatever the source of my desire, it also needs to be your desire. A well-planned schedule is like having maple syrup for the golden-brown pancake stack set down before you. They just go together!

Make sure that you have both a knowledgeable Scheduler and a Planner on your project. They will pay dividends beyond their man-hour costs in assisting the team when confronted with schedule challenges during project execution. Take it from someone who has been there and has the tee shirt – they will save your bacon, which is also on your plate of pancakes…