Musselwhite, D; Gledson, B and Greenwood, D (2021) Matters affecting construction project-level planning effectiveness: A literature review. In: Scott, L and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 37th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-7 September 2021, Online Event, UK.
Abstract
Construction project success is often measured based on the adherence to time; cost and quality targets; with Clients and Contractors constantly seeking improvements across these metrics. However, the time predictability of construction projects remains poor; with annually measured 'industry-level' KPIs showing no signs of significant improvement. Access to technological advancements, such as 4D modelling; Artificial Intelligence (AI); and more recently the renewed interest in Off-Site Manufacture (OSM) has indicated opportunities to improve time-predictability; but overall 'industry-level' time performance remains unsatisfactory. As an aspect of time-predictability; insufficient attention is presently focused on exploring 'planning effectiveness'; therefore, the main aim of this work was to review time-predictability and project planning effectiveness at 'project-' and 'activity-' levels via an initial review of subject literature. Following this; a conceptual framework was developed highlighting the key aspects associated with planning effectiveness. These include project environment matters such as complexity and uncertainty; human/cognitive matters such as optimism bias and Parkinson’s Law; and the application of available planning techniques or technologies such as Critical Path Method; Last Planner System; Critical Chain Planning; AI and 4D modelling. Whilst 'alternative' planning techniques have shown the potential to improve time-performance; research identifies industry awareness and application of these techniques remains low. As a result of this work, it is considered that planning effectiveness and time predictability can be improved by increasing industry awareness of the constructs identified herein; allowing for the subsequent adoption of available and emerging planning techniques and/or technologies. Subsequent research will explore this; in practice at activity-level; with data obtained from a range of construction schemes to model improvements.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction planning; planning effectiveness; time predictability; hit-rates; time performance. |
| Index terms: | literature review, 4D modelling, construction project, last planner system, planning technique, time performance, effectiveness, conceptual framework, optimism bias, artificial intelligence, critical path method, project planning, complexity, construction planning |
| Subjects: | control systems, urban planning, operations research, artificial intelligence, data analysis and analytics, construction planning, theoretical framing, performance management, production management, digital design, project controls, cognitive psychology, systems engineering |
| Topics: | Governance, Project Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Site Management, Time Control, Quality Management, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here