1) Step 1- Problem or Opportunity Statement
Most of the projects have several factors that impact cost, time and quality. Most of the factors are due to bad scope definition, bad estimates, project complexity, project size, a punishment of telling the truth about real project cost and others that despite the use of good practices in project management, projects are still failing.
Other problems that projects have to deal daily are: scope and change management are corrective and not proactive, reports are still handed out several days after activities were executed. Some constructions methods are still the same. For Megaprojects, there is a huge amount of data to administrate during acquiring, constructing, updating, expanding upon, maintaining, repairing and eventually disposing of organizational assets. Organizations have not adopted new organizational matrix or project teams, communication is still done by email, letters, submittals, and FTP servers.
Most of us as project controllers, implement project control plans in order to capture relevant information to monitor progress, performance and risks of the project, then we elaborate reports, as soon as we can, to show trends or forecast final dates and costs of the project. Then corrective actions are listed and monitored again.
We are still using the same methods as EVM with tools to manage schedules, costs and risks. Most of the software or well known “best practices” in project management offer solutions to manage these areas but without success in most cases.
New technologies, for example, for managing project data and modelling have risen and most of them are reaching the construction sector. Are these new technologies improving project controller’s activities in order to impact daily activities and also modified project controls plans? Do these new technologies help to monitor better and report better in order to help managers to make faster and better decisions?
2) Step 2 – Feasible Alternatives
New Technologies used in the construction sector are:
- Augmented Reality
- Software for Construction and Data Ecosystem
- BIM – Building Information Modeling
- Drones
- Facial Recognition
- Robots / Autonomous vehicles
- Business Intelligence
- Artificial Intelligence
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Blockchain
3) Step 3- Develop the outcomes for each alternative
What are the products, deliverables or services that we can get from each technology?
- Augmented Reality
o Simulation of future infrastructure
o View drawings in real infrastructure
o Identify potential substandard conditions (Safety)
- Software for Construction and Data Ecosystem
o Share documents in real time
o Review and comment documents in real time
o Send RFI in real time
o Punch List in real time
o Daily Log in real time
o Elaborate or Approve Change orders
o Share photos
- BIM – Building Information Modeling
o 3D Modeling
o 4D – Scheduling
o 5D – Estimating
o 6D – Sustainability
o 7D – Facility Management Application
- Drones
o Photos
o Videos
o Densified Point Clouds
o 3D Textured Mesh
o Level Of Details (LOD) Mesh
o Orthomosaic Maps
o Reflectance Maps
o Digital Terrain Models (DTMs)
o Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
o CAD Overlays
- Facial Recognition
o Access to specific areas or zones
o Control shifts of workers
- Robots / Autonomous vehicles
o Automation of activities
o Increase precision for certain activities
- Business Intelligence
o Dashboard
- Artificial Intelligence
o Narrow Assistants for Estimates
o Narrow Assistants for Actuals
o Creation of Meta Data
o Narrow Assistant for Documentation Management
o Narrow Assistant for Claim Management
- Internet of Things (IoT)
o Sensors in Construction
o Sensors to reduce waste
o Sensors to facilitate predictive maintenance
o Gathering data to determine workforce needs
o Faster communication
o Monitoring and process control
o Creation of valuable data
o Super deep-data analytics
- Blockchain
o Bid / Tender Process
o Follow up Procurement Process
o Contract Communication Plan
4) Step 4- Selection of the acceptable criteria.
AACE International offers a guideline to develop a Project Control Plan through Recommended Practice N° 60R – 10 Developing The Project Controls Plan. A Project Control Plan intends to:
- Implement a workflow with processes, procedures and applications to plan, monitor, execute and control de execution of activities.
- Implement systems required to process inputs in each process.
- Identify roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for most of the project control team members.
- Produce the list of deliverables, expectations and scope of work.
The table of contents suggested by AACE is the following:
Table of Content of Project Control Plan
|
1. Project Control Plan General Requirements
|
a. Mission Statement
|
b. Delegation of Authority Guideline
|
c. Compliance
|
d. Revision Control
|
e. Organization for Project Control
|
i. Organization Chart
|
ii. Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) Development
|
iii. RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) Charts
|
iv. Transition Planning
|
2. Functional Applications of Project Controls (as per TCM Framework)
|
a. Project Planning
|
i. Project Scope and Execution Strategy Development
|
ii. Control Account Development
|
iii. Schedule and Cost Planning: Iterative and Concurrent Processes
|
1. Schedule Planning Development
|
2. Cost Estimating and Budgeting
|
3. Resource Planning
|
4. Procurement Planning
|
iv. Value Analysis and Engineering
|
v. Risk Management
|
b. Project Performance Measurement
|
i. Project Cost Accounting
|
ii. Progress and Performance Measurement
|
c. Project Performance Assessment
|
i. Project Performance Assessment
|
ii. Forecasting
|
iii. Change Management
|
iv. Project Historical Database Management
|
3. Systems and Data Integrity Plan
|
a. Systems
|
b. Data Integrity and Backup
|
c. Electronic File Transfer
|
4. Communications Plan
|
a. Meeting Requirements
|
b. Reporting and Frequencies
|
c. File Structures
|
5. Project Controls Deliverables
|
6. Project Controls Plan Implementation
|
a. Review and Validation
|
b. Communicating the Project Controls Plan
|
c. Training
|
d. Audits
|
The project control plan must help to determine the following six elements according to AACE:
2. Know what has been done
3. Know how actual performance compares with baseline
4. Know what remains to be done
5. Identify and implement corrective actions to bring performance in line with expectations
6. Check the results of corrective actions
Do we know if the technologies collaborate with most of these six elements? What technology collaborates the most?.
5) Step 5- Compare the outcomes from each alternative analysis done in Step 3 against the minimum acceptable criteria from Step 4.
The following table was prepared by the Author to identify what technology’s products or outcomes participates in most of the six elements.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES \ ATTRIBUTES
|
Know what has to be done
|
Know what has been done
|
Know how actual performance compares with baseline
|
Know what remains to be done
|
Identify and implement corrective actions to bring performance in line with expectations
|
Check results of corrective actions
|
Augmented Reality
|
||||||
o Simulation of future infrastructure
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o View drawings over real infrastructure
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Identify potential substandard conditions (Safety)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Software for Construction and Data Ecosystem
|
||||||
o Review and comment documents in real time
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
o Send RFI in real time
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
||||
o Punch List in real time
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Daily Log in real time
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Elaborate or Approve Change orders
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Share photos
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
BIM – Building Information Modeling
|
||||||
o 3D Modeling
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o 4D – Scheduling
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o 5D – Estimating
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o 6D – Sustainability
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o 7D – Facility Management Application
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Drones
|
||||||
o Photos
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
o Videos
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
o Densified Point Clouds
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o 3D Textured Mesh
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Level Of Details (LOD) Mesh
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Orthomosaic Maps
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Reflectance Maps
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Digital Terrain Models (DTMs)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o CAD Overlays
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Robots / Autonomous vehicles
|
||||||
o Automation of activities
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|||
o Increase precision for certain activities
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|||
Business Intelligence
|
||||||
o Dashboard
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Artificial Intelligence
|
||||||
o Narrow Assistants for Estimates
|
Yes
|
|||||
o Narrow Assistants for Actuals
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
||||
o Creation of Meta Data
|
||||||
Internet of Things (IoT)
|
||||||
o Gathering data to determine workforce needs
|
Yes
|
|||||
o Sensors in Construction
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
||||
o Sensors to reduce waste
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
o Sensors to facilitate predictive maintenance
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
o Creation of valuable data
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
||||
o Super deep-data analytics
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|||
Facial Recognition
|
||||||
o Access to specific areas or zones
|
||||||
o Control shifts of workers
|
||||||
Blockchain
|
||||||
o Bid / Tender Process
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
||
o Follow up Procurement Process
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
||
o Contract Communication Plan
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
6) Step 6- Selection of the “best”.
As appreciated in the table above, the technologies that collaborate the most with most of six elements in a project control plan are:
- Augmented Reality
- BIM
- Drones
- Software for Construction and Data Ecosystem
The first two collaborate 100% with all the six elements and for most of the products they elaborate. These can tell us that these technologies might have a better application for planning, implementing, measure performance and asses the performance of project activities.
7) Step 7- How to plan on tracking/reporting on recommended choice.
The best way to determine if these technologies are helping in the project control process is by tracking the number of changes, claims inferior to similar projects. Also, we can see the influence monitoring Contingency dropdown, Reduction of Risk and Increase of opportunities, better productivity and forecast final cost with a low increase or high savings reported.
8) REFERENCES.
1. Pix4D. (2018, October 24). Boosting 4D project management with drone mapping. Retrieved from https://www.pix4d.com/blog/boosting-4D-project-management-with-drone-mapping
2. Sullivan, W. G., Wicks, E. M., & Koelling, C. P. (2012). Decision making Considering Multiattributes. In Engineering Economy (15th ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited.
3. 60R-10 Recommended Practice. Rev. December 11, 2011. Developing the project controls plan. AACE International, Morgantown, WV.
4. GenieBelt. (2018, October 2). Top 10 construction technology trends for 2019. Retrieved from https://geniebelt.com/blog/top-10-construction-technology-trends-for-2019
5. THE B1M. (n.d.). BIM For Beginners by The B1M. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from https://www.theb1m.com/BIM-For-Beginners
6. Butts, G., & Linton, K. (2009). Nasa's Joint Confidence Level Paradox: A history of Denial (20130012835). Retrieved from NASA Kennedy Space Center; Cocoa Beach, FL, United States website: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20130012835.pdf
NASA Cost Symposium; 28-30 Apr. 2009; Kennedy Space Center, FL. Page 1 - 42
7. Flyvbjerg, B., Ansara, A., Budziera, A., Buhlb, S., Cantarelli, C., Garbuio, M., … Glenting, C. (2018). Five things you should know about cost overrun (0965-8564). Retrieved from ELSEVIER website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856418309157 NASA Cost Symposium; 28-30 Apr. 2009; Kennedy Space Center, FL. Page 1 - 42
OK, not a bad start. A couple of things jump out at me and the first one is you should also cross reference against PMI's checklist from the PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition page 89, Figure 4-1. AACE has things that PMI doesn't and it looks to me like AACE has included things that should not be in the baseline plan, but belong in the UPDATES? Take a look and see what you think.
ReplyDeleteThe last question (and maybe there is no answer) but surely not all of those Feasible Alternatives are of equal value? That some of them must be more relevant or important than others? Is it possible to research to find out if anyone has prioritized these options? Surely some are more advanced or well developed than others?
Again nothing wrong with what you've done, but at the same time, it seems like your research has some holes or gaps that might make it open to challenges later on?
Think about it and see if next week you can figure out a way to narrow down the options more?
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta
The other question mark is where did your scoring attributes come from? No matter how good they are, you need to back them up with some referenece
THANKS FOR SHARING SUCH A AMAZING CONTENT
ReplyDeleteGREAT PIECE OF WORK!!!
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK!!!
BIM Implementation USA
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ReplyDeleteWonderful information, thanks a lot for sharing kind of information. Your website gives the best and the most interesting information. Thanks a ton once again, Regards, aerial mapping drone
ReplyDelete