Scheduling
Tactplan is a Location-based Scheduling tool with no compromise.
Reduce risks and optimize time with rich data.
Do you prefer
Flowline,
Gantt,
Takt Time or
Location-based Scheduling?
Tactplan Schedule is the scheduling and planning module of the Tactplan solution. Tactplan is a rethought construction software based on the highly successful scheduling method Location-based Scheduling (Line of Balance) and its sibling Takt Time Planning. We have done the hard work of making it easy for you; no more need for cumbersome spreadsheets or old desktop software. It is now easy to use, supports live collaboration in your browser, and is ready to integrate with data from your preferred BIM and cost estimation tools.
Whether you swear to Gantt or Flowline (Location-based Scheduling), you can probably recognize the five classic challenges in planning and managing projects. Here, we show you how to handle Location-based Scheduling easily.
Challenges with traditional scheduling tools
Challenge 1:
Colliding work
Colliding work means several trades working simultaneously in the same zone of the construction site.
It is inappropriate, and contractors typically waste time waiting for each other, making it difficult for them to stay efficient. “First come, first served” becomes the practice for the contractors on the site and the basis for daily irritation. In the Flowline (location-based) view, colliding works will appear where two flowlines cross, as the illustration on the left shows.
Challenge 2:
The areas of the construction site will not be used optimally
When a schedule only shows time and activities and not location simultaneously, the consequence becomes Challenge No. 1 and No. 2. Even though there are crowded areas, there are typically similar areas of the construction site that are empty and unused.
The contractors work where there is space. It provides an interrupted flow in their activities, which means they cannot keep their rate. In the location-based schedule, an unused area will appear as a considerable distance (gap) between two flowlines. When there is distance – there are no scheduled activities in that location. Please take a look at the illustration.
Challenge 3:
Schedules cause many “start and stop” for trade workers
Challenge No. 3 is necessary for the contractors’ workflow, piece wages, and resource utilization. In line with the above challenges, many “start and stops” cause waiting time for contractors. Random activities performed at random locations result in random waiting times. But, discrepancies between dependencies and staffing are essential causes of “starts and stops.”
Example: The mason can only install tiles once the carpenter has installed interior partitions in the bathroom. A crucial dependence between carpenters and masons is also a critical path for every location.
If, in that case, there are fewer carpenters on the site, they will work “slowly,” and if there are many bricklayers at the same time, they will perform “fast.” In practice, the masons’ work will be characterized by waiting time. They can only start working once the carpenters are finished.
In the location-based schedule, “starts and stops” can be read as broken lines, as in the illustration. The Carpenter (orange) must increase manning, or the Bricklayer (red) must reduce manning, to get a good flow between the two trades.
Challenge 4:
Uneven manning and imbalance on the construction site
A fixed number of workers from each trade working in a stable and continuous flow where they can start in area number 1 and finish in number 100 is preferable. If staff planning is not an integral part of the schedule, the consequence will be the opposite: a construction site with imbalance and disruption.
Example: As shown in the illustration, the carpenters doing interior walls are sent almost randomly from apartment to apartment and will, therefore, need help getting a good rhythm in their work. Some days they work in 2 gangs and others only 1.
It will be even worse if they have other jobs on the site. The mason doing tiles has a better flow, but some days, they work for two gangs, and some days, nothing is scheduled for them. It causes massive waiting time and the risk of being occupied on other sites.
Based on the Location-based schedule and data on production times and manning, the resource fluctuations can easily be adjusted for stable staffing and a good flow between the activities.
Challenge 5:
Insufficient overview of schedule slippage
Once the schedule is made and the construction site is running, there will always be unforeseen events that affect the schedule. With Flowlines, you can make forecasts that instantly illustrate the consequences of any change. You can explain what a possible delay means for the end date, and you can correct slippages before it is too late.
Example: If the structures are running slower than planned, you can immediately illustrate exactly what consequence the delay has for the subsequent trades and the final submission deadline.
The illustration shows that the late structures will be a problem for the interior walls after about a month on Level 3. The consequence is clear: all the subsequent tasks must either be done through force or the final delivery date is significantly delayed.
Our core methodology – the Location-based Scheduling method – is scientifically proven with the following benefits
- Better visual overview
- Optimize for continous flow
- Eliminate Start-and-stops
- Eliminate colliding tasks before on-site
- 10-20 % Shorter construction time compared to Gantt/CPM scheduling
- Ca. 13-17 % reduced CO2-emission
Read more about how you can benefit from using Tactplan.
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