Tactplan Schedule - Location-based Scheduling

Preferred Scheduling Method

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.

FIVE CHALLENGES

Challenges with Traditional
Scheduling Tools

Work get colliding

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.