Many years ago I worked with a contractor to develop an approach. We called it a play book and crew plans.
The contractor’s play book, consisting of several crew plans, is a valuable tool for organizing and documenting the planning process. Crew plans are forms or templates for each of the superintendent/foremen to follow in documenting and planning his or her particular aspect of the work. A typical crew plan has the following components:
- Scope of work statement;
- Major goals or milestones;
- Permits and approval requirements;
- Value or budget—This form lists budget requirements, which come directly from the bid estimate;
- Constraints—This listing identifies physical, contractural or other constraints imposed on a particular facet of work;
- Quantities, productions and durations—This form provides space to list the quantity of work, the expected production rate and the anticipated and actual duration of major work activities; and
- Means, methods and sequence of construction—This form describes in some detail the planned means, methods and sequence of the particular work. It gives anticipated cycle times, production rates, man-hour factors and equipment utilization requirements.
After each crew plan has been completed, it is placed in a notebook forming the body of the project play book.
The play book also should include a brief narrative describing the “big picture.” This narrative should be written by the project manager who is ultimately responsible for the project.
I know many contractors reading this column do not believe the projects they construct are complicated enough to justify this effort. How can you modify the play book and crew plans so they work for you?
Think of the crew plans and the play book as practical management tools that put on paper the contractor’s plan for constructing the work. This organized method of documentation provides the following benefits to the contractor:
- Ensures his or her thinking is right and that the project will work out as planned;
- Prompts the contractor to think ahead and identify upcoming problems and opportunities;
- Enables the contractor to make changes and corrections on paper rather than in the field;
- Commits the contractor’s future plans to paper, making them identifiable goals rather than dreams;
- Solicits and fosters communication and commitment from others, enabling them to share management’s goals while harnessing their resources to assist the manager; and
- Provides a framework for control so that the contractor (and the DOT) can measure progress along a planned route, identifying variations and correcting problems.
The crew plans and the play book bring together all aspects of effective construction management practice and provide a baseline against which progress can be measured and the construction process controlled. Then, during construction issues that may give rise to a change, differing site condition or delay can be more easily recognized.
When recognized the notice required by the contract can be given and documentation can be maintained to substantiate what happened and the impact on the cost and time to build the project.
