Training course

Overview

Construction Planning for Managers is a comprehensive professional training course designed to equip construction managers with the knowledge and practical capabilities required to direct, coordinate, and control construction planning across the project lifecycle. The course focuses on the managerial use of planning information to establish realistic project strategies, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage resources, integrate procurement and construction activities, control project schedules, and support timely decision-making. Participants will develop a management-level understanding of how planning connects scope, schedule, cost, quality, safety, procurement, risk, resources, and project performance across building, civil engineering, infrastructure, and major construction projects.

This construction planning training combines practical planning techniques with recognized project management and project controls frameworks, including Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Critical Path Method (CPM), Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), milestone planning, resource loading, resource leveling, risk registers, constraint management, look-ahead planning, Lean Construction, Last Planner System principles, and integrated change control. Managers will learn how to review and challenge construction schedules, assess resource requirements, monitor critical activities, evaluate procurement dependencies, interpret progress reports, and use dashboards and key performance indicators for management decisions. Practical management tools include planning checklists, responsibility matrices, risk registers, constraint logs, procurement trackers, resource plans, schedule review templates, progress dashboards, recovery plans, and executive reporting formats.

The course addresses the managerial challenges that can undermine construction plans, including unrealistic schedules, incomplete project information, design changes, procurement delays, resource shortages, poor productivity, subcontractor interfaces, site access restrictions, changing priorities, quality failures, safety constraints, and emerging project risks. Through management case studies, scenario-based exercises, planning reviews, and project simulations, participants will learn how to identify weaknesses in project plans, establish planning priorities, remove constraints, coordinate stakeholders, allocate resources, monitor performance, and initiate corrective action. Particular attention is given to schedule governance, decision-making, risk ownership, change control, project recovery, and the integration of planning with commercial and operational management.

Designed for construction managers, project managers, construction directors, project engineers, site managers, contractors, consultants, developers, and professionals with managerial planning responsibilities, this 10-day course progresses from planning foundations to advanced project performance and recovery management. Participants will learn how to lead planning meetings, approve planning strategies, manage baseline schedules, evaluate schedule risk, oversee procurement and logistics planning, interpret progress trends, and direct recovery and acceleration initiatives. The course culminates in an integrated management capstone in which participants review, challenge, optimize, and present a complete construction planning and project control strategy for a realistic construction project.

Course Duration

10 Days (80 Hours)

Target Participants

·         Construction managers and senior construction managers

·         Construction project managers and project directors

·         Project engineers and engineering managers

·         Site managers and construction supervisors with management responsibilities

·         Project controls and planning managers

·         Quantity surveyors and commercial managers involved in project planning

·         Contractors, consultants, developers, and EPC professionals

·         Procurement and construction logistics managers

·         Professionals responsible for construction project coordination and performance

·         Managers seeking advanced construction planning and project control capabilities

Course Objectives

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

·         Apply construction planning principles from a managerial and project governance perspective

·         Align construction plans with project objectives, contractual requirements, budgets, and delivery strategies

·         Establish effective Work Breakdown Structures, work packages, planning responsibilities, and reporting structures

·         Evaluate construction methodologies, sequencing, constructability, and execution strategies

·         Review and manage construction schedules using CPM, PERT, milestones, dependencies, and critical path analysis

·         Assess schedule quality, activity durations, float, constraints, and completion forecasts

·         Develop and manage manpower, equipment, materials, and subcontractor resource strategies

·         Apply resource loading, resource leveling, productivity analysis, and capacity management

·         Integrate engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover planning

·         Manage procurement schedules, long-lead items, logistics, site mobilization, and construction readiness

·         Establish effective construction risk registers, constraint systems, and mitigation strategies

·         Integrate quality, health and safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements into project planning

·         Lead look-ahead planning, weekly planning, Lean Construction, and workflow improvement activities

·         Monitor project progress through schedule updates, KPIs, dashboards, and management reports

·         Identify schedule variance, critical path movement, emerging risks, and performance deterioration

·         Direct change control, baseline management, and planning governance

·         Evaluate delays and develop appropriate mitigation, recovery, resequencing, and acceleration strategies

·         Use digital construction planning tools, BIM, 4D scheduling, and project performance dashboards

·         Strengthen stakeholder coordination, planning communication, and management decision-making

·         Develop and present an integrated construction planning and project control strategy through a practical capstone

Course Content

Day 1: Construction Planning Foundations, Management Responsibilities, and Governance

Module 1: Construction Planning Foundations, Management Responsibilities, and Governance

1.      Fundamentals and Strategic Purpose of Construction Planning

2.      Construction Planning Across the Project Lifecycle

3.      The Manager's Role in Construction Planning and Project Delivery

4.      Project Objectives, Scope, Deliverables, and Planning Requirements

5.      Contract Documents, Drawings, Specifications, and Planning Information

6.      Work Breakdown Structures, Work Packages, and Planning Hierarchies

7.      Planning Responsibilities, Accountability, and Interface Management

8.      Planning Assumptions, Constraints, Risks, and Information Gaps

9.      Planning Procedures, Governance, Review Gates, and Management Controls

10.  Case Study: Establishing a Management Planning Framework for a Construction Project

Day 2: Construction Methodology, Sequencing, and Execution Strategy

Module 2: Construction Methodology, Sequencing, and Execution Strategy

1.      Construction Execution Strategies and Managerial Planning Decisions

2.      Construction Method Statements and Work Package Planning

3.      Work Sequencing and Construction Logic

4.      Constructability and Buildability Management

5.      Construction Productivity and Activity Duration Assessment

6.      Site Conditions and Their Influence on Construction Planning

7.      Temporary Works, Facilities, and Construction Support Planning

8.      Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning Interfaces

9.      Alternative Construction Methods and Strategic Sequence Optimization

10.  Practical Management Workshop: Reviewing and Approving a Construction Execution Strategy

Day 3: Schedule Management, Critical Path, and Baseline Control

Module 3: Schedule Management, Critical Path, and Baseline Control

1.      Construction Scheduling Principles for Managers

2.      Activity Definition, Durations, Calendars, and Milestones

3.      Schedule Logic, Dependencies, and Relationship Management

4.      Critical Path Method and Critical Path Interpretation

5.      Float, Near-Critical Activities, and Schedule Sensitivity

6.      PERT and Uncertainty in Construction Schedule Planning

7.      Schedule Quality Assessment and Baseline Review

8.      Schedule Approval, Baseline Protection, and Change Control

9.      Management Use of Gantt Charts, Network Schedules, and Schedule Dashboards

10.  Practical Exercise: Reviewing and Challenging a Construction Baseline Schedule

Day 4: Resource Management, Productivity, and Capacity Planning

Module 4: Resource Management, Productivity, and Capacity Planning

1.      Managerial Principles of Construction Resource Planning

2.      Workforce Requirements, Manpower Histograms, and Labour Strategy

3.      Crew Productivity, Production Rates, and Performance Management

4.      Equipment Planning, Utilization, and Availability

5.      Material Requirements, Consumption, and Supply Planning

6.      Subcontractor Capacity, Resource Commitments, and Workfront Allocation

7.      Resource Loading and Resource-Constrained Scheduling

8.      Resource Leveling, Smoothing, and Priority Management

9.      Productivity Improvement and Resource Optimization

10.  Management Simulation: Developing a Resource Strategy for a Resource-Constrained Project

Day 5: Procurement, Logistics, and Construction Readiness Management

Module 5: Procurement, Logistics, and Construction Readiness Management

1.      Strategic Procurement Planning for Construction Managers

2.      Procurement Packages, Milestones, and Schedule Integration

3.      Engineering Deliverables and Procurement Dependencies

4.      Long-Lead Materials, Equipment, and Supply-Chain Risks

5.      Supplier and Subcontractor Mobilization Planning

6.      Material Delivery, Storage, Handling, and Inventory Management

7.      Site Mobilization, Access, Traffic, Laydown, and Logistics

8.      Temporary Facilities, Utilities, Security, and Site Support

9.      Construction Readiness Reviews and Workfront Release

10.  Case Study: Managing Procurement and Site Readiness for a Complex Construction Project

Day 6: Risk, Constraints, Quality, Safety, and Environmental Management

Module 6: Risk, Constraints, Quality, Safety, and Environmental Management

1.      Managerial Construction Planning Risk Management

2.      Risk Identification, Assessment, Ownership, and Response

3.      Construction Risk Registers and Schedule Risk Integration

4.      Constraint Identification, Prioritization, and Removal

5.      Design, Approval, Procurement, Access, and Resource Constraints

6.      Quality Planning, Inspection and Test Plans, and Hold Points

7.      Health and Safety Planning and Critical Risk Management

8.      Environmental Requirements and Construction Planning

9.      Early Warning Indicators and Management Response to Emerging Risks

10.  Practical Workshop: Developing a Managerial Risk and Constraint Management Plan

Day 7: Look-Ahead Planning, Lean Construction, and Operational Coordination

Module 7: Look-Ahead Planning, Lean Construction, and Operational Coordination

1.      Principles of Operational and Short-Term Construction Planning

2.      Managerial Use of Look-Ahead Planning

3.      Weekly Work Plans and Commitment Management

4.      Daily Coordination and Field Planning Meetings

5.      Last Planner System Principles for Construction Management

6.      Pull Planning and Collaborative Phase Scheduling

7.      Constraint Management and Make-Ready Planning

8.      Percent Plan Complete and Workflow Reliability

9.      Lean Construction, Waste Reduction, PDCA, and Continuous Improvement

10.  Simulation Exercise: Leading a Management Look-Ahead and Weekly Planning Review

Day 8: Progress Control, Performance Management, Forecasting, and Reporting

Module 8: Progress Control, Performance Management, Forecasting, and Reporting

1.      Construction Schedule Control and Management Oversight

2.      Progress Measurement Systems and Rules of Credit

3.      Planned Versus Actual Progress Analysis

4.      Schedule Updates, Data Dates, and Baseline Comparisons

5.      Critical Path Movement and Float Consumption

6.      Schedule Variance, Trends, and Early Warning Indicators

7.      Construction KPIs and Management Performance Dashboards

8.      Completion Forecasting and Remaining Work Assessment

9.      Executive and Management Construction Planning Reports

10.  Practical Exercise: Reviewing a Project Performance Dashboard and Directing Corrective Actions

Day 9: Delay Management, Project Recovery, and Advanced Planning Decisions

Module 9: Delay Management, Project Recovery, and Advanced Planning Decisions

1.      Construction Delay Identification and Management Responsibilities

2.      Delay Causes, Schedule Impacts, and Critical Path Assessment

3.      Delay Analysis and Time-Impact Assessment

4.      Productivity Loss, Disruption, and Workfront Interference

5.      Recovery Planning and Schedule Mitigation

6.      Resequencing and Alternative Execution Strategies

7.      Fast-Tracking, Crashing, and Acceleration Decisions

8.      Resource Reallocation and Productivity Recovery

9.      Recovery Cost, Risk, and Commercial Considerations

10.  Advanced Case Study: Directing a Management Recovery Strategy for a Delayed Project

Day 10: Strategic Construction Planning, Digital Tools, Governance, and Capstone

Module 10: Strategic Construction Planning, Digital Tools, Governance, and Capstone

1.      Integrated Construction Planning and Management Strategy

2.      Integration of Scope, Schedule, Cost, Resources, Procurement, and Risk

3.      Integration of Quality, Safety, Environment, and Technical Requirements

4.      Planning Governance, Change Management, and Baseline Protection

5.      Scenario Planning, Contingency, and Management Decision-Making

6.      BIM, 4D Scheduling, Digital Planning Platforms, and Performance Dashboards

7.      Construction Planning Reporting, Stakeholder Communication, and Management Reviews

8.      Lessons Learned, Planning Capability, and Continuous Improvement

9.      Integrated Management Construction Planning Simulation and Professional Review

10.  Capstone Project: Developing, Challenging, Optimizing, and Presenting a Complete Construction Planning Strategy for Managers