The construction industry often grapples with scheduling headaches that lead to frustrating delays and budget blowouts. Traditional tools like Gantt charts and the Critical Path Method (CPM) are becoming increasingly inadequate - bordering on obsolete.
The truth is that construction scheduling is broken. Yesterday’s methodologies simply can't keep up with the complex and growing demands of modern construction projects; inefficient and unreliable schedules are the norm. The unfortunate outcome is that 72% of construction projects worldwide are delayed, experiencing an average 38% increase over contracted duration. Cost overruns of 24% are typical, and experienced on more than 63% of projects.
In an industry estimated to reach $13.9 trillion by 2037, these statistics are nothing to be proud of - and they leave plenty of room for improvement. That’s where ALICE Core comes into play.
Understanding the Breakdown of Traditional Construction Scheduling Methods
First, it’s important to understand where our traditional methods for construction scheduling fail. Traditional construction scheduling tools primarily focus on linear activity sequencing, without adequately considering resource constraints. The Critical Path Method (CPM), for example, assumes unlimited resources and relies heavily on precedence diagrams. This often leads to unrealistic schedules - and unrealistic schedules are prone to delays. The lack of flexibility and adaptability makes these tools ill-suited for the dynamic nature of today’s complex construction projects.
There are two major problems inherent in use of traditional tools
- the way in which project constraints are modeled
- the inability to evaluate various schedule sequences
A prime example of these limitations can be seen in the construction of a 7-story parking garage, which has been split into three sections: East, Center, and West.
A traditional schedule is developed based on the following chart, which models the construction of each garage section (repeating for each floor).
The Gantt chart for the resulting schedule appears as follows (assuming a West-Center-East construction sequence):
As seen above, the initial schedule (created using traditional tools) failed to account for resource limitations, leading to significant delays. Tasks that were supposed to be executed in parallel clashed due to the unavailability of shared resources, demonstrating the critical flaws in traditional scheduling methods.
To put it plainly, when only one crew is hired to complete each task, this schedule results in significant delay. To circumvent this result using traditional tools, additional precedence constraints would need to be modeled and applied manually - and this task would need to be completed for each instance of crew overlap, for each area, on each floor. This type of manual processing is not only tedious, it leaves significant room for error - and still fails to take into account the possibility of a better solution. For instance:
- What if additional crews could be applied to certain tasks?
- Is West -> Center -> East the best sequence for this project?
- Are there additional scenarios that offer improved outcomes?
When using traditional construction scheduling methods, exploration of these options would require creation of a new schedule for each scenario. The time and energy invested into this type of manual processing quickly adds up - eating into project resources and budget, before groundbreaking even begins.
ALICE Core Fixes Construction Scheduling
ALICE Core is a game-changer when applied to modern construction scheduling. Developed by ALICE Technologies, ALICE Core is designed to handle the complexities and constraints of modern construction projects more effectively than traditional tools. This platform can explore millions of scheduling scenarios in a fraction of the time it takes traditional methods, optimizing sequences and identifying the most efficient paths.
ALICE Core offers several advantages for advanced scheduling:
- Resource Optimization. ALICE Core can consider resource constraints and optimize their allocation, reducing idle time and increasing efficiency.
- Scenario Analysis. ALICE Core can quickly evaluate numerous scheduling scenarios, helping project managers choose the best approach.
- Adaptability. ALICE Core is more adaptable to changes in project scope and unforeseen issues, providing dynamic and flexible scheduling options.
For instance, in the same parking garage project, ALICE Core identifies the resource conflicts early, revealing alternative sequences to avoid or mitigate delays. This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of overruns, ensuring more reliable project timelines.
But the benefits don’t stop there. ALICE Core can also help project stakeholders explore the additional questions outlined above - factoring in project constraints, limitations, and desired outcomes to optimize for the best-case scenario.
The construction industry must move beyond traditional scheduling tools. Embracing modern, AI-driven solutions like ALICE Core can help active stakeholders address the inherent complexities of today’s projects. By leveraging ALICE Core, construction firms can achieve more accurate schedules, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately deliver projects on time and within budget.
To learn more about construction project sequencing and why it matters, explore here - or check out the ALICE Core demo, to fix your construction scheduling crisis today.