GANTT PLANNING & PROJECT CONTROLS

Project Manager control of programme structure, dependencies, milestones, progress and recovery

A yacht refit programme is more than a list of dates. The Project Manager must understand the sequence of work, dependencies between activities, access restrictions, long-lead materials, survey hold points, subcontractor interfaces and the dates that ultimately control redelivery.

A Gantt programme provides a visual representation of activities against time. It allows the Project Manager to identify when work should start and finish, which activities depend on others, where resources or access may conflict and which activities have little or no scheduling flexibility.

The Project Manager’s role is to establish a realistic baseline programme, keep it updated with actual progress, identify delay early and coordinate corrective action before individual delays combine into a redelivery problem.

Key responsibilities

• Break the project scope into logical work packages.
• Create a Work Breakdown Structure where appropriate.
• Define activities required to complete each work package.
• Establish realistic durations.
• Identify predecessors and successors.
• Avoid unnecessary or artificial dependencies.
• Identify activities that can run in parallel.
• Establish project milestones.
• Identify owner, Captain, Class, Flag and survey milestones where relevant.
• Include procurement and long-lead activities.
• Include drawing approval and technical-submission periods.
• Include access, dismantling, inspection, repair, testing and reinstatement activities.
• Include commissioning and sea-trial requirements.
• Establish an approved baseline programme.
• Record the planned project start and redelivery dates.
• Monitor actual start and finish dates.
• Update remaining durations realistically.
• Record percentage complete using a defined method.
• Identify critical and near-critical activities.
• Monitor float and loss of scheduling flexibility.
• Produce short-term look-ahead programmes.
• Coordinate subcontractor programmes with the master programme.
• Identify interface conflicts.
• Record delay events and their causes.
• Assess the programme effect of variations.
• Develop recovery actions where progress is behind plan.
• Re-sequence work where technically appropriate.
• Communicate significant programme risk promptly.
• Maintain programme revisions and update history.
• Protect commissioning, testing and final acceptance time from uncontrolled compression.

PROJECT MANAGER COMPETENCY TEST

Scenario 1 — False Progress

A subcontractor reports that a work package is 90% complete. Inspection shows that the physical installation is largely complete, but testing, documentation and commissioning remain outstanding.

Question:
What should the Project Manager do?

A. Record 90% because the subcontractor reported it
B. Assess progress against the defined completion criteria and remaining work before updating the programme
C. Record 100% because installation is complete
D. Remove testing from the programme

Correct answer: B

Why:
Progress should be measured against the full activity or work-package scope. Physical installation alone may not represent near-completion if testing, commissioning and documentation remain outstanding.

Scenario 2 — Dependency

Interior panels cannot be permanently closed until electrical inspection and testing behind them are complete.

Question:
How should the programme reflect this?

A. Schedule both activities independently
B. Establish an appropriate dependency so closure cannot complete before the required electrical work and inspection
C. Allow the joinery contractor to decide
D. Add more float to the interior activity

Correct answer: B

Why:
Dependencies should reflect the real technical sequence of the work. Correct logic helps prevent premature closure, rework and loss of inspection access.

Scenario 3 — Critical Delay

A long-lead component on a critical-path activity will arrive seven days late.

Question:
What should the Project Manager do first?

A. Wait seven days and update the programme afterwards
B. Assess the effect on dependent activities and redelivery, then investigate mitigation or recovery options
C. Remove the activity from the critical path manually
D. Change the baseline date

Correct answer: B

Why:
Critical-path delay can affect the project completion date. The PM should assess the impact immediately and examine alternatives such as resequencing, expedited delivery, temporary arrangements or additional resources where technically and commercially justified.

Scenario 4 — Baseline Manipulation

The project is behind programme. Someone suggests changing the original baseline dates so the current programme no longer shows a delay.

Question:
What should the Project Manager do?

A. Change the baseline to improve the report
B. Preserve the approved baseline and show the current forecast separately
C. Delete all previous programme versions
D. Stop reporting variance

Correct answer: B

Why:
The baseline is the reference against which performance is measured. Current forecasts may change, but altering the historical baseline without formal approved change destroys meaningful variance reporting.

MODULE COMPLETION

Before completing this module, the Project Manager should be able to:

• break project scope into structured work packages and activities
• understand the purpose of a Work Breakdown Structure
• estimate activity duration
• establish logical dependencies
• identify activities that can run concurrently
• define project milestones
• establish and preserve an approved baseline programme
• distinguish planned, actual and forecast dates
• understand critical path and float
• measure progress using defined completion criteria
• produce short-term look-ahead programmes
• coordinate subcontractor programmes
• identify access and interface conflicts
• assess programme effects of variations and delay
• develop recovery actions
• maintain programme revisions and progress history
• communicate forecast redelivery risk clearly

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