During the work from home period of the COVID-19 adjustments, one overachieving scheduler started making a schedule for use by his family. He incorporated many of the same aspects of a legit construction schedule. There was a critical path and it was packed with cost and resource loading, as well as, assigned responsibility. It was a huge adjustment for his family to try to make daily life more efficient with a CPM schedule and they still don’t really like it and are annoyed with him. They are optimistic that there won’t be any major hiccups getting construction rolling again so that he can reengage in his jobsite pestering in lieu of dinner table schedule reviews and activity inquisitions.
In general, the critical path follows the morning wake and get ready period, through attempts of at home work and school and ends with dinner and bed time prep activities. Wherever possible, the scheduler assigns responsibility for critical path activities to himself or his wife. Cooking bacon just isn’t something most six year olds can handle solo. Example resource assignments are the family laptop for school work, one of the family vehicles if making a takeout or Walgreens run and the iPad and TV for entertainment and relaxation. While known for his attention to detail, the scheduler tried to set reasonable standards for cost loading activities. Activities that didn’t incur large differences in cost on a day to day basis (like showering or brushing teeth) were assigned zero cost values and covered under general condition type ledgers. Prepping and/or eating food is one type of activity that he did cost load. Eating cereal or spaghetti at home are quite different in cost than making a run to Chick Fil A or are more expensive dining establishment. Everything was reviewed on a daily basis with detailed review and analysis occurring on a weekly basis.
While the scheduler felt his efforts were reasonable and helpful, his family didn’t see things the same way. He ended up getting treated similar at home to how he gets treated at the jobsite. Everyone was usually too busy to talk progress on activities, gave inaccurate to fully incorrect data, didn’t follow the schedule on a day to day basis and found the schedule to be more burden than benefit. His wife was especially not fond of the daily schedule for her morning routine and the kids hated the evening bedtime schedule activities and milestones. None were a fan of cost loading and loathed analysis of the cost loaded schedule.
Everyone involved is happy that things are starting to get back to normal with construction scheduling being the only focus. The scheduler is happy annoying people at work again and just hanging out with his family at home. His family is pretty ok with him leaving his scheduling tools at work and just having fun at home.
***This was another Fake Construction News article. Stay tuned for more.***