Evaluate Your Schedule

At the end of every project, use this nine-question checklist to evaluate the performance of your schedule to identify the symptoms of schedule delays so you can react faster to prevent delays on future projects:

*Was the project completed on time?

* Was a realistic time schedule estimated for both the design and construction phases?

* Was enough flexibility built into the schedule? Did it clearly identify the relationship between activities and reasonable expectations for commitment of people to the team?

* Was one phase allowed to delay and put the schedule of later phases in jeopardy?

* Were design decisions made at proper times to avoid procurement and construction delays?

* Was the client advised of problems at appropriate times during all phases of the work?

* Was the client given clear information and recommendations regarding his or her responsibilities for making timely decisions and providing necessary data as required by the contract?

* Was the construction subcontractor’s adherence to the construction schedule closely monitored and the client advised if necessary?

* Were the critical time-sensitive actions identified in the schedules (such as shop drawings and submission of plans to review agencies)?


Don’t use this checklist as a way to identify who caused the schedule to slip— you don’t want to start finger pointing. Again, your goal is to resolve similar problems that may pop-up in the future.