Look-ahead planning is a key link between phase schedules and weekly work plans. Look-aheads carve up the master schedule into many packages and typically provide detail beyond what is in the schedule, such as outlining which crews should be in specific locations and what they should be doing at certain times. A look-ahead may also include Safe Work Plans that outline hazards of activities at hand.
Look-aheads are the first step in controlling production and, in fact, are the only option for producing more reliable production plans based on the stream of supply, design, and installation throughout production units. Reliable construction planning demands that project managers understand and manage the prerequisites for any given activity— such as previous work completed, needed information obtained, materials delivered, equipment and tools available, weather amenable — in order to identify and resolve conflicts as early as possible. The earlier you identify these conflicts, the better the chances of resolving them and staying on schedule — and look-aheads are the tool for the job.
Assemble Systems has developed a solution that overcomes traditional challenges of look-ahead planning. Affordable, flexible, and easy to use, the cloud-based software draws on data from the building information model (BIM) to help the field team, project manager, superintendents, and subcontractors develop and access reliable look-ahead reports, facilitating a deeper understanding of work in progress and upcoming work. Download the workflow guide to learn more.
