Course Syllabus

Fall 2009

CM 4510 Construction Scheduling

Prerequisite:  CM 3000

Classroom:  H 339

Class/Lab Periods:  M, W @ 6:00pm – 6:50pm Lecture   7:00pm –7:50pm Lab

Text:  Construction Scheduling Practices and Principals, by Jay S. Newitt

Grading Policy:  Mid-Term Exam -- 20%   Case Study Presentation Reports – 20%

                             Final Exam – 20%             Master Schedule Project –30%

                                        Class Participation & Attendance – 10%                                      

Instructor: John Jambro

Office Hours: Office Hours can be scheduled by appointment only 

E-mail: jjambro@spsu.edu (Preferred Correspondence)

Fax:   678-915-4966
Cell:  404-216-6925

 

Class

Date

Subject of Lecture/Lab

Assignments

Due

1

8/24

Introduction

Assign Course Project Groups

Overview of Project Management Basics

 Read Chapter 1 and 2

2

8/26

Distribute Course Project Building Plans

Why Schedule

Bar Chart Schedules

Read Chapter 2 and 4

3

8/31

Introduction to CPM Scheduling

 Read Chapter 5

4

9/2

Creating Network Logic Diagram

Case Study and Read Chapter 6

      5

9/7

HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

 

6

9/9

Determining Durations

 

Master Schedule Project Status Report

Read Chapter 7

 

7

9/14

Calculating Start and Finish Dates

 Read Chapter 8 and Case Study

8

9/16

Reviewing and Analyzing the Schedule

 Read Chapter 11

9

9/21

Updating the Schedule

Read Chapter 14

Master Schedule Activity List Due - Excel

10

9/23

Creating Teamwork

Getting Subcontractors to Conform to the Schedule

 Case Study  and Read Chapter 17

Master Schedule Durations Due - Excel

11

9/28

Three Week Look Ahead Schedule

Case Study and Read Chapter 18

12

9/30

MID TERM EXAM

Managing Projects Using Sure Track

Super Bowl Project Schedule Demo

 

 Read Chapter 21

13

10/5

Sure Track – Introduction-Set up New Project File

 Complete New Project File

14

10/7

Sure Track – Import Activity ID’s

Sure Track – Determine Durations

Complete Activity ID’s and Durations

15

10/12

Sure Track- Develop Critical Path

Sure Track – Successors and Predecessors

 Complete CPM and Logic

16

10/14

Sure Track – Assign Responsibilities, Area, Phases

 Assign all Resp / Area / Phase

17

10/19

Sure Track – Establish Logic and Relationships

 Evaluate Construction Sequencing w/ Instructor

 

10/21

Sure Track – Updating the Schedule

Complete Percent Complete Updates

18

10/26

Sure Track Schedule Evaluations

Complete Group Evaluations

19

10/28

Microsoft Project – Introduction-Set up New Project File

Read Chapter 22

Complete New Project File

20

11/2

Microsoft Project – Import Activity ID’s

Microsoft Project – Determine Durations

Complete Activity ID’s and Durations

21

11/4

Microsoft Project- Develop Critical Path

Microsoft Project – Successors and Predecessors

Complete CPM and Logic

22

11/9

Microsoft Project – Assign Responsibilities, Area, Phases

Assign all Resp / Area / Phase

23

11/11

Sure Track Course Master Project Complete

 Suretrack Schedule Complete for Submission as per Course Project Minimum Criteria

24

11/16

Microsoft Project – Establish Logic and Relationships

Complete Percent Complete Updates

25

11/18

Microsoft Project-Updating the Schedule

Complete Percent Complete Updates

26

11/23

Student off Site Group Work Session

 

27

11/25

HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

 

28

11/30

Student Scheduling Lab

 

Microsoft Project Course Master Project Complete

Microsoft Project Schedule Complete for Submission as per Course Project Minimum Criteria

29

12/2

Presentation Prep

Final Exam Prep

 

30

12/7

FINAL EXAM

 

31

12/7

Master Schedule Project Presentations

 

32

12/9

Master Schedule Project Presentations

 

NOTE: This syllabus is intended to represent the general format of the class. The instructor may make changes if it is determined that such changes will better suit the needs of the students.

Catalog Description:
 
A Study of the management techniques used in controlling time and cost of construction projects, including development of schedules and budgets, organization and presentation of project information, and updating and monitoring progress using critical path methodology.  Development of a construction schedule and budget is required.  Commonly used commercial software packages are introduced.

 

Learning Outcomes:                

 

Desired Educational Outcomes

 

Each student will have the ability to

 

-Demonstrate proficiency in using a commercially available software program to schedule a construction project.

 

-Update and analyze project status and reschedule a construction project.

 

-Demonstrate and master CPM (Critical Path Methodology) with respect to scheduling and project cost control.

 

-Prepare a CPM schedule as a tool for project measurement, updates, and overall subcontractor / vendor performance.

 

-Develop an activity list from an example commercial building and establish predecessor / successor relationships for sequencing the construction work.

 

 

SPECIFIC REQUIRMENTS FOR THIS COURSE:

 

Format of the Course:

 

This course will draw on the material presented in the required textbook.  In addition other references, professional journal articles, internet publications, etc. will be used in class lectures/discussions.  Material will also be derived from the Instructor's experiences of past commercial projects that required master schedules and critical path methodologies consisting of multi million dollar commercial projects in the K-12 / Higher Education building construction sector.

 

Lecture / Lab:

 

This course will consist of a first part lecture ( 6:00pm to 6:50pm) and then followed by a learning lab (7:00pm to 7:50pm).  It is expected and mandatory that all students attend the lecture and lab sections to successfully pass this course.  The times noted above for lecture and lab may change at incremental rates based upon how the overall class is progressing with the course material.  It is essential that students do not miss any classes due to the rigorous pace and material covered during the lecture and lab sessions throughout this semester.

Attendance and participation account for 10 percent of the students overall grade

 

Progress Exams:

 

Two exams will be given during the semester.  A Mid-Term exam and Final Exam will be administered as per the dates set fourth in the syllabus.  Exam material will be derived from the text book, class handouts, class discussions, and computer scheduling lab demonstrations.  Progress exams account for 40 percent of the students overall grade.

 

 

 

Case Study Presentation Reports:

 

A case study and corresponding formal presentations will be required of all students.  The case studies will be completed in student groups selected by the instructor.  The Instructor will administer several case study exercises throughout the semester at any given time to correspond to the learning material imbedded within the scheduling course.  Students will prepare a formal written summary of the groups’ consensus about the case study findings during the lab section of the class.  Students who are absent from the case study sessions will not receive credit.

 

-Written report- Submitted by group with members names on front cover.  This report should be professionally typed and stapled. The content of the report should be drafted in an executive summary format.

Presentation- The presentation duration shall not exceed 10 minutes.  A Question and answer session will follow the presentation accordingly.  Written reports are to be submitted to the instructor directly after the class presentation has been completed.

 

Case Study Presentation reports account for 20 percent of the students overall grade.

 

Master Schedule Project:

 

Each student will be required to participle fully in instructor selected group teams to build a Master Schedule of a commercial project from start to finish.  Two phases of the project will be scheduled such as Pre-construction and Construction phases. 

 

The commercial project(s) will be selected by the Instructor.  The building plans for these commercial buildings will be administered to one group member per group who will be responsible for turning in the plans at the end of the course.  One set of plans will be distributed per group.

 

The expected delivery of the Master Schedule project will be a CPM schedule developed from Sure track 3.0 and Microsoft Project of a commercial building project handed in into the instructor with an Executive Summary attached.  Listed below is the minimum Criterion for this project to be handed in via hard copy.  Each group will present their schedule as per the syllabus.

 

 

                                               

PART A:         SCHEDULE COMPONENT- Sure Track   

 

                        -CPM Sure track Schedule with complete successors / predecessors

                        -Preconstruction activities scheduled out to Construction start

                        -Preconstruction activities that are CPM

                        -Construction activities schedule through Closeout

                        -Close out activities scheduled throughout One year warranty

                        -Mile Stones

                                    Start Design

                                    Complete Design

                                    Start Sitework

                                    Building Permit

                                    Steel Fabrication

                                    Steel Erection

                                    Roofing

                                    MEP Start up

                                    Building Enclosed

                                    Substantial Completion

                                    Punch List

                                    Owner Turnover

                                    Occupancy

                                    Warranty Start

                                    Warranty End

 

 

 

 

PART B:         SCHEDULE COMPONENT – Microsoft Project

 

 

                        -CPM MS Project Schedule w/ complete successors / predecessors

                        -Preconstruction activities scheduled out to Construction start

                        -Preconstruction activities that are CPM

                        -Construction activities schedule through Closeout

                        -Close out activities scheduled throughout One year warranty

                        -Mile Stones

                                    Start Design

                                    Complete Design

                                    Start Sitework

                                    Building Permit

                                    Steel Fabrication

                                    Steel Erection

                                    Roofing

                                    MEP Start up

                                    Building Enclosed

                                    Substantial Completion

                                    Punch List

                                    Owner Turnover

                                    Occupancy

                                    Warranty Start

                                    Warranty End

 

 

 

Thoughts About Group Projects:  

 

Please note that much of the project work and presentations will be done in groups.  All members of the team will have to live with the team grade, regardless of anyone’s opinion of the relative contribution of individual team members. 

 

Teams will be assigned not self-selected.  There will be opportunities for team meetings during class time and also prior each team during the run-up to your presentations.  Early signs of a team’s cohesiveness need to be brought to the Instructors attention early on to better resolve any potential issues.

 

 

Specific Requirements for the Course:   

 

Scheduling Project and Case Study Presentations are Required for Passing this Course.

 

 

 

Attendance Policy:  

 

Students are required to attend every class. However if they have to miss a class for any reason, it is their responsibility to catch up with the class material, be aware of any scheduled exam or any announcement. No make up test will be given. 

 

           

CELL PHONE and PERSONAL DEVICE POLICY

The use of cell phones/PDAs/pagers during class will not be tolerated. Turn them OFF before entering class and they are to remain off until the class is completed.  The classroom environment will be treated the same way as if this was a corporate meeting in a large conference room in which your boss was delivering a presentation. He/she would not tolerate their use and a “wise” young employee would probably shy away from their use in order to prevent their discharge from the firm as a result of their rudeness.

Use of cell phone/PDA/Pager/blackberry etc. during class will result in the dismissal of the student from that particular class and the receipt of a “zero” for that class’s particular assignment, exercise, exam, quiz, etc. The second use of the device during class will result in the withdrawal of the student from the class by the instructor. Withdrawal of the student by the instructor after the official “drop date” will result in the grade of a “WF” for the student.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Student Signature sheet:

 

 

 

I__________________________ have read the Syllabus for CM 4510. I fully understand the class requirements as well as the grading policy.

 

 

Signed :____________________________

 

 

Name: _____________________________

 

 

Date :______________________________