How to Improve Progress Tracking in Construction Projects

Project Managers must keep track of their construction projects to finish them on time. A successful project finishes on time and within the allocated budget. The project management team needs extra effort to complete a project successfully.

Let’s discuss various techniques that can be helpful for project managers to improve progress tracking in construction projects.

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1. Use Technology

The best method for efficient project tracking is to use software for tracking progress. Some popular software includes Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, and Smartsheet. A baseline schedule will be utilized to track the milestone and project deadline. The project management team must act timely if the progress deviates from the baseline program.

Modern construction management systems like Procore indicate the tasks that need immediate attention. It will automatically list those activities that have not been completed on time and cause delays to the project. A project has thousands of activities running in parallel, and it is impossible to monitor the projects efficiently without technology.

The latest software is designed to improve communication between the design and construction teams. Change orders, variations, and RFIs are managed through the systems like Procore which ultimately enhances collaboration between the teams.

Optimize your project’s timeline with strategies from our Fast Tracking vs. Crashing Techniques in Schedule Compression guide to complement your progress tracking methods.

2. Meeting with the team Regularly

It’s very important to conduct regular meetings with the team. The project manager should ensure the project’s priorities are communicated clearly to the team. It will help ensure all team members are moving on the right track. The importance of achieving milestones and the bottlenecks should be discussed in the meeting.

The critical path keeps changing, the construction team must be informed about the activities that fall on the critical path. Communication is the key to delivering a project successfully. Meetings help to improve communication and team collaboration.

Meetings will also help get updates about the important tasks and the time required for completion. The construction schedules are updated accordingly to use the available resources in the best possible way.

While we’re on the topic of improving progress tracking, it’s important to understand how to handle progress that’s already been recorded. For more insights, check out our guide on Removing Progress from a Primavera Schedule.

3. Invest in Digital Mapping

Digital Mapping is compiling and formatting a set of spatial data into a virtual image on a computer. This technology’s principal use is to generate maps that accurately represent a specific area. It gives you a real-time representation of the work site as progress is made. Various technology companies are now available that allow you to digital map a project.

You can pin a drawing or an inspection to its real-world location. The filed workers update the status of these documents or inspections as the work progresses. It will keep the project manager updated to make timely decisions. Digital mapping can be used to evaluate the stockpiles using the elevations.

Digital maps will enhance project collaboration. A report about the status of the project is presented to the client/owner instead of spreadsheets. Real-time project reports are loved by the clients.

4. Visiting the Project Site Virtually

It is possible to visit a construction virtually site using laser scanners and modern devices. This service is provided by companies like Doxel.ai and Naska.ai. Construction sites are tracked at every stage, even without being physically present. You can track the project at every step and get automated tracking reports without visiting the site. This method of updating site progress is very quick and efficient. It also reduces the errors that are possible in manual progress reporting.

You can also track the progress of mega projects with the help of drone cameras. The videos and images help the project manager to get updated about the project’s condition in real-time.

5. Data Insights

Collect the project data at every stage of the project to make important decisions. Use the data to analyze the quantities of work remaining, material delivered and installed, and resources required to complete each activity. If a specific part of the project is going to take time longer than expected, the Project Manager can increase the resources to get that activity completed on time and save the project from serious delays.

It is necessary to analyze the data obtained from the site regularly. Suppose a flooring contractor agrees to complete a 5000 sqft project within 10 days. His average progress should not be less than 500 sqft per day. Analyzing the project on a daily basis will help the project manager to add additional resources on time if the project is not moving per the planned schedule. Further, it will also ensure that the successor activities shall start on time and the project is not delayed.

To understand how to generate a driving predecessor report in Primavera P6, check this link.

6. Maintain daily logs

One of the most important methods is maintaining daily logs, i.e., workers’ time logs, attendance, etc. The task does not end here; the manager shall regularly review the logs prepared to ensure everyone arrives on time. It can also be used to identify if a worker isn’t completing his shift, ask him the reason for this, and settle the shortcoming. It will help evaluate the hours spent on each activity and predict the upcoming tasks. Productivity rates are analyzed using these logs.

Daily logs also help ensure that the scheduled deliveries are not delayed and the material shortage will not cause work stoppage at the site.

7. Set achievable milestones

Setting achievable and realistic milestones will encourage the workers, and in this way, they will feel energized. Also, it will be much easier for the project manager to keep track of the milestones if they are smaller. If the team cannot achieve any milestone, the project manager can increase the resources accordingly to avoid serious delays.

Contact Leopard Project Controls for your next Construction Scheduling Project.

End Notes

Project tracking is very important to deliver a project successfully. Construction companies that leverage technology and efficient methods for project tracking will be able to achieve the deadlines. The methods and techniques for project tracking have been described here. You can use these methods to Improve Progress Tracking in Construction projects.

Enhance progress tracking in construction projects with strategies from our Project Portfolio Management article.