Collaborative scheduling through pull planning is an alternative to critical path method (CPM) scheduling that can improve coordination and integration on hard-bid construction projects with multiple prime contractors. It involves contractors collaboratively developing the milestone schedule by working backwards from completion dates. This increases accuracy and contractor ownership compared to CPM. Benefits include more efficient workflow, improved understanding of dependencies, direct issue resolution between trades, and peer pressure to meet deadlines for improved commitment and reliability.

1. Using Collaborative Scheduling
with Pull Planning Instead of CPM
How to Improve
Hard-Bid, Multi-Prime
Construction Projects

2. How can
a hard-bid
project achieve
effective team
integration
without a contract
specifically
requiring it?

3. How do multi-prime contractors, with no
contractual obligation, successfully work
together to complete a project?

4. In the current industry standard,
the best answer is Critical Path
Method (CPM) Scheduling.

5. But, there are
two concerns
with CPM.

6. CPM is not especially accurate
or reliable in forecasting the work
on a daily basis. And…

7. CPM creates a
“Do it because I said so”
atmosphere that hurts cooperation and
erodes buy-in of vital contractors.

8. An alternative approach that’s
Paying big dividends on hard-bid projects
with multi-prime contractors is…

9. COLLABORATIVE
SCHEDULING

10. COLLABORATIVE SCHEDULING
Through Use of Integrated Pull Planning
01

11. Why collaborative scheduling?
Collaborative Scheduling offers contractors input.
The result is true team integration that is otherwise missing.

12. This increased accuracy in day-to-day planning and the contractors’ sense
of ownership in the project combine to help owners get the return on their
investment earlier or, at least, as planned.

13. How It Works

14. The vital trade partners start at the
Target Completion Date (milestone)
and work backwards to identify
and sequence tasks.

15. So their completion releases work.

16. With Collaborative Scheduling through
Pull Planning, the question is no longer,
“What comes next?” But instead…

17. “What do I need to start my task?”

18. COLLABORATIVE SCHEDULING
And Its Benefits
02

19. The Benefits of
Collaborative Scheduling
More efficient workflow
and improved task
prioritization
(constraints for tasks
are identified for
each milestone).

20. The Benefits of
Collaborative Scheduling
Increased
understanding of what
is required to achieve
the milestone
(the whole picture instead
of just individual pieces).

21. The Benefits of
Collaborative Scheduling
One-on-one issue
resolution between
trade partners,
eliminating wasted effort
from the rest of the
project team.

22. The Benefits of
Collaborative Scheduling
Healthy peer pressure
among trade partners to
meet deadlines.
Improved buy-in and
commitment.

23. Workflow becomes
reliable.

24. PULL PLANNING:
The What
03

25. What Pull Planning Meetings Are Not:
Everyone sitting at a table talking
about a paper schedule

26. Pull Planning
Meetings Are:
DYNAMIC
With everyone standing
up and interacting
around the information,
holding each other
accountable in a
collaborative environment.

27. McCarthy’s Collaborative Scheduling takes Pull Planning from a tactical-level
focus on mid-level and weekly work plans, to a strategic level (the what).
PULL PLANNING
MEETINGS

28. A level that includes creating the project’s Milestone Schedule
and Baseline Schedule (Work Breakdown Structure).
PULL PLANNING
MEETINGS

29. Misses are tracked in a Variance Report for follow-up use in Root Cause
Analysis, allowing for a clear understanding of why it occurred and
proactive implementation of corrective actions.
PULL PLANNING
MEETINGS

30. CONCLUSION
04

31. Collaborative Scheduling, including
Pull Planning, is an effective alternative
to Critical Path Method (CPM) for hard-bid
projects with multi-prime contractors.

32. Collaborative Scheduling solves the
two main drawbacks of CPM: lack of project
coordination and contractor buy-in.

33. So projects can be
completed faster.

34. Thank
You