Construction Project Planning Techniques: Awareness, Usage and Suitability

Abstract: Every project is unique on its own with predetermined commencement and delivery dates. The constraints imposed on the project make it necessary to plan its execution to keep it within those constraints. The checks and balances put in place in the construction industry to facilitate the completion of projects within the contractor’s schedule and to the client’s desired time, quality and cost as planning techniques are applied in varying degrees depending on the stage at which it is carried out. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the various construction project planning techniques employed in the Nigerian construction industry and the suitability of these techniques. To achieve the objectives of the study, a quantitative research method was utilised and a well-structured questionnaire was contrived using variables obtained from reviewed literature. The respondents chosen are Quantity Surveyors, Builders, Engineers, and Architects. Analysis of retrieved data was done using Percentile, Frequency, Mean Item Score (MIS). Findings of the study revealed that Bar/Gantt chart is the widely used planning technique as it is efficient while the Critical Path Method is more accurate in ensuring a project is delivered to the scheduled time and predetermined cost. From the result of this study, it is concluded that awareness level and recognition of planning techniques in the Nigerian construction industry is low and proper project planning is seldomly practised which requires urgent professional attention. This will help in ensuring that construction project time and cost overrun are addressed from the commencement of the project.

Keywords: Network Analysis, Project planning, Work Breakdown Structure

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001624

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