Performing a time impact analysis in construction California is essential for evaluating how changes or delays affect a project’s schedule. Ideally, it is used prospectively or forward-looking to measure the effects of projected impacts of events that have occurred recently or are currently happening. Essentially, it’s a technique used by project management teams to evaluate how unexpected events or modifications can affect the completion date of a construction project.
Benefits of Time Impact Analysis
TIA helps project managers schedule and plan projects better. By understanding the potential impacts of delays or changes, project managers can make informed decisions when allocating resources and prioritizing tasks. A TIA provides a clear and documented basis for discussing time extensions or modifications with clients, contractors, and stakeholders. Transparency helps manage expectations and prevent conflicts.
How to Perform a TIA?
Follow these steps to perform a time impact analysis.
Identify the Event or Change
First, clearly define the event or change which is likely to impact the project schedule. This could be anything from unexpected weather conditions, design changes, unspecified extra work, differing site conditions, work character changes, to delays in material supply.
Collect Relevant Project Documents
Gather key project documents including the original baseline project schedule, approved progress schedule updates, contract documents, daily progress reports, and any previous time impact analyses reports. These documents will provide a baseline for comparison.
Analyze the Project Schedule
Utilize project management software or any scheduling tool to evaluate the existing project schedule. For more complex projects it is recommended and often required to use Primavera P6 scheduling software. California Public agencies, including the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), specify the use of Primavera P6 for larger construction projects. This analysis aims to grasp the work sequence, dependencies, and the critical path – the series of project tasks that are crucial for timely project completion.
Develop the Impact Schedule
Create an impact schedule by integrating the event or change into the project schedule. An impacting event can be a delay, a differing site condition or a change order. Organize the critical impacts by developing a chronology of events to document the critical and near critical delays experienced to date. Once you identify and organize the impacting event, you can start developing a fragmented network or fragnet representing the added or changed work or issue that is impacting the project schedule. Sequence activities within each fragnet and estimate the time required to finish the additional work. The resulting impacted schedule shows the new project timeline.
Assess the Time Impact
Make sure you select the project schedule that best represents the conditions before the impacting event, or you may get inaccurate results. It is also important to make sure that you are using project schedules that have been submitted and approved by all the necessary parties involved. Evaluate the difference between the updated schedule and the original schedule to determine the impact on the project’s completion date. Quantify the delay or impact.
Document the Analysis
Prepare a detailed report documenting your findings. The report should include a description of the event or change, the analysis method used, the results of the impact assessment, and recommendations for mitigating the effect of the event or adjusting the project plan.
Review With Stakeholders
Review the result of the time impact analysis with project stakeholders, including the project team, client, subcontractors, and suppliers. Make sure all parties understand the implications of the event or change and agree on the next steps.
Update the Project Plan
Based on feedback from stakeholders and any agreed-upon mitigation strategies, update the project plan and schedule. Adjust timelines, reallocate resources, or make any other necessary changes to mitigate the effect of the impact.
Monitor and Adjust as Necessary
After implementing the changes, continuously monitor the project’s progress and compare it to the updated schedule. Be prepared to make further adjustments as necessary to keep the project on track.
The Swaney Corporation-Crowe Construction Inc. offers top notch CPM scheduling services. Our expertise enables us to perform comprehensive, in-depth time impact analyses. For further details, contact us today at (707) 665-9668.