PLANNING & CONTROL:

1 – Are/ were deadlines set?
2 – Are/ were deadlines enforced?
3 – Deadlines are realistic?
4 – Milestones are being achieved?
5 – Deviations are explained? Are any greater than 5% (plus or minus) from plan?
6 – Does a work breakdown structure (WBS) exist?
7 – Was work started before the project was defined?
8 – Is the schedule properly sequenced?
9 – Are regular meetings held to discuss the project’s progress?
10 – Can schedule be easily updated?
11 – Ownership: Is any one personally responsible for deadlines?
12 – Are/ were follow-ups and reminders made to parties with late activities?
13 – Does a schedule float exist?
14 – Is (was) procurement timely?
15 – Delays are documented and communicated?
16 – Was staff added when project got behind schedule? (If yes, could affect quality).
17 – Was the offering/ timing/ season appropriate for the project?
18 – Do time estimates also include costs?
19 – If project is being “fast tracked” – is every day a possible work day?
20 – If fast tracked – are frequent meetings held by client/ staff?
21 – Does staff/ equipment effectively work every work day (are there gaps which can be closed with more work being performed within the same time period)? (Yes = good)
22 – Has PM encouraged activity managers to evaluate starting shifts earlier/ later, scheduling during less busy/ off hours/ off days during the week, spacing/ staggering times to reduce overtime / overtime for long stretches without authorized off-duty rest periods and reduce “peak and valley” staffing or minimize disruptions? (Yes = good)
23 – PM works closely with activity managers to help drive progress/ scheduling team to minimize delays and disruptions? If delays occur, do PM and activity managers replan the timing of the work?
24 – Are all customers informed about schedule details/ delays/ changes through various communications means (e.g., electronic alerts, texts, social media (Facebook/ Twitter), website, email/ regular mail, mobile devices, news releases etc.) in advance or as soon as the information can be made available? (Yes = good)
25 – Could delays result in big loss of contingency? (Yes = blue)
26 – Can any activities be started earlier than originally scheduled?
27 – Does PM review work schedules to ensure that they are not manipulated to increase overtime pay? (No = bad)
28 – Can/ does SM/ PM offer incentives to speed work and impose penalties if the work is delayed beyond an acceptable period or budgeted costs are exceeded? (No = blue)
29 – Does PM know the resources required to be sufficient to complete the project? (Yes = good)
30 – Has the PM created an integrated schedule to manage the project? (No = blue)
31 – Will a backlog of activities (at this phase of the project) mean future shutdowns and disruptions, such as?
     *Added resources cost?
     *Activities in work-in-progress status?
     *Activities still awaiting completion?
     *Activities and resources most at-risk (e.g. time-sensitive, or uniquely critical)?
     *Backlogged activities needing completion along with activities currently being performed – possibly needing support from the same resources?
     *Delayed resource arrivals and activity completions/ shutdowns?
     *Convince SM/ PM to consider alternative plans to minimize delays?
     *SM/ PM establishing a crisis-action-team to address the backlog issues? (Yes = blue)
32 – Does PM use “look aheads” to review preliminary schedules (3-weeks away), tentative schedules (2-weeks out), final schedules (1-week away) and 36 hours, to make adjustments? (Yes = good)
33 – Are “on-call (and other) workers” reporting to work within the contracted timeframes/ mindframes (e.g., 2 hours, no prior alcohol use within past 8 hours/ got the mandated minimum number of required hours of rest)? (No = blue)
34 – Does the PM/ activity leaders ensure that required project support resources are aware of the schedule and arrive on-time , ready to work? (Yes = good)
35 – Does the PM need to request a dedicated “shut down” to “crash” (expedite) schedule to complete work? (Yes = blue)
36 – Can delays be translated into units of time/ estimated return to normalcy?
37 – Are employees required to respond to “on-call requests” and report to work on short notice for shifts that can (potentially) be cancelled at the last minute? Asked at the last minute to work longer hours? (Yes = blue)
38 – Has PM investigated/ initiated any new management strategies that will ensure the project will be completed on-time? (No = blue)
39 – Can any of the work be ramped up and performed around the clock? (Yes = blue)
40 – Does PM require workers/ activity managers, etc. to share/ synchronize their work schedules (to avoid confusion and delays)? (Yes = good)
41 – Does PM know the amount of work completed/ the amount of work in backlog which must be completed and the completion deadline? (Yes = good)
42 – Does PM know the daily/ weekly/ monthly completion volume and timeline required to meet the project’s deadline? (Yes = good)
43 – Does the current project plan include any ‘slack’ in the schedule, to account for any possible slippage? (No = bad)
44 – Will a project delay adversely affect / impact other projects in the pipeline (in development)? (Yes = bad)
45 – In order to increase staffing, can PM legally perform ‘emergency’ training of staff from other disciplines to perform project work? (Yes = blue but watch work quality)