Gantt Planning & Project Controls

OVERVIEW

A yacht refit programme is more than a list of dates. The Project Manager must understand the sequence of activities, dependencies between work packages, access constraints, survey requirements, testing periods and the activities that can directly affect the redelivery date.

The Gantt programme provides the project team with a structured view of what must happen, when it must happen, what activities depend on others, and where delay may affect downstream work.

The objective of this module is to help the Project Manager develop and maintain a realistic programme, measure actual progress, identify developing delay early, coordinate recovery actions and communicate the schedule position clearly to the Captain, owner, management company, yard and subcontractors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establish the overall project programme before major refit work begins.

• Break the refit scope into logical activities and work packages.

• Define realistic durations for each activity.

• Identify dependencies between work packages.

• Establish key project milestones.

• Identify critical or time-sensitive activities.

• Coordinate subcontractor programmes with the master project schedule.

• Incorporate material delivery and long-lead procurement dates.

• Include Class, Flag, surveyor and specialist inspection requirements.

• Include commissioning, testing and sea-trial activities.

• Maintain visibility of access restrictions and shared work areas.

• Record actual progress against planned progress.

• Identify delay before it affects the final redelivery date.

• Assess the impact of scope changes and variations on the programme.

• Establish short-term look-ahead plans for critical activities.

• Coordinate recovery actions where progress falls behind plan.

• Update the programme when approved changes materially affect the project.

• Communicate programme risks and developing delays clearly.

• Maintain a traceable record of programme revisions and major schedule decisions.

PROJECT MANAGER COMPETENCY TEST

Scenario 1 — Late Material Delivery

A critical equipment delivery is delayed by one week. Installation cannot begin until the equipment arrives, and commissioning is currently scheduled immediately after installation.

Question:

What should the Project Manager do?

A. Leave the programme unchanged and hope the time can be recovered later
B. Update the affected activity only and ignore downstream work
C. Assess the dependency chain, identify the effect on installation and commissioning, and establish recovery options where possible
D. Move the redelivery date immediately without further analysis

Scenario 2 — Subcontractor Reports 90% Complete

A subcontractor reports that a work package is 90% complete. However, the remaining 10% includes final connections, testing and commissioning, which are required before several other systems can be closed.

Question:

How should the Project Manager assess the situation?

A. Treat the package as effectively complete because 90% is finished
B. Focus on the remaining critical deliverables and their effect on dependent activities
C. Remove the package from the programme
D. Mark it 100% complete and track commissioning separately

Scenario 3 — Competing Access Requirements

Two subcontractors are programmed to work in the same machinery space at the same time. Both activities are important, but there is insufficient access for both teams to work safely and effectively.

Question:

What should the Project Manager do?

A. Allow both teams to work and let them resolve access between themselves
B. Suspend both activities until the end of the refit
C. Review dependencies and priorities, resequence the work where necessary, and coordinate safe access so the programme impact is minimised
D. Ask the subcontractor with the smaller contract value to leave

Scenario 4 — Programme Slippage

The project is four days behind programme. One subcontractor proposes adding a night shift to recover time, but the affected work includes noise, inspection hold points and quality-sensitive finishing activities.

Question:

Should the Project Manager approve the recovery plan immediately?

A. Yes, because any recovery action is better than delay
B. No. The PM should assess the technical, safety, quality, access and commercial effects before approving the revised working arrangement
C. Yes, provided the subcontractor pays the overtime
D. No, because night work should never be used on yacht refits

MODULE COMPLETION

Before completing this module, the Project Manager should be able to:

• Develop a structured project programme from the agreed refit scope

• Break the project into logical activities and work packages

• Define realistic activity durations

• Identify predecessor and successor relationships

• Establish key project milestones

• Recognise critical and time-sensitive activities

• Coordinate subcontractor schedules with the master programme

• Incorporate long-lead material and equipment delivery dates

• Include Class, Flag, survey and inspection requirements within the programme

• Include testing, commissioning and sea-trial activities

• Monitor actual progress against planned progress

• Identify access restrictions and competing work-area requirements

• Recognise developing delay before it affects redelivery

• Assess the programme impact of variations and additional work

• Use short-term look-ahead planning to control upcoming activities

• Establish practical programme-recovery actions

• Assess the safety, quality and commercial effect of recovery measures

• Maintain traceable programme revisions and schedule decisions

• Communicate forecast completion dates and programme risk clearly