M2.1 Planning & Schedule Development

By the end of this section, the learner should be able to establish and operate a project-controls data environment in which important information is complete enough, accurate enough, timely enough, consistent enough and traceable enough to support management decisions.

By the end of this section, the learner should be able to design, apply and challenge progress-measurement rules that convert evidence of completed work into a credible statement of physical accomplishment. They should be able to choose an appropriate measurement method.

By the end of this section, the practitioner should be able to establish, test and explain an integrated project baseline that brings authorised scope, schedule, budget, assumptions, progress rules and accountability into one coherent reference position.

By the end of this section, the practitioner should be able to design and apply a coherent set of coding and control structures that allows project information to be organised, integrated, aggregated, reconciled and reported without repeatedly rebuilding the underlying data.

By the end of this section, the practitioner should be able to take an authorised project scope and turn it into a Work Breakdown Structure.

Collaborative work-in-progress contributed by members and experts from across the community cadre.The Project Controls Open Standard brings together practical project controls knowledge in one free,…

Module 6 establishes the essential practices for directing, controlling and maintaining accountability throughout the project lifecycle. It explains how to establish effective governance arrangements, define decision-making authorities and responsibilities, and manage changes to approved scope, schedule, cost and risk through integrated change control. It also covers how to maintain configuration and baseline integrity, apply proportionate assurance and independent challenge, and ensure that management decisions are supported by reliable evidence. Finally, it explains how to communicate governance information, record decisions and manage actions through to completion. Together, these practices provide a structured and transparent foundation for maintaining project control, ensuring accountability, managing change, identifying weaknesses and supporting timely, evidence-based decisions to improve delivery outcomes.

Module 5 establishes the essential practices for measuring, analysing, forecasting and communicating project performance. It explains how to develop meaningful performance measures across scope, schedule, cost, progress, risk and resources, and apply techniques such as Earned Value Management to assess delivery against approved baselines. It also covers how to identify and explain variances, analyse trends and root causes, develop credible forecasts, and determine effective corrective actions. Finally, it explains how to turn reliable project data into clear, consistent and decision-focused management information. Together, these practices provide a structured foundation for understanding project performance, identifying emerging issues, anticipating future outcomes and supporting timely, evidence-based decisions to improve delivery throughout the project lifecycle.

Module 4 establishes the essential practices for identifying, assessing, managing and responding to project risks and opportunities throughout the project lifecycle. It explains how to establish a structured risk management framework, evaluate and prioritise uncertainties using qualitative and quantitative analysis, and understand their potential impact on project cost, schedule and delivery outcomes. It also covers how to develop effective risk responses, assign ownership, integrate mitigation actions into project plans, and determine appropriate levels of contingency and confidence. Together, these practices provide a consistent and proactive foundation for managing uncertainty, anticipating potential threats and opportunities, improving forecast confidence and supporting informed, risk-based decisions to protect project objectives and delivery performance.

Module 3 establishes the essential practices for estimating, budgeting, forecasting and controlling project costs. It explains how to translate project scope into credible cost estimates using appropriate methods, document the underlying assumptions and uncertainties, and establish authorised budgets aligned with the project schedule and delivery strategy. It also covers how to monitor actual expenditure, commitments and emerging changes, develop reliable forecasts of the likely final cost, and identify and analyse cost variances and trends. Together, these practices provide a consistent and transparent foundation for managing project expenditure, understanding cost performance, anticipating financial pressures and supporting informed decisions to maintain affordability and cost control throughout the project lifecycle.

Ten ways to keep your client happy, protect your construction programme and build stronger working relationships.Every construction planner knows that keeping the client happy matters. But what…

Sunchana Johnston

Fed up with adverts from software companies and consultancies that are going to change the world of Planning and solve all your project problems? This series of occasional articles promises nothing but thought provoking questions on how well we understand the basics of our profession from the…

PP Admin

Several months ago, I was engaged as the planning lead with one of the most significant infrastructure organisations.My assignments appeared straightforward: to provide independent planning expertise and advise senior stakeholders on the most appropriate software solution to support the extensive…

Sunchana Johnston

Fed up with adverts from software companies and consultancies that are going to change the world of Planning and solve all your project problems? This series of occasional articles promises nothing but thought provoking questions on how well we understand the basics of our profession from the…

PP Admin

Fed up with adverts from software companies and consultancies that are going to change the world of Planning and solve all your project problems? This series of occasional articles promises nothing but thought provoking questions on how well we understand the basics of our profession from the…

PP Admin

Programme Planning Standards: The Rules of the GameStudies consistently show that organisations with mature project management practices achieve better delivery outcomes than those with ad hoc approaches. Yet one of the simplest disciplines is often overlooked—agreeing a common Programme Planning…

Sunchana Johnston