SCHEDULE DELAY ANALYSIS

Nielsen-Wurster Asia Pacific

February 2004

Introduction

Components of a Schedule Delay

Analysis
Types of Schedule Delay Analyses
CPM Scheduling Basics
Window Analysis - Steps
Window Analysis - Presentation
Causation Analysis
Responsibility Analysis
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Schedule Delay Analysis

Components
Quantification
- Windows

Causation
- Issues that Caused Impact to Project Execution

Responsibility
- Determination of Parties Responsible

Damages
- Allows for the Quantification of Damages, typically
Extended Site Office Overhead and Unabsorbed
Home Office Overhead
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Schedule Delay Analysis Types

As-Planned versus As-Built
As-Planned Impacted Analysis
Collapsed As-Built Analysis
Period Analysis (As-Built Critical Path)
Window Analysis

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Window Analysis

Nielsen-Wursters Chosen Methodology is

Window Analysis Why?

Developed In-House
Contemporaneous
Applies No Hindsight
Critical Path Driven
Uses Schedules As-Is
Objective only Uses Facts
Avoids Manipulation
Dynamic Consistent with CPM Scheduling
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CPM Scheduling Basics

Method of Scheduling that calculates the time

duration required to complete a Project or set of
Tasks based upon three major components:
Number of Activities or Tasks
Estimated Activity Duration
Logical Relationships
- Mandatory versus Discretionary

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CPM Scheduling Basics

Scheduling Software takes the three

inputs and calculates the schedule
producing:
End Date of Project
Critical Path of the Project (end date
constrained versus not constrained)
Float

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Window Analysis Methodology

Eight steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Project familiarisation
Initial and revised schedule reasonableness
Identify critical paths
Determine window time periods
Confirm actual dates for critical activities
Perform delay calculations for each window
Tally calculated delay for all windows
Validate results [iterative process]
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Window Analysis Step 1

Familiarity with the Project

Read the Complaint

Read the Contract
Know the Delivery Mechanism
Interview Key Personnel
Review Key Documents

This knowledge will increase accuracy of

Analysis
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Window Analysis Step 2

Analyse Schedules for Reasonableness

Number of Activities
Number of Relationships
Activity Sequencing
Timing of Events
Use of Constraints
Resource Loading
Claim Digger

Key Does it Make Sense?

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Window Analysis Step 3

Determine Critical Paths of Baseline

and Updated Schedules
Critical Path is the Longest Path through
the Network
- Typically zero float in non-constrained end date
schedule
- Can be negative float path in constrained end
date schedule

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Window Analysis Step 4

Determine Window Time Periods

Major Shifts in Critical Path

Significant Events / Issues
Significant Change in Float
Schedule Revision versus Update

Key NOT EVERY UPDATE

Typically 4 to 10 Windows

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Activity
ID

Activity
Description

SEP

OCT

1999
NOV

DEC

JAN

2000
MAR

FEB

APR

MAY

JUN

Meg Foley - Purchasing Manager

Assemble Brick Samples

BA450

Assemble Brick Samples

AS201

Review Bids for Temp Control Equ

BA480

Assemble and Submit Flooring Sa

AS202

Award Contract for Temp Control

BA411

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Heat P

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Heat Pump

BA421

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Brick

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Brick Exterior

Data Date
AS213

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Syste

Revision
issued here
(Change in
critical path)

Review Bids for Temp Control Equipment

Assemble and Submit Flooring Samples
Award Contract for Temp Control Equipment

Prepare and Solicit Bids for System Controller

Review Bids for Heat Pump

BA412

Review Bids for Heat Pump

BA407

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Floori

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Flooring

BA422

Review Bids for Brick

Review Bids for Brick

BA413

Award Contract for Heat Pump

BA550

Fabricate and Deliver Heat Pump

AS214

Review Bids for System Controlle

BA423

Award Contract for Brick

BA600

Deliver Brick

BA408

Review Bids for Flooring

Review Bids for Flooring

AS215

Award Contract for System Contro

Award Contract for System Controller

BA409

Award Contract for Flooring

BA620

Fabricate and Deliver Flooring

CS400

Prepare and Solicit Bids for Conve

CS410

Review Bids for Conveyors

CS420

Award Contract

CS450

Fabricate and Deliver Conveyors

Award Contract for Heat Pump

Fabricate and Deliver Heat Pump and Con
Review Bids for System Controller
Award Contract for Brick
Deliver Brick

Award Contract for Flooring

Fabricate and Deliver Flooring
Prepare and Solicit Bids for Conveyors
Review Bids for Conveyors

Window Timeframe

Award Contract
Fabricate and Deliver Conveyors

Vendor
AS206

Fabricate & Deliver Temp Control

Fabricate & Deliver Temp Control Equipment

Sheet 2 of 7

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Window Analysis Step 5

Confirm Actual Dates

Window
Analysis

Garbage In

=
Garbage Out

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Window Analysis Step 6

Calculation of Discrete Delay / Gain

Every Critical Activity in Every Window
LOGIC
DEPENDENT

Start Gain
Start Delay

Production Gain
Production Delay

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DURATION
DEPENDENT
Nielsen-Wurster Asia Pacific

Start Gain

Start Gain
- Dependent upon its predecessor

This period of time

is gain to the
project
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Start Delay

Start Delay
-

Dependent upon the logic of its

predecessor

This period of time

is delay to the
project
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Production Delay/Gain

The difference in the actual activitys

duration versus planned
- Not dependent upon logic

Delay:
This period of time
is delay to the
project

Gain

This period of time

is gain to the
project
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Delay and Concurrency

Rules
There can only be one unit (day) of delay or
gain for any one unit of time*
If there is an equal amount of delay and gain
on a given day, the effects offset
Gain and delay quantum only applies to critical
activities
Float on near-critical paths must be absorbed
prior to counting delay
*Exceptions are with multiple shifts, rescheduling and change
of scope
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Concurrency

Start delay and start

gain in the same time
frame = concurrent
delay
Net impact for these
days is zero

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Concurrency
Two Start delays
in the same time
frame = concurrent
delay

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Window Analysis Step 7

SUM OF NET DELAY FOR ALL
WINDOWS MUST EQUAL TOTAL
DELAY EXPERIENCED ON THE
PROJECT

This is the Checking Mechanism

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Window Analysis Step 8

Validate Results (An Iterative Process)

Is time consuming
Use contemporaneous documents to confirm
identified critical work activities tied directly to
delay causation
Cross check documented delay events with the
then active schedule
Consider sub-windows where work-arounds
occurred to mitigate unforeseeable delaying
events
Sum delay quantum of all windows is balanced
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Window Analysis

SIMPLE
EXAMPLE
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Activity
ID
0005

Orig Act Dur Total

Days
Dur
Float -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
NTP
0
0
0

0010

0020

0030

0040

0050

0060

0070

Start Date

13JAN00

Finish Date

04FEB00

Data Date

13JAN00

Run Date

13JAN00 17:38

Primavera Systems, Inc

ACTIVITY A
ACTIVITY B
ACTIVITY C
ACTIVITY D
ACTIVITY E
ACTIVITY F
PROJECT COMPLE

Early Bar
Date

Progress Bar

Revision

Checked

Approved

Critical Activity

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Nielsen-Wurster Asia Pacific

Activity
ID
0005

Orig Act Dur Total

Days
Dur
Float -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
NTP
0
0
0

0010

0020

0030

0040

0050

0060

0070

Start Date

13JAN00

Finish Date

04FEB00

Data Date

13JAN00

Run Date

13JAN00 17:38

ACTIVITY A
ACTIVITY B
ACTIVITY C
ACTIVITY D
ACTIVITY E
ACTIVITY F
PROJECT COMPLE

Early Bar
Date

Early Bar

Revision

Checked

Approved

Progress Bar
Critical Activity

Primavera Systems, Inc.

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Nielsen-Wurster Asia Pacific

Activity
ID
0005

Orig Act Dur Total

Days
Dur
Float -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
NTP
0
0
0

0010

0020

0030

xx

ACTIVITY A

x x xx

ACTIVITY B

ACTIVITY C

o o oo
0040

0050

0060

0070

ACTIVITY D

ACTIVITY E

ACTIVITY F
PROJECT COMPLE

xx

- - - - x

Delay Summary: 5 Delay Days 1 Day Gained = 4 Days Delay

Start Date

13JAN00

Finish Date

04FEB00

Data Date

13JAN00

Run Date

13JAN00 17:38

Early Bar
Date

Early Bar

Revision

Checked

Approved

Progress Bar
Critical Activity

Primavera Systems, Inc.

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Schedule Delay Analysis

Causation Analysis
Determine the Root Cause of Delay
Based on the following factors:

Review of Project Documentation

Key Personnel Interviews
Technical Understanding
Other Analyses Performed
- Productivity Analysis
- Project Management Analysis
- Scope Change Analysis
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Schedule Delay Analysis

Responsibility Analysis
Determine Parties Responsible for Delay
Based on Following Factors

Tie to Root Cause Analysis

Requires Expert/Professional Judgment
Must Reference Contract
- Defines Roles & Responsibilities Constituents

Must Reference Project Delivery Mechanism

- Defines Expectations of Constituents
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Nielsen-Wurster Asia Pacific

SCHEDULE DELAY ANALYSIS

Nielsen-Wurster Asia Pacific

February 2004