Negotiating Project Timelines

Glen Palmer, PSP, CFCC, FAACE and I are honored by AACE publishing another of our Top Ten series of papers in the Cost Engineering Journal. Resource management sits at the heart of project success—and, too often, at the root of costly construction claims. Why Focus on Resources? Most construction schedules are built on assumptions about production rates, durations, and quantities. But when resource planning falls short—whether due to unrealistic manpower peaks, lack of skilled labor, or poor coordination—projects risk delays, cost overruns, and disputes. Rather than waiting for claims to arise, Palmer and Carson argue for a proactive approach: plan, validate, and monitor your resources from day one. Key Takeaways from the Top Ten Approaches: 1. Validate Resources by Discipline: Go beyond surface-level schedule checks. Detailed resource validation—using field-experienced personnel—can identify unrealistic resource peaks and prevent unachievable schedules. 2. Formalize Punch and Warranty List Management: Avoid never-ending completion and warranty periods by developing comprehensive, early punch lists and using structured warranty management systems. 3. Check Resource Earning Curves: Ensure planned progress is actually achievable by comparing planned manpower curves and production rates to real-world constraints. 4. Manage Schedule Compression: When compressing schedules, understand the risks and costs of acceleration and recovery. Use structured analysis and documentation to avoid disputes. 5. Review General Conditions Labor: Monitor and budget field overhead costs carefully, and avoid relying on variable, hard-to-track level-of-effort activities. 6. Use Constructability Reviews: Always have experienced field experts review “fast-tracked” project schedules to spot resource and constructability problems early. 7. Address Trade Stacking and Overcrowding: Analyze crew concurrency and area usage to prevent inefficiencies from too many workers or trades in the same space. 8. Specify Resource Requirements in Schedules: Include resource histograms and percent curves in scheduling specifications to enable thorough schedule reviews. 9. Plan for Resource Availability: Evaluate the availability of skilled labor and specialty resources, especially on large or geographically constrained projects. 10. Minimize Inefficiencies from Disrupted Trade Work: Align procurement, sequencing, and trade starts to reduce disruption, and use targeted planning to ensure work is completed efficiently on the first attempt. Conclusion: Resource-related claims are often avoidable with disciplined planning, honest schedule validation, and ongoing monitoring. By following these ten approaches, project teams can dramatically reduce the risk of disputes, keep projects on track, and protect both profit and reputation.

Picture this... It's Friday afternoon. The CEO drops by to tell you the news. That year-long data science project? It's now due next week. Your stomach drops. That's impossible. Right? This is exactly what happened to me, and what I learned has changed how I've approached every data science project since. My team had been developing a suite of models from scratch to classify incoming audio, video, text and image files based on relevance. And although we all had high hopes for the project, we hadn't yet produced anything worth deploying. Then suddenly, everything changed. The volume of data received by the business had increased by 10X - and the human monitors responsible for reviewing the files were threatening to quit if they didn't get some extra help fast. We had two weeks to get our models out the door or our jobs were on the line. Overnight, the scope of the project completely changed. Nice to have features were cut and manually trained models were replaced with pre-built APIs for transcription, translation and other data processing tasks. In 8 days, the suite of models was done. Or at least, to a point that was good enough to produce results. Our jobs were saved and the human monitors were thrilled. They now had a tool that could classify the easiest 95% of the files, leaving them only the remaining 5% to review. Then, over the 12 months, we iteratively improved the tool based on the feedback we received - fixing bugs and customising it to address edge cases. Before the big change happened, the scope of our project had determined the time to value of our project. After the change, the time to value determined our scope. One of the biggest myths of data science is that it takes time to create value. But you don't need more time. What you need is to flip your thinking. Let time determine scope - NOT scope determine time. Set an aggressive deadline first, then ruthlessly prioritize what fits within it. Get feedback from the results. Learn. And then repeat. Value comes from solving real problems fast, not perfecting solutions slow. #datascience #business #ai

Estimating timelines and workloads is a challenging task for data analysts. Here's a structured approach to bring clarity to the unknown: 1. 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗜𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻: Start by breaking the project into smaller, manageable tasks. Think about data collection, cleaning, analysis and visualization. It's easier to estimate pieces than the whole puzzle.     2. 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲: Look back at similar projects you've tackled. Use these as benchmarks. No exact matches available? Break down the differences and adjust your estimates accordingly.     3. 𝗕𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆: Always include a buffer time for unforeseen challenges (because they will come). A good rule of thumb? Add 20% more time to your initial estimate.     4. 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: Present your initial structure and timeline to the team or stakeholders early on. Their insights might highlight areas you've overlooked or suggest shortcuts you hadn’t considered.     5. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁: As the project progresses, keep an eye on timelines versus actual progress. Be ready to adjust your estimates and communicate changes proactively.     6. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: After project completion, reflect on the accuracy of your estimates. What went as planned? What didn’t? Documenting these learnings will refine your future estimates. Estimating is as much an art as it is a science. It requires understanding the scope, drawing on experience and anticipating the unexpected. Embrace this process and with each project, your forecasting will get better. How do you forecast the timelines for your data projects? ---------------- ♻️ Share if you find this post useful ➕ Follow for more daily insights on how to grow your career in the data field #dataanalytics #businessanalytics #projectmanagement #projecttimeline #estimation

Most negotiations fail before they even begin.   Not because of bad tactics. Not because of tough opponents. But because one side walks in without a real plan.   Vague goals and wishful thinking won’t cut it.   If you want to win, you need a negotiation plan that’s SMART:   → Specific Know exactly what you want. Not just “a better deal” but a defined outcome.   → Measurable Put numbers on it. What price? What terms? What deadlines?   → Achievable Be ambitious but realistic. If your ask is impossible, you won’t get anywhere.   → Relevant Focus on what truly matters. Price, quality, service—prioritize what moves the needle.   → Time-based Set deadlines. A deal that drags on forever is often a bad deal.   Now, let’s take this a step further.   Before any negotiation, you must define three critical points:   → MDO (Most Desirable Outcome): Your ideal result. The best-case scenario if everything goes your way.   → LAA (Least Acceptable Agreement): Your walk-away point. If the terms drop below this, you leave.   → BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement): Your backup plan. If this deal collapses, what’s your next move?   Here’s how it plays out in real life:   Say you’re negotiating a supplier contract for your company.   MDO: Secure a unit price of $11 with a 30-day delivery window.   LAA: You won’t go above $11.45 or accept more than a 45-day delivery time.   BATNA: If the supplier won’t meet your LAA, you have another vendor ready to step in at $11.50 with a 35-day turnaround.   Now, imagine negotiating without this clarity.   - You’d be guessing at what’s acceptable, - Making decisions under pressure, and - Likely leaving money on the table.   Top negotiators don’t guess.   They plan.   And here’s the real power move:   Subtly signal that you have options.   When the other side senses you have a strong BATNA, the dynamic shifts.   They start making concessions. You stay in control.   So before you step into any deal, ask yourself:   → Are my objectives SMART? → What’s my MDO, LAA, and BATNA?   Get clear on those, and you’ll never negotiate from a weak position again.   -------------------- Hi, I’m Scott Harrison and I help executive and leaders master negotiation & communication in high-pressure, high-stakes situations. - ICF Coach and EQ-i Practitioner - 24 yrs | 19 countries | 150+ clients  - Negotiation | Conflict resolution | Closing deals 📩 DM me or book a discovery call (link in the Featured section)

If you had unlimited human resources, would your projects actually be more successful? Let’s break down one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of project success: resource management. Getting resource management right is the difference between projects that stumble and projects that deliver with precision. It’s about more than just assigning people or tools, it is about understanding these: ✅ What resources are needed to achieve project goals. ✅ When they’re needed so timelines stay intact. ✅ Who is responsible for driving outcomes. ✅ How resources depend on one another, ensuring smooth flow and reducing bottlenecks. When you align these elements, you do not just meet deadlines you deliver within the parameters set by your client and create sustainable value. The truth is, projects do not fail because of lack of talent or effort; they fail when resources are misaligned or mismanaged. Strategic resource management is the glue that keeps planning and execution together. Key Action Points for Effective Resource Management: 1. Map resources early: identify people, tools, budget, and tech before execution begins. 2. Define roles clearly : assign ownership so there’s no confusion on “who does what.” 3. Align timing: ensure resources are available exactly when needed, not sitting idle or arriving late. 4. Check dependencies: spot where one task or resource relies on another to avoid bottlenecks. 5. Balance capacity: don’t overload team members; match tasks with realistic capacity. 6. Monitor continuously: track usage and adjust in real time when priorities shift. 7. Communicate often: keep everyone updated to prevent gaps and overlapping efforts. When you apply these steps consistently, resource management stops being a back-office checklist and becomes a strategic advantage, delivering projects on time, on budget, and with client trust intact. The truth is, success is not about having more people, it is about managing the right resources at the right time #FolaElevates #StrategicProjectLeadership #ResourceManagement #ProjectExecution

Tuesdays with Intention: Is your plan to wing it today? Here are the 3 critical steps to help you strengthen your ability to plan👇🏼 First a little context on why you need to become someone who plans. I had a direct report on my team that had a very large organization. This organization was vital to the success of the entire company. When asked can you share with me your project plans on all your key initiatives this persons response was, I hate project plans. Yikes! On a regular basis I would hear this same comment over and over again. You can probably imagine the result or lack thereof. The lack of timelines, no clear updates, increased obstacles, no mitigation plans, and progress crippled this entire organizations ability to deliver, and resulted in a poor brand for this team with business leaders counting on their support. Planning matters! So here are 3 simple steps to take when creating and executing your planning process: 1-Create a Project Charter: Project Charters are a simple way to organize all the elements of your project including: 👉🏼The business case behind why this project exists. 👉🏼What is in scope and out of scope. 👉🏼Who are the stakeholders and team members supporting this project. 👉🏼What do the measurements of success look like. 👉🏼What does the timeline look like. 2-Utilizing a simple Project Plan Template: Don't get too crazy here, even a basic spreadsheet can work, but here are a few tools that can be extremely helpful and you can access basic functionality for free: 👉🏼Asana 👉🏼Smartsheets 👉🏼Trello 3-Status Updates, Toll Gates, and Closure: These are the ongoing ways to keep you honest with your progress and here is why: 👉🏼Status updates when done regularly(weekly/biweekly) keep you on track and mitigating issues fast and effectively. 👉🏼Toll Gates are set at the beginning of the project when segments of the project should be completed. All the stakeholders sign off on these segments and are aligned on what has been accomplished. 👉🏼Closure Date - You need to set a firm date, and not be tempted to push this out. Will there be exceptions? Yes, but if you have a strong plan, with regular updates you should be able to mitigate a lot of this. Intentionally decide to make planning an important part of your life today! You will accomplish more of the right things. You will see business results. You will build brand recognition. Go Gettem! #projectmanagement #planning #careerdevelopment #improvement REVVED TALENT

Scaling is less about what you do. And more about when you do it. Great CEOs run their business on cycles: planning, execution, reporting. Every team inside that business has its own rhythm. Aligning with those rhythms leads to open doors and quick decisions. If you don’t, you’ll be met with delays and “come back next quarter.” Apple is a masterclass in cycle alignment: → Predictable quarterly earnings reports → A product calendar the market expects → Supply chain, marketing, and retail all in sync When scaling with partners, you have three timing option: 1. Create a New Cycle • You set the tempo • Works when product–market conviction is high • Eg Launching a new industry conference that becomes the annual buying moment 2. Join Their Cycle • Slot into their quarterly reporting • Move with their annual budget planning • Eg Co-launching a partner integration just before their annual customer summit 3. Operate Outside the Cycle • Hard to be relevant from here • It’s where most partnerships stall The fastest way to build momentum? Map your partner’s cycles before you pitch. Finance = Quarterly reporting Marketing = Annual brand calendar Product = 6–18 month roadmaps Sales = Monthly & quarterly targets Leaders who master cycle alignment build partnerships that move faster, win earlier, and maintain relevance. Need to rethink your GTM? Create a timing advantage by aligning to your partner's rhythm. -------------------------------------- 📌 Want insights like this in your inbox? Join my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gZtdkx_U 🚀 Need to rethink your GTM? Join The Partnership Lab (Starts 1 September): https://lnkd.in/etQTiW6u ➕ Follow Phil Hayes-St Clair for more like this.

Read this if you want to set more realistic timelines for work. As professionals, we’re often asked to provide timelines for our deliverables. While optimism is valuable, setting realistic timelines is key to building trust with our team and ensuring successful project completion. Here are 7 things to consider in order to set realistic timelines for new tasks: 1. Identify the Deliverables When you clearly define what needs to be accomplished, it becomes easier to break the task into manageable parts and establish a realistic timeline. 2. Consider Your Current Responsibilities It’s easy to focus only on new tasks or deadlines, but smaller recurring responsibilities can accumulate and impact your timeline. Consider everything that demands your time and attention; from emails to team meetings to ongoing projects. 3. Evaluate Your Available Resources Before committing to a deadline, assess the resources (time, people, tools) you have available. This includes checking your team's availability and access to necessary software or equipment. Understanding these factors will help you avoid overpromising. 4. Anticipate the Unknowns Even the most well-laid plans can be disrupted by unforeseen issues, whether they’re technical problems, delays from other teams, or last-minute changes. By identifying potential risks upfront, you can build in flexibility to accommodate them. 5. Check for Dependencies Does your task depend on someone else’s work or another team's progress? Dependencies can introduce delays, so it’s important to allow extra time for any lag in getting necessary inputs from others. 6. Factor in Review and Feedback Time This would ensure you have adequate time to refine your work and make necessary adjustments without rushing through the final stages. 7. Track Progress and Communicate  Monitor your progress regularly. If something is taking longer than expected, reassess and adjust your timeline. Make sure to communicate with your team where necessary. How do you approach setting timelines? Are you more optimistic or realistic? Or do you consider additional factors? Share in the comments.

🚨 Mastering Extension of Time (EOT) Claims under #FIDIC A Step-by-Step Guide Every #PlanningEngineer Must Know! In today’s complex project environments, Extension of Time (EOT) claims are not just formalities — they’re your shield against liquidated damages (LDs) and contractual disputes. Here’s how to build a winning claim under FIDIC 1999: ⸻ 1️⃣ Identify the Delay Event (Sub-Clause 8.4) Is it Excusable (employer-risk, force majeure) or Non-Excusable (contractor-risk)? ✅ Use #PrimaveraP6 to assess Critical Path impact ✅ Cross-check against baseline & Sub-Clause 8.3 Evidence Checklist: • Weather logs & daily reports • RFIs/emails proving employer delay • Site photos, meeting minutes ⸻ 2️⃣ Submit the 28-Day Notice (Sub-Clause 20.1) Don’t miss the window! 📌 Submit within 28 days of the delay 📌 Mention the cause, event date, and Sub-Clause 8.4 📌 Include a brief impact overview — full report comes later ⸻ 3️⃣ Prepare the Detailed Claim Report (within 42 days) Here’s what strong claims include: ✔ Contractual Basis – Clauses like 8.4, 1.9, 2.1 ✔ Time Impact Analysis (TIA) – Show delay on the critical path ✔ Causal Link – Tie event to completion shift ✔ Evidence – Photos, minutes, logs ✔ Quantified Impact – e.g., “14-day delay = 15/08 to 29/08” ✔ Mitigation Efforts – Recovery plans, resequencing (Sub-Clause 8.6) ⚠️ Avoid: “Global claims” — always prove impact at the activity level ⸻ 4️⃣ Negotiate & Defend Your Claim Engineers have 42 days to decide (Sub-Clause 3.5) If rejected: • Rebut with clearer TIA and documentation • Escalate to DAB (Dispute Adjudication Board) • Pro Tip: Share monthly delay registers to preempt rejection ⸻ Success = Documentation + Timeliness + Precision Don’t just submit an EOT — defend it with confidence. ⸻ Let’s raise the bar in delay analysis and claims management! #FIDICClaims #EOTClaims #ConstructionClaims #PlanningEngineer #DelayAnalysis #PrimaveraP6 #CriticalPath #ProjectControls #ConstructionManagement #TimeImpactAnalysis #EngineeringTips #ContractManagement

Uncomfortable truth: Most project delays are preventable. The real culprit? An unrealistic initial forecast built on hope, not data. Dates established at the beginning carry a great deal of weight. Here’s how to avoid that trap before your project even begins: A project is only as strong as its initial forecast. No amount of technology, clever methodology, or last-minute heroics can save a schedule that was doomed from the start. The key to success lies in building a rock-solid foundation—one grounded in reality, not wishful thinking. Here’s how you can get it right from day one: ✅ Commit to accuracy. Start with data, not guesswork. Use reliable historical data, performance metrics, and forecasting tools to create a realistic first forecast completion date. ✅ Align your team. A misaligned team is a recipe for disaster. Get every stakeholder on the same page about timelines, constraints, and deliverables. Shared ownership equals smoother execution. ✅ Plan for reality—not hope. Hope is not a strategy. Your schedule must reflect actual productivity rates, potential risks, and real-world constraints. The bottom line? Successful projects don't happen by accident-they're built with care, foresight, and collaboration. P.S. If this resonates with you, share ♻️ to help others avoid costly scheduling mistakes.