Fundamentals of Flow Chart

Fundamentals of Flow Chart

Understanding and Communicating How a Process Works

“A flowchart is an excellent way of planning a project. Each stage of the project is set out as a sequence of events. A typical standard flowchart is shown below. It shows the contents of a design folder set out as a number of individual stages. Each stage leads to the next, displaying the sequence of events. Unlike a time chart, there is no need to add time intervals for each stage, although this can be done if you are combining a flowchart and time chart.” credit to http://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/flowc1.htm

A flow chart can therefore be used to:

• Define and analyze processes;
• Build a step-by-step picture of the process for analysis, discussion, or communication; and
• Define, standardize or find areas for improvement in a process

Also, by conveying the information or processes in a step-by-step flow, you can then concentrate more intently on each individual step, without feeling overwhelmed by the bigger picture.

How to Use the Tool:

Most flow charts are made up of three main types of symbol:

• Elongated circles, which signify the start or end of a process;

• Rectangles, which show instructions or actions; and

• Diamonds, which show decisions that must be made

Within each symbol, write down what the symbol represents. This could be the start or finish of the process, the action to be taken, or the decision to be made.

Symbols are connected one to the other by arrows, showing the flow of the process.

Tip: There are many other flowchart symbols that can also be used. However, remember that an important use of flow charts is in communication: If you use obscure symbols that only part of your audience understands, there’s a good chance that your communication will fail. As ever, keep things simple!

To draw the flow chart, brainstorming process tasks (explore brainstorming here), and list them in the order they occur. Ask questions such as “What really happens next in the process?” and “Does a decision need to be made before the next step?” or “What approvals are required before moving on to the next task?”

Start the flow chart by drawing the elongated circle shape, and labeling it “Start”.

Then move to the first action or question, and draw a rectangle or diamond appropriately. Write the action or question down, and draw an arrow from the start symbol to this shape.

Work through your whole process, showing actions and decisions appropriately in the order they occur, and linking these together using arrows to show the flow of the process. Where a decision needs to be made, draw arrows leaving the decision diamond for each possible outcome, and label them with the outcome. And remember to show the end of the process using an elongated circle labeled “Finish”.

Finally, challenge your flow chart. Work from step to step asking yourself if you have correctly represented the sequence of actions and decisions involved in the process.

And then (if you’re looking to improve the process) look at the steps identified and think about whether work is duplicated, whether other steps should be involved, and whether the right people are doing the right jobs.

Tip: Flow charts can quickly become so complicated that you can’t show them on one piece of paper. This is where you can use “connectors” (shown as numbered circles) where the flow moves off one page, and where it moves onto another. By using the same number for the off-page connector and the on-page connector, you show that the flow is moving from one page to the next.

Example:

The example below shows part of a simple flow chart which helps receptionists route incoming phone calls to the correct department in a company:

Drawn using SmartDraw. Click for free download.

Key Points:

Flow charts are simple diagrams that map out a process so that it can easily be communicated to other people.

To draw a flowchart, brainstorm the tasks and decisions made during a process, and write them down in order.

Then map these out in flow chart format using appropriate symbols for the start and end of a process, for actions to be taken and for decisions to be made.

Finally, challenge your flow chart to make sure that it’s an accurate representation of the process, and that that it represents the most efficient way of doing the job.

credit to: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_97.htm

Here is the another example from my previous jobs. This flow explain the sequence for M&E Shop Drawing:

M&E Shop Drawing Flow Chart

 

 

 

Nusaputra/SSP2 Interchange Progress Report – October 2009

Progress as of 25th October 2009

Suddenly the progress is slow dramatically… I have no idea why suddenly not much progress at site for this month. Hopefully they still be able to meet the estimate dateline by this end December 2009.

Progress work at site:
1) Compact Sub
2) Road base + sand
3) 2nd layer of road premix (at straight, curvature & ACDC lane)
4) Road line, road sign & guard rail
5) Landscape work

Remaining work at site:
1) Premix (ACBC – 1st layer before it goes to 2nd layer) – estimated 2 km left from nusaputra heading to cyberjaya
2) Pavement/turf at median & side road
3) Turfing works at slope area
4) Road accessories i.e. road mark, sign post etc.

Nusaputra/SSP2 Interchange Progress Report – September 2009

Progress as of 25th September 2009

Guys, please read our interchange progress for this month. Good news is they have started premix at curvature side (you can see from main road itself)

Progress work at site:
1) Road kerb + outlet pipe
2) Road base + crusher run
3) Road premix (at curvature & ACDC lane)
4) Earth fill at median road (later to turf)
5) Concrete barrier
6) ACDC (acceleration & deceleration lane, connected to main road)

Remaining work at site:
1) Back filling + earth works
3) Street lighting (20-30 nos)
4) Premix (ACBC – 1st layer before it goes to 2nd layer) – estimated 2 km left from nusaputra heading to cyberjaya
5) Pavement/turf at median & side road
6) Turfing works at slope area
7) Road accessories i.e. road mark, sign post etc.

Nusaputra/SSP2 Interchange Progress Report – August 2009

Progress as of 25th August 2009

Guys, from my daily observation at site I can see there are tremendous progress at site. At Nusaputra side, they already complete around 60% of road kerb inclusive at the curvature side. Road base at this side also almost complete. This is great because once road kerb & road base is ready, they can premix the road anytime from now. My estimation they will finish all the major works before October 2009.

Progress work at site:
1) Road kerb + outlet pipe
2) Road base + crusher run
3) Water pressure test

Remaining work at site:
1) Minor RC pile works
2) Back filling + earth works
3) Street lighting (20-30 nos)
4) Premix (ACBC – 1st layer before it goes to 2nd layer)
5) Pavement at median & side road
6) Turfing

Road base get in shape and ready to receive fine sand

Nusaputra/SSP2 Interchange Progress Report – April 2009

Progress as of 25th April 2009

1) Retaining wall to complete (at SSC2) – estimate by end April 2009
2) Road side drain to start
3) Road kerb to start
4) Precast beam (at Nusaputra side) to launch – estimate by May 2009 and finish not later than end June 09
5) All underground services i.e. water, 11kv cable, fiber optic start by May 2009 & follow with road base
6) Crusher run to start – estimate by June 09 at SCC2 and July 09 at Nusaputra side
7) 1st layer of premix (ACBC) – estimate by August 2009
8.) 2nd layer of premix (ACWC) with road line – estimate by end August/September
9) Road accessries i.e. guard rail, road sign, traffic light by September 09
10) Testing & Commissioning by October to November 2009
11) Official open by December 2009

Issue : S-Curve in Primavera (Labor Units)

How To Generate S-Curve based on Labor Units in Primavera!

1) S-Curve Based on Labor Unit

Step 1 : Establish your Resources Database. Click to Enterprise -> Resources

Step 2 : Key in your Resources i.e. Labor (Project Director, Project Manager, Planner, Engineer, Supervisor etc). You may arrange according to their Organization Chart or Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS). Don’t forget to key in Calendar for each Resources, their cost per hour, overtime factor etc.

Step 3 : Go to Activities tab again, open Add Resources tab at the bottom & key in Resources for each activity i.e. Land Surveyor for Site survey activity etc.

Step 4 : Go to Activity Usage Profile at the top and click on it. As you can see below, you’ve generate your S-curve table based on Labor units!

Step 5 : you can drag sliding bar to the left & up to get maximum size of your s-curve.

Issue : S-Curve in Excel

I can see this is the most hot topic and tags for ‘S-Curve in Excel’ is the highest!! Therefore, I’ll give priority for this topic and here it goes!

Step 1: Get Bill of Quantities (BQ) from Quantity Surveyor (QS) & tabulate as follow:

Step 2: With the input from your approved schedule, tabulate the cost into Month i.e. Preliminaries Works $709, 196.57 divide with 14 months = $50,656.90/month. Please remember this is linear tabulation & the accuracy is between 70%-80%. To get more accurate, breakdown Preliminaries activity into more detail instead of single line.

Step 3: Insert 2D or 3D lines and Select Data from Cummulative Amount.

Step 4: You can generate your Planned Value (PV) S-Curve now! Please remember to key in another 2 lines which is Actual Cost (AC) & Earned Value (EV) to measure your Cost Performance Index (CPI) & Schedule Performance Index (SPI). Good luck!

Construction Project Planning : The Essentials

Construction project planning is an essential element in the management and execution of construction projects. A good construction plan is the basis for developing the budget and the schedule for work. It involves the definition of work tasks and their interactions, as well as the assessment of required resources (plant, material and labour) and expected activity durations. The use of technology is also an important consideration in construction project planning, and it is important to select the right tools for the job. The extent to which the project planning process will be used within the context of the intended project control process should also be considered at the project outset. All project plans should be contractually compliant.

Historically there has often been a distinction between time and cost planning as the figure illustrates. In terms of project expenditure a distinction is normally made between costs incurred in the undertaking of an activity and indirect costs not being specific to a construction activity but required for the overall achievement of the project (such as borrowing expenses and overhead items). However on other less predictable projects, the scheduling of work activities over time has been an important part of the construction planning process. Construction planning techniques like the Critical Path Method (CPM) and Programme Evaluation & Review Technique (PERT) have since the 1960’s been used to undertake scheduling functions.

It is now the norm for construction project planning to consider and integrate both cost and scheduling over time, so that planning, monitoring and record keeping must consider both dimensions.

The main components in establishing a project plan are as follows:

1. Set the required project start date

2. Set the required project completion date

3. Select appropriate project methodology or project life cycle

4. Determine the scope of the project in terms of the phases

5. Select the project review methods to be used

6. Identifying any required milestones

7. List tasks, by project phase

8. Estimate the resource necessary to accomplish each task

9. Estimate the resource available to accomplish each task

10. Determining task dependencies

- Which tasks can be done in parallel

- Which tasks require the completion of other tasks

11. Establish project control or review points

12. Perform project cost estimation and cost-benefit analysis

Costs for each activity can be attributed to each resource, which provides a total project cost. The project plan should be optimized to achieve an efficient balance between resource usage and project duration. Once the plan has been developed and agreed, the plan becomes what is known as the baseline against which progress will be measured throughout the project. Analyzing progress compared to the baseline is known as earned value analysis. The baseline will be updated on a regular basis to account for project changes such as additional works and variations and to develop mitigation strategies if delay or disruption has occurred. This is commonly known as change management.

With the continued development of computer applications to help undertake the complex calculations required to accurately determine completion dates and key milestones and with their ability to incorporate resource and costs quantities within their calculations, scheduling has now become an important part of the project control system. Leading Project Planning systems such as Primavera now enable robust and dynamic models to be developed which can be used for change management, project monitoring, delay analysis and project forecasting.

Credit to : http://www.construction-planning-and-control.com

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A work breakdown structure (WBS) in project management and systems engineering, is a tool used to define and group a project’s discrete work elements (or tasks) in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the projec^t.

A Work breakdown structure element may be a product, data, a service, or any combination. WBS also provides the necessary framework for detailed cost estimating and control along with providing guidance for schedule development and control. Additionally the WBS is a dynamic tool and can be revised and updated as needed by the project manager.

Overview

The Work Breakdown Structure is a tree structure, which shows a subdivision of effort required to achieve an objective; for example a program, project, and contract. In a project or contract, the WBS is developed by starting with:

• the end objective and
• successively subdividing it into manageable components
• in terms of size, duration, and responsibility (e.g., systems, subsystems, components, tasks, subtasks, and work packages)
• which include all steps necessary to achieve the objective.

The Work Breakdown Structure provides a common framework for the natural development of the overall planning and control of a contract and is the basis for dividing work into definable increments from which the statement of work can be developed and technical, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established.

A work breakdown structure permits summing of subordinate costs for tasks, materials, etc., into their successively higher level “parent” tasks, materials, etc. For each element of the work breakdown structure, a description of the task to be performed is generated. This technique (sometimes called a System Breakdown Structure is used to define and organize the total scope of a project.

The WBS is organized around the primary products of the project (or planned outcomes) instead of the work needed to produce the products (planned actions). Since the planned outcomes are the desired ends of the project, they form a relatively stable set of categories in which the costs of the planned actions needed to achieve them can be collected. A well-designed WBS makes it easy to assign each project activity to one and only one terminal element of the WBS. In addition to its function in cost accounting, the WBS also helps map requirements from one level of system specification to another, for example a requirements cross reference matrix mapping functional requirements to high level or low level design documents.

Credit to:  www.wikipedia.org

Earned Value Management

Earned Value Management (EVM) is a project management technique for measuring project progress in an objective manner. EVM has the ability to combine measurements of scope, schedule, and cost in a single integrated system. When properly applied, EVM provides an early warning of performance problems. Additionally, EVM promises to improve the definition of project scope, prevent scope creep, communicate objective progress to stakeholders, and keep the project team focused on achieving progress.

As Summary, we can say :

“WHAT DID WE GET FOR THE MONEY WE SPENT”

Figure 1 shows the cumulative budget for this project as a function of time (the blue line, labeled PV). It also shows the cumulative actual cost of the project (red line) through week 8. To those unfamiliar with EVM, it might appear that this project was over budget through week 4 and then under budget from week 6 through week 8. However, what is missing from this chart is any understanding of how much work has been accomplished during the project. If the project was actually completed at week 8, then the project would actually be well under budget and well ahead of schedule. If, on the other hand, the project is only 10% complete at week 8, the project is significantly over budget and behind schedule. A method is needed to measure technical performance objectively and quantitatively, and that is what EVM accomplishes.

Project Tracking with EVM

Consider the same project, except this time the project plan includes pre-defined methods of quantifying the accomplishment of work. At the end of each week, the project manager identifies every detailed element of work that has been completed, and sums the PV for each of these completed elements. Earned value may be accumulated monthly, weekly, or as progress is made.

Earned Value (EV)

Figure 2 shows the EV curve (in green) along with the PV curve from Figure 1. The chart indicates that technical performance (i.e., progress) started more rapidly than planned, but slowed significantly and fell behind schedule at week 7 and 8. This chart illustrates the schedule performance aspect of EVM. It is complementary to critical path or critical chain schedule management.

Figure 3 shows the same EV curve (green) with the actual cost data from Figure 1 (in red). It can be seen that the project was actually under budget, relative to the amount of work accomplished, since the start of the project. This is a much better conclusion than might be derived from Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows all three curves together – which is a typical EVM line chart. The best way to read these three-line charts is to identify the EV curve first, then compare it to PV (for schedule performance) and AC (for cost performance). It can be seen from this illustration that a true understanding of cost performance and schedule performance relies first on measuring technical performance objectively. This is the foundational principle of EVM.

Credit to : www.wikipedia.org