Location-based scheduling has become a prominent trend in the construction industry in recent years. But why exactly should you switch from traditional, potentially well-functioning construction project scheduling methods to something new?
Here’s a quick recap of the benefits of location-based scheduling - with real-life examples, of course.
#1 Easily identify waste and empty spaces in your schedules
Your traditional schedule might seem optimal at first. However, once you transfer it to a more detailed location-based scheduling tool, you’ll notice empty, unused spaces throughout the schedule.
Here’s what happens when you take your traditional schedule and import it into an apartment view:
As you can see, upon closer inspection, the traditional schedule simply stops making sense.
#2 Transform complex scheduling into simple problem-solving
As location-based logic highlights empty slots in your schedule, you can start viewing scheduling as problem-solving: which work packages do you need to move to fill all the gaps?
Here’s how simple it is in Sitedrive:
#3 Avoid overlapping work and collisions between contractor teams
It’s frustrating to find another person already working in the same space you were supposed to. Should your crew squeeze into the same small area or wait until the other team finishes?
With location-based scheduling, you can see in advance where contractor crews overlap and avoid these issues completely.
Here’s how location-based scheduling can ease contractor coordination: it highlights the work happening on specific zones, like apartments:
#4 Minimize waiting times for your crew
Reducing idle time in construction has never been easier than with location-based scheduling. Removing empty slots between tasks compresses your schedule, ensuring your crew always has something to work on.
When you highlight a specific crew on Sitedrive’s location-based schedule, you can easily spot uneven resourcing. For example, you can clearly see if a project team has to jump from one place to another constantly.
This highlighted view helps you change the schedule and allocate resources more effectively.
#5 Switch from merely managing the project to optimising the construction process
Sitedrive uses the location structure for all your site management tasks. This eliminates the need to map task dependencies by hand.
Locations highlight the critical path: the optimal execution order for your tasks.
#6 Encourage collaborative construction planning with subcontractors and stakeholders
A well-planned schedule is one your crew can trust. The location-based model brings credibility to your schedules as they truly reflect the reality on-site. With Sitedrive’s space model, you don’t need to create multiple schedules for different stakeholders. Instead, you can create different views for each stakeholder, all based on the same underlying location data. This helps everyone work together and access the information they need. This approach means you don’t have to maintain multiple schedules, saving time and effort. Having one source of information ensures everyone is on the same page, improving coordination and efficiency throughout the project.
![Gif visualising the changes made in one schedule and appearing on another]
[H2] #7 Get tools for continuous improvement
Location-based scheduling makes optimising construction timelines much easier.
It helps you to
- Complete the project on time and stay on track
- Streamline the construction process and improve project timelines.
By gradually planning smaller areas, you can make schedules more efficient and reveal empty slots to eliminate. Over time, you’ll see continuous improvement in your throughput times.
[H2] #8 Collect more meaningful construction site data
Combining location-based schedules with tasks, conditions, and finances enriches your data. This helps you identify and address potential project delays early. For example, you can easily see which apartment or zone is not drying fast enough and is falling behind schedule by combining location-based schedules with conditions. Using job site data effectively can help improve construction data management by tracking progress and optimising overall project performance.
❌ Avoid these common pitfalls with location-based scheduling
If the benefits of location-based construction scheduling sound alluring and you are looking for the next steps, make sure you avoid these common mistakes.
Treating locations just as names next to your tasks
Simply writing a location next to a task isn’t location-based scheduling. A true location-based schedule should rely on the structure behind it, a space model. The space model links all schedule views together, so no matter which planning method you use, the location breakdown remains consistent.
Overlooking communication with the team
Overlooking the importance of clear communication with your team is a common pitfall. Even the best-designed schedules will fail if your crew and subcontractors are not on board.
Ensure you have weekly management routines and that everyone understands the location-based schedule. Also, make sure all crew members have access to their task lists, for example, through a mobile app, and can easily report roadblocks.
Use Sitedrive to build schedules you and your crew can trust
Efficient construction management is just one step away. Sitedrive’s unique space model guarantees you get the true benefits of location-based scheduling. We’ve never met a model like ours before - let us show you how it could benefit you.
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