Interview Questions for a Planning Engineer - Part III

Question 21: How you will make a comparison of different updates for the same schedule?

Answer: I will use Claim Digger function that is available in Primavera P6.

Question 22: What do you know about DCMA Scoring?

Answer: DCMA is 14-Point Assessment Metrics to evaluate any baseline schedule. It includes; 1. Logic 2. Leads 3. Lags 4. Relationship Types 5. Hard Constraints 6. High Float 7. Negative Float 8. High Duration 9. Invalid Dates 10. Resources 11. Missed Tasks 12. Critical Path Test 13. Critical Path Length Index (CPLI) 14. Baseline Execution Index (BEI)

Question 23: What do you about Delay Analysis Techniques?

Answer: Normally it is defined in the Contract documents that how we are going to calculate extension of time but if not then there must be a consensus for using any available technique from both of the parties like 1) Impacted as planned 2) Windows Analysis 3) Time Impact or 4) As-Built But-For.

Question 24: What is difference between Float & Slack?

Answer: Nothing, just synonyms.

Question 25: What is difference between Planner & a Scheduler?

Answer: Both are quite different but linked to each other tightly. Somewhere these are just synonym to each other.

Planner or Planning Engineer reads the IFC drawings, define the activities, duration & resources according to site construction conditions. He knows better all the phases of work to be done even during tender stage and also at construction stage. It should be from engineering background necessarily.

On the other hands, Scheduler takes-over the work done already by the planner to make more detailed one. This job does not require to have an engineering background.

Both should be well versed in Planning software in any case.

Question 26: What is different % complete type in Primavera P6?

Answer: Physical, Units & Duration.

Question 27: What is different duration type in Primavera P6?

Answer: Fixed Units, Fixed Units/time, Fixed Duration & Units, Fixed Duration & Units/Time.

Question 28: What is Productivity?

Answer: Productivity is the efficiency of any working entity. It is measured as the amount of output for work per hour. Productivity rates defines how efficient a team you have. Formula is Productivity = Output / Input

Example: Let say you have two masons (call A&B) and lets review their work for last week,  A worked for 50 hours and B for 30 hours. A fixed 5000 blocks & B did 3500 blocks. As a planner you may like A as it is putting more on but lets have a check on productivity for both

Mason A= 5000/50hrs = 100/hour

Mason B= 3500/30hrs =116/hour

Here, B is much more productive than A and hence you need to raise the skill level of A type Mason by proper training etc.

Question 29: What are different levels of a Schedule?

Answer: There are different school of thought to define levels of a program one says its six levels, other says it’s five and even one thinks only four level of program are there whens scheduling.

Here, I will explain the six levels as most of old school people still think as more logical, there are

LEVEL-1: Overview Schedule

LEVEL-2: Area Wise Schedule

LEVEL-3: Discipline Wise Schedule

LEVEL-4: Major Activities Schedule

LEVEL-5: Detailed Activities Schedule

LEVEL-6: Micro-detail Activities Schedule

Question 30: What is the difference between Project Planner & Project Controller?

Answer: Project planner does the planning phase for the project from WBS identification, identification of project deliverables, milestones, create the baseline, plan budget, cash flow and KPI’s and trackers. Planner is to prepare the program and prepare acceptable budget for all parties.

Project control, provides assistance and ensure that the plan is controlled by providing risk register, analyzing critical path, placing mitigation plans, track project KPI, and ensures that project is running on time and budget. It’s focus is only productivity & reports according to organizational norms.