MYTH 2:
SCHEDULING SHOULD KEEP STAKEHOLDERS AT ARM'S LENGTH
Call it a myth or call it an unhelpful mindset, but too many construction leaders see the relationship between contractors and owners as almost oppositional, especially when it comes to scheduling. In this pessimistic view, deadlines and milestones represent contractual obligations. There’s little room for conversation or collaboration about priorities and shifts in circumstance. This myth leads to defensiveness and mistrust as all parties seek to insulate themselves from blame or culpability if delivery dates are missed.
MYTH VARIATIONS:
By distributing schedule details on something like a need-to-know basis, project leaders believe they are protecting their organization and the integrity of their project. These decision-makers feel each party only needs to know what they need to know, and that any additional information could create unnecessary disputes—further derailing the timeline.
Project leads accept that even the best schedulers and estimators can’t anticipate everything. Experience has taught them that something will pop up and derail the project no matter what the schedule says.
BEHIND THE MYTH
Bitter experience is the driver of this myth. Contractors and owners alike have come to accept schedule overruns and blown budgets as an ugly reality of the industry. Experience has taught a consistent lesson: Delivery will exceed the discussed expectations.
But it simply doesn’t make good business sense to continue to accept the status quo. No one triumphs in a world where only 47% of capital construction projects4 and 8.5% of infrastructure projects5 deliver on time. In fact, large projects typically exceed their estimated schedules by 20% and are up to 80% over budget.6 It’s one thing to be 5% over; even 10% is palatable, but 80% is simply inexcusable.
And yet, organizations convince themselves that they must accept those overages as industry standards.
It’s no wonder that in-field experts don’t trust the schedule. Nor is it surprising that stakeholder trust has eroded so far that contract owners just assume the information they receive is incorrect, but still plan to hold the contractor accountable to that faulty timeline. Instead, owners latch on to the promised date and keep one eye on the calendar and their legal team on speed dial.
47% of capital construction projects deliver on time
Over 8% of infrastructure projects deliver on time
20% of large projects exceed their estimated schedules
MOVING PAST THE MYTH
Changing the us-or-them relationship between contractors and owners and learning to use scheduling as an effective tool for working with stakeholders requires a big shift. Teams need to learn to build schedules that serve the needs of both the business and the stakeholders. In practical terms, that means up-to-date information must be easily accessible and easily distributed to both internal teams and external stakeholders. The solution requires removing the limitations of the tools capital construction teams have traditionally relied on to build their plans.
Modernizing the scheduling process is becoming increasingly urgent given the rise of new contracting methods like progressive design-build or integrated project delivery. Rather than hoarding information, successful projects open communication lines and create a more collaborative and visible project experience. For owners, delivery partners whose schedules are accessible and transparent about challenges and opportunities stand out from the pack. The resulting trust increases the likelihood of becoming a preferred contractor in the future.
To create schedules that are strategic assets for the company at large, organizations must provide more transparency into the scheduling process. Collaborative tools are the answer, making it possible to remove scheduling from its silo internally and give external stakeholders ongoing visibility into change. Teams can create more buy-in throughout the project timeline and provide realistic updates that make sure stakeholders have the right information when they need it the most.
CONNECTED IN THE CLOUD
The success of collaborative capital construction schedules hinges on transparency about schedules. Everyone must work from the same set of up-to-date information at the same time. But on-premise systems limit any tool’s ability to distribute data at scale and across organizations. Without ongoing access to the latest information, stakeholders risk operating from outdated plans, causing team members to fall out of alignment.
Cloud connectivity ensures those metrics stay synchronized and that each contributor works from a single source of truth. At the same time, network administrators can control exactly who can access and update data, so sensitive information stays secure throughout the process.
Unlike legacy storage solutions, cloud-connected approaches allow always-on, secure access to project information. Stakeholders can provide feedback, review reports, and share project documents anywhere there’s internet service. Learn more about how natively cloud-based InEight Schedule connects schedulers, field teams, and stakeholders.