Evaluating and Implementing Schedule Changes

Managing a construction schedule is a dynamic process, and changes are often unavoidable. However, not every change should automatically be applied. Understanding when and how to adjust a schedule is critical to maintaining its quality, reliability, and usefulness as a project management tool.

Recognize the Need for Change

Schedule changes should be made with purpose. Consider making changes when:

• Actual progress deviates significantly from the planned schedule.
• New risks, delays, or constraints emerge that impact the project timeline.
• Resource availability or site conditions change unexpectedly.

Avoid changes made purely to hope for a better outcome rather than reflecting the reality of the project.

Prioritize Changes Based on Impact

Not all changes are equally weighted.. Evaluate the potential impact of a proposed change on:

• Critical Path: Changes that alter the critical path may significantly affect the project completion date.
• End Date: Ensure any changes do not compromise contractual deadlines.
• Schedule Quality: Consider how a change affects logic, dependencies, and reliability of forecasts.

Changes that have little effect on the critical path may be less urgent, whereas changes that compress or extend the critical path should be carefully analyzed.

Analyze Risks and Benefits

Before implementing a change, study its potential consequences:

• Could the change introduce unrealistic durations or dependencies?
• Does it improve accuracy, or simply mask delays?
• Could it create new risks that are harder to mitigate?
  
  

Changes made to “fix” critical path delays are particularly risky and should only be applied when clearly justified.

Make Data-Driven Decisions

• Review historical trends and previous updates to understand how similar changes impacted the schedule.
• Use schedule analytics to quantify effects on quality, compression, and end dates.
• Involve key stakeholders and site teams to validate assumptions and verify progress before adjusting the schedule.

Document Changes

Every schedule adjustment should be documented, including:

• Reason for the change
• Impact on critical path, milestones, and overall timeline
• Any assumptions made during the update

This documentation ensures transparency and supports accountability in case of disputes or claims.