Importance of planning in engineering projects
Planning is essential in any type of engineering project, since it allows establishing clear objectives, in which the scope of the project must be kept in mind, in order to help direct the efforts of the work team towards specific goals.
In order to achieve success in an engineering project, it is important to have a solid and goal-oriented planning. The following are the main characteristics that will contribute to the success of the project:
Clear and measurable objectives: It is essential to establish clear, specific and measurable objectives from the beginning of the project. This provides clear direction and helps to evaluate progress and desired results.
Detailed and realistic planning: Thorough planning that includes all the activities to be developed.
Once this is clear, it is important to carry out an adequate programming in order to define the necessary resources for its development, to make a chronogram with specific activities that allow establishing priorities, to comply with the agreed deadlines; which is fundamental to deliver the project on time and complying with all the specifications established for it.
The follow-up and control mechanisms to ensure the correct execution of an engineering project must be carried out according to a work program and schedule:
Establish a detailed work program and schedule containing the planned activities and their corresponding deadlines.
Monitoring is done by comparing the actual progress with the scheduled progress, and taking corrective actions in case of deviations.
Pay close attention to management indicators.
Conduct follow-up meetings.
Weekly or monthly reports according to the needs of the project or the client.
Quality control with technological tools such as BIM methodology and management using the corresponding PMI and PMO.
Project monitoring and control mechanisms must be defined to ensure proper execution of the project, and a budget with established costs in order to ensure the financial viability of the project. In addition, a study must be carried out to identify possible risks and contingencies to establish action plans to mitigate them and minimize their impact on the project. Good planning ensures that the project is developed efficiently, minimizing costs and maximizing the quality of the final result.
After establishing the aforementioned activities, it is important to ensure that they are carried out systematically according to the established parameters. It is important to define the communication channels between the members of the work team and with the stakeholders involved in the project, in order to be aligned in terms of objectives, scope, deadlines, resources and risks.
Finally we can conclude that the correct planning of an engineering project is the key to develop it successfully, and it must be a dynamic and flexible process, which allows it to adapt to the particular conditions of the work, to the changes and needs of the project. Therefore, reviewing and updating the planning periodically is indispensable to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.
This text was written with the assistance of engineers Mauricio Chiquito and Manuel Torres.
