Construction Scheduling for Managing Projects: Basic and Advanced Principles and Practices

September 24, 2026 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (CDT)

Description

Description:

Modern construction projects both large and small are complex endeavors, involving many products, systems, and often-disparate players.  The coordination and assembly of all the necessary elements at a site is almost impossible to achieve without extensive up-front planning and scheduling.  The primary objective of this course is to introduce principles of network scheduling and its potential impact on project success and delay.  The second objective of this seminar is to provide a hands-on workshop environment where attendees will have an opportunity to work in pairs to create a simple CPM schedule based upon predetermined criteria and to discuss the issues involved such as manpower loading curves.  Ample time is given for discussion of problems encountered in using or preparing a CPM schedule.  Although computer applications will be discussed, the workshop program involves a basic hand-drawn logic diagram and schedule activities.  Additional topics covered in this seminar include resource leveling (labor), achieving optimum level of workers, building a manpower loading from the CPM schedule, determine optimum project duration and build S-curve.

1. INTRODUCTION TO CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULING

• Importance of scheduling in electrical construction
• Terminology and definition

2. TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULES

• Gant Chart
• Network diagrams
• Program evaluation and review techniques (PERT)

3. PROJECT PLANNING FUNDAMENTALS

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Defining activities and tasks
• Estimating task durations
• Establish logical sequence of work (hard logic vs. soft logic)

4. CRITICAL PATH METHOD

• Calculating early start, late start, early finish, and late finish
• Determining float/slack
• Critical and near critical activities
• Common scheduling software (e.g., MS Project, Primavera P6)

5. RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND MANAGEMENT

• How to build manpower loading chart
• Hanna’s trapezoidal technique
• Manpower loading chart for remodeling, renovation and outage work
• Resource leveling

6. LEAN CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULING

• Introduction to lean schedule
• Pull planning and last planner system
• Reducing waste in schedule process

7. PRODUCTION PLANNING VS. SCHEDULING
8. MONITORING AND UPDATING SCHEDULES

• Tracking project progress
• Adjusting schedules for delays and added scope
• Communicating updates to stakeholders
• Mitigating delays and uncertainties
• Building and managing schedule contingencies

9. INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF TIME PROVISIONS
10. BEST SCHEDULING PRACTICES

• Preventing out of sequence work
• Innovative crew scheduling
• Intent of collective agreement language
• Learning to read collective agreement language
• What are 'letters of agreement'?
• The use of headings in a collective agreement
• What are mandatory provisions?
• The management rights clause

11. LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

• No damage for delay
• Time extension and time provisions
• Definition of project end date
• Liquidated damage
• Bonus
• Design responsibility and design delays

Speaker: Dr. Awad Hanna

Daily Agenda

• 7:30 AM – Breakfast Served
• 8:00 AM – Seminar Begins
• 12:00 PM – Lunch
• 1:00 PM – Seminar Continues
• 4:00 PM – End of Day

Cost

• WI Chapter NECA Member — $400
• Non-Member — $550

If eligible, the $99 educational subsidy will be applied for Wisconsin Chapter members. This will be reimbursed via check after the seminar.

Location: Hilton Garden Inn Sun Prairie
1220 South Grand Ave
Sun Prairie, WI 53590

Hotel Room Block
A hotel room block is reserved for September 23-24, 2026, so you can arrive the night before the course begins.
Rate: $159.00 Standard Rate - 1 King Bed
If you'd like to reserve a room for this event, please book here: https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/msnspgi-92t-9ff8c3a1-75a7-475f-86c1-c0db25089341/

The room block will expire on 9/10/2026.

Cancellation Policy
There is no charge for cancellations made by 9/11/2026. A 50% charge applies for cancellations made between 9/12/2026 and 9/16/2026. Cancellations made between 9/17/2026 and 9/24/2026, as well as no-shows, will be charged the full registration price — $400 for Wisconsin Chapter NECA members, $550 for non-members. Attendee substitutions are welcome at any time.

Code of Conduct
By attending this event, you agree to abide by all National Electrical Contractors Association Code of Conduct rules, etiquette, and privacy guidelines, as well as the NECA & ELECTRI International Events Code of Conduct.

Location

Hilton Garden Inn