A comparative analysis of the game of football and the business of construction
A three-part blog series contributed by Gregg Schoppman, principal at FMI Corporation. Read Part I here.
Part 2: Pre-Job Planning Steps
Phase One – The Homework
Project Management Preparation
- Review the plans
- Review the proposal and scope letter
- Develop management’s plan of attack
Phase Two – “Estimator/Management Turnover”
Handoff to Management
- Strategy of the bid
- Budget review
- Strategy to success
- Sales promises
- Interpretations and calculations
- Project buyout
Phase Three – “Management/Field Turnover”
Handoff to the Field
- Mobilization strategy
- Exit strategy
- Resource management plan
- Personnel development
- Customer management plan
Estimating is a thankless job. In most cases, estimators are given far too little time to create a plan and budget for far too much work. The estimates are the foundation on which the project is constructed. When a project fails to meet expectations, the estimators quickly become the target of blame. There wasn’t enough money. There weren’t enough hours, and who picked these trade contractors anyway? Each step in the planning process formalizes the transition from the “get work” team to the “do work” team and generates buy-in about how the work was won in the first place. Busts in the budget can be examined and dealt with early and tactics can be developed to maximize budget gains. In essence, the organization creates a sense of project ownership and eliminates the finger pointing. In other words, managers, superintendents and foremen never resemble the bedraggled souls after a hard fought game on the gridiron, bemoaning their “inability to execute the plan.”
Halftime, Timeouts and Station Breaks
Planning doesn’t end after the initial kickoff. Coaches and teams often “script” their first 25 plays or two to three possessions. Does this demonstrate an inability to develop a comprehensive plan or an understanding that the script will need editing as the game evolves? Infamous heavyweight fighter Mike Tyson said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” In other words, initial plans are effective to a point. Coaches and players understand that entering the game with a plan is only one piece of the puzzle. Often, a great offensive plan does not measure up when it meets the defense it was designed to defeat.
Planning continues long into the game. Player- and scheme-substitutions occur as the action dictates. Tactics are shifted as feedback is received from the front lines. Add a blocker. Execute a pass play. Go play-action. The field general, linebacker or quarterback maintains a constant dialogue with the coaches, adjusting to the controllable and uncontrollable variables on the field. Superintendents and foremen should engage in a similar short-interval planning process. Weekly or bi-weekly planning is essential. It is silly to think the baseline plan will never need adjusting. A short interval plan, including projected labor resources, material needs and equipment utilization at a minimum, provides the field manager an opportunity and mechanism to project needs and manage concerns. Additionally, a “best of class” short interval plan should also include:
- Customer concerns
- Design concerns
- Trade contractor concerns
- Material and equipment lists
- Labor resource needs
Many managers confuse scheduling and planning. A three-week look-ahead schedule generated through sophisticated scheduling software is not a substitution for planning. Through the planning process, superintendents and foremen prepare to put this schedule into action and expose what could inhibit their ability to do so. Project managers use this tool as their priority list for the current week in an effort to keep their crews and the crews of their trade contractors moving in a positive direction. Imagine the quarterback asking the coach for a fullback to block and receive the punt. For those not familiar with the vernacular of football, the difference is approximately 150 pounds (68 kg) against a snarling, 300-pound (136.1 kg) defensive lineman.
“Omaha, Omaha, Hut Hut Hut”
The receivers bolt off the line as if they were thoroughbreds released from the gates at Churchill Downs. Linemen push off the line with the power of a team of oxen. A fleet-footed running back zips through almost unnoticeable cracks in the line like a water bug gliding frictionless along the pool, a fluid ballet with no wasted energy.
Imagine an alternate scene. With the hike of the ball, players move in every direction. Some run down field. Other players run in the opposite direction. The quarterback waffles and double clutches the pigskin only to fumble it and trip on the center’s foot. Rather than resembling a ballet, the players more closely resemble Adam Sandler’s movie, The Waterboy. How do all of the players know what to do at the snap of the ball? While the ultimate goal of scoring is paramount, individual plays are called during the 25 to 40 seconds between plays. Each player has a designated responsibility and goal for that next play. No confusion and no wasted motion.
While many carpenters, fitters, laborers and finishers toil daily to achieve “just as much as they can that day,” the lack of a definite and quantitative goal hinders not only their performance but the overall project performance. The first five minutes of each day should be dedicated to orienting the crew and focusing them on the goal of the day: 400 linear feet (121.9 m) of pipe, 20,000 square feet (1,858.1 m) of pavement, 2,000 tons (1,814.3) of asphalt, etc. Quantifiable goals are easy to explain and measure, and goals can be as simple as painting the third floor or installing the steel from column line A to column line B. No different than engaging the viewer with the computer-generated line on the playing field indicating a first down, goals galvanize a crew and provide positive momentum. A quality daily huddle process should also include the following items:
- Safety concerns and hazards
- Material needs
- Impediments to daily production
The goal of the day should be visible and easily recalled for everyone on the crew. All too often, the “eternal optimist mentality” pervades crews around the country. When asked the goal for the day, carpenters, finishers and mechanics answer with the obligatory “Just as much as we can.” On the surface, the answer is a far cry from the shoulder-shrug “dunno” some superintendents receive. But, would a star running back or receiver tell the coach, “I’m gonna run as fast as I can.” Whether 4 inches (10.6 cm) or 100 yards (91.4 m), it was just as much as he could. Road builders can use cones to represent the goal line for the day or week. Other contractors plaster the goal on a dry erase board attached to a toolbox to visually depict the goal for the day. Whatever it is, the measurable, quantifiable goal should be deeply ingrained for everyone on the crew to focus on and deliver. At the end of the day, the superintendent shares the actual performance so the crew can compare their progress to the goal. For all contractors, the crew has the ability to make or lose money. Similarly, points are not made in the booth or on the sideline, but it is how the booth or sideline supports the players on the field that makes the difference.
“Two-Minute Warning”
No huddle offense. Prevent defense. The Stanford Band. The teams sense the end of the game. Both sides understand the necessity of clock management, the need for frugality in play calling. Coaches carefully calculate the points needed to force overtime or win the game. Fans hold their breath with every reception as precious seconds tick off the clock. The construction clock never stops for station breaks, timeouts or instant replay. Many managers would relish the opportunity to toss in the red beanbag, hoping for a redo. The goal line on many projects never moves and should remain fixed in the psyche of the team. Yet, many project teams stall as they cross the finish line, simply fumbling the proverbial ball before they break the plane. Let’s take a look at why this happens.
For many organizations, projects hit the 90 percent complete mark and the progress begins to sputter. Field managers shift to bigger projects. Long schedules begin to take their toll on crews and teams, testing the crews’ mental fortitude and draining its crispness. The remaining 10 percent of the project often costs an additional 20 to 25 percent more than the budget. Once again, consider the football analogy. With two minutes remaining in the game, the quarterback is replaced with the second, or even third, string quarterback. More importantly, this new player has not seen the playbook nor has he had the benefit of even watching the game from the sidelines.
Business decisions are made every day regarding the utilization of resources. Many field managers and project managers are better suited for certain projects. The challenge is ensuring the team finishes the project with the same gusto they had in the beginning. A contractor’s exit strategy is the tool to prevent this fourth quarter letdown. For many organizations, the time for an exit strategy is when the project is approximately 80 to 90 percent complete. When determining the optimum time to implement this tool, organizations should examine the point where the project’s progress becomes stagnant or where margin erosion historically takes place. In essence, a firm’s exit strategy is simply the pre-job planning meeting for the end of the project.
Check back on Friday for Part 3: Exit Strategy Checklist.
Gregg Schoppman is a senior consultant with FMI’s Tampa office. He may be reached at 81-636-1259 or via e-mail at gschoppman@fminet.com.
Advice or suggestions provided by Mr. Schoppman are statements of general applicability that may or may not apply to individual businesses, whose circumstances and operations may vary. The opinions of Mr. Schoppman do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vermeer Corporation, its dealers or its affiliates.