The planning, the opposite of improvisation, is an effective system of management of construction projects to define the objective, scope and strategy to implement technically, economically, financially and socially viable works. Organizations that understand its importance and apply it obtain benefits that clearly outweigh the effort and dedication to carry out this work, and as a consequence they achieve the generation of value for their people and for the organizations themselves.
There are three main objectives that an effective planning system seeks to achieve: 1) Determine what must be achieved, 2) Establish the way to achieve it and 3) Serve as a reference to measure and control the evolution of the project.
To determine the first objective, the following question must be answered: What do you want to do? The answer is integration and scope of the project. The first defines and coordinates the elements and processes that must be considered according to the type of construction that is to be carried out, the second determines the radius of action or goal to which one wants to reach.
The path that leads to the realization of the second objective of project planning is strategy. When it comes to defining the strategy of a construction project, it is necessary to answer the following questions: Who will do it? How should it be done? At what time? With what resources? How much will it cost? ? What risks should be controlled?
The strategy for planning a project must consider all aspects related to the organization, execution, control and dissemination of the same, in order to link the present conditions with the future conditions to which we want to reach.
Legal, organizational, technical, commercial, procurement and logistics, risk, financial, information, quality and environmental aspects make up the comprehensive framework of elements necessary for the implementation of a successful planning. In this planning phase, it is necessary to generate indicators or benchmarks and a gradual incentive plan for goals achieved.
The third and last objective of project planning is the reference system that is based on it to measure and control the instituted course of action. With this, it is possible to detect deviations in order to apply the corrective measures of the case. The indicators or tenors defined in the strategy are essential pillars for the support and effective development of this phase.
What cannot be measured cannot be controlled.
Planning is one of the sustainable ways that companies have to generate value. In these terms, project planning yields tangible and intangible benefits. The tangible is represented by the savings that are obtained when a project is carried out well planned, avoiding the onerous construction errors associated with improvised projects and executed on the fly. Another of the great benefits in this regard is achieved by the efficiency achieved in the orderly execution of administrative and operational processes, and the clear and precise knowledge of the way forward to achieve the proposed objectives.
In the intangible, the benefit of planning is indirect. This benefit is represented by the cause-effect relationships that derive in economic aggregates, resulting from a well-planned work. The projects to which enough time and space are dedicated to be conceived, end up generating dividends in corporate image, which translates into customer satisfaction, this satisfaction leads to their loyalty; Customer loyalty represents higher margins for the organization and consequently higher revenues.
Planning is a prerequisite for taking action; it is the cornerstone of project management. With it, the implicit risk of building is minimized and the chances of success are maximized. Planning is not an option, it is an obligation; It is a transcendental condition for the competitiveness and survival of organizations, which, like ours, have great objectives and promising horizons to achieve. For this reason, it is necessary to raise awareness and make all the efforts and steps that are necessary to involve planning within our corporate culture., as a vital means, light and guide of our actions in compliance with the execution of projects focused on achieving our corporate objectives of positioning, growth and human development.
