4D Models Critical Path Method Scheduling
Critical Path Method Scheduling
Technology has changed the way we used to live today and there aren’t many industries and places in the world that have not been affected by technology. When you go back in 50s of the previous century, many techniques were introduced to manage the projects and they are still in practice today. People have been benefiting from them ever since but it doesn’t mean there haven’t been any changes, modifications and improvements made into these techniques. Critical path method has been put to use in project management for almost 6 decades now but recently we have implemented more advanced techniques in the industries to make the most of modern technology.
4D Models
The best use of 4D models is in the construction industries where big projects are handled and need extra care. In constructions, there are several factors that could delay the projects and you need to be on top of everything in order to make the project successful. While you are working on the raw material for constructing the building, you might have troubles with the availability of machinery for works that require you to reach places that are not easy for working. Imagine the tallest buildings of the world and some of the biggest mega-structures: they needed the most advanced machinery to build and the availability of this machinery was made possible through special requests. These extra processes can delay the construction of a building and we already know that CPM has its limitations when working with more complex projects.
When you are working only with the critical path method, you know the activities because they are available in front of you in the form of a chart. You can look at them and get an idea of where your project is standing at any point in time but at times, this doesn’t prove very helpful. You could take the case of building a suspension bridge where the critical path method wouldn’t be very helpful because of thousands of activities involved in the project. Even if you are able to write everything down on your CPM schedule, you might not be able to have it available with you at all times because the sheet will be too big that carrying it with you would be a project requiring another CPM schedule.
4D Scheduling
When you are using the 4D scheduling, you will be making use of the modern software that will make use of both the techniques and give you a final product that clears the fog in your projects. You will know where your project is at any time without even applying too much effort. The pictorial representation of everything is clean and enables you to identify the delays or expeditions within a project right away. With the modern techniques applied along with CPM, you can increase the efficiency of your projects without compromising on the quality of the work that is delivered the clients at the end of the project.
The most important aspect of incorporating the 4D models in critical path method is the visibility. Yes, the visibility of your project is clearer than ever before. Even if you are a newbie working on new projects, it would not be hard for you to identify the conflicts that might be present in the schedule you have created: this was harder and difficult in the past conventional critical path schedules. With the modern software, you make use of the 3D models of your construction project and when you see the output, it gives you a representation of a 4D model along with the critical path method.
With further developments, more advancements are being made into the techniques that were very basic a few years ago. There might come some more revolutionary techniques for assisting project managers with their projects by increasing their efficiency and reducing the time taken for projects to complete. However, if you are thinking of going into the construction and engineering field today, make sure you have the knowledge of this modern technique.
