Schedule compression is the process of shortening the duration of the schedule without changing the scope of the

project. There are reasons why a schedule is compressed. Sponsors might want the project delivered earlier to seize on

an opportunity for the marketing of the project products, weather and climatic conditions might necessitate bringing

the project end date in, or project is delayed, and time must be recovered.

On the Parkes to Narromine Rail project, schedule compression becomes necessary to address the urgent transport

need of the communities the rail intend to serve.

At the heart of schedule compression is the principles of critical path method (CPM)

Critical Path Method

Critical path is the sequence of activities with the longest path and shortest duration. The Critical Path Methodology

is one of the most important concepts in project management in that it highlights the project route that leads to

completion. The critical path shows the list of activities whose delay can affect the project completion date. In

addition, the critical path guides the project manager and other project stakeholders in knowing which parts of the

project requires additional attention, more resources and time.

On the Rail project, critical path activities are defined as a set of activities with zero float. This means any delay on the

critical will potentially delay the entire project.

Before carrying out schedule compression, it is important to perform critical path analysis. The aim of the analysis is

to identify activities whose compression would bring in the project completion date to the expected date.

There are two broad methods used in compressing project schedules. These are:

 Crashing

 Fast-tracking

Crashing

Crashing is a method of schedule compression where additional resources are assigned to complete the activities in

shorter time and at the least cost. To effectively compress the schedule by crashing, there must be some trade-offs in

the schedule to compensate for the additional cost that will be expended. and these resources must be assigned to the

activities on the critical path. This method must be efficiently managed as additional resources may not necessarily

translate to increased efficiency and reduced duration. One of such instances where extra resources may have adverse

effect on progress is a situation where resources get in each other’s way because of reduced work area. It also must be

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practically and numerically demonstrated by the project manager that additional resources would compress the

optimally schedule.

Additional resources often need to work in shifts as there might be space constraints. In the event the resources work

shift, the project manager, along with the safety manager must evaluate potential risk events associated with working

at night. The risk events must be assessed and documented so it can be tracked.

Fast-tracking

Fast-tracking is a method of shortening the duration of the schedule by altering the sequence of work, reduce duration

or change lag types. Usually activities on the critical path are selected for fast-tracking and run in parallel. There are

several ways a scheduled can be compressed by fast-tracking. They are:

1. Reducing the duration of the activities on the critical path.

2. Change the sequence of activities in series to run concurrently.

3. Reducing the lag between activities

4. Starting some activities earlier

Reducing the duration of the activities

The project manager with the team can review activity duration and decide to reduce it based on available information.

The duration of some tasks, during the schedule development might have been buffered to cater for risks events which

did not eventually happen . In other cases, activity durations are padded by the contractor just to take schedule

pressure off them. The project manager should consult the construction manager and the task manager to find out if

quality will not be impacted if the activity takes less time. In addition to the review session, risk assessment must be

performed on the activities to ensure secondary risks are not thrown up as a result of duration reduction.

TASK A TASK B

Before Compression

TASK A TASK B

After Compression

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Fig 2 - Compressed Schedule - After Duration Reduction

Change in Sequence of Work

Schedule can be compressed by performing serially linked activities concurrently. The project manager may determine

to compress the schedule by altering the sequence of work. A finish to Start relationship between two activities can be

changed to a start to start relationship with some lag in between. There are attendant risks when such activities’

sequencing changes.

TASK A TASK B

Before Compression

TASK A

TASK B After Compression

Fig 4 – Schedule Compression – Re-Sequencing Logic

Starting activities Earlier

A task can be started earlier than the planned start date for several reasons. Client may give earlier access to start

work, materials and equipment for that work can be delivered earlier, and there might be an opportunity to avoid some

risk events if that activity commences earlier than planned.

When a task starts before the planned start date, the project manager must carry out safety and risk assessments to

prevent any potential adverse issues that might come up as a result of the earlier start date.

The remaining duration to complete the task must also be re-estimated. In a Finish to Start relation, if the successor

starts before the predecessor is finished, the logic becomes out-of-sequence. There is a possibility that the task starting

earlier might create an out-of-sequence situation. The scheduler must resolve these sequence crises during schedule

updating otherwise, the end date might not be correctly forecasted.

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TASK A TASK B

TASK A

TASK B

Figure 4 – Schedule Compression – Activity Starting Earlier

Reducing the Lag between activities

In its simplest term, the lag is the waiting time between two activities. The most common example is the time between

pouring and casting of concrete. The lag requires no effort. Another form of lag is the Lead. The Lead is the

acceleration of a successor activity. In other words, the second activity can begin before the first activity finishes.

There are different lag types.

Finish to Start +Lag – The delay between the finish date of the predecessor and the start date of the successor.

Finish to Finish +Lag – The delay between the finish date of the predecessor and the finish date of the successor.

Start to Start +Lag – The delay between the start date of the predecessor and the start date of the successor.

TASK B
TASK A

TASK A TASK B

Figure 5 – Schedule Compression - Reducing the Lag

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Usage of lead or lag for schedule compression is a tricky one. There are situations where lag cannot be reduced. For

example. It will take same amount of days for concrete to cast. It is independent of external factors. Considering this,

schedule compression by use of lead or lag can only be carried out on tasks depending on the nature of the lag. A more

feasible approach is the use of lead. The successor starts before the predecessor is finished.

Schedule Compression of the Rail Project

The client for the rail project has indicated that time is of the essence and has therefore fixed the duration of the

project for 2 years. However, based on the available information during the schedule development period, the

scheduler has submitted for approval and baselining a schedule with 2 years 4 months duration. The project manager

decided to set up a brainstorming session with the project team to look for possibility of compressing the schedule

without changing the scope of the project and to assess the associated risk and their mitigations.

During the session and based on the preliminary reports of the Geotech, the following was agreed on:

1. That section 0-20km is not as bushy as the other three sections so the efforts for the removal of topsoil should

be reduced. After assessment, the task “removal of Topsoil “will now take half of the original effort needed to

complete the task. The team estimated that instead of the 20 days duration originally assigned for the

completion of the removal of the top soil, it would now take about 10 days/section on this activity. On

implementing this, the completion date was brought forward from 22 March 2022 to 8 March 2022. A total of

14 days was saved from the reduction in original duration planned.

2. That sections 21-40km and 41-60km is not rocky as other two sections hence drainage structures will take

less time on those sections. It is now estimated that drainage system will take two-third of the original

durations on the two sections. On implementing this, the completion date was brought forward from 22

March 2022 to 8 February 2022. A total of 30 days was saved from the reduction in original duration

planned.

3. Instead of using one only one Earthwork crew, Project manager has decided that additional earth crew will

work on Sections 4 Site Clearing and Removal of Topsoil. In additional, to further bring in the date, the

project manager has decided to hire more labour resources to work on install Drainage Structures on Sections

4 simultaneously with Section 3

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