Four Critical Elements of an Effective Task

There are 4 critical elements of an effective task:

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Field Productivity: Breaking a Project into Manageable Tasks Sets the Foundation for Productivity (1) A clearly defined element of work that can be completed without interruption if all prerequisites are fully met before starting. (2) Task description aligns with the way a crew would be laid-out in the field. (3) Hours and costs as estimated and as planned are known.  (4) Progress can be quickly and accurately estimated by anyone with reasonable field knowledge during a job walk.
  1. It is a clearly defined element of work that can be started and completed WITHOUT interruption if all prerequisites are met before starting.  
  2. The task description makes sense to anyone with basic trade knowledge aligning with how crews would actually be laid out in the field. When laying out a journey-level craftsperson in the field the task would not reasonably be broken into smaller tasks.  
  3. Hours and costs to complete the task as estimated and as planned are known including what is remaining for field layout and installation after design in virtual construction and fabrication if applicable.
  4. ANYONE with reasonable trade knowledge would be able to QUICKLY assess the quantifiable status of the task during a job walk in terms of percent complete or estimated hours remaining to complete.

Do your job cost reports show effective labor curves? Smooth ramp-up to full production then ramp-down is the most desirable at the task, phase, scope, and project levels. The degree to which this can be achieved has a direct impact on safety, quality, and productivity. 


Breaking a construction project down into manageable tasks is the foundation for effective detailing, prefabrication, production tracking and productivity improvements.


How effective is the tasking part of your project planning process?  

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