Primavera Planning Tool

[Su Mcdowall]

PrimaveraP6 can trace its origins to 1983 when it was first established under the name Primavera Systems. In the next 15 years, it rapidly gained popularity. By the late 90s, advancements in server technology drove the company to split Primavera systems into two versions of the software: a desktop application (which is preferred by contractors, suppliers and manufacturing companies) and a web-based enterprise option.

The modern incarnation, Oracle Primavera P6, sells itself as a project portfolio management tool to increase your efficiency when planning, which reduces the risk of schedule overruns. One way it does this is by providing visibility into the work, so potential bottlenecks can be identified and resolved before they cause delays. It claims to work on projects of all sizes.

Oracle Primavera P6 is used by project managers who are in charge of delivering a project, program or portfolio of projects. Primavera P6 is mostly used for large-scale construction projects, but it can also be used in other fields such as business and manufacturing.

Like Primavera P6 Professional and Primavera P6 EPPM, Oracle Primavera Cloud focuses on project, program and portfolio management, but has a different feature set. OPC has the added benefits of faster delivery and fosters collaboration to improve efficiency and quality.

Primavera P6 Professional is favored by power users working on capital projects. Typical industries include, Engineering, Construction, Aerospace, Defense, Utilities, Oil and Gas. Schedulers and project managers in these industries work with detailed schedules and need fast, accurate scheduling using critical path method. These are vital elements for these time sensitive environments where fast paced project planning and execution are a must.

Because Primavera P6 EPPM is web-based, it can be accessed from any location that has internet access. Because of the central database, there is greater scope for multiple projects or portfolios of projects from across the whole organization. And, senior management does enjoy the portfolios and dashboards capabilities providing valuable insights in to performance across the organization.

As it is web based it relies on the speed of the Internet or your local network. And if the Internet goes down, no work can be done. Slow access will affect performance, with users having to wait for pages to load before they can work on them.

Whatever version is selected, there should be training for users both in the tool and in scheduling best practices. P6 has rich functionality and effective training considerably increases productivity and user adoption.

In the UK rail infrastructure industry, the ability to effectively plan and manage projects is essential to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the network. The P6 Primavera Planning system is a powerful tool that has become increasingly popular in recent years, providing a range of benefits for rail managers looking to optimise project planning and execution.

One of the key benefits of the P6 Primavera Planning system is its ability to manage complex project schedules easily. This aspect is vital in the rail industry, where projects often involve multiple stakeholders, resources, and critical deadlines. The system enables rail managers to break down large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks with detailed timelines and resource allocation. This tool helps to ensure that all stakeholders are aligned and that all necessary resources are available when required, reducing the risk of delays or overspending.

Another significant advantage of the P6 Primavera Planning system is its ability to provide real-time visibility and control over project progress. The system enables rail managers to track progress against key performance indicators, such as cost, time, and quality, and identify potential issues early on. This visibility allows managers to make informed decisions, adjust project plans as required, and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.

The P6 Primavera Planning system also includes a powerful risk management tool. The system enables managers to identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimise their impact. This tool is essential in the rail industry, where safety is paramount, and failure to identify and mitigate risks can have significant consequences.

One of the most significant benefits of the P6 Primavera Planning system is its ability to improve collaboration and communication between project stakeholders. The system provides a centralised platform for project information, enabling all stakeholders to access the same information and communicate in real-time. This centralised view helps ensure that everyone is aligned and that all stakeholders work towards the same objectives, reducing the risk of miscommunication or misunderstanding.

The P6 Primavera Planning system also provides various analytical and reporting tools, enabling rail managers to gain insight into project performance, identify trends, and make informed decisions. The system allows managers to generate detailed reports, dashboards, and charts, providing a comprehensive view of project progress and highlighting any areas that require attention.

RSS Infrastructure (RSSI), based in Birmingham, Cwmbran, Doncaster and Tonbridge, provides infrastructure services for the rail, civil, and utilities sectors. We serve clients like Network Rail, WMCA, HS2 and Tier 1 & 2 contractors. Our services include Arboriculture, Civils and Construction, Geofencing, Industrial Rope Access (IRATA), Magnetic Track Safety, Rail Operations including Possession Management and P/Way, Rail Welding, Signalling, and Track Warning Services.

Primavera P6 Professional Project Management (PPM) is the Primavera Windows-based project planning tool that is popular around the world for managing construction projects. Primavera P6 Professional is a tool to build, schedule and track complex project schedules.

Architecturally, it consists of a the Project Management client that installs on a Windows PC and connects to either a server-based or a local database. Microsoft SQL or Oracle databases are supported, as is SQLite.

Primavera P6 Professional (PPM) is programmed with the CPM Scheduling (Critical Path Method) algorithm. At the most basic level it assigns dates to tasks based on sequencing and task duration. The output is a project schedule with dates applied and a Critical Path clearly identified, not to mention the calculation of a project end date.

Top that CPM Scheduling engine up with Resource & Cost Management features, Gantt Chart, graphs, spreadsheets, analytic tools and reporting, and Primavera P6 Professional becomes the tool of choice for engineering, heavy construction, oil & gas and related industries.

The other factor is that Primavera P6 Professional is relatively easy to install and manage with no costly addons. Primavera P6 EPPM is built on-top of web applications, and the architecture gets complex fast, not to mention the many optional addons like BI reporting, and P6 Analytics that essentially add some features that Primavera P6 Pro already has natively.

Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management is an enterprise portfolio and project management tool. Primavera P6 EPPM is 100% web-based, so it runs in a browser and connects to a webserver that serves-up a visually-rich interface. P6 EPPM also connects to a main database where all of your project information is stored.

But from a functionality perspective, if you have one or two projects to schedule and work for a small to mid size company, Primavera P6 Professional is for you. It will allow you to send your schedules to companies you work with. It is straightforward to use and has a world-class scheduling engine.

Michael is an avid project controls blogger and is the Chief Learning Officer here at Plan Academy. Michael has taught 1000s professionals how to use project controls software like Primavera P6 over the past 10 years through his online courses and tutorials. Michael is a member of AACE, the Guild of Project Controls and holds his PMP certification from PMI.

Primavera P6 is a great way to store critical project data. One of its drawbacks is that it is not a great communication tool. As project management is a communication based discipline, Primavera P6 data often ends up being disconnected from project execution. This means that the system does not live up to its promise as the projects central record of truth.

I have come across a product called Airtable. Airtable is a product that sits between Google Docs and MS Access. Despite its easy to use interface it has a host of technical integration tools, data formatting and formula features and a bunch of very interesting communication tools.

Airtable offers a basic but user friendly approach to allowing your team interact and manipulate the data that Primavera P6 generates, allowing the project planning team to get better quality updates.

Airtable then lets me convert this Kanban Board using the Status column to organize the activities. The project team can now move the activities as they work on them and my status and potentially other calculations such as earned value will update automatically.

I have an RFP for a scheduling tool in front of me. A long and knowledgeable list of functionalities that the perfect scheduling tool should have. The list motivates me to start writing. Sadly not to fill in the list, but to write this blog post about why I don't feel like completing it.

When investigating a scheduling tool, or any software tool, experienced users tend to compare the functionality of the new tool with the tool they currently use. Your average RFP table will typically contain functionality known and requested by the users. Often these requirements are detailed and conservative. I remember reading a book where they called this kind of end-users involved in software selection "See-Mores" because they always want to see more before they can be convinced.

3a8082e126