Project planning

Project planners are effectively navigators. They plan what needs to be done and schedule it into a time frame. Planners identify which activities are critical to successful delivery, and which can afford to slip. They track the project to keep it to time and budget.

Project planners working for the client project team work out the feasibility of design options and the delivery of design. Working for a contractor, project planners analyse the build sequence and organise workforce and materials. Aspects of cost/risk management and project planning can be encompassed within ‘project controls’. Several planners/project controllers may be required on a project.

Areas of specialism

Project planning in construction tends to be divided into sectors – commercial, residential and so on. However, more experienced planners may specialise in forensic planning, analysing where things have gone wrong on an over-budget or late project.

New developments

Project planners are increasingly recognised as being integral to the success of a project, as margins become tighter. Project planning roles sometimes used to be seen as a route into project management, but senior project planners can earn more than project managers.

Within project planning itself, the future will see more use of computerised visualisations. These techniques enable planners to take a virtual tour of a projected building and see how a building will look at different points in its construction.

Graduate opportunities

Many graduate planners have a technical degree background. However, graduates from unrelated disciplines also become project planners. The key attributes are to be organised, clearly see objectives, and understand basic planning processes. There is a shortage of project planners so there are good opportunities for graduates. You can work for construction organisations, engineering consultancies, design houses or specialist forensic planning consultancies anywhere in the world.

Project planners are increasingly recognised as being integral to the success of a project

Skills required

• Logic and analytical skills
• People management
• Communication skills
• Teamworking skills.

Highs and lows

It can be frustrating to work within a team who doesn’t fully appreciate the value you add to a project, but there is no beating the buzz when a plan goes smoothly. It’s also an enjoyable challenge to work within specific constraints. For example, on one project, if construction work failed to meet a deadline related to the breeding season of newts, we’d have had to wait an entire year before continuing.

We'd like to thank Atkins Management Consultants for their help with this article.