linear scheduling with p6 visualizer 8 -...

Linear Scheduling with P6 Visualizer 8.3

Don McNatty, PSP

May 21, 2014

2014 Technical

Webinar Series

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Safe Harbor

� The statements made in this technical presentation are based on

our current knowledge of the tools.

� Our statements should not be construed to be an official “Oracle

perspective”, but are intended to be the sharing of technical and

user knowledge gained as we explore new paths and

technologies, usually in advance of our clients.

� Our statements should not be construed as in conflict with any

Oracle statement, as the Oracle statement is likely made based

on more current knowledge than is available to us.

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Abstract – Linear Graphics with Visualizer 8.3

� Linear scheduling has been around a long time and serves a very specific need - to help visualize scheduling conflicts between stationary and moving construction activities. At one time, the argument was that "CPM Schedules did not meet the needs of highway or pipeline contractors." However, as scheduling technology advanced, we found that a "linear schedule graphic" could be developed from a critical path schedule. Using the built-in capabilities of the Primavera scheduling tool, Activity Codes and Milestones are combined with the Time Scale to create a linear graphic matrix. The graphic is completed in a PDF format to add “lines” to demonstrate conflicts and the flow of work on a linear project. With the recent enhancements in P6 Pro 8.3's Visualizer tool, we have another tool in our bag to create a simple linear schedule graphic with P6 Visualizer and PDF Annotator software. This approach is simple and not intended for large complex projects but can be an invaluable tool for analyzing and presenting conflicts in smaller subsets (fragnets) of larger schedules.

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� Oracle Primavera Software

� Oracle Primavera Certified Training & Implementation Services

� Custom Integration, Analytics and Dashboard Utilities

� Project Support Services and Partnering

� Global, dedicated environment hosting services

� Primavera OPPM, P6 EPPM, P6 Pro, Primavera Unifier, Contract Management, BI Publisher, UCM/Sharepoint, P6 Risk, AutoVue and Analytics

� Hard Dollar, HCSS, Acumen Fuse, Ecosys, Prism G2, US Cost, Microsoft…

� Global Data Centers in USA, London, Singapore and Brisbane

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Agenda

� New Features in 8.3

� Overview of P6 Visualizer

� Overview of a Linear Project

� Overview of a “Linear Graphic’

� Structuring P6 to Support a “Linear Graphic”

� Creating a “Linear Graphic” with P6 Visualizer

� Completing the graphic presentation

� Summary & Questions

Linear Scheduling with P6 Visualizer 8.3

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Significant New Features in P6 8.3

� Top Down Estimation

� Discussion Tab on the Activities Window

� Visualizer – Bar Chart & Time-scaled Logic Diagram graphics

� Modify Global Data on XML Import

� Export project data to UN/CEFACT

� Online HTML Help

� Loading Resource Summary Data on Startup

� Improved Integration with Unifier

Visualizer in 8.3 replaces the Time Scaled Logic Diagram in 8.2

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New Features in P6 8.3

� Visualizer

– Creates Gantt (bar) charts and Time-Scaled Logic Diagrams (TSLD)

– Rolling dates on filters and timescales

– Group and sort by hierarchical fields

– Import Activity Layouts (bar charts) from P6 Professional

– Show Line Numbers on the grid

– Rename Column Titles

– Save Grid Settings back to Options

Added in SP1 (July) and SP2 (January)

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Overview of P6 Visualizer

� Desktop application that installs automatically with P6 Pro.

� Directly connects to a P6 database (Pro or EPPM).

� Allows multiple activities on one line to reduce output pages.

� More color, shape and font control than P6 Layouts.

� Stores separate set of Layouts from P6 Pro (can import P6 Pro Layouts).

� Can share Visualizer Layouts from other users by importing.

� Uses P6 Admin Preferences and security.

Reporting tool that supports Gantt and Time Scaled Logic diagrams

Where to Get P6 DocumentationFor the most up-to-date versions of all manuals and technical documents related to installing, administering, and using P6 Professional, go to:http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E35157_01/index.htm.

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Overview of a “Linear Project”

� A Highway or a pipeline would be a “linear project” based on distance.

� A high-rise building could be linear based on height.

� Some activities occur at fixed locations (culverts, bridges…).

� Some activities start at one location and move to another (paving…).

� Schedule conflicts can occur between “moving” & “stationary” activities.

� Critical Path diagrams may require more detail to incorporate conflicts.

� The staggered “crew chase” of these projects may preclude “true CPM”

methodology or at least force “complicated compliance”.

Project scope incorporates distance (length or height)

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Simple Example ProjectBuild a section of highway with culverts

CL 0+00 6+001+00 2+00 3+00 4+00 5+001+60 3+205+10

600 lf of roadway

Curb both sides

3 culverts with 6 drainage structures

Landscape right of way

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Overview of a “Linear Graphic”

� Mobile activities: excavation, grading, stone base, curbing, paving

� Stationary activities: drainage structures and culverts.

� Stationary activities that are not completed on time will interrupt the flow

of mobile activities that have to pass through the same space.

� Most mobile activities overlap – commonly referred to as a “crew chase”.

� Overlap starts/finishes require SS/FF with lags, usually driven by the

finish of a predecessor – can force “negative lag”.

� A “Linear Graphic” can show conflicts without forcing too much detail.

Compares mobile to stationary activities

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Structuring to Support a Linear Graphic

� The timeline is already built into P6 graphics.

� Distance is just another way of organizing activities (Activity Code).

� Build a Gantt Chart using SS/FF with lag to position work activities.

� Use Start/Finish Milestones driven by mobile work activities to position

Start and Finish milestones for mobile activities.

� Use Activity codes to position milestones and stationary work activities in

the “Distance” axis of the matrix.

� Separate the milestones and stationary activities from the bar chart.

� Connect the Start and Finish milestones for each mobile activity.

Need to create a matrix of time and distance

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Structuring to Support a Linear GraphicSimple concept, if the mobile activity crosses the stationary – you

have a conflict.

Excavation from 0+00 to 6+00

Grading from Sta 0+00 to 6+00

Build drainage culvert @ Sta 1+60

Excavation could start at the same time as culvert work

Grading can not finish until at least one day after excavation is complete

Grading can start at least one day after excavation starts

Culvert needs to complete before the mobile activities pass through the space occupied by the stationary activity.

Variable to determine lag value is the estimated duration of the activities.

In this example, a FS with a negative lag could be a better way to determine when to start the successor…

A simple bar chart or time scaled logic diagram does not provide enough perspective on

possible conflicts.

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Sta 0+00

Structuring to Support a Linear GraphicUse milestones to identify start/finish points



Sta 1+00

Sta 2+00

Sta 3+00

Sta 4+00

Sta 5+00

Sta 6+00

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Activity CodesIdentify the Station

“Group” on “Distance” axis

where the milestone or

stationary activity occurs.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Calendar provides the time axis

Connect the Start/Finish

Milestones with a solid line to show where the mobile activity conflicts

with the stationary activity

17 18 19

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Structuring to Support a Linear GraphicUse the mobile activity “line” to quantify impact



Sta 0+00

Sta 1+00

Sta 2+00

Sta 3+00

Sta 4+00

Sta 5+00

Sta 6+00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Duration of

conflict

Estimate the conflict from

impact to finish

17 18 19

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Structuring to Support a Linear GraphicUse the mobile activity “line” to quantify impact



Sta 0+00

Sta 1+00

Sta 2+00

Sta 3+00

Sta 4+00

Sta 5+00

Sta 6+00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Delay the work activity to minimize conflicts

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerCreate a traditional project schedule in P6

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerCreate a Start and Finish milestone for each mobile activity

Extend the

Activity ID

with

decimals to

control Act

ID sort.

Focus on major

mobile activities

that occur in the

same timeframe

as stationary

activities.

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerAdd relationships, Station Codes and a shortened title

Station is a

Project

Activity

Code that

will control

grouping.

Short title is

used in

Visualizer to

allow

milestones

to place on

one line

wherever

possible.

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerGroup by Station and add a manual sort value using a UDF

A User

Defined

Field (Text)

is used to

manually

control how

activities

sort for your

layout.

Dummy

activities

needed to

force

Visualizer to

display

Group

In Visualizer

we will

display

these

milestones

on a single

line.

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerOpen Visualizer from P6 and the db connection is automatic

Open

Visualizer from

the Tools Menu

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerP6 Visualizer opens in a separate window

• P6 Visualizer can create Time Scaled Logic Diagrams and Gantt (Bar) Charts directly from the P6 database.

• No data is imported from P6 other than the option to import Bar chart layouts from P6.

• P6 Administration controls access to projects and data in Visualizer.

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerSelect one or more Projects, click “Next”…

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerCreate a new layout, click “Draw” or “Options”…

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerSet up Timescale tab first.

Add a

margin each

side by

changing #

of days

Change

calendar

display to

include

Days at

bottom of

page

Changed

calendar

font and

sight line to

weeks

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerBars and Labels to be displayed

Turned off

“Critical”

and

Summary

display

Change bar

label to

display top

center using

the “short

title” UDF

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerSet endpoints for milestones and bars

Changed

shape of the

Finish

Endpoint

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerDefine how to display relationships

While all

driving

relationships

are shown,

setting the

Thickness

of non-

critical to “0”

turns them

off!

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerGroup by Station Code

Changed

font and

color for

Group Band

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerUse the User Defined Sort field to control sorting

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerSimilar to P6 Layouts, you may have to try different settings

Using

Tabloid

(11x17) for a

larger

workspace

that can still

print in

landscape,

Letter size

Set to one

page wide to

automatically

scale to one

page

Minimize margins

to get a larger font

on a single page.

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerSet up Title block and footer

Insert and

center logo

Turned off

Legend

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with VisualizerSubtitle

Bars and key

milestones

provide an

overall

perspective.“Critical” display turned off

because it’s really not relevent

All

milestones

display on a

single line“Dummy”

activities

required to

force display

of Group

Calendar on bottom makes it easier to align days

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Creating a “Linear Graphic” with Visualizer

� Similar to P6 Print/Preview, change one setting to impact another setting

– It took several iterations to get everything on one page and milestones on a

single line.

� Little things such as a Start milestone on the first day of the project would

not display until the day before the Start was included in the display

– EF on a Start Milestone is the day before the Milestone starts…

� The last step is to “connect the milestones”

– I used PDF Annotator software to modify a PDF graphic and finish the

presentation.

Working with the various tabs requires experimentation

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Completing the graphic presentationSubtitle

Print to a

PDF to

complete the

graphic

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Using a white

solid fill and

lined box to

cover the

dummy

activities

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Using a solid,

thick, red line

to represent

the moving

activities

starting in Sta

0+00 and

ending at Sta

5+00

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Completing the graphic presentation

PDF Annotator

provides tools

to highlight and

add text for

more

communicative

graphics!

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After

returning to

P6 and

constraining

the start of

Excavation,

we run the

saved

Visualizer

Layout for an

updated

graphic.

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Use the same

steps and tools to

complete the

revised graphic in

PDF Annotator

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Final

presentation

graphic

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Summary

� One of the requirements of a schedulers job is to communicate complex

technical information in a manner that users of the information can easily

understand and make constructive use of…

� This is an example of using the tools we have readily available to us in a

creative manner to communicate more clearly.

� There are full function linear scheduling tools on the market

– Tilos: http://www.tilos.org/tilos_overview.html

– PCF LinearPlus: http://www.pcfltd.co.uk/products/linearplus/index.html

� This simple approach can be used to provide perspective between

limited groups of mobile and stationary activities.

This approach is not intended to replace full “Linear Scheduling”

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Questions

� Answers are based on our own experiences using the

various software products related to your questions.

All questions are gathered into a master sheet, answered and

distributed to all registrants as well as posted on our website.

Thank you for participating� Don McNatty – [email protected]

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