Method
You can't plan what you don't know

You can't plan what you don't know

Those closest to the work have the context needed to plan it effectively. Empower them with both authority and information.

The further removed planning is from the realities of the site, the more it relies on assumptions rather than facts. Project teams have long recognised that the person closest to the work is best placed to plan it,yet our coordination methods don't always reflect this wisdom.

Frontline supervisors and trade foremen possess invaluable knowledge about productivity factors, logistical constraints, and coordination requirements that office-based schedulers simply cannot anticipate. Effective projects harness this knowledge rather than overriding it.

This principle isn't about abandoning high-level planning. Rather, it's about creating systems where detailed execution planning happens at the appropriate level, with the people who have the context to do it well. Frontline teams should help create and update the coordination plan as the project progresses. This way, the plan reflects reality rather than wishful thinking

1.1

Together, not apart

1.2

Give the frontline bandwidth, not busywork

1.3

Measure flow, not just criticality

1.4

You can't plan what you don't know

1.5

Rhythm is everything

1.6

Match methods to project characteristics

1.7

Simplicity beats sophistication

2.1

Set clear targets

2.2

Start simple

2.3

Embrace progressive planning horizons

2.4

Run a disciplined weekly cycle

3.1

Establish a daily coordination rhythm

3.2

Find and clear blockers

3.3

Intensify the rhythm as complexity increases

4.1

Capture delays, don't hide them

4.2

Capture issues when they happen