Many project delays are visible before work begins if someone asks the right readiness questions.
What this topic is trying to solve
Use a pre-start review to find missing approvals, dependencies and resources. The useful question is usually not whether one number looks high or low, but what created it, how variable it is, and which part can actually be changed.
A practical approach
- Check scope and acceptance criteria.. Treat this as a visible planning assumption and update it when current evidence shows the assumption is no longer representative.
- Confirm dependencies and approvals.. Treat this as a visible planning assumption and update it when current evidence shows the assumption is no longer representative.
- Verify people/materials/access.. Treat this as a visible planning assumption and update it when current evidence shows the assumption is no longer representative.
- Record blockers with owners.. Treat this as a visible planning assumption and update it when current evidence shows the assumption is no longer representative.
Inputs worth checking
- The exact scope included.
- The time period and unit of measure.
- Known constraints such as contracts, suppliers, access windows or local requirements.
- Recent actual data that can be compared with the planning assumption.
- Whether a peak, exception or one-time event is distorting the average.
Common ways plans go wrong
- Using an average while ignoring predictable peaks.
- Double-counting a buffer, allowance or cost.
- Comparing options with different scope or service levels.
- Treating a maximum or best case as normal performance.
- Leaving an old policy unchanged after operations change.
Review the result
Compare the plan with actual outcomes after a representative period. Investigate material differences, then improve the next estimate rather than forcing reality to match the original one.
Where generic guidance stops
These checklists are generic organizing aids, not authoritative procedures. Add the permits, codes, accessibility requirements, workplace rules, contracts, manufacturer instructions, qualified trades, privacy/security controls and professional approvals that apply to the actual project. Safety-critical work should use the applicable approved procedure, not a generic checklist.