THE ROLE OF MICROSOFT PROJECT PLANNER IN ENHANCING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT SCHEDULE PERFORMANCE: RESEARCH AGENDA

Abstract

This paper presents the methodology used to develop a generic procedural framework for evaluating the effectiveness of construction project schedules, focusing on the impact of start date constraints within Microsoft Project. Literature reveals a gap in user guidance on selecting start date options when scheduling project activities, with most users opting for the "as soon as possible" (ASAP) setting, while fewer choose the "as late as possible" (ALAP) approach. The practicality and effectiveness of these choices remain uncertain. To investigate, two hypotheses were formulated to assess the relationship between start time constraint options and variances in activity start and finish times. A pilot survey was conducted, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to test the hypotheses. Results indicate an F-calculated value of 0.86, which is less than the critical F-values at both 1% (5.14) and 5% (10.9) significance levels. Consequently, the null hypotheses were rejected, confirming a significant relationship between the choice of start time constraint and activity start variance. Specifically, schedules employing the ALAP constraint exhibited reduced variability in activity start times, implying higher reliability and predictability in project execution. This finding suggests that adopting the ALAP scheduling option may improve schedule stability and accuracy. The study’s framework offers a structured approach for project managers and schedulers to evaluate scheduling effectiveness and make informed decisions in project planning using Microsoft Project.