I am involved in a RM400 million project and the contractor's work program is relatively small and constrained to 3,000 activities. The most important thing about the task would be the importance it render in hold points which is closely related to Inspection and Test Plan. The precedence of activities will highlight the anticipation of all related parties where defaulted party or parties can be hold accountable for delays.

There is no point in some of work program I saw where 24 recurrence activities just for Site Meeting. Will a delay for site meeting substantiate your claim for delay? I will only ensure what are primarily spelled as contractual defaults are captured as activities.

Aside from tasks of such importance, the money and resources which are critical which need to be prorate accordingly or backloaded as it is practice to be captured in work program. So these are keys to a good work program.

RM5 million or RM50 million project, the devil is in the detail. Apart from that, it portray how bad the client want their life to be miserable throughout the contract period. If they want to track bolt and nut, then a work program can reach level 7 or 8. But there comes to a point where substantial tasks are controlled by measuring sheet. At the end of the day a task with resources like 0.05 iron monger and 0.01 carpenter since it is fast job such as installing door knob, it is stupid. it renders the stupidity of the client first, then the contractor. Another example is the recurrence of P&G items which have no significance on monthly or prorate basis. A site meeting expenses tendered for RM20,000 for a period of 20 months and RM 1,000 a month. Will RM 33.33 per day affect you on the 14th day when you are reporting fortnightly?

The discussion on technicality of a work program is good but after doing it for many years, you will try to include tactical approach for contractual benefit. If you are doing the work program in a waterfall manner, it would be more alarming than the amount of tasks.