It is important to take the proper schedule approach prior to start of work as there are many constraints to consider that can and will impact the work activities.  Schedules are not perfect nor are they exact.  They will always be living, breathing documents that get updated and modified throughout the life of a project.  Requirements should be clearly identified and developed by experts to ensure that they are achievable, useful, and appropriate software is being utilized. 

Schedules should be used as a plan to keep all stakeholders marching in the same direction rather than having everyone take their own paths which results in chaos.  If properly developed with input from all stakeholders, updated with input from all stakeholders, change management implementation, and inclusion of appropriate notes, schedules can be a valuable tool for all parties to use to document critical events and changes and can be useful to impose or be relieved of damages.

Learning objectives:

• Determine your level of expertise of the scheduling process.
• Learn what software is available and is most user friendly.
• Learn the dos and don’ts of project scheduling.
• Learn the proper approach for sequencing, logistics and activity development at the infancy of a project.
• What the most useful and effective tools are for use by trades.
• Learn basic network diagraming to understand how software logic works.
• Gain a better understanding of how to structure schedules.
• General development of schedule activities and logic.
• Learn what pull panning is.

 

Speakers

Michael J. Berry LEED AP, CHC, PMP

Senior Project Manager

Mike brings 29 years of construction industry experience across roles including cost control, project engineer, estimating, assistant project manager, project manager, senior project manager, and project executive. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering Technology from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and earned his PMP credential in December 2020. His project experience spans higher education, healthcare, food processing, pulp and paper, wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical processing, aviation, and K-12 education.

As a Certified Healthcare Constructor through the American Hospital Association, Mike has a passion for healthcare construction, the unique challenges it presents and the rewarding results. Mike currently serves as a senior project manager on construction management and general construction projects, leading teams and mentoring emerging project managers. Over his career, he has developed strong project scheduling expertise and a passion for helping others build, manage, and maintain accurate schedules to support successful project delivery.

 

 

Joel Johnson, PMP

Joel brings 10 years of construction industry experience spanning both field and office roles to his work at the intersection of project management and data. He began his career in the field as a sprinkler fitter before moving into preconstruction and schedule development, building expertise in CPM scheduling, delay analysis, and trade coordination on complex commercial projects. Today, Joel leads data and automation initiatives at LeChase, from ETL architecture to Power BI, Power Apps, and AI-enabled tooling, supporting preconstruction, safety, financial, and scheduling functions across the organization.

His focus has shifted toward internal transformation: leading software implementations and process change initiatives that modernize how project teams work. Joel holds a B.S. in Project Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He also brings a background in emergency planning and disaster response, along with prior military service in the U.S. Army Reserve, including an overseas deployment, experience that shapes his approach to risk, adaptability, and leading under pressure.