Determining the timing of project control points using a facility location model and simulation

Projects are usually performed in relatively unstable environments. As such, changes to the baseline schedules of projects are inevitable. Therefore, project progress needs to be monitored and controlled. The control process can be assumed as a continuum in which one side is continuous control and the other side is no-control. Continuous control and no-control strategies are cost-wise prohibited. Hence, project progress should be controlled at some discrete points in time during the project׳s duration. The optimal number and timing of control points are the main issues that should be addressed. In this paper, taking a dynamic view to the project control, for the first time we use an adapted version of the facility location model (FLM) to find the optimal timing of project control points. Initially, the adapted FLM determines the optimum timing of the control points in the project׳s duration. A simulation model is then used to predict the possible disruptions in the time period between the beginning of the project and the first control point (monitoring phase). If no disruptions are observed, the project׳s progress is monitored in the second control point, otherwise possible corrective actions are taken using an activity compression model. Whenever due to disruptions, the baseline schedule is to be updated, the FLM is run again to determine the new timing of the control points for the rest of the project׳s duration. In an iterative manner, this process continues until the timing of the last control point is determined.

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