In many EPC projects, planning is treated as a schedule-generation exercise. In reality, most delays are not caused by the schedule itself, but by how the schedule is used during execution.

This article summarizes five practical lessons derived from real EPC and industrial projects executed across different regions.

1) The baseline is not a report — it is a contract

If the baseline exists only for client presentations, control is already lost. A reliable baseline must:

• Be fully aligned with contractual scope
• Reflect real engineering, procurement, and site constraints
• Be formally revised and approved when changes occur

If the baseline is not trusted, progress data becomes meaningless.

2) The critical path is not static

The critical path changes multiple times throughout a project. However, in many cases it is never re-analyzed after the first schedule release. This leads management to focus on the wrong priorities.

Best practice includes:

• Re-evaluating the critical path at every schedule update
• Integrating procurement and engineering logic with site realities

3) Recovery starts at the signal — not at the delay

Recovery plans are often discussed only after delays become visible. In well-controlled projects:

• Early warning indicators are clearly defined
• Scenario-based recovery options are prepared in advance
• Cost, risk, and contractual impacts are assessed together

Recovery is not a reaction — it is a prepared decision.

4) Planning is not a standalone discipline

Planning loses its value when disconnected from procurement, engineering, site, and finance. In successful projects, planning is:

• Managed under a PMO structure
• Driven by weekly cross-disciplinary routines
• Fed with verified, real execution data

The plan must become the common language of the project.

5) Reporting should enable decisions — not just visibility

More reports do not mean more control. Reports that do not lead to decisions have no value. Effective reporting is:

• Lean and focused
• Explicit about decision points
• Linked to responsibility and action

The objective is not reporting — it is decision-making.

Closing

Planning and recovery are not about software proficiency. They are about discipline, realism, and coordination. When set up correctly, projects are delivered not only on time, but under control.