Most Important Questions and Answers For Planning Engineer | Project Planning | Part-1

Here, I have compiled most of the question were asked to me. Of course, I am not going to list here the irrelevant irritating ones that some HR still ask for no reason.

These questions are mainly for a Construction planner and Primavera P6 & MS user. Answers are as per my best knowledge, and your opinion may differ although I took help from different resources later on while writing this article.

Interview Questions for a Planning Engineer contain versatility of information regarding all the project management fields.

The planning engineer is one of the most critical people in any project. All the project related information is on his/her fingertips all the time, and you call it the right hand of any project manager alongside a project engineer.

Let’s see what kind of questions a planning engineer have to face in an interview.

Question-1: What is a Base Project Schedule?

Answer: A baseline is an approved program by both parties which is used as a benchmark to measure the progress of a project.

Question-2: What is the Main Driver of a Project and how you will get it?

Answer: The main driver consists of the significant activities that are driving the project at the critical path. To get it just go to last activity and check its driving activity, then go to that driving activity and mark its driving also, same goes until you reach the first activity. This is typically done through scheduling software like Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, etc.

Question-3: How many baselines are allowed in any project and which baseline decides the success or failure of the project?

Answer: A project must have a minimum one project baseline & that number can go to unlimited. But if you find a number of baselines that means the planning team is quite inefficient – Avoid it! The latest baseline defines the success or failure of any project.

Question-4: What are the Key Performance Indicators – KPI’s?

Answer: A KPI is type performance measurement on a particular activity where engaged. KPI’s are defined by keeping a factor “What matters the most”. A careful study and analysis are required to define because it differs from organization to organization like a critical KPI for you may not be of any interest of other same type organization. It is really a diverse area. Examples Rubber lining, Concrete Work, Machine Failures in a Specific Duration, Plantation, Number of hiring/firings, Training, etc. etc.

Question-5: What you normally need to develop a plan?

Answer: I need the Contract documents to understand the scope, the schedule drawings to know about areas, Bill of Quantity-BOQ including cost, scheduling software access. Yes, I need to meet my project team to know about a little productivity rate if I don’t know in case of any specific activity.

Question-6: How do you define a critical path?

Answer: The longest path & the minimum time required to complete a project. A

combination of activities with the total float as zero are included all.

Question-7: How much duration a milestone activity normally has?

Answer: Well, there are different types of milestones are there like start milestone, finish milestone, etc. but all have ZERO duration.

Question-8: What is the difference between Free Float & Total Float?

Answer: Free Float – the amount of time we can delay an activity without affecting the early start date of its successor activity. Total Float – the amount of time we can delay an activity from its early start date without delaying the whole project finish.

The free float may affect the start of any activity but total float may affect the duration of the overall project.

Question-9: What is the difference between Change order & Variation order

Request?

Answer: Technically there is no such difference. Change order or Variation request is a change in scope from the contract but as per contract. If you are much curious which term should be used the better refer your contract documents. Personally, I have heard

the term Variation Order but never seen any documentation for. Everywhere they write a

Change Order Request.

Question-10: How to measure the progress of a project?

Answer: Normally there are three ways to measure the progress 1)-Man-hours, 2)-Cost &

3)-Quantity

My preferred method is through Man-hours as It is more logical but I have to comply as per contractual obligations as most of the companies prefer through Cost.

By the way, sometimes we have to use all three methods on a single project to get more intensive project updated status.