HDR Candidate in Profile – Zeed K Alaiwi

One of the major phases of the construction process is the planning and scheduling. It is also regarded as a key critical success factor in construction projects. It has a direct impact on the production process and interrelated with the entire project from initialization to its completion. A number of factors influence the planning and scheduling practice in construction. Sorts of scheduling is needed to be addressed in order to improve the construction planning and scheduling aspects such
as technology, methodology, organizational, human, complexity, uncertainty and information-handling.
The objective of the proposed research is to select the determinants and influential factors in the planning and scheduling process of construction and propose a novel model. The research will also validate the suggested model with data from the experts from a diverse pool within and outside the Middle East construction sectors. The research aims at examining the relative importance of each factor influencing the planning process within UAE context and how these factors affect the planning process and its relationship along with. Further, this research aims to identify how the planning process can be improved.
This research is descriptive and qualitative in nature. The research will be conducted using a qualitative methodology. A pilot study will be carried out to validate the proposed model, while the data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with field expert individuals (planners, project managers and researchers). The field expert individuals selected for this study are those who have ten years of experience or more. In addition, multiple case studies will be undertaken to develop a comprehensive and holistic model to optimize the planning process in construction and to assist in bridging the gap between scheduling theory and practice. The research includes case studies on construction companies and projects from the United Arab Emirates.
The research will identify the most influential factors involved in the planning and scheduling process, their effect on the process and the significance of these factors. Therefore, it will propose a model that will help improve the planning process.