Percent Plan Complete (PPC) The Unglamorous Metric That Turns Projects From Okay to Great

Let's get something straight: in the high-stakes game of construction, your success requires more than just grit, steel, and sweat. It's about breaking down those ambitious plans and timelines into manageable tasks, and ensuring every piece of that plan is delivered. 

This is where Percent Plan Complete (PPC) comes in. This hidden yet highly effective metric might just be the solution you've long been needing. But what's the deal with PPC, and why should you, as a construction manager, give a damn? Let’s find out.

PPC: Your Project's Reality Check

PPC measures the percentage of planned tasks that are completed within a set timeframe against the commitments made. How many of your tasks hit the mark this week? Think of it as the brutally honest friend who tells you how it is, not how you wish it to be. This isn’t just a number, it's the pulse of your project's health, offering an unfiltered view of your project team’s ability to walk the talk week by week.

Predictability, Accountability, Certainty: The Holy Trinity

Why obsess over PPC? Because it's key to predictability, accountability, and planning certainty in your projects. Imagine sitting down with your trades to plan the coming week, confidently setting 10 tasks for completion, only to discover by week's end that just 6 were actually delivered. This isn't just a missed target, it shakes the foundation of trust and predictability for everyone involved. Tracking PPC allows you to pinpoint where things slipped – was it underperformance or over-commitment? 

By holding teams accountable and refining next week's plan, you engage in a cycle of measuring, analyzing, and optimizing, leading to a more predictable project timeline. High PPC scores are signs of a project that operates predictably, reducing the need for excessive buffers and creating tighter plans in a trust-enhanced environment where everyone wins.

Consistent Measurement: The Beat Of Progress

At the heart of PPC lies its relentless pursuit of truth through consistent measurement. It’s not just about laying the groundwork but ensuring that every week on-site is a step toward your project's success. With today’s technology, advanced tools offer a clear view into every project corner, ensuring PPC isn’t just tracked but becomes a lever for real change. This isn’t about collecting badges, it’s about finding ways to improve and pushing your project from good to great.

The Battle Of Implementation

But mastering PPC isn't straightforward. The Lean Construction Institute points to a 54% average PPC rate across projects. If for every two commitments made, only one crosses the finish line, it’s clear that simply tracking PPC isn’t enough. The real challenge lies not just in tracking but in making those numbers work for you. The solution? Precise, accessible data that allows you to dive into the gaps and collaboratively find the most effective ways to address them, ensuring everyone is on board.

PPC: A Key Metric In The PDCM Arsenal

Rooted in the Lean Construction toolbox, PPC stands as a testament to the power of performance awareness. Within the Performance-Driven Construction Management (PDCM) framework, PPC plays a pivotal role, complementing a broader strategy and tools to measure and optimize every aspect of a project. This approach doesn't just utilize PPC, it integrates it within a dynamic ecosystem of metrics designed for superior results. 

The NCC Breakthrough

One such company that capitalized on this shift is NCC. This Nordic construction leader turned theory into practice by harnessing Buildots to advance toward a more efficient Performance-Driven Construction Management (PDCM) model. When compared with past projects' performances, NCC reported a whopping 2.3X boost in PPC, from a baseline of 30% to almost 70%, underscoring the tangible benefits of integrating performance-driven tools into their workflow.

PPC can play a pivotal role in the complex machinery of construction management – it is powerful and transformative. Embrace it, and you embrace a future where projects are not just navigated through fog but steered with clear visibility, ensuring every step is deliberate, and your path to success is confidently charted.

Explore our latest whitepaper to dive into the nuts and bolts of PPC and see how the pros are changing the game with it.

Ariel Sternfine

Ariel is a tech pioneer who is passionate about revolutionizing the construction industry. With a wealth of experience in the tech world, he's on a mission to harness the power of technology to supercharge construction projects.