MAKE READY · CONSTRAINTS

Constraint management: make work ready

Learn how construction teams can identify blockers early, assign ownership and release work before crews reach the workfront.

4 min read · browser narration

A constraint is anything that prevents planned work from being executed.

Construction teams often recognise constraints only when a crew is already waiting. By that point the cost is visible: lost productivity, resequencing, overtime, disrupted handovers and pressure on the milestone.

Make-ready planning moves that conversation earlier.

Ask what must be true before the task can start

For every upcoming activity, test the conditions required for execution. Depending on the work, these may include:

Approved design information
Materials and equipment available
Area access and predecessor completion
Permits, inspections or approvals
Labour and specialist resources
Temporary works, lifting or logistics

A useful constraint needs ownership and a required date

“Material missing” is an observation. “Cable tray delivery — procurement owner — required by 12 October to protect installation start” is a controllable constraint.

Every important constraint should answer four questions: what is blocked, who owns the release, when is it required, and what happens if it is late?

Do not overload the near-term plan with blocked work

A healthy look-ahead process separates work that is scheduled from work that is genuinely ready. The objective is to increase the amount of executable work available to the field while reducing last-minute surprises.

Use ageing and repetition as management signals

Constraints that remain open for a long time, or the same type of blocker appearing repeatedly, deserve escalation. This turns the constraint register from a list into an early-warning system.

Try it on your project

Take the next two weeks of scheduled work and review every activity with the responsible team. Identify one condition that could stop each activity. Assign an owner and required release date. Revisit the list daily until the work is genuinely ready.