PS Exam Preparation

Comprehensive preparation for the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam. 5 modules covering all 5 exam domains with 50 in-depth topics.

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Lesson 1

Project Planning & Management

Learning Objectives

After completing this topic, you should be able to:

Develop a comprehensive project plan for surveying engagements
Apply project management methodologies to survey projects
Create and manage project schedules using standard techniques
Identify project deliverables and milestones
Allocate resources effectively across concurrent projects
Recognize common causes of project failure and apply preventive measures

Overview

Project planning is the foundation of every successful surveying engagement. Before any field crew mobilizes, the project manager must define the scope, estimate resources, establish a schedule, and identify risks. Poor planning leads to cost overruns, missed deadlines, dissatisfied clients, and potential liability exposure.

The PS exam tests your ability to apply structured project management principles to real surveying scenarios -- not abstract management theory, but the practical decisions that determine whether a project succeeds or fails.

Key Concepts

Figure PS.4.1 — Survey Project Life Cycle

The Project Life Cycle

Every survey project follows a predictable life cycle, regardless of size or complexity:

Phase	Activities	Key Outputs
Initiation	Client contact, site reconnaissance, scope discussion	Proposal, contract
Planning	Research, scheduling, resource allocation, risk assessment	Project plan, schedule
Execution	Field operations, data collection, office computations	Raw data, field notes
Delivery	Map preparation, report writing, QA/QC review	Final deliverables
Closeout	Client review, file archiving, lessons learned	Archived project file

Scope Definition

Scope definition is arguably the most important step in project planning. An ambiguous scope leads to disputes, scope creep, and unprofitable projects.

Elements of a Well-Defined Scope:

Geographic extent -- The specific property or area to be surveyed, identified by legal description, address, or coordinates
Survey type -- Boundary, topographic, ALTA/NSPS, construction layout, control, or other
Standards -- Which standards apply (state minimum standards, ALTA/NSPS, local ordinances)
Deliverables -- Maps, plats, reports, digital files, staking, monuments
Exclusions -- Work explicitly not included (environmental assessment, title search, utility locating)
Assumptions -- Conditions assumed to be true (access available, monuments in place, clear weather)

Defining Deliverables

Deliverables must be specific enough that both parties can agree on whether they have been provided:

Vague Deliverable	Specific Deliverable
"A survey"	"Boundary survey plat showing all found and set monuments, bearing and distance of all boundary lines, basis of bearings, area, and adjoining owner information"
"Topo map"	"Topographic survey at 1-foot contour interval, showing all visible improvements, utilities, and vegetation within the property limits, delivered as AutoCAD .dwg file"
"Staking"	"Offset stakes at 50-foot intervals along proposed centerline with cut/fill to finish grade, plus all horizontal and vertical curve points"

Project Scheduling

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Figure PS.4.9 — Work Breakdown Structure for a boundary survey

A Work Breakdown Structure decomposes the project into manageable tasks. For a typical boundary survey:

Level 1: Boundary Survey Project

Level 2 tasks:

Research and preparation
Field survey
Office computations
Map preparation
QA/QC review
Client delivery

Level 3 tasks (under Field Survey):

Mobilization and site access
Control establishment
Monument search and recovery
Boundary evidence collection
Topographic data (if included)
Demobilization

Scheduling Methods

Critical Path Method (CPM)

CPM identifies the longest sequence of dependent tasks, which determines the minimum project duration. Any delay on the critical path delays the entire project.

For a boundary survey, the critical path typically runs: Research --> Field Survey --> Computations --> Map Preparation --> Review --> Delivery

Tasks that can proceed in parallel (such as title research while field equipment is being prepared) are not on the critical path and have "float" -- they can be delayed without affecting the project completion date.

Gantt Charts

Gantt charts display tasks as horizontal bars on a timeline. They are the most common scheduling tool in surveying practice because they are intuitive and easy to update.

Key elements of an effective Gantt chart:

Task names and durations
Dependencies between tasks
Milestones (contract execution, field complete, delivery date)
Resource assignments
Progress indicators

Estimating Task Durations

Duration estimates should be based on historical data whenever possible. Common factors affecting survey task durations:

Factor	Impact on Duration
Terrain	Steep, heavily vegetated, or urban sites take longer
Access	Remote sites require mobilization time; restricted access limits work windows
Density	More points, more monuments, more detail means more time
Weather	Seasonal conditions may limit productive field days
Complexity	Conflicting records, disputed boundaries, and unusual geometries add research and analysis time
Crew experience	Less experienced crews need more time and supervision

Resource Allocation

Personnel

Survey projects require different skill sets at different phases:

Phase	Personnel Needed
Research	Project surveyor, research technician
Field	Party chief, instrument operator, rod person(s)
Computations	Project surveyor, CAD technician
Map preparation	CAD technician, drafting specialist
QA/QC	Senior surveyor or peer reviewer
Delivery	Project surveyor, licensed surveyor (for seal)

When managing multiple concurrent projects, the project manager must balance personnel across projects to avoid bottlenecks. The licensed surveyor responsible for sealing work products is often the most constrained resource.

Equipment

Equipment allocation requires advance planning:

Total stations and GNSS receivers -- Schedule shared equipment across crews
Specialty equipment -- Laser scanners, hydrographic sonar, UAVs may need advance booking
Vehicles -- Fleet management for field crews
Software licenses -- Some software is seat-limited

Budget vs. Schedule Trade-offs

Project managers frequently face trade-offs between cost and schedule:

Approach	Cost Impact	Schedule Impact
Add a second field crew	Higher labor cost	Faster field completion
Overtime	Premium pay rates	Moderate acceleration
Reduce scope	Lower cost	Shorter schedule
Accept delay	No additional cost	Longer schedule

The right choice depends on contract terms, client needs, and firm capacity.

Project Monitoring and Control

Progress Tracking

Effective project managers track progress against the plan:

Percent complete by task and overall
Budget consumed vs. budget remaining
Schedule variance -- ahead or behind plan
Scope changes -- documented and approved

Earned Value Management

Earned Value Management (EVM) integrates scope, schedule, and cost data:

Metric	Formula	Meaning
Planned Value (PV)	Budgeted cost of work scheduled	What you planned to spend by now
Earned Value (EV)	Budgeted cost of work performed	Value of work actually completed
Actual Cost (AC)	Actual cost of work performed	What you actually spent
Cost Variance (CV)	EV - AC	Positive = under budget
Schedule Variance (SV)	EV - PV	Positive = ahead of schedule
Cost Performance Index (CPI)	EV / AC	Greater than 1.0 = under budget
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)	EV / PV	Greater than 1.0 = ahead of schedule

While full EVM is more common on large public projects, the underlying concepts apply to any surveying engagement.

Change Management

Scope changes are inevitable. A disciplined change management process includes:

Identify the change and its cause
Document the change request in writing
Assess the impact on scope, schedule, and budget
Approve (or reject) the change with client authorization
Implement the change
Update the project plan, schedule, and budget

Undocumented scope changes are a leading cause of unprofitable projects and client disputes.

Common wrong path — "scope creep is inevitable, just absorb it." When a client asks for "one more thing" during a project, it's tempting to accept the task without formal change management, especially for small additions from good clients. This is the primary path to unprofitable projects and fee disputes. Every added task takes time, and "small" additions accumulate — five "quick" add-ons may total 30 hours of uncompensated labor. The right response to every scope change, regardless of size, is: acknowledge, document in writing, assess impact, get written authorization (or rejection), then proceed. Documenting a fifteen-minute phone-call request takes five minutes; not documenting it can cost thousands in disputes months later. Exam questions test this by presenting a client request that seems minor — the correct answer is always to document and obtain authorization, not "just do it" to keep the client happy. Scope creep is not inevitable; failure to manage it is inevitable if you don't have a process.

Quick retrieval check — try before reading on.

▶During an ALTA survey, the client calls and asks you to "also locate that retaining wall along the south property line while you're out there" — it's about 300 ft long and not part of the original Table A requests. The field crew has not yet demobilized. What is your immediate response, and what must you do to address this properly?

Do not just add it to the field work. Respond with: "Sure, I can add that — let me prepare a brief change-order email confirming the additional scope, the estimated fee, and the impact on delivery date. Once you approve it in writing, we'll proceed."

Why: even a seemingly small addition (300 ft of retaining wall location) has real costs — additional field time, additional office time to depict it, potential need for additional Table A item documentation, and increased deliverable complexity. Absorbing the work without authorization violates your change management process and exposes you to (a) reduced profit on the project, (b) fee disputes at invoicing time if the client doesn't remember authorizing it, (c) ALTA certification issues if the added feature requires a Table A item that was not in scope. Document, price, obtain written authorization, then proceed. This takes 10 minutes of email work and saves hours of disputes later.

Common Causes of Project Failure

Planning Failures

Inadequate research -- Discovering conflicting records mid-project
Unrealistic schedule -- Promising delivery dates without considering constraints
Poor scope definition -- Client expectations exceed what was agreed
Insufficient site reconnaissance -- Unexpected field conditions

Execution Failures

Resource conflicts -- Key personnel pulled to other projects
Equipment failure -- No backup plan for critical equipment
Weather delays -- No contingency in the schedule
Communication breakdown -- Field crew and office not coordinated

Delivery Failures

Inadequate QA/QC -- Errors discovered after delivery
Missing client expectations -- Deliverables do not match client needs
Late delivery -- Missed deadlines damage client relationships

Project Documentation

The Project File

A complete project file should contain:

Category	Contents
Administrative	Contract, correspondence, invoices, change orders
Research	Title reports, recorded documents, prior surveys
Field	Field notes, raw data, photographs, control data
Computations	Adjustment reports, coordinate files, calculation sheets
Deliverables	Final maps, reports, legal descriptions
QA/QC	Review checklists, correction logs

Retention Requirements

Project files must be retained according to:

State board requirements (varies by jurisdiction)
Statute of limitations for professional liability
Client contract requirements
Firm policy (often 10-15 years minimum)

Exam Tips

The PS exam frequently presents scenarios where you must identify the next logical step in a project sequence -- know the project life cycle phases
Questions about scheduling often test whether you understand task dependencies and critical path concepts
Scope definition questions test whether you can distinguish between complete and incomplete scope statements
Resource allocation questions may present competing priorities across multiple projects
Change management questions test whether you follow proper documentation and approval procedures