Imagine this: you’re managing a complex project with hundreds of activities and a constantly shifting workforce. A single unowned task can bring everything to a grinding halt. You spend countless hours trying to figure out who’s responsible for what, leading to delays, miscommunications, and escalating costs.
What if there was a better way?
Introducing a more innovative approach to construction project planning and scheduling that cuts through the complexity and brings unparalleled clarity and control to your operations. We call it Trade-First Scheduling.
Why “Trade-First” Changes Everything for Your Projects?
This innovative method empowers you to assign tasks directly to trades, like Electrical, Plumbing, or Carpentry, instead of individual people. This seemingly simple shift unlocks a cascade of benefits that transform how you manage projects:
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Eliminate “Unowned Task” Headaches
Automatically link tasks to the right group of experts. No more guessing who’s responsible. Every task has clear accountability, even when personnel change.
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Reduce Planning Time
Instead of sifting through endless lists of names, you can schedule a 2,000-task project in minutes by assigning directly to trades. This frees your planners to focus on strategy, not data entry.
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Empower Your Site Teams
Site personnel can instantly identify who to call for any trade-specific issue, fostering seamless communication and faster problem-solving.
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Spot Bottlenecks Before They Occur
Gain unprecedented visibility into your project’s health. With focused reports aggregated by trade, executives can quickly pinpoint lagging areas and take proactive action to prevent minor delays from snowballing into major crises.
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Effortless Team Transitions
When a key person departs, updating their responsibilities is no longer a nightmare. Simply update the default contact for that trade once, and all outstanding tasks automatically follow the new lead. This maintains continuity and minimises disruption.
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Boost Accountability & Control
Even with rotating crews, default trade contacts lock in ownership, ensuring consistent progress and maintaining a clear chain of command throughout the project lifecycle.
How does this transform your Workflow?
Think of it as setting up your project’s command centre:
- Define Your Trades: Clearly establish your core trades.
- Assign Default Contacts: Link a primary contact or team lead to each trade. This person becomes the default responsible party for all tasks assigned to that trade.
- Schedule by Trade: As you plan your project, simply assign tasks to the relevant trade. The system automatically tags the designated contact, bringing immediate clarity.
- Monitor & Optimise: Utilise intuitive dashboards that aggregate progress, risk, and safety data by trade. This gives you a high-level view to identify trends, celebrate successes, and address challenges efficiently.
Who Benefits?
- Project Planners: Spend less time on administrative tasks, more on strategic scheduling.
- Site Managers: Gain instant clarity on task ownership and streamline communication.
- Project Executives/Owners: Make data-driven decisions based on high-level trade performance, ensuring projects stay on track and within budget.
Stop managing individuals and start orchestrating teams. Embrace Trade-First Scheduling and experience a new level of efficiency, control, and success in your projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Trade-First Scheduling?
Trade-First Scheduling is a planning method where tasks are assigned to a trade instead of individual users. VisiLean then automatically tags the right team member responsible based on pre-set roles, reducing scheduling effort and improving clarity on ownership.
2. How is this different from assigning tasks to individuals?
Unlike traditional planning, where each task must be manually assigned to a specific person, Trade-First Scheduling links tasks to trade categories. This allows more flexibility—especially when crews rotate or change—while still ensuring every task has a clear owner.
3. Who gets notified when a task is assigned to a trade?
Each trade is linked to a default contact or team lead in VisiLean. When a task is assigned to a trade, the system automatically tags that person, ensuring they are notified and accountable. You can update this contact anytime.
4. Can we still assign tasks to individuals if needed?
Yes. Trade-First Scheduling does not replace individual assignments entirely—it adds flexibility. You can override default contacts or directly assign specific users when needed.
5. What happens when the default contact for a trade changes?
Simply update the contact person for that trade in the system. All upcoming and existing unstarted tasks linked to that trade will automatically reflect the change—no manual reassignment required.
