Most contractors prefer to use the linked bar chart format for
their contract programs and gave reasons for this preference (over
conventional CPM networks) as the format being relatively easy to
prepare, use, maintain and more importantly, having the ability to
show the critical path as well. Interestingly, the basis for using this
format has nothing to do with the project contract, with some contractors
openly admitting that using the linked bar chart format is a
company culture. This format has no major limitations but its easyto-
read appearance feature could suffer when employed to program
projects with complex activity relationships. Baseline programs are
developed using computer software packages, and the most popular
planning software in use are CS Project (Crest Software, U.K.) and
Power Project (Asta Development plc U.K.), followed by MS
Project (Microsoft Corporation U.S.) and then Asta Teamplan
(Asta Development plc U.K.) as the least popular. With the exception
of MS Project, there are no major issues of concern reported in
the literature regarding the use of these software packages for delay
analysis. MS Project is relatively less expensive and easy to use, but
it is difficult to use it to perform forensic delay analysis, except for
simpler cases. Although this software is not the most popular, its
use contributes (probably to a low extent) to the reasons behind the
low rate of use of sophisticated delay analysis techniques, such as
the Time Impact Analysis, in the United Kingdom. The Primavera
(Oracle Corporation U.S.) software package is not commonly used
in the United Kingdom because of its high purchase cost, long
setup time, and high skills required, although this software is very
popular in the United States and recognized also as being very versatile
for both project planning and delay analysis. The suitability
of any programming format employed for a project depends much
on factors such as project complexity, cost, time available, etc. It
would be useful for employers to thus specify in their contracts the
best format and software package the contractor should use for programming
the works, or they should at least check to ensure that
whatever format or software being used is appropriate for the
project at hand.