The Sequence of Work when doing building work means whatever needs to happen next in logical order of progressing the work. The idea of this sequence of work can be thought about at different levels or scopes, for examples:

• An overall project scope – what need to happen at different phases of the project or a day-by-day overview of the project
• A trade-specific scope – concreters can view their part of the build process in a logical sequence: footings, subgrade, formwork, slab prep, pour and finish, formwork strip, vertical structures, Return To Base, surrounds etc.
• A daily scope – workers can break down their day into a logical sequence of work stages for the day: heights & set out, excavation, steel, pour footing
• A Work Stage scope: Each stage of work can be broken into a logical sequence:
  • Excavation: Pad cut, Beams/trenches dig, subgrade rough-in, site clean up
  • Formwork: Unload & lay out, set to line, set to height, brace
  • etc.
• A task specific scope: Each specific part of a Work Stage (like Excavation and Formwork exampled above) can be broken down into distinct, simple tasks. The formwork example above could be broken down like this:
  • Unload & layout
    • Take formwork timbers from truck and lay them where needed
    • Lay out cleats to join formwork boards where needed
    • Lay out appropriate sized pickets, ~1.0m apart along the formwork boards ensuring a picket is placed behind each cleat
  • Set to Line
    • When the supervisor has set form lines, setting of form boards can commence. Hit pickets in to hold the formwork in line with the string line, or slightly (1-3mm) outside of line. Aim to make the picket and formwork as plumb as possible.
  • Set to Height
    • Use a laser level to set the top (or bottom if required) of the formwork to the required height according to plan.
    • Fix the formwork to height with screws through holes in the pickets.
  • Brace
    • Hit in brace pickets on angle to hold formwork where required (~1.5m apart)
    • Fix the formwork to the brace picket with a screw through the hole in the picket.

Notice how the scope goes from a very broad or general way of understanding the project, in an ever increasing, more specific, micromanaged way of understanding the project/work involved. As the level of detail increases, each step might be delegated to individual workers to create a chain of workers accomplishing a task as efficiently as possible.

Understanding the Sequence of Work allows workers to identify the next link in the chain of work and be ready to perform that.