Our History

Our System Has Evolved – Our Core Principles Remain the Same

The origin of Draper & Associates began in the late 1960’s when, after working in the aeronautics industry, Gary Draper returned to his alma mater (Georgia Institute of Technology) to teach Project Management.

In 1968, during one of the seminars, Mr. Draper was approached by an attendee and asked to provide project management services for the JC Penny’s Catalog Center in Atlanta, Georgia.  The initial firm Systems Project Management (SPM) was founded and Gary Draper began developing the Draper System for managing projects which continues to be the foundation for the professional services we provide today.

Gary Draper formed SPM to assist general contractors in developing Overall Project Schedules (OPS) that were required as a contract deliverable on large construction projects.  Specifications often required these schedules to be prepared as a Critical Path Method (CPM) computer-based schedule.  Mr. Draper identified two key challenges with how scheduling was being conducted within the industry:

  1. Once the OPS was presented to the owner, these schedules were quickly forgotten and not utilized as a project management tool.
  2. The typical OPS format for a construction project involved pages and pages of data which was difficult to understand and communicate.

Georgia Tech Athletic Association Center – 1980

Fortunately, Gary Draper knew there was a real need to position the OPS as the core project management tool, not simply as a required submittal. In addition, he believed that the OPS should be augmented by a system of regular monitoring and progress updating. Mr. Draper developed an OPS that is presented in a Time Scaled Network Logic Diagram format that allowed all project participants to easily understand how the project was to be delivered. This was the beginning of the Draper System for project planning and scheduling.

Shallowford Hospital Expansion – 1976

In 1976, SPM was dissolved and a new firm, DDR International, was founded. During the 8 years of its existence, DDR was responsible for scheduling hundreds of projects across the globe. This include the delivery of Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia over 4 months early utilizing the Draper system.

In 1984, DDR was dissolved, and Gary Draper founded Draper & Associates. Since its founding 35 years ago, Draper & Associates had helped our clients deliver success on more than 4500 projects across a diverse list of industries. In the 60 years since Gary Draper started providing project management services to the construction industry, the tools and techniques have evolved and expanded. However, the original challenges identified in 1968 remain in today’s construction industry and the key concepts developed by Mr. Draper remain the core principals for how we serve our clients everyday.

Clients’ Testimonials

“In my 40 years in construction, I have not experienced this level of support.  This information is extremely valuable in helping me plan effectively, prioritize appropriately, and gain a clear understanding of what lies ahead.  The Draper System provides a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities in front of us.”

“I have recommend Draper & Associates for anyone seeking reliable and expert construction scheduling services.  Over the course of our projects, their team demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, professionalism, and deep knowledge of construction timelines and project coordination.

They consistently delivered accurate schedules, identified potential delays early, and offered practical solutions that kept our project on track and within budget.  Communication was clear and proactive – every update was timely and informed by real insight into our project needs.  What sets them apart is their combination of technical expertise and hands-on experience in the construction industry.  Their scheduling tools, progress tracking, and collaborative approach made them an invaluable partner from start to finish.

I would gladly work with them again and recommend their services to any organization looking for a dependable, results-driven scheduling partner. ”

“Draper has been an invaluable asset to our organization, assisting Kast with its preconstruction service needs, project strategy, scheduling services and other aspects of our business. Frankly, I’m not sure what we would have done in the absence of having Draper serve as a member of our team. Clearly I would recommend Draper to any firm who is seeking high caliber professional scheduling services.”

“I’ve relied on Draper & Associates for scheduling and project controls for 15 years — both at Morgan Group and at my previous company. Across multiple multi-family developments in Florida and Texas, their CPM schedules are sharp, their critical-path analysis is reliable, and they communicate clearly with both project management and field teams. They’re the kind of partner you want on a complex job.””

“Every project that the Draper system was fully implemented on was delivered on time or early. Every project they were not on or fully implemented those projects did not deliver on time. Financially it is a no brainer when you measure the cost of their services versus the costs of delivering one day late.”

“I’ve been using Draper on all of my projects for the last 3 years. They work with our in-house teams to set up the OPS and then work throughout the project with our team and our Subcontractors to make sure everyone is working efficiently towards meeting the project’s goals. Draper’s scheduling makes it very easy for me to look at a monthly report to quickly know the status of every project I have under construction, and the look-ahead schedules are very easy for everyone in the field to know where they are and where they need to be at any given time.”

“Draper has been an integral part of our team for the last few years. Their schedules are very easy to read and make the field team’s job much easier when scheduling the subs. The bi-weekly meetings are a great tool to use for keeping the subcontractors engaged with the flow of the job. I firmly believe that Draper is one of the most important tools we use in keeping the jobs on schedule.”

As a Senior Project Manager who has worked for both G.C.’s and Owner/Developers, I can unequivocally say that Draper & Associates are a key factor in the success of the Multi-Family Projects I’ve been a part of. These projects range from garden style to high-density wraps, up to high rises.

A project that is scheduled with Draper affords the user the flexibility to present the data to the Subcontractor’s and the Development Team in multiple formats (both overall and near term projections). The schedules are logic-based like primavera and other predecessors, however, they are much more visually appealing and easy to decipher for field personnel. Draper’s hands-on tailored approach lends itself to production in the field, reduces the opportunities for miscommunication, and ensures your project has a strong administrative base to support all functions of the construction process.

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