PROJECT MANAGEMENT
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
DEFINING PROJECT SCHEDULE
Module 6
1
2
Module Objectives
By module end, you will be able to:
• Understand how to define the
schedule for a project
• Understand what processes are used
in project scheduling
• Understand the tools and
documentation required to schedule a
project
3
Plan Project - Schedule
Plan Project - Schedule is performed to
develop the project schedule
4
• Project Manager will plan schedule
parameters
• The primary purpose is to determine
the basic project schedule definitions
and baselines
• This lesson focuses on the Schedule
components of the planning cycle
Plan Project - Schedule
Key Tasks
5
• Perform further breakdown of the WBS
• Apply dependencies to sequence
activities
• Estimate resource and time durations
for activities
• Determine the appropriate human
resources
• Compile all project activities into a
schedule
Plan Project - Schedule
6
This module is a continuation of Plan
Project. We will focus on the following
processes:
• Define Activities (Time)
• Sequence Activities (Time)
• Estimate Activity Resources (Time)
• Plan Human Resources (HR, used with
Time)
• Estimate Activity Durations (Time)
• Develop Schedule (Time)
Define Activities
• Creates the detailed list of activities
or tasks to be completed on the
project. This is done by breaking the
WBS down into activities
• The Activity List is intended to detail
all of the project work (scope)
• The primary method used to create
the activity list is decomposition
7
Define Activities
This process specifically identifies all schedule activities
Tools and
Techniques
Inputs

Scope Baseline

Enterprise Environmental
Factors

Organizational Process
Assets
8



Decomposition
Rolling Wave
Planning
Templates

Expert Judgment
Outputs

Activity List

Activity Attributes

Milestone List
Define Activities
• Think about the practical application
of this process :
•
•
•
•
9
Process Documents
Document Templates
Process Tasks
Think About It Exercise
MUST KNOW CONCEPTS
10
Sequence Activities
• Relationships between activities must
be identified and documented in some
form of Network Logic Diagram. This
is what activity sequencing is all
about.
• Project Network Logic Diagrams are
often, though not correctly, referred
to as PERT Charts.
11
Sequence Activities
This process indentifies and documents dependencies among schedule
activities
Inputs

Activity List

Activity Attributes

Milestone List

Project Scope
Tools and Techniques

Organizational Process
(PDM)

Dependency
Determination

Applying Leads and
Lags
Assets

Schedule Network
Templates
12

Diagramming Method
Statement

Precedence
Outputs
Project Schedule
Network Diagrams

Project Document
Updates
Sequence Activities
• Intertask Dependency Types:
– Mandatory, based on the nature of
the work
– Discretionary, established by the
project team
– External, based on the relationship
between project and non-project
activities
13
Precedence Relationships
• Finish-to-Start: the “from” activity must
finish before the “to” activity can start
• Finish-to-Finish: the “from” activity must
finish before the “to” activity can finish
• Start-to-Start: the “from” activity must
start before the “to” activity can start
• Start-to-Finish: the “from” activity must
start before the “to” activity can finish
14
Example - Precedence In MSP
15
Sequence Activities
•Precedence Diagramming
•Nodes show tasks, arrows indicate dependencies
F
A
C
Start
D
E
Finish
B
G
16
Sequence Activities
• Think about the practical application
of this process:
• Process Documents
• Document Templates
• Process Tasks
• Think About It Exercise
17
MUST KNOW CONCEPTS
18
Sequence Activities
Additional Diagram Exercises
19
Sequence Activities– manual
diagramming techniques
• Precedence Diagramming
• Nodes show tasks, arrows indicate dependencies
Task A
Task B
Task C
Start
Finish
Task D
20
Task E
Task F
Sequence Activities– manual
diagramming techniques
• Arrow Diagramming
• Arrows show tasks, nodes indicate dependencies
• This shows an arrow diagram – this is no longer on
the PMP Exam
B
A
C
Start
Finish
D
F
E
21
Sequence Activities– manual
diagramming techniques
• Flowchart-sometimes called “GERT”
• Graphical Evaluation Review Technique – also no
longer on PMP Exam
• Nodes show tasks, arrows indicate dependencies
A
B
C
Start
End
D
E
Decision
22
F
Determine the Critical Path
and Duration
23
Critical Path is:
Start—A—F—G—H—C—End
24
From this diagram, determine
the project duration and
critical path.
A3
C3
D2
Start
End
B9
25
E4
From this description, draw a
diagram to determine the project
duration and critical path
Activity Duration Predecessor
26
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
3
3
2
9
4
3
3
Start
A
B,D
Start
D
E
C, F
Determine the project duration
and critical path
A3
D9
27
B3
E4
C2
F3
Act
Dur.
Pred.
A
3
Start
B
3
A
C
2
B,D
D
9
Start
E
4
D
F
3
E
G
3
C, F
G3
Determine the project duration
and critical path.
Start
A-3
B-3
Dur.
Pred.
A
3
Start
B
3
A
C
2
B,D
D
9
Start
E
4
D
F
3
E
G
3
C, F
C-2
D-9
G-3
E-4
28
Act
F-3
End
.
Determine
the project
duration and
critical path
Act
Dur.
Pred.
A
3
Start
B
3
A
C
2
B,D
D
9
Start
E
4
D
F
3
E
G
3
C, F
Time in Weeks
Task ID
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
29
What do the numbers in each
of these boxes indicate?
Activity Time
Early Start
Duration
Early Finish
Estimate
Activity
Identification
Late Start
30
Slack
Accounting
Center
Cost Estimate
Late Finish
Estimate Activity Resources
• Resource needs are determined at the
lowest level of the WBS (work package
elements), then rolled-up to higher levels
(major deliverables)
• Primary deliverable is a documented
description of Activity Resource
Requirements
• Typically, resource needs identified will be
obtained by applying the Acquire Project
Team and Procurement processes
31
Estimate Activity Resources
• Primary input is Activity Attributes
• Closely coordinated with several
processes including:
– Estimate Costs
– Acquire Project Team
– Activity Duration Estimating
– Plan Procurements
32
Estimate Activity Resources
• Resources
– People
– Equipment
– Materials
– Supplies
33
Estimate Activity Resources
This process estimates the number of work periods for each schedule activity
Inputs
Tools and Techniques

Activity List

Expert Judgment

Activity Attributes

Alternatives Analysis

Resource Calendars

Published Estimating

Enterprise


Bottom-up Estimating
Organizational Process

Project Management
34

Software
Activity Resource
Requirements

Resource Breakdown
Structure (RBS)
Data
Environmental Factor
Assets
Outputs

Project Document
Updates
Estimate Activity Resources
• Think about the practical application
of this process :
•
•
•
•
35
Process Documents
Document Templates
Process Tasks
Think About It Exercise
MUST KNOW CONCEPTS
36
Develop Human Resource Plan
• Uses information developed in
Activity Resource Estimating
• Identifies human resource
requirements, how to use the
resources, when the resources are
needed and subject matter required
• Involves determining the organization
type you are working in
37
Develop Human Resource Plan
This process documents project roles, responsibilities and reporting
relationships
Inputs



Activity Resource
Tools and Techniques

Organizational Charts
Requirements
and Position
Enterprise
Descriptions
Environmental Factors

Networking
Organizational Process

Organizational Theory
Assets
38
Outputs

Human Resource Plan
Develop Human Resource Plan
Think about the practical application
of this process :
• Process Documents
• Document Templates
• Process Tasks
• Think About It Exercise
MUST KNOW CONCEPTS
40
Estimate Activity Durations
– Defines how long the resources will
be needed
– Predecessor to developing the
project schedule
41
Estimate Activity Durations
This process estimates the number of work periods for each schedule
activity
Inputs
Tools and Techniques

Activity List

Expert Judgment

Activity Attributes

Analogous Estimating

Activity Resource

Parametric Analysis
Requirements

Three-Point Estimates

Resource Calendars

Reserve Analysis

Project Scope
Statement

Enterprise
Environmental Factor

Organizational Process
Assets
42
Outputs

Activity Duration
Estimates

Project Document
Updates
Estimate Activity Durations
Think about the practical application
of this process :
• Process Documents
• Document Templates
• Process Tasks
• Think About It Exercise
MUST KNOW CONCEPTS
44
Develop Schedule
• Applied to determine the start/finish
dates for project activities
• The schedule is developed through
detailed iterations and progressive
elaboration
• Scheduling software is an essential
tool to help create the schedule
45
Estimate Activity Durations
This process estimates the number of work periods for each schedule activity
Inputs
Tools and Techniques

Activity List

Expert Judgment

Activity Attributes

Analogous Estimating

Activity Resource

Parametric Analysis
Requirements

Three-Point Estimates

Resource Calendars

Reserve Analysis

Project Scope
Statement

Enterprise
Environmental Factor

Organizational Process
Assets
46
Outputs

Activity Duration
Estimates

Project Document
Updates
Develop Schedule
Think about the practical application
of this process :
• Process Documents
• Document Templates
• Process Tasks
• Think About It Exercise
Project Schedule (MS Project Output)
48
MUST KNOW CONCEPTS
49
MODULE REVIEW