Chapter 5
Time Management
Developing and controlling the schedule
Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
Chapter overview
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Planning schedule management
Defining activities
Estimating durations
Identifying the resource capability
Experimenting with the sequence
Developing the schedule
Working with the critical path
Controlling the schedule
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
2
Planning schedule management
 a document that will guide and direct how the project
schedule is ultimately managed throughout the project
 The plan may include reference to:
o the rationale for managing the schedule
o any perceived obstacles or constraints impacting
o appropriate control thresholds triggering an intervention
o timing and format of schedule reports (against the plan)
o processes required to update the schedule
o project management software for developing the schedule
o preferred tools to be used (e.g. WBS, milestones, Gantt Chart)
o estimating techniques
o change control procedures
o rules in calculating percent complete
o definitions of actual performance measurement
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
3
Defining activities
 Verb-noun descriptor (e.g. write report)
 Unique identifier (WBS number)
 Activity time (duration v/s effort)
 Logical relationships (predecessor and successor)
 Resource requirements
 Constraints and/or assumptions
 Required standards
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
4
Estimating durations
 Pre-determined
 Expert judgement
 Analogous
 Group decision making
 Unit rates
 Published commercial data
 Parametric
 Vendor bid
 Reserve
 3 point
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
5
Identifying the resource capability
Consider the following suggestions (easily recorded in a resource matrix):
 Resource name—individual name or generic label (e.g. plumbers)
 Resource type—labour, material,…
 Resource group—the group to whom the resource belongs
 Resource capability—skills, expertise, prior experience, …
 Resource rate—what is their normal rate, or other fixed/variable costs
 Resource location—the physical (geographical) location
 Resource quantity—how many will be required
 Resource availability—the actual ‘free’ time they have to allocate
 Resource calendar—what dates are excluded throughout the project
 Resource report—who does the resource currently report to
 Resource development—will any additional training be required
 Resource evaluation—performance evaluations from past projects
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
6
Experimenting with the sequence
The development of the project schedule is driven by
these activity-to-activity relationships in determining when
activities start and finish.
Finish – Start: one activity finishes to start the other activity
Start – Start: one activity starts to start the other activity
Finish – Finish: one activity finishes to finish the other activity
Start – Finish: one activity starts to finish the other activity
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
7
Developing the schedule
 A work breakdown structure is not a schedule
 Network diagrams and/or Gantt charts create schedules
 Schedule activities to start as-soon-as-possible
 Activities can be sequenced in–series or in parallel
 Milestones signify significant points in time (zero duration)
 Relationships may be mandatory, others discretionary
 Schedules often represent intent; not necessarily reality
unless they are updated regularly
 Work backwards to try and eliminate errors and time
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
8
Working with the critical path
 The longest path(s) throughout the schedule (activities
on this path represent the longest duration scheduled for
the project’s completion)
 The path(s) or activities(s) with zero float (meaning
nothing can be delayed)
 The activities(s) or milestone driving the end date of the
project
 The shortest completion time of the project (where the
project cannot be completed in any less time within
the current schedule).
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
9
Controlling the schedule
To effectively control the project schedule, the following
actions should be considered:
 updating changes to the schedule as they occur
 determining the current reporting date of the project
 assessing the current status of the project against the
published plan to identify true performance
 re-scheduling remaining activities
 re-circulating the agreed schedule revision
 conducting retrospective reviews and walkthroughs
to record lessons learned
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
10
Review questions
1. What is the value behind having a schedule
management plan?
2. What information does a work breakdown structure
capture and how does this help scheduling?
3. Activity duration and resource estimates are often not
precise calculations. What techniques are available and
how would you defend your choice of technique?
4. What is the difference between critical path and critical
chain methods?
5. Explain why project schedules have to be developed,
tracked, reported and controlled throughout the
project?
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
11
Group learning activities
 Discuss the rationale for having to manage and control
the schedule
 Compare and contrast different estimation techniques
for their accuracy
 Provide examples of mandatory and discretionary
relationship types
 Debate the notion of scheduling work to start as soon as
possible
 Discuss how a Gantt chart is both a planning and
managing tool
 Discuss why schedule intent seldom reflects reality
(prior to it being updated)
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
12
Assessment options
 Debate where the focus should lie - critical path or
critical chain
 Create a detail resource matrix capturing the capability
required for a project
 Construct a Gantt chart to scale of a project reflecting
a WBS, activities, milestones, relationship types and
critical path
 Short answer questions
 Multiple choice questions
© 2014 Hartley, Project Management: Integrating Strategy, Operations and Change, 3e
Tilde Publishing
13