2

M I Minhas References: RMC’s PMP Exam Prep, 9th Edition; PMI’s PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition
4
 Resource Optimization
5

❑ Resource optimization refers to finding ways to adjust the use of resources.

❑ There are two techniques that can achieve this outcome:

 T&T: Resource Smoothing vs. Resource Leveling

Resource leveling is used when the availability of

resources are paramount. Resource leveling can be used
when shared or critically required resources are available
only at certain times or in limited quantities

A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted

based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing
the demand for resources with the available supply
 Resource Optimization
7

Resource Levelling

❑ It is used basically to produce a resource-limited schedule.

❑ It lengthens the schedule & increases cost to deal with resource constraints, e.g.:

❑ Shared or critically required resources are available:

❑ Only at certain times

❑ In limited quantities (and you prefer to lengthen the schedule instead of
hiring more resources)
❑ Are over allocated

❑ There is a need to keep resource usage at a constant level.

T&T: Resource Smoothing vs. Resource Leveling

Resource smoothing is used when the time constraint takes

priority. The objective is to complete the work by the required
date.

In other words, activities may only be delayed within their total

float. The completion date may not be delayed.. Resource
smoothing may not be able to optimize all resource

What about Critical path in both cases??

 Resource Smoothing vs. Resource Leveling

Critical Path will be changed in Resource Leveling

while not change in Resource Smoothing
Resource Leveling
 T&T – Develop Schedule
11

❑ Schedule Network Analysis – Schedule network analysis is used to create the

schedule model, and, ultimately, to finalize the project schedule.

❑ This analysis may use one or more of the following techniques:

❑ Critical path method

❑ Schedule compression

❑ Resource optimization

❑ What-if / Monte Carlo analysis

 Data Analysis
12

What-If Scenario Analysis

❑ In creating a realistic schedule, it is helpful to ask, “What if a particular factor

changed on the project? Would that produce a shorter schedule?”

❑ The assumptions for each activity can change and, therefore, the activity
durations can also change.
 Data Analysis
13

Monte Carlo Analysis

❑ This technique uses computer software to simulate the outcome of a project,

based on the three-point estimates (optimistic, pessimistic and most likely) for
each activity and the network diagram.

❑ The simulation can tell you:

❑ The probability of completing the project on any specific day

❑ The probability of completing the project for any specific cost
❑ The probability of any activity actually being on the critical path
❑ An indication of the overall project risk
 Data Analysis
14

Monte Carlo Analysis

❑ In Develop Schedule process, this technique can be used to put together the
details of three point estimates into a project estimate.

❑ It is more accurate than other methods because it simulates the actual details
of the project and calculates probability.
 T&T – Develop Schedule
15

❑ Schedule Network Analysis – Schedule network analysis is used to create the

schedule model, and, ultimately, to finalize the project schedule.

❑ This analysis may use one or more of the following techniques:

❑ Critical path method

❑ Schedule compression

❑ Resource optimization

❑ What-if / Monte Carlo analysis

 Output – Develop Schedule
17

❑ Develop Schedule process results in:

❑ The Project Schedule

❑ The Schedule Baseline

❑ Schedule Data

❑ Change Requests

❑ Updates to Project Documents

 Project Schedule
18

❑ Project schedule is the result of previous planning processes and the schedule
network analysis that is performed as part of the Develop Schedule process.

❑ As planning progresses, the schedule will be iterated in response to risk

management and other parts of project planning until an acceptable and
realistic schedule can be agreed upon, which is called the schedule baseline.

❑ Project schedule includes project activities with their assigned dates and
includes milestones inserted by the project manager or management.

❑ The project schedule may be presented in summary form, sometimes referred

to as the master schedule or milestone schedule, or presented in detail.
 Project Schedule
19

❑ The project schedule can be shown with or without dependencies/logical

relationships and can be shown in any of the presentations/formats (shown on
next slide) created from schedule model, depending on the project needs.

❑ Network diagram (described earlier)

❑ Milestone chart

❑ Bar chart
 Project Schedule
20

Milestone Charts

❑ These are similar to bar charts, but they only show major events.

❑ Remember that milestones have no duration; they simply represent the

completion of activities.

❑ Milestones, which may include “requirements are complete” or “design is

finished,” are part of the inputs to the Sequence Activities process.

❑ Milestone charts are good tools for reporting to management and customer.
 Project Schedule
21

Bar Charts

❑ Bar Charts are weak planning tools, but they are effective for progress reporting &
control.

❑ Notice that there are no lines between activities to show interdependencies, nor
are assigned resources shown.

❑ These do not help organize project as effectively as WBS and network diagrams do.

❑ They are completed after the WBS and the network diagram in the project
management process.
 Project Schedule
22

Understanding the Benefits of Different Presentation Formats

❑ No matter how much you know about project management, there are questions
on the exam that will be tricky if you have never thought about them before.

❑ The different types of schedule presentations can be one of those areas.

❑ Think through the next exercise – make sure you look for anything you did not
know, and organize your knowledge according to the exercise answers.

❑ You can get quite a few questions right on the exam if you know what each of the
schedule presentations is used for.
 Project Schedule
23

Questions Answer

Under what circumstances would you use a To show interdependencies

network diagram? between activities

Under what circumstances would you use a

To report to senior management
milestone chart?

Under what circumstances would you use a To track progress

bar chart? To report to the team
 Schedule Baseline
24

❑ The schedule baseline is the version of the schedule model used to manage
the project; it is what the project team’s performance is measured against.

❑ The baseline can only be changed as a result of formally approved changes.

❑ Meeting the schedule baseline is one of the measures of project success.

❑ If the project can be done faster than the customer requested, there may be a
difference between the schedule baseline and the end date required by the
customer – this difference is project float.
 Schedule Data
25

❑ Schedule data encompasses all the data used to create the schedule model,
including:

❑ Milestones

❑ Project activities

❑ Activity attributes

❑ Duration estimates

❑ Dependencies

❑ The assumptions and constraints used in creating the schedule.

 Change Requests
26

❑ This is another planning process with change requests as an output.

❑ As the project processes, any changes to the schedule may necessitate

changes to other parts of the project management plan.

❑ Change requests are addressed through the PICC process.

 Project Document Updates
27

❑ The process of creating a final and realistic schedule could result in updates to
project documents including:

- Duration estimates - Resource requirements

- Activity attributes - Risk register
- Assumption log - Lesson learned register