Project Management - Chapter 6

Innovation Throughout
Bharti Consulting
Project Schedule Management
by
Sunil Agrawala,PMP
13-Feb-11 sunil@bharticonsulting.com
Bharti Consulting
Some Philosophies
Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed nothing

else can be managed.
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1
Purpose of Session
•What is Project Schedule Management

• What is Project Schedule
• The Emerging Trends and Key Considerations
• The Project Time Management Processes.
•Plan Schedule Management
•Define Activities
•Sequence Activities
•Estimate Activity Durations
•Develop Schedule
•Control Schedule
• Schedule Network Analysis Techniques
• Quiz
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Project Time Management

•Project Schedule Management includes processes required to manage timely
completion of the Project.
•Project Schedule Management is primarily concerned with developing a
realistic Project Schedule and controlling changes to the schedule.
•Schedule Management Plan: This plan contains details like, How to go about
planning the Project Schedule and how to effectively manage and control the
project to the schedule baseline.
•The key activities that happens as part of Project Time Management are:
•Identifying the list of project activities
•Estimating the time required to complete each of the identified activities
•Sequencing the activities to occur one after the other in a logical manner.
•Developing and finalizing the schedule
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What is a Project schedule

 A schedule wherein activities are assigned a duration
and sequenced in a logical order .
 it’s the Project Schedule that informs about the Project

Start date and Project End date.
 Its is very common to use Software to develop the

Project Schedule.
 The Microsoft Project is the most popular tool used for

Project Schedule development.
 Many people confuse Project Schedule as the Project

Management Plan. But its not true. The Project
Management Plan is much more than a Project Schedule.
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Key Concepts and Emerging Trends

• Project scheduling:
 Identifies when products or services will be delivered
 Is a tool for communicating and managing stakeholder expectations
 Provides a basis for performance reporting
• Trends:
 Iterative scheduling with a back log: Performs work incrementally when priorities
tend to change frequently. Work is documented in user stories and
prioritized/reprioritized as appropriate.
 On-demand scheduling: Work is pulled from a backlog when resources become
available. Is a pull form of planning that works well in balancing work demand
against available resources.
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3
Considerations for Agile/Adaptive

• Adaptive methods use short cycles to perform work, review the results,
and adapt if needed
• Agile methods provide rapid feedback
• The use of agile methods is growing but many PMs still have little or no
personal experience
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Project Time Management Processes

Planning Controlling
6.1 Plan Schedule Management
6.2 6.3
Define Sequence
Activities Activities 6.5 6.6
Develop Control
6.4 Schedule Schedule
Estimate
Activity
Duration
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4
Plan Schedule Management

•Is the process of establishing the policies, procedures and documentation
for planning, developing, managing, executing & controlling schedule
Inputs Tools Outputs
Project charter Expert judgment Schedule management plan
Project management plan Data analysis
EEF Meetings
OPA
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Define Activities
•Define Activities is the process of identifying the specific actions to be
performed to produce the project deliverables (Work Packages).

Project management plan Expert judgment Activity list
EEF Decomposition Activity attributes
OPA Rolling wave planning Milestone list
Meetings Change requests
Project management plan updates
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5
Define Activities - Tools

•Decomposition – Subdividing project work packages into
smaller, more manageable components
•Rolling Wave Planning – Form of progressive elaboration

planning where the work to be accomplished in the near future
is planned in detail at the lower level of WBS
•Expert judgment
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Sequence Activities
•Sequence Activities is the process of identifying and documenting
relationship among the project activities.
Project management plan Precedence diagramming Project schedule network

method (PDM) diagrams
Project documents Dependency determination Project documents updates
and integration
EEF Leads and lags
OPA Project management

information system
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Sequence Activities - Tools

•Precedence diagramming method (PDM) Nodes represent
activities and arrows show dependencies. Also known as
Activity-on-Node (AON)
Coding Unit
Module-1 Test-1
Require Coding Unit Integration System

Design
-ments Module-2 Test-2 Of codes Test
Coding Unit
Module-3 Test-3
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Activity Sequencing Process
Finish-to-Start – Activity A must finish before
Activity B can start Inspection of
raw material
A B can start only
after all the
raw material
arrives
Start-to-Start – Activity A must start before
Inspection of
Activity B can start raw material
can start as
A B soon as they
start arriving
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Activity Sequencing Process
Finish-to-Finish – Activity A must finish before
Activity B can finish Data feed
operation (B) can
A B not be finished
until the
collection of data
Start-to-Finish – Activity A must start before (A) is finished
Activity B can finish Existing system
(B) can not be
stopped until
A B the new system
(A) starts
working
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• Arrow diagramming method (ADM) – Uses arrows to
represent activities and connecting nodes to show
dependencies. Activity-On-Arrow (AOA)
Start
A
B
C
D E
Finish
 ADM uses finish-to-start dependencies only and

uses dummy activities to show logical relationships
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•Dependency determination
•Mandatory (Hard Logic)
•Discretionary (Soft or Preferential Logic)
•External
•Internal
•Applying leads and lags
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Leads & Lags - Tools
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Estimation Techniques
 One time Estimate: When estimating using a one time estimate, one estimate per activity is
received. For example, the person doing the estimate says that the activity would take 2 weeks.
 In real life, people make their best guess and just double the estimate to take care of any
uncertainties. Adding this extra is also called “Padding”
 This techniques should be used to only get the high level estimate.
 Analogous Estimating: Estimating based on previous projects or previous activities

 The last 5 similar projects took 6 months, so this one should also take 6 months.
 Analogous estimating is a kind of expert Judgment.
 Parametric Estimating: This uses a mathematical model to calculate projected times for an
activity based on historical records from previous projects and other information.
 Heuristics: A heuristic means rule of thumb. An example of heuristic is the 80/20 rule that in
quality suggests that 80 percent of quality problems are caused by 20 percent of potential sources
of problem.
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Estimate Activity Duration
•Estimate Activity Durations is the process

of approximating the number of Work
periods needed to complete individual
activities with estimated resources.
The same work under same conditions will

be estimated differently by ten different
estimators or by one estimator at ten
different times.
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Estimate Activity Duration

Project management plan Expert judgment Duration estimates
Project documents Analogous estimating Basis of estimates
EEF Parametric estimating Project documents updates
OPA Three-point estimating
Bottom-up estimating
Data analysis (Reserve

Analysis)
Decision making
Meetings
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Develop Schedule
•Develop Schedule is the process of

analyzing activity sequences, durations, and
schedule constraints to create the Project
Schedule.
•Developing Start and End Dates for each

activity and for the Project as a whole
The more ridiculous the deadline,

the more it costs to try to meet it.
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Develop Schedule
Project management plan Schedule network analysis Schedule baseline
Project documents Critical path method Project schedule
Agreements Resource optimization Schedule data
EEF Data analysis (Simulation) Project calendars
OPA Leads and lags Change requests
Schedule compression Project management plan updates
Project management Project documents updates

information system
Agile release planning
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Develop Schedule - Tools

Schedule Network Analysis Techniques
 Schedule Network Analysis is a  PERT
Technique that generates Project
Schedule. These techniques are: Expected Duration= (P+4M+O)/6
Standard Deviation of an Activity=

 PERT
 Critical Path Method (P-O)/6
 Schedule Compression
 What if Scenario Analysis Variance of an Activity = [(P-O)/6]^2
 Resource Leveling
 Critical Chain Method P= Pessimistic Estimate
M= Most Likely Estimate
O= Optimistic Estimate
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PERT Example
Activity O M P Expected Standard Activity Range of
or PERT Deviation Variance the
Duration Estimate
A 16 26 48 28 5.5 30.25 28,+/-5.5
B 40 59 88 60.6 8 64 60.6,+/-8
C 40 45 49 44.83 1.5 2.25 44.83,+/-
1.5
D 30 38 42 37.33 2 4 37.33,+/-2
Project 170.76 10 100.5
 If A, B, C, D are the only activities in the Project, what's the Project Duration?
 The Answer is 170.76 with a standard deviation of 10, so the minimum project duration
is 160.76 and maximum duration is 180.76
 The Project standard deviation is calculated by adding all activity variances and taking
the square root of project variance
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PERT Example
Activity O M P Expected Standard Activity Range of
or PERT Deviation Variance the
Duration Estimate
A 16 26 48 28 5.5 30.25 28,+/-5.5
B 40 59 88 60.6 8 64 60.6,+/-8
C 40 45 49 44.83 1.5 2.25 44.83,+/-
1.5
D 30 38 42 37.33 2 4 37.33,+/-2
Project 170.76 10 100.5
• Mean +/- 1 Sigma Range – Probability is 68.4 %

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Critical Path Method – Key Points

Critical Path: The longest duration path through a network diagram and
determines the shortest time to complete the project. Float mostly zero
 Longest path (shows shortest possible duration)
 Path with zero float
 Path with least float available
 Negative float on critical path indicates: Behind schedule
 Positive float on critical path indicates: Ahead of schedule
 Multiple critical paths may exist; would make the schedule more risky
 A near-critical path exists when the duration of a path is almost as long
 Near-critical paths must also be monitored carefully
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Critical Path Method – Key Points

 Longest path (shows shortest possible duration)
 Path with zero float
 Path with least float available
 Negative float on critical path indicates: Behind schedule
 Positive float on critical path indicates: Ahead of schedule
 Multiple critical paths may exist; would make the schedule more risky
 A near-critical path exists when the duration of a path is almost as long
 Near-critical paths must also be monitored carefully
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Resource Optimization Method

Resource optimization: Adjusting the schedule when resource demand does
not match resource supply
 Resource leveling: Used when supply of resources is inadequate
 When there are not enough resources for the work scheduled, move
tasks with available positive float
 Tends to result in a longer project duration than planned
 Resource smoothing: Adjusting start times to ensure that resource
usage does not exceed pre-defined limits
 You must operate within available float (between ES & LS)
 The critical path is not allowed to change
 It may not be possible to optimize all resources
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Critical Path Method

Float (Slack):
Total Float (Slack): The amount of time an activity can be delayed

without delaying the project end date or an intermediary milestone.
Free Float (Slack): The amount of time an activity can be delayed

without delaying the early start date of its successor(s).
Project Float(slack): The amount of time a Project can be delayed

without delaying the externally imposed project completion date
required by the customer or previously committed by the Project
Manager.
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Critical Path Method

Forward
ES EF Pass
Float
Backward LS LF
Pass
 ES: Early Start  Float= LS-ES

 LS: Late Start  Float= EF-LF
 EF: Early Finish
 LF: Late Finish
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Critical Path Method - Example

Start Date 6/1 B has a float of 5 days
6/6 6/10 Early Start & Finish Dates
B 5
6/1 6/5 6/16 6/25 6/26 6/30
6/11 6/15
A 5 5 D 10 E 5
6/1 6/5 6/6 6/15 6/16 6/25 6/26 6/30
0 0 0
C 10 Finish Date 6/30
6/6 6/15 Late Start & Finish Dates
Calculations 0
Forward Pass – Determine early start and early finish dates
Backward Pass – Determine late start and late finish dates and float
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Critical Path
Duration 7 Duration 6 Duration 3

Task A Task C Task G
ES EF
LS LF LS LF LS LF
Duration 2
Start Finish
Task H
ES EF ES EF ES EF
LS LF

Task B Task D Task E
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES EF
Duration 2
Task F
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Forward Pass – Early Start, Early Finish
ES EF ES EF ES EF
0 7 7 13 13 16
ES EF
LS LF LS LF LS LF
16 18
Duration 2
Start Finish
Task H
ES EF ES EF ES EF LS LF
0 3 3 6 6 9
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES EF
3 5
Duration 2
Task F
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Backward Pass – Late Start, Late Finish
ES EF ES EF ES EF
0 7 7 13 13 16
0 7 7 13 13 16
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES 0 EF
16 18
Duration 2
Start Finish
Task H
16 18
ES 7 EF ES 7 EF ES 7 EF LS LF
0 3 3 6 6 9
7 10 10 13 13 16
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES 8 EF
3 5
Duration 2
Task F
11 13
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Critical Path – Longest Path, Zero Float
ES
0 EF
0 ES
0 EF
ES EF
0 7 7 13 13 16
0 7 7 13 13 16
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES 0 EF
16 18
Duration 2
Start Finish
Task H
16 18
ES 7 EF ES 7 EF ES 7 EF LS LF
0 3 3 6 6 9
7 10 10 13 13 16
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES 8 EF
3 5
Duration 2
Task F
11 13
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Network Exercise
ES EF ES EF ES EF

Task A Task B Task C
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES EF
ES EF
Duration 10
Start Duration 7 Finish
Task G
Task D
LS LF
ES EF LS LF ES EF
Duration 5 Duration 5
Task E Task F
LS LF LS
LS LF
LF
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Network Exercise - solution
Critical Path : ADCG

ES EF ES EF ES EF
0 4 4 8 11 14
Task A Task B Task C
0 4 7 11 11 14
LS LF LS LF LS LF
ES EF
ES EF
14 24
4 11
Duration 10
Start Duration 7 Finish
Task G
Task D
14 24
4 11
LS LF
ES EF LS LF ES EF
0 5 5 10
Duration 5 Duration 5
Task E Task F
4 9 9 14
LS LF LS
LS LF
LF
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Schedule Compression
Schedule Compression: Schedule compression is done during project planning to see if the desired
completion date can be met and what will have to change to meet that date.
Two techniques:
 Fast Tracking
 Crashing
• Crashing:
• Adds resources to critical path activities to shorten durations; raises

project costs
• Fast tracking:
• Doing more activities in parallel; increases risk of overlapping

(conflicting) resource assignments
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Crashing - Example
Activity Original Crash Time Original Crash Extra Crash
Duration Duration Savings Cost in Cost Cost Cost Per
(in (in Dollars Month
Months) Months)
A 14 12 2 12,000 14,000 2,000 1,000
B 10 8 2 16,000 26,000 10,000 5,000
C 3 2 1 15,000 17,000 2,000 2,000
D 7 5 2 12,000 18,000 6,000 3,000
 Assuming the Project has a float of -1 month. Which activity would you crash?
 The answer is Activity A, as it has the minimum crash cost.
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Impact of Schedule Compression

Option General Impact to the Project
Fast Track  Adds Risks
 Increases management time for the Project Manager
Crash  Adds Costs

 Increases management time for the Project Manager
Reduce Scope  Save time and cost

 Increases customer dissatisfaction
Cut Quality  Saves cost and Resources

 Increases Risks
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Resource Leveling
C, 5
1 4
(4)
The Project Network
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Resource Leveling
a 8
a
6
Workers
Activity
b
4 c c
c
2 c
b b
0
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Days Days
Before Resource Leveling
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Resource Leveling
8
a
6
a b
Workers
Activity
b 4
c 2 c
0
2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1
Days Days
After Resource Leveling
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Control Schedule
•Part of Monitoring and Controlling Process Group
•Control Schedule is the process of monitoring the status of the Project
to update project progress and managing changes to the schedule
baseline.
• If an agile approach is used, controlling the schedule involves the

following:
• Comparing the work completed to the plan for that iteration
• Conducting retrospectives (lessons learned)
• Reprioritizing the remaining work
• Determining the rate at which deliverables are completed
• Managing changes
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Control Schedule
Project management plan Data analysis Work performance information
Project documents Critical path method Schedule forecasts
Work performance data Project management Change requests

information system
OPA Resource optimization Project management plan updates
Leads and lags Project documents updates
Schedule compression
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23
Control Schedule - Tools

Data analysis:
 Earned value analysis (EVA): Provides schedule variance
 Determines whether corrective or preventive actions are appropriate
 Details for EVA are covered in the cost unit
 Generic variance = Plan-Actual
 Iteration burndown chart: Tracks work not yet completed for that iteration
 Performance reviews: Compares and analyzes planned vs. actual data such as
start/finish dates, percent complete, and remaining duration
 Trend analysis: Examines performance over time to determine whether it is changing
(improving or deteriorating)
 Variance analysis: Examines schedule variances, especially critical path
 What-if scenario analysis: Uses what-if and simulation to determine the probability of
different schedule outcomes
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Discussion & Quiz
Discussion & Quiz
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24

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Innovation Throughout

Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed nothing

•What is Project Schedule Management

Project Time Management

What is a Project schedule

 it’s the Project Schedule that informs about the Project

 Its is very common to use Software to develop the

 The Microsoft Project is the most popular tool used for

 Many people confuse Project Schedule as the Project

Key Concepts and Emerging Trends

Considerations for Agile/Adaptive

• Agile methods provide rapid feedback

Project Time Management Processes

Plan Schedule Management

Inputs Tools Outputs

Project charter Expert judgment Schedule management plan

Project management plan Data analysis

Inputs Tools Outputs

EEF Decomposition Activity attributes

OPA Rolling wave planning Milestone list

Meetings Change requests

Project management plan updates

Define Activities - Tools

•Rolling Wave Planning – Form of progressive elaboration

Inputs Tools Outputs

Project management plan Precedence diagramming Project schedule network

OPA Project management

Sequence Activities - Tools

Require Coding Unit Integration System

Sequence Activities - Tools

Sequence Activities - Tools

Sequence Activities - Tools

 ADM uses finish-to-start dependencies only and

Sequence Activities - Tools

Leads & Lags - Tools

 Analogous Estimating: Estimating based on previous projects or previous activities

Estimate Activity Duration

•Estimate Activity Durations is the process

The same work under same conditions will

Estimate Activity Duration

Project management plan Expert judgment Duration estimates

Project documents Analogous estimating Basis of estimates

EEF Parametric estimating Project documents updates

OPA Three-point estimating

Data analysis (Reserve

•Develop Schedule is the process of

•Developing Start and End Dates for each

The more ridiculous the deadline,

Project documents Critical path method Project schedule

Agreements Resource optimization Schedule data

EEF Data analysis (Simulation) Project calendars

OPA Leads and lags Change requests

Schedule compression Project management plan updates

Project management Project documents updates

Develop Schedule - Tools

Standard Deviation of an Activity=

• Mean +/- 1 Sigma Range – Probability is 68.4 %

Critical Path Method – Key Points

Critical Path Method – Key Points

Resource Optimization Method

Critical Path Method

Total Float (Slack): The amount of time an activity can be delayed