Table of Contents

Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................vii

Scheduling Excellence Initiative Committee......................................................................................................viii

Organizational Structure of the Volume............................................................................................................... ix

Section 1—Pre-Project Planning Phase................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Selecting the Project Controls Team....................................................................................................... 1
1.1.1 Roles and Responsibilities........................................................................................................... 1
1.1.2 Evaluation of Capabilities............................................................................................................ 4
1.1.3 Team Formation........................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 Preparing a Pre-Project Planning Outline................................................................................................ 9

Section 2—Schedule Design.................................................................................................................................. 11

2.1 Schedule Design Process Overview....................................................................................................... 11
2.2 Analytical Tools...................................................................................................................................... 25
2.3 Schedule Buy-In...................................................................................................................................... 27
2.4 Specification Requirements................................................................................................................... 28
2.5 Critical Path Method.............................................................................................................................. 33
2.5.1 Gantt Charts............................................................................................................................... 43
2.5.2 CPM Organization Methods...................................................................................................... 44
2.5.3 Arrow Diagram and Precedence Diagram Schedules................................................................ 45
2.6 Schedule Design and Management Plan................................................................................................ 46
2.6.1 Design of Baselines..................................................................................................................... 49
2.6.1.1 Initial Baseline Design................................................................................................ 55
2.6.1.2 Detailed Baseline Design............................................................................................ 56
2.6.1.3 Level of Detail............................................................................................................. 57
2.6.2 Documentation of Schedule Assumptions................................................................................ 61
2.6.3 Use of Multiple Schedules......................................................................................................... 62
2.6.4 Early Completion Schedules...................................................................................................... 64
2.6.4.1 Early Completion Schedules—Intentional................................................................ 66
2.6.4.2 Early Completion Schedules—Inadvertent................................................................ 68
2.6.5 Planning For Adverse Weather................................................................................................... 71
2.6.5.1 Interpretation of Historical Weather Data................................................................. 73
2.6.5.2 Methodology for Weather Planning........................................................................... 74
2.6.5.3 Accounting for Actual Weather.................................................................................. 79

Section 3—Schedule Development....................................................................................................................... 81

3.1 Schedule Development Process Overview............................................................................................ 81
3.2 Schedule Development Philosophy and Theory................................................................................... 86
3.2.1 Initial Baseline Development..................................................................................................... 87
3.2.2 Detailed Baseline Development................................................................................................. 94
3.2.3 Initial and Detailed Baseline Review....................................................................................... 100
3.2.4 Initial and Detailed Baseline Approval.................................................................................... 103
3.2.5 Use of Narratives...................................................................................................................... 104
3.3 Scope Definition................................................................................................................................... 106
3.4 Schedule Structure................................................................................................................................ 109
3.4.1 Work Breakdown Structure...................................................................................................... 110
3.4.2 Activity ID Coding................................................................................................................... 120

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 3.4.3 Activity Coding........................................................................................................................ 122
3.4.4 Schedule Levels......................................................................................................................... 124
3.4.5 Milestones................................................................................................................................. 126
3.5 Activities............................................................................................................................................... 127
3.5.1 Activity Types........................................................................................................................... 128
3.5.1.1 Tasks.......................................................................................................................... 129
3.5.1.2 Independent Activity................................................................................................ 130
3.5.1.3 Hammock or Level of Effort (Summary) Activities................................................ 131
3.5.1.4 Milestones................................................................................................................. 132
3.5.2 Activity Coverage..................................................................................................................... 133
3.5.2.1 Work Activities......................................................................................................... 136
3.5.2.2 Administrative Activities......................................................................................... 136
3.5.2.3 Coordination Activities............................................................................................ 137
3.6 Durations............................................................................................................................................... 138
3.6.1 Durations versus Update Frequency........................................................................................ 141
3.6.2 Estimating and Duration Verification..................................................................................... 143
3.6.3 Participation in Duration Review............................................................................................ 145
3.7 Sequencing and Logic........................................................................................................................... 146
3.7.1 Relationship Types................................................................................................................... 149
3.7.2 Driving Relationships............................................................................................................... 149
3.7.3 Use of Lags................................................................................................................................ 150
3.7.4 Open-Ended Activities............................................................................................................. 151
3.7.5 Overlapping of Activities......................................................................................................... 153
3.7.6 Critical Path.............................................................................................................................. 154
3.8 Calendars............................................................................................................................................... 156
3.8.1 Use of Calendars....................................................................................................................... 157
3.8.2 Planning Unit—Hour/Day/Week............................................................................................. 160
3.8.3 Global Calendar........................................................................................................................ 161
3.8.4 Workweek Calendars................................................................................................................ 162
3.8.5 Weather Calendars.................................................................................................................... 163
3.8.6 Holiday Calendars.................................................................................................................... 164
3.8.7 Resource Calendars.................................................................................................................. 165
3.9 Constraints............................................................................................................................................ 166
3.9.1 Use of Constraints.................................................................................................................... 166
3.9.2 Mandatory Constraints............................................................................................................ 168
3.9.3 Early Constraints...................................................................................................................... 168
3.9.4 Late Constraints....................................................................................................................... 169
3.9.5 Other Constraints..................................................................................................................... 170
3.10 Software Considerations....................................................................................................................... 170
3.10.1 Zero Free Float.......................................................................................................................... 170
3.10.2 Zero Total Float........................................................................................................................ 172
3.10.3 Retained Logic versus Progress Override................................................................................ 173
3.10.4 Start Float versus Finish Float versus Most Critical Float..................................................... 174
3.11 Resource-Loading.................................................................................................................................. 175
3.11.1 Resource Leveling..................................................................................................................... 178
3.12 Risk Management Implementation..................................................................................................... 181
3.12.1 Risk Management Planning—Introduction to the Schedule.................................................. 181
3.12.2 Identification of Risks.............................................................................................................. 183
3.12.3 Qualitative Assessment........................................................................................................... 184
3.12.4 Risk Event Drivers.................................................................................................................... 186
3.13 Schedule Finalization and Buy-In........................................................................................................ 189
3.13.1 Schedule Philosophy and Theory............................................................................................. 191
3.13.2 Organizational Schedule Philosophy and Theory................................................................... 191
3.14 Reporting Level of Detail..................................................................................................................... 192

Section 4—Schedule Maintenance...................................................................................................................... 195

4.1 Schedule Maintenance Process Overview........................................................................................... 195
4.1.1 Data Acquisition....................................................................................................................... 195
4.1.2 Review of Durations and Sequences........................................................................................ 196

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 4.1.3 Logic Changes........................................................................................................................... 197
4.1.4 Revisions versus Routine Maintenance.................................................................................. 197
4.1.5 Change Orders.......................................................................................................................... 198
4.1.6 Updating Resources in a Resource-Loaded Schedule.............................................................. 198
4.1.7 Updating Cost in a Cost-Loaded Schedule.............................................................................. 199
4.1.8 Finalize the Update Status....................................................................................................... 200
4.2 Significance of the Schedule Update.................................................................................................... 200
4.3 Approval/Acceptance of the Update/Schedule Meetings................................................................... 201
4.4 Progress Measurement and Recording................................................................................................. 203
4.4.1 Extent of Scheduling Involvement.......................................................................................... 206
4.4.2 Timing of Updates.................................................................................................................... 206
4.4.3 Data Capture and Verification................................................................................................. 208
4.5 Adjusting and Revising Schedules....................................................................................................... 210
4.5.1 Review of Durations and Sequence......................................................................................... 211
4.5.2 Keeping the Schedule Model Current...................................................................................... 212
4.6 Baseline Management........................................................................................................................... 213
4.6.1 Baseline Management—Recording and Documentation........................................................ 214
4.6.2 Preservation.............................................................................................................................. 215
4.7 Documentation Purposes/Requirements............................................................................................ 216
4.7.1 Documentation Purposes......................................................................................................... 217
4.7.2 Documentation Requirements................................................................................................ 218
4.7.3 Documentation Distribution................................................................................................... 220
4.7.4 Historical Data.......................................................................................................................... 220
4.7.5 Project Contract Documentation............................................................................................ 222

Section 5—Schedule Maintenance...................................................................................................................... 225

5.1 Schedule Usage..................................................................................................................................... 225
5.1.2 Developing a Schedule Usage Process..................................................................................... 226
5.2 Routine Schedule Analysis................................................................................................................... 227
5.2.1 Evaluation of Critical Paths..................................................................................................... 228
5.2.2 Re-Baselining............................................................................................................................ 229
5.2.3 Use of Comparative Targets..................................................................................................... 230
5.2.4 Schedule Variance Analysis..................................................................................................... 231
5.2.5 Documentation of Logic Changes........................................................................................... 232
5.3 Schedule Compliance Analysis............................................................................................................ 234
5.4 Schedule Reporting and Response....................................................................................................... 238
5.4.1 Schedule Communication Strategy......................................................................................... 239
5.4.1.1 Project Stakeholders..................................................................................................... 239
5.4.1.2 Communication Strategy............................................................................................ 240
5.4.1.2.1 Communication Plan.............................................................................................. 240
5.4.1.3 Scheduling Reporting.................................................................................................. 241
5.4.1.3.1 Schedule Basis Document Report........................................................................... 242
5.4.1.3.2 Schedule Review Report.......................................................................................... 243
5.4.1.4 Schedule Status Reports.............................................................................................. 244
5.4.1.5 Historical Performance/Trend Reports...................................................................... 247
5.4.1.6 Float Dissipation Reports............................................................................................ 247
5.4.1.7 CPI/SPI Metrics Report............................................................................................... 248
5.4.2 Earned Value Measurement Forecasting................................................................................. 249
5.4.3 Risk Analysis Forecasting........................................................................................................ 250
5.4.4 Written Narratives.................................................................................................................... 251
5.4.5 Reporting Frequency................................................................................................................. 252
5.5 Float Management................................................................................................................................ 253
5.6 Recovery Scheduling (Accounting for Delay)...................................................................................... 254
5.7 Change Management............................................................................................................................ 255
5.7.1 Scope Change—Identification and Documentation............................................................... 256
5.7.2 Delays—Identification and Documentation........................................................................... 257
5.7.2.1 Prospective Time Impact Analysis........................................................................... 258
5.7.2.2 Claims Avoidance and Monitoring.......................................................................... 262

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Section 6—Appendix............................................................................................................................................ 267
6.1 References............................................................................................................................................. 267
6.2 Index...................................................................................................................................................... 268
6.3 Glossary of Terms................................................................................................................................. 268
6.4 Leadership Team Members.................................................................................................................. 284
6.5 Topic Writers and Contributors........................................................................................................... 284
6.6 Smooth Project Contributors............................................................................................................... 285
6.7 Acknowledgements.............................................................................................................................. 286

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