OPMA 5364

Project Management

Part 5
Project Scheduling
 Topic Outline: Project Scheduling
Identifying relationships among activities
Project network diagrams
Identifying critical paths and critical activities
Determining activity slack times
Gantt charts
Project scheduling exercise
Microsoft Project example
Other precedence relationships
Management of project schedules
Part 5 - Project Scheduling 2
 Identifying Activity Relationships
In addition to estimating activity time duration and cost,
relationships among activities must also be identified
Relationships:
What task immediately precedes this task?
What task immediately follows this task?
What tasks can be done concurrently?
These are referred to as precedence relationships
The main relationship for scheduling is what task
immediately precedes the current task, which is
referred to as the immediate predecessor task

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 3

 Project Network Diagrams
Network diagrams show the precedence
relationships among activities
Its easier to understand these relationships
graphically
Network diagrams help to understand the flow of
work in a project
Network diagrams are a useful tool for project
planning and control, as well as for scheduling
One (perhaps exaggerated) claim is that the
network represents of the planning process
Part 5 - Project Scheduling 4
 2 Versions of Network Diagrams
Activity-on-Arrow (AOA) networks
also called Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM)
simpler for projects with many dependencies
emphasizes events; milestones can be easily flagged
sometimes requires dummy activities
Activity-on-Node (AON) networks
also called Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
easier to draw for simple projects
emphasizes activities
no dummy activities
Part 5 - Project Scheduling 5
 Activities vs. Events
Activity a chunk of work that is part of the
project; an activity may be broken down into
multiple subactivities
Event a significant point in time during the
project, such as a milestone event; an event
could be the time at which an activity is
completed or the time at which related
concurrent activities have all completed
Dummy Activity an artificial activity with zero
time duration that only shows a precedence
relationship among activities
Part 5 - Project Scheduling 6
Activity-on-Arrow (AOA) Networks
c e
b
g
d f

k
k
k or j

j j

Dashed lines are called dummy activities

Activity Predecessor m r
m _
_
n
r m, n
n s
s n

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 Install rough
electrical & plumbing
6 8 11
Install
finished
plumbing
Pour Install
basement Install drywall
floor cooling &
7 heating
Install
drains 10 Install 12
Erect 9 Lay kitchen
frame & roof flooring equipment
Paint
1 Excavate
2 Pour
3 4
& pour foundation
footings Lay
brickwork Finish
carpeting 16
Finish
5 electrical
Finish work
roof

Lay
storm
13 18
Project Network for drains 14 Finish
floors

House Construction Install

roof
drainage
Pour
(AOA network) Finish
walks;
Landscape
grading
15 17

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 8

 Project Network Example
Task Pred. Dur.Task Pred. Dur.
a -- 4 g c,d 1
b -- 3 h e 4
c a 3 i f 5
d a 2 j e,g 6
e b 6 k h,i 1
f b 4
Draw AOA and AON networks

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 9

Activity-on-Arrow (AOA or ADM) Network
(Initial Network)

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 10

Activity-on-Arrow (AOA or ADM) Network
(Final Network)

a d g
j

b e h
k

f i

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 11

Activity-on-Node (AON or PDM) Network

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 12

 Project Network Example
A project has the following activities and
precedence relationships:
Predecessor Predecessor
Activity Activities Activity Activities
a -- f c,e
b a g b
c a h b,d
d a i b,d
e b j f,g,h
Draw AOA and AON networks
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Activity on Arrow
(Initial Network)

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 14

 Activity on Arrow
(Final Network)

g
b e

a c f j

d h
i

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Activity on Node

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 Critical Path
path any route along the network from start to
finish
Critical Path path with the longest total duration
This is the shortest time in which the project can
be completed.
Critical Activity an activity on the critical path
*If a critical activity is delayed, the entire project
will be delayed. Close attention must be given
to critical activities to prevent project delay.
There may be more than one critical path.
Part 5 - Project Scheduling 17
 Critical Path

Brute force approach to finding critical path:

1. identify all possible paths from start to finish
2. sum up durations for each path
3. largest total indicates critical path

(This approach is inefficient, but is instructive)

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 18

 d=4
2 6
6

k
=

=
=
a

6
3

i=
b=2 g=9
1 4 7

c 8
= f= 7
5
j=
3 5
h=9

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 19

 Slack Times
ESTEarliest Start Time
Largest EFT of all predecessors
EFTEarliest Finish Time
EST + duration for this task
LFTLatest Finish Time
Smallest LST of following tasks
LSTLatest Start Time
LFT duration for this task
SlackLFT EFT or LST EST
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Computing Slack Times

EST EFT

Task = duration
slack = xxxx

LST LFT

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 21

 Slack Times Example
Task Pred. Dur.Task Pred. Dur.
a -- 4 g c,d 1
b -- 3 h e 4
c a 3 i f 5
d a 2 j e,g 6
e b 6 k h,i 1
f b 4
For each task, compute ES, EF, LF, LS, Slack

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 22

 c=3 EST EFT
slack= Task=dur
slack=xxx
LST LFT
a=4 g=1
slack= slack=

j=6
d=2 slack=
slack=

Start Finish
e=6
slack=
h=4
slack=
b=3 k=1
slack= slack=

f=4 i=5
slack= slack=

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 23

 Gantt Charts
The main purpose of a Gantt chart is to display
the schedule of activities
They are easy to understand
They are flexible in that you can also show other
information on the chart, such as resources
required, who is responsible, critical activities,
percent complete, etc.
All project management software packages will
create Gantt charts

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 Gantt Chart
Activity

Time (weeks)

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 25

 Project Scheduling Exercise
DynaTech Equipment Corp. case
Divide into small groups
Read case (5 minutes)
Assignment: (40 minutes)
List the immediate predecessors and WBS
number for each activity
Draw project network diagram (lowest level)
Draw Gantt chart
Determine project completion time

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 26

Microsoft Project Example

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 27

Microsoft Project Example

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 28

Microsoft Project Example

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 29

 Other Precedence Relationships
The typical precedence relationship between two
activities is that when the first activity has
finished, then the second activity can start. In
this case the first activity is called the immediate
predecessor of the second activity.
This is referred to as a Finish-to-Start linkage.
Other precedence relationships, or linkages, are
also possible.
Lead and lag times are also possible.

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 30

 Other Precedence Relationships
Activity 1 Lead and Lag Times
Finish-to-Start
Linkage (FS) Activity 2
Lead (-) and Lag (+) times are
expressed as part of the
immediate predecessor
Activity 1 notation. So 1FS+3 listed for
Start-to-Start the immediate predecessor of
Linkage (SS) Activity 2 means that Activity 1
Activity 2
is the predecessor with a Finish-
to-Start linkage and a 3-day lag
Activity 1 time after Activity 1 finishes
Finish-to-Finish
before Activity 2 can start.
Linkage (FF)
Activity 2 1FS-3 means that Activity 2 can
start 3 days before Activity 1
finishes.
Start-to-Finish Activity 1
1FF+3; 1SF-5; 1SS+4
Linkage (SF)
Activity 2

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 31

Management of Project Schedules
Meeting project deadlines is often the most
important goal in project management
Careful scheduling of project activities is critical
to meeting the project due date
Effective project managers should have a good
understanding of the issues involved in activity
scheduling

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 32

 Ineffective Scheduling
Notice:
As of tomorrow, employees will only be
able to access the building using individual
security cards. Pictures will be taken next
Wednesday, and employees will receive
their cards in two weeks.

Part 5 - Project Scheduling 33