Chapter 6: Project Time Management

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Project Time Management

Project Time Management includes necessary processes to manage the project on time.

1.

Plan Schedule Management: The process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning,
developing, managing, executing, and controlling the project schedule.

2.

Define Activities: Identifying and documenting the specific activities that must be performed to produce the various
project outputs.

3.

Sequence Activities: Identifying and documenting relationships between project activities.

4.

Estimate Activity Resources: Estimating the type and quantities of materials, people or equipment needed to
perform each activity.

5.

Estimate Activity Durations: Estimating necessary work periods to complete individual activities using available
resources.

6.

Develop Schedule: Analyzing activity sequences, durations, necessary resource, and schedule restrictions for the
project schedule.

7.

Control Schedule: Monitoring the project performance to update project development and manage changes in the
schedule baseline.

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Project Time Management

Schedule Data. The collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule.

Schedule Method. The selected scheduling method defines the framework and algorithms used in the scheduling

tool to create the schedule model. Some of the better known scheduling methods include critical path method (CPM)
and critical chain method (CCM).

Scheduling Tool. A tool that provides schedule component names, definitions, structural relationships, and formats
that support the application of a scheduling method.

Schedule Model. A representation of the plan for executing the projects activities including durations,
dependencies, and other planning information, used to produce a project schedule along with other scheduling
artifacts.

Schedule Baseline. The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed only through formal change
control procedures and is used as a basis for comparison to actual results.

Project Schedule. An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations,
milestones, and resources.

Data Date. a point in time when the status of the project is recorded, which is sometimes also called the as-of date
or status date.

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Project Time Management

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Plan Schedule Management

Plan Schedule Management is the process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning,
developing, managing, executing, and controlling the project schedule. The key benefit of this process is that it provides

guidance and direction on how the project schedule will be managed throughout the project.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.

Project management plan.

Project charter.
Enterprise environmental
factors.
Organizational process assets.

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.

Expert judgment.
Analytical techniques.
Meetings.

Planning

Executing
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Outputs
1.

Schedule management plan.

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Plan Schedule Management

1.

Project Management Plan

2.

Project Charter

3.

Enterprise environmental factors

4.

Organizational process assets

Inputs

Tools and
Techniques

Outputs

Tools and Techniques:

1.

Expert Judgment

2.

Analytical Techniques

3.

Meetings

Outputs:
1.

Schedule Management Plan; The scheduling methodology and the scheduling tool to be used, level of accuracy,
units of measure, organizational procedures links (WBS), project schedule model maintenance, control thresholds,
rules of performance measurement, reporting formats and process descriptions.

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Define Activities
Activity Definition is the process of identifying the specific activities that must be performed to produce the project
outputs.

Identifying outputs at the lowest level in the WBS and the work package. Usually, project work package is decomposed into
smaller components called activities which refers to the work needed to be performed to complete the work package.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.

Schedule management plan.

Scope baseline.
Enterprise environmental factors.
Organizational process assets.

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.

Decomposition.
Rolling wave planning.
Expert judgment.

Planning

Executing
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Outputs
1.
2.
3.

Activity list.
Activity attributes.
Milestone list.

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Define Activities
1.

Schedule Management Plan

2.

Scope baseline

3.

Enterprise environmental factors

4.

Organizational process assets

Tools and
techniques

Inputs

Tools and Techniques:

1.

Decomposition; Decomposition is a technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project

deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts. Activities represent the effort needed to complete a work
package. The Define Activities process defines the final outputs as activities rather than deliverables, as done in the
Create WBS process. Involving team members in the decomposition can lead to better and more accurate results.
2.

Rolling Wave Planning; is an iterative planning technique in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is

planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level. It is a form of progressive elaboration.
3.

Expert Judgment

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Define Activities
1.

Outputs

Activities list: A comprehensive list includes all the schedule activities to be implemented in the project. The activity
list, WBS, and WBS dictionary can be developed either sequentially or concurrently, with the WBS and WBS

dictionary as the basis for development of the final activity list.

2.

Activity Attributes: Include the activity ID, WBS ID, the name of the activity, activity codes, activity description,
previous activities, future activities, logical relationship, resource requirements, and imposed dates, restrictions, and
assumptions, Leads and lags, the person responsible for the work implementation, or geographical area or the place

where the work will be performed. Activity attributes can be used to identify the person responsible for executing
the work, geographic area, or place where the work has to be performed, the project calendar the activity is assigned
to, and activity type such as level of effort (often abbreviated as LOE), discrete effort, and apportioned effort.
3.

Milestone list: An important point or event in the project. A milestone list identies all milestones and whether they

are mandatory or optional. Milestones are similar to regular schedule activities, with the same structure and
attributes, but they have zero duration because milestones represent a moment in time.

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Sequence Activities
Activity Sequencing is the process of identifying and documenting relationships between project activities.
Every activity and milestone is connected except the rst and last to previous/ following milestone or at least one.

A predecessor activity is an activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule. A successor activity is a
dependent activity that logically comes after another activity in a schedule.
It may be necessary to use leads or lags time between activities to support a realistic project schedule.
Activity Sequence can be implemented by using project management software or by using manual or automated techniques.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Schedule management plan.

Activity list.
Activity attributes.
Milestone list.
Project scope statement.
Enterprise environmental factors.
Organizational process assets.

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.

Planning

Precedence diagramming method

(PDM).
Dependency determination.
Leads and lags.

Executing
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Outputs
1.
2.

Project schedule network

diagrams.
Project document updates.

Monitor & Control

Closing

Sequence Activities
1.

Schedule Management Plan

2.

Activities list

3.

Activity attributes

4.

Milestone list

5.

Project scope statement

6.

Enterprise Environmental Factors

7.

Organizational process assets

Initiation

Inputs

Planning

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Tools and
Technique

Sequence Activities
1.

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM): is a technique used for constructing a schedule model in which activities are
represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the
activities are to be performed. Activity-on-node (AON) is one method of representing a precedence diagram. This is the

method used by most project management software packages.

PDM includes four types of dependency or logical relationships:

Finish-to-start (FS): The closer of the previous activity identifies the initiation of the following activity.

Finish-to-nish (FF): The closer of the previous activity identifies the closer of the following activity.

Start-to-start (SS): The initiation of the previous activity identifies the initiation of the following activity.

Start-to-nish (SF): The closer of the following activity depends upon the initiation of the previous activity.

* Finish-to-start is the most used type of precedence relationship, start-to-nish relationship is rarely used.

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Tools and
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Sequence Activities

2.

Dependency Determination: It has four attributes, but two can be applicable at the same time in following ways:
mandatory external dependencies, mandatory internal dependencies, discretionary external dependencies or

discretionary internal dependencies.

Mandatory Dependencies: That are required under the contract or inherent in the nature of the work, sometimes
referred to as hard logic or hard dependencies. The project team determines which dependencies are mandatory
during the process of sequencing the activities.

Discretionary Dependencies: are established based on knowledge of best practices within a particular application
area or some unusual aspect of the project where a specific sequence is desired, even though there may be other
acceptable sequences, sometimes referred to as preferred logic, preferential logic, or soft logic. The project team

determines which dependencies are discretionary during the process of sequencing the activities.
Discretionary dependencies should be fully documented since they can create arbitrary total float values and can limit
later scheduling options. When fast tracking techniques are employed, these discretionary dependencies should be
reviewed and considered for modification or removal.

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External dependencies: Involve the relationship between project activities and activities outside the project. These
dependencies are usually outside the project teams control. The project management team determines which

dependencies are external during the process of sequencing the activities.

Internal dependencies: Internal dependencies involve a precedence relationship between project activities and are
generally inside the project teams control. For example, if the team cannot test a machine until they assemble it, this is
an internal mandatory dependency. The project management team determines which dependencies are internal during
the process of sequencing the activities.

3.

Applying Leads and Lags:

Lead could accelerate a previous activity. For example, a landscaping scheduled in constructing a new office building
project could start 2 weeks before the scheduled list completion.
Lag could leads to a delay in the previous activity. For example, technical writing team could begin editing a large
draft after they begin writing it in 15 days.

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Sequence Activities
1.

Outputs

Project schedule network diagrams: is a graphical representation of the logical relationships, also referred to as
dependencies, among the project schedule activities. A project schedule network diagram is produced manually or by

using project management software. It can include full project details, or have one or more summary activities. A
summary narrative can accompany the diagram and describe the basic approach used to sequence the activities. Any
unusual activity sequences within the network should be fully described within the narrative.
2.

Project document updates

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Sequence Activities

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Outputs

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Estimate Activity Resources

Activity Resources Estimating is the process of estimating the type and quantities of materials, people or equipment
needed to perform each activity.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Schedule management plan.

Activity list.
Activity attributes.
Resource calendars.
Risk register.
Activity cost estimates.
Enterprise environmental factors.
Organizational process assets.

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Planning

Expert judgment.
Alternative analysis.
Published estimating data.
Bottom-up estimating.
Project management software.

Executing
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Outputs
1.
2.
3.

Activity resource requirements.

Resource breakdown structure.
Project documents updates.

Monitor & Control

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Estimate Activity Resources

Inputs

1.

Schedule Management Plan

2.

Activity list

3.

Activity attributes

4.

Resource calendars: is a calendar that identifies the working days and shifts on which each specific resource is
available. This knowledge includes consideration of attributes such as resource experience and/or skill level, as well
as various geographical locations from which the resources originate and when they may be available.

5.

Risk Register; Risk events may impact resource selection and availability.

6.

Activity Cost Estimates; The cost of resources may impact resource selection.

7.

Enterprise environmental factors

8.

Organizational process assets

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Tools and
Technique

Estimate Activity Resources

1.

Expert judgment

2.

Alternatives analysis; Many schedule activities have alternative methods of accomplishment. They include using

various levels of resource capability or skills, different size or type of machines, different tools (hand versus
automated), and make-rent-or-buy decisions regarding the resource.
3.

Published estimating data; Several organizations routinely publish updated production rates and unit costs of
resources for an extensive array of labor trades, material, and equipment for different countries and geographical

locations within countries.

4.

Bottom-up estimating: is a method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lowerlevel components of the WBS. When an activity cannot be estimated with a reasonable degree of confidence, the
work within the activity is decomposed into more detail. If there are dependencies between activities that can affect

the application and use of resources, this pattern of resource usage should be reflected and documented in the
estimated requirements of the activity.
5.

Project management software.

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Estimate Activity Resources

1.

Outputs

Activity resource requirements: identify the types and quantities of resources required for each activity in a work
package. These requirements then can be aggregated to determine the estimated resources for each work package

and each work period. The resource requirements documentation for each activity can include the basis of estimate
for each resource, as well as the assumptions that were made in determining which types of resources are applied,
their availability, and what quantities are used.
2.

Resource breakdown structure: is a hierarchical representation of resources by category and type. Examples of

resource categories include labor, material, equipment, and supplies. Resource types may include the skill level,
grade level, or other information as appropriate to the project. The resource breakdown structure is useful for
organizing and reporting project schedule data with resource utilization information.
3.

Project document updates

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Estimate Activity Durations

Activity Duration Estimating is the process of estimating necessary work periods to complete individual activities using

available resources.
Duration estimate accuracy and quality increases gradually during the progress of the project.
All data and assumptions which support duration estimating for each activity are documented.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Schedule management plan.

Activity list.
Activity attributes.
Activity resource requirements.
Resource calendars.
Project scope statement.
Risk register.
Resource breakdown structure.
Enterprise environmental factors.
Organizational process assets .

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Planning

Expert judgment.
Analogous estimating.
Parametric estimating.
Three-point estimating.
Group decision-making
techniques.
Reserve analysis.

Executing
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Outputs
1.
2.

Activity duration estimates.

Project documents updates.

Monitor & Control

Closing

Estimate Activity Durations

Inputs

1.

Schedule Management Plan

2.

Activity list

3.

Activity attributes

4.

Activity resource requirements; will have an effect on the duration of the activity, since the level to which the
resources assigned to the activity meet the requirements will significantly influence the duration of most activities.

5.

Resource calendars; influence the duration of schedule activities due to the availability of specific resources, type of
resources, and resources with specific attributes.

6.

Project scope statement; The assumptions and constraints from the project scope statement are considered when
estimating the activity durations.

7.

Risk Register

8.

Resource Breakdown Structure

9.

Enterprise environmental factors

10. Organizational process assets

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Tools and
Technique

Estimate Activity Durations

1.

Expert judgment.

2.

Analogous estimating: It is a gross value estimating approach, sometimes adjusted for known differences in project

complexity. Analogous duration estimating is frequently used to estimate project duration when there is a limited
amount of detailed information about the project. Analogous estimating is generally less costly and less time
consuming than other techniques, but it is also less accurate. Analogous estimating is most reliable when the
previous activities are similar in fact and not just in appearance, and the project team members preparing the

estimates have the needed expertise.

3.

Parametric estimating: uses a statistical relationship between historical data and other variables to calculate an
estimate for activity parameters, such as cost, budget, and duration. Activity durations can be quantitatively

determined by multiplying the quantity of work to be performed by labor hours per unit of work. This technique can
produce higher levels of accuracy depending upon the sophistication and underlying data built into the model.

Both Analogous and Parametric estimates can be applied to a total project or to segments of a project and may be used in

conjunction with other estimating methods.

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3.

Three-point estimates: The accuracy of activity duration estimating can be improved by considering estimation
uncertainty and risk. This concept originated with the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). To dene

an approximate activitys duration, PERT uses three estimates:

Most likely (tM): Activitys duration, resources that are likely to use, their productivity, realistic expectations of
activitys availability.

Optimistic (tO): Activitys duration is based on the analysis of the activitys best case scenario.

Pessimistic (tP): Activitys duration is based on the analysis of the activitys worst case scenario.

PERT analysis expected activity duration (tE) have two formulas:

Triangular Distribution. tE = (tO + tM + tP) / 3

Beta Distribution (from the traditional PERT technique). tE = (tO + 4tM + tP) / 6

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PERT Example: Activity A has a pessimistic estimate of 36 days, a most likely estimate of 21 days, and an optimistic
estimate of 6 days, what is the probability that activity A will be completed in 16 to 26 days?

55.70%

68.26%

95.46%

99.73%

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= (P O) / 6

Mean = (O + 4M + P) / 6

= (36 6) / 6 = 5 days of deviation from the mean

Mean = (6 + 4*21 + 36) / 6 = 21 days

Mean

16 21 = -5 days = -1

26 21 = +5 days = +1

1 = 68.26% and thus the answer

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5.

Group Decision-Making Techniques; By involving a structured group of people who are close to the technical execution
of work in the estimation process, additional information is gained and more accurate estimates obtained. Additionally,

when people are involved in the estimation process, their commitment towards meeting the resulting estimates
increases.
6.

Reserve analysis; estimated duration within the schedule baseline, which is allocated for identified risks that are
accepted and for which contingent or mitigation responses are developed. Contingency reserves are associated with the

known-unknowns. Duration estimates may include contingency reserves, sometimes referred to as time reserves or
buffers, into the project schedule to account for schedule uncertainty.

Contingency reserve may be a percentage of activity duration estimating, or a specific number of periods of work, or

may be identified by using quantitative analysis methods.

Management reserves are a specified amount of the project duration withheld for management control purposes
and are reserved for unforeseen work that is within scope of the project. Management reserves are intended to
address the unknown-unknowns that can affect a project. It is not included in the baseline and it requires a change

request (re-baseline) in order to use.

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Estimate Activity Durations

1.

Outputs

Activity duration estimating: estimates are quantitative assessments of the likely number of time periods that are
required to complete an activity.

2.

Project document updates:

Activity attributes.

Assumptions made in developing the activity duration estimate, such as skill levels and availability, as well as a
basis of estimates for durations.

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Develop Schedule

Schedule Development is the process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, necessary resource, and schedule
restrictions for the project schedule.

Usually, developing acceptable project schedule is an iterative process. It identifies the start and nish dates for project
activities and project objectives.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Schedule management plan.

Activity list.
Activity attributes.
Project schedule network
diagrams.
Activity resource requirements.
Resource calendars.
Activity duration estimates.
Project scope statement.
Risk register.
Project staff assignments.
Resource breakdown structure.
Enterprise environmental factors.
Organizational process assets.

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Schedule network analysis.

Critical path method.
Critical chain method.
Resource optimization
techniques.
Modeling techniques.
Leads and lags.
Schedule compression.
Scheduling tool.

Planning

Executing
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Outputs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Schedule baseline.
Project schedule.
Schedule data.
Project calendars.
Project Management Plan Updates
Project documents updates.

Monitor & Control

Closing

Develop Schedule

Inputs

1.

Schedule Management Plan

2.

Activity list

3.

Activity attributes

4.

Project schedule network diagrams

5.

Activity resource requirements

6.

Resource calendars

7.

Activity duration estimates

8.

Project scope statement

9.

Risk Register

10. Project Staff Assignments; specify which resources are assigned to each activity.
11. Resource Breakdown Structure
12. Enterprise environmental factors
13. Organizational process assets

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Tools and
Technique

Develop Schedule
1.

Schedule network analysis: is a technique that generates the project schedule model. It employs various analytical
techniques, such as critical path method, critical chain method, what-if analysis, and resource optimization techniques to

calculate the early and late start and finish dates for the uncompleted portions of project activities. Some network paths
may have points of path convergence or path divergence that can be identified and used in schedule compression analysis
or other analyses.
2.

Critical path method: is the sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines

the shortest possible project duration. Calculates the start and nish dates, and late start and late nish dates, without
regard any resource limitations, by performing front and reverse direction analysis through the schedule network.

The schedule exibility in any network path is measured by the positive difference between early and late dates, its called
total oat. Critical paths have a zero or negative total oat, and schedule activities in critical paths are called critical
activities. Usually, the critical path is characterized by zero total oat. After the total oat is calculated, the free oat,
which is the time that the activity can be delayed without delaying the start date of any successor activity in the network
path, may also be identified.

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Develop Schedule

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2.

Critical chain method: is a schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule
path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties.

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4.

Resource optimization techniques:

Resource Leveling; a technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the
goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply. Resource leveling can often cause the original

critical path to change, usually to increase.

Resource Smoothing; as opposed to resource leveling, the projects critical path is not changed and the completion
date may not be delayed. In other words, activities may only be delayed within their free and total float.

5.

Modeling Techniques

What-If scenario analysis: is the process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect, positively or
negatively, on project objectives. This is an analysis of the question, What if the situation represented by scenario
X happens?.

Simulation; involves calculating multiple project durations with different sets of activity assumptions, usually using
probability distributions constructed from the three-point estimates to account for uncertainty. The most common
simulation technique is Monte Carlo analysis

5.

Leads and lags: are refinements applied during network analysis to develop a viable schedule by adjusting the start time
of the successor activities.
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7.

Schedule compression: The process of schedule compression leads to shorten the project schedule without changing
the projects scope. Schedule compression techniques include:

Crashing: A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding
resources.

Fast tracking: A technique in which activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel for
at least a portion of their duration. Fast tracking may result in rework and increased risk.

Those techniques target activities on critical path in order to shorten project schedule.

7.

Scheduling tool: Automated scheduling tools contain the schedule model and expedite the scheduling process by
generating start and finish dates based on the inputs of activities, network diagrams, resources and activity durations

using schedule network analysis. A scheduling tool can be used in conjunction with other project management
software applications as well as manual methods.

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Develop Schedule

Outputs

1.

Schedule Baseline

2.

Project schedule: Project schedule includes start and nish dates for each activity. Projects schedule forms are:

Bar charts: also known as Gantt charts, represent schedule information where activities are listed on the vertical
axis, dates are shown on the horizontal axis, and activity durations are shown as horizontal bars placed according
to start and finish dates. Bar charts are relatively easy to read, and are frequently used in management
presentations. For control and management communications, the broader, more comprehensive summary

activity, sometimes referred to as a hammock activity, is used between milestones or across multiple
interdependent work packages, and is displayed in bar chart reports.

Milestone charts: These charts are similar to bar charts, but only identify the scheduled start or completion of
major deliverables and key external interfaces.

Project schedule network diagrams: These diagrams are commonly presented in the activity-on-node diagram
format showing activities and relationships without a time scale, sometimes referred to as a pure logic diagram, as
shown in Figure 6-11, or presented in a time-scaled schedule network diagram format that is sometimes called a
logic bar chart.

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Develop Schedule

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Develop Schedule
3.

Outputs

Schedule data: is the collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule. The schedule data includes at
least the schedule milestones, schedule activities, activity attributes, and documentation of all identified assumptions and

constraints. The amount of additional data varies by application area. Information frequently supplied as supporting
detail includes, but is not limited to:
Resource requirements by time period, often in the form of a resource histogram;
Alternative schedules, such as best-case or worst-case, not resource-leveled, or resource-leveled, with or without imposed

dates; and
Scheduling of contingency reserves.
Schedule data could also include such items as resource histograms, cash-flow projections, and order and delivery schedules.
4.

Project Calendars; identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities. It distinguishes time

periods in days or parts of days that are available to complete scheduled activities from time periods that are not
available. A schedule model may require more than one project calendar to allow for different work periods for some
activities to calculate the project schedule. The project calendars may be updated.
5.

Project Management Plan Updates

6.

Project Documents Updates; Activity resource requirements, Activity attributes, Works calendar, Risk register.

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Control Schedule

Control Schedule is the process of monitoring the status of project activities to update project progress and manage
changes to the schedule baseline to achieve the plan. The key benefit of this process is that it provides the means to
recognize deviation from the plan and take corrective and preventive actions and thus minimize risk.

Control Schedule, as a component of the Perform Integrated Change Control process, is concerned with:
o

Determining the current status of the project schedule,

Influencing the factors that create schedule changes,

Determining if the project schedule has changed, and

o Managing the actual changes as they occur.

Inputs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Project management plan.

Project schedule.
Work performance data.
Project calendars.
Schedule data.
Organizational process assets.

Initiation

Tools and Techniques

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Planning

Performance reviews.
Project management software.
Resource optimization
techniques.
Modeling techniques.
Leads and lags
Schedule compression.
Scheduling tool.

Executing
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Outputs
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

Work performance information.

Schedule forecasts.
Change requests.
Project management plan
updates.
Project documents updates.
Organizational process assets
updates.

Monitor & Control

Closing

Control Schedule
If any agile approach is utilized, control schedule is concerned with:

Determining the current status of the project schedule by comparing the total amount of work delivered and

accepted against the estimates of work completed for the elapsed time cycle,

Conducting retrospective reviews (scheduled reviews to record lessons learned) for correcting processes and
improving, if required,

Reprioritizing the remaining work plan (backlog),

Determining the rate at which the deliverables are produced, validated, and accepted (velocity) in given time per
iteration (agreed work cycle duration, typically two weeks or one month),

Determining that the project schedule has changed, and

Managing the actual changes as they occur.

Initiation

Planning

Executing
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Monitor & Control

Closing

Control Schedule

Inputs

1.

Project management plan

2.

Project schedule: The most recent version of the project schedule as of the indicated data date

3.

Work performance data: Information about project progress.

4.

Project Calendars

5.

Schedule Data

6.

Organizational process assets

Initiation

Planning

Executing
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Monitor & Control

Closing

Tools and
Technique

Control Schedule
1.

Performance reviews: measure, compare, and analyze schedule performance such as actual start and finish dates,
percent complete, and remaining duration for work in progress. Various techniques may be used, among them:

Trend Analysis: examines project performance over time to determine whether performance is improving or
deteriorating. Graphical analysis techniques are valuable for understanding performance to date and for
comparison to future performance goals in the form of completion dates.

Critical Path Method: Comparing the progress along the critical path can help determine schedule status. The
variance on the critical path will have a direct impact on the project end date. Evaluating the progress of
activities on near critical paths can identify schedule risk.

Critical chain method: Comparing the amount of buffer remaining to the amount of buffer needed to protect
the delivery date can help determine schedule status.

Earned value management: Schedule performance measurements such as schedule variance (SV) and schedule

performance index (SPI), are used to assess the magnitude of variation to the original schedule baseline.

Initiation

Planning

Executing
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Monitor & Control

Closing

Tools and
Technique

Control Schedule
2.

Project management software: Project management software provides the ability to track planned dates versus
actual dates and to predict the effects of changes that happens in the project schedule.

3.

Resource Optimization Techniques

4.

Modeling Techniques

5.

Leads and Lags

6.

Schedule Compression

7.

Scheduling tool

Initiation

Planning

Executing
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Monitor & Control

Closing

Control Schedule
1.

Outputs

Work performance information: The calculated SV and SPI time performance indicators for WBS components, in
particular the work packages and control accounts, are documented and communicated to stakeholders.

2.

Schedule Forecasts: are estimates or predictions of conditions and events in the projects future based on
information and knowledge available at the time of the forecast.

3.

Change requests.

4.

Project management plan updates:

Schedule baseline.

Schedule management plan.

Cost baseline.

5.

Project document updates;: schedule data, project schedule, risk register

6.

Organizational Process Assets

Initiation

Planning

Executing
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Monitor & Control

Closing

Time Schedule

Option
Fast track

Crash

Cut scope

General Impacts to the Project

- Add risk

- May add management time for the project manager

- Almost always adds cost
- May add management time for the project manager
- Could save cost and time
- May negatively impact customer satisfaction
- Could save cost and resources

Reduce quality

- May increase risk

- Requires good metrics

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Practice

Activity

Estimating (weeks)

Start A

Start - B

A -C

B-C
B-E

C-D

C-E

E-END

D-END

What is Critical Path ?

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