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BEC 3324: PROJECT MANAGEMENT YEAR III SEMESTER II SESSION 5

FMSC - USJ

By: H K Amarasinghe

Project Time Management

Lecture Outline: Define ActivitiesThe process of identifying the specific actions to be performed to produce the project deliverables. Sequence ActivitiesThe process of identifying and documenting relationships among the project activities. Estimate Activity ResourcesThe process of estimating the type and quantities of material, people, equipment, or supplies required to perform each activity. Estimate Activity DurationsThe process of approximating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with estimated resources. Develop ScheduleThe process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints to create the project schedule. Control ScheduleThe process of monitoring the status of the project to update project progress and managing changes to the schedule baseline.

Introduction
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The work involved in performing the six processes of Project Time Management is preceded by a planning effort by the project management team. This planning effort is part of the Develop Project Management Plan process, which produces a schedule management plan that selects a scheduling methodology, a scheduling tool, and sets the format and establishes criteria for developing and controlling the project schedule. A scheduling methodology defines the rules and approaches for the scheduling process. Some of the better known methodologies include critical path method (CPM) and critical chain.

Define Activity
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Decomposition
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The technique of decomposition, as applied to defining activities, involves subdividing the project work packages into smaller, more manageable components called activities. 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

Rolling Wave Planning

Rolling wave planning is a form of progressive elaboration planning where the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail and future work is planned at a higher level of the WBS. Therefore, work can exist at various levels of detail depending on where it is in the project life cycle. For example, during early strategic planning, when information is less defined, work packages may be decomposed to the milestone level.

Templates
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A standard activity list or a portion of an activity list from a previous project is often usable as a template for a new project. The related activity attributes information in the templates can also contain other descriptive information useful in defining activities. Templates can also be used to identify typical schedule milestones.

Outputs
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The activity list is a comprehensive list including all schedule activities required on the project. Activity attributes extend the description of the activity by identifying the multiple components associated with each activity. The components for each activity evolve over time. During the initial stages of the project they include the Activity ID, WBS ID, and Activity Name, and when completed may include activity codes, activity description, predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags, resource requirements, imposed dates, constraints, and

Cont
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A milestone is a significant point or event in the project. A milestone list identifies all milestones and indicates whether the milestone is mandatory, such as those required by contract, or optional, such as those based upon historical information.

Sequencing Activities
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Sequence Activities is the process of identifying and documenting relationships among the project activities. Activities are sequenced using logical relationships. Every activity and milestone except the first and last are connected to at least one predecessor and one successor. It may be necessary to use lead or lag time between activities to support a realistic and achievable project schedule.

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Activity Sequencing Inputs/ Outputs

Precedence Diagram Method

PDM is a method used in Critical Path Methodology (CPM) for constructing a project schedule network diagram that uses boxes or rectangles, referred to as nodes, to represent activities, and connects them with arrows that show the logical relationships that exist between them. This technique is also called Activity-On-Node (AON), and is the method used by most project management software packages

Activity Dependencies
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PDM includes four types of dependencies or logical relationships: Finish-to-start (FS) - The initiation of the successor activity depends upon the completion of the predecessor activity. Finish-to-finish (FF) - The completion of the successor activity depends upon the completion of the predecessor activity. Start-to-start (SS) - The initiation of the successor activity depends upon the initiation of the predecessor activity. Start-to-finish (SF) - The completion of the successor activity depends upon the initiation of the

Dependency Determination
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Three types of dependencies are used to define the sequence among the activities:
Mandatory

dependencies. Mandatory dependencies are those that are contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work. Discretionary dependencies. The project team determines which dependencies are discretionary during the process of sequencing the activities. External dependencies. The project management team determines which dependencies are external during the process of sequencing the activities.

Applying Leads and Lags

The project management team determines the dependencies that may require a lead or a lag to accurately define the logical relationship. The use of leads and lags should not replace schedule logic. Activities and their related assumptions should be documented. A lead allows an acceleration of the successor activity.

For example, on a project to construct a new office building, the landscaping could be scheduled to start 2 weeks prior to the scheduled punch list completion. This would be shown as a finish-to-start with a 2-week lead. For example, a technical writing team can begin editing the draft of a large document 15 days after they begin writing it. This could be shown as a start-to-start relationship with a 15-day lag.

A lag directs a delay in the successor activity.

Schedule Network Templates

Project schedule network diagrams are schematic displays of the projects schedule activities and the logical relationships among them, also referred to as dependencies. Standardized schedule network diagram templates can be used to expedite the preparation of networks of project activities. They can include an entire project or only a portion of it. Portions of a project schedule network diagram are often referred to as a sub-network or a fragment network.

Example Precedence Diagram Method

Estimate Activity Resources

Estimate Activity Resources is the process of estimating the type and quantities of material, people, equipment, or supplies required to perform each activity.

Resource Calendar
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Information on which resources (such as people, equipment, and material) are potentially available during planned activity period is used for estimating resource utilization. Resource calendars specify when and how long identified project resources will be available during the project. This information may be at the activity or project level. 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.

Bottom-Up Estimating
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When an activity cannot be estimated with a reasonable degree of confidence, the work within the activity is decomposed into more detail. The resource needs are estimated. These estimates are then aggregated into a total quantity for each of the activitys resources. Activities may or may not have dependencies between them that can affect the application and use of resources.

Estimate Activity Durations

Estimate Activity Durations is the process of approximating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with estimated resources. Estimating activity durations uses information on activity scope of work, required resource types, estimated resource quantities, and resource calendars

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Estimate Durations - Inputs/ Outputs

Analogous Estimation
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Analogous estimating uses parameters such as duration, budget, size, weight, and complexity, from a previous, similar project, as the basis for estimating the same parameter or measure for a future project. When estimating durations, this technique relies on the actual duration of previous, similar projects as the basis for estimating the duration of the current project.

Parametric Estimation
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Parametric estimating uses a statistical relationship between historical data and other variables (e.g., square footage in construction) to calculate an estimate for activity parameters, such as cost, budget, and duration. This technique can produce higher levels of accuracy depending upon the sophistication and underlying data built into the model.

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

PERT uses three estimates to define an approximate range for an activitys duration:
Most likely (tM) - The duration of the activity, given the resources likely to be assigned, their productivity, realistic expectations of availability for the activity, dependencies on other participants, and interruptions. Optimistic (tO) - The activity duration is based on analysis of the best-case scenario for the activity. Pessimistic (tP) - The activity duration is based on analysis of the worst-case scenario for the activity.

PERT Calculation
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PERT analysis calculates an Expected (tE) activity duration using a weighted average of these three estimates: tE = (tO + 4tM + tP)/ 6 Duration estimates based on this equation (or even on a simple average of the three points) may provide more accuracy, and the three points clarify the range of uncertainty of the duration estimates.

Reserve Analysis
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Duration estimates may include contingency reserves, (sometimes referred to as time reserves or buffers) into the overall project schedule to account for schedule uncertainty. The contingency reserve may be a percentage of the estimated activity duration, a fixed number of work periods, or may be developed by using quantitative analysis methods. As more precise information about the project becomes available, the contingency reserve may be used, reduced, or eliminated. Contingency should be clearly identified in schedule documentation.

Develop Schedule
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Develop Schedule is the process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints to create the project schedule. Entering the activities, durations, and resources into the scheduling tool generates a schedule with planned dates for completing project activities. Developing an acceptable project schedule is often an iterative process. It determines the planned start and finish dates for project activities and milestones.

Develop Schedule Inputs/ Outputs

Network Analysis
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Schedule network analysis is a technique that generates the project schedule. It employs various analytical techniques, such as critical path method, critical chain method, whatif analysis, and resource leveling 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.

Critical Path Method

The critical path method calculates the theoretical early start and finish dates, and late start and finish dates, for all activities without regard for any resource limitations, by performing a forward and backward pass analysis through the schedule network. The resulting early and late start and finish dates are not necessarily the project schedule; rather, they indicate the time periods within which the activity could be scheduled, given activity durations, logical relationships, leads, lags, and other known constraints.

Cont..
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Calculated early start and finish dates, and late start and finish dates, may be affected by activity total float, which provides schedule flexibility and, may be positive, negative, or zero. On any network path, the schedule flexibility is measured by the positive difference between early and late dates, and is termed total float. Critical paths have either a zero or negative total fl oat, and schedule activities on a critical path are called critical activities. A critical path is normally characterized by zero total fl oat on the critical path.

Cont
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Networks can have multiple near critical paths. Adjustments to activity durations, logical relationships, leads and lags, or other schedule constraints may be necessary to produce network paths with a zero or positive total float. Once the total float for a network path has been calculated then the free float, the amount of time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any immediate successor activity within the network path, can also be determined

Cont
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Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is a project management tool that:

Cont
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Once the CPA is drawn up, it is possible to see the CRITICAL PATH itself this is a route through the CPA, which has no spare time (called FLOAT or slack) in any of the activities. In other words, if there is any delay to any of the activities on the critical path, the whole project will be delayed unless the firm makes other changes to bring the project back on track. The total time along this critical path is also the minimum time in which the whole project can be completed. Some branches on the CPA may have FLOAT, which means that there is some spare time available for these activities.

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Key Rules of Developing the CPA

Nodes are numbered to identify each one and show the Earliest Start Time (EST) of the activities that immediately follow the node, and the Latest Finish Time (LFT) of the immediately preceding activities The CPA must begin and end on one node There must be no crossing activities in the CPA East activity is labeled with its name eg print brochure, or it may be given a label, such as D. The activities on the critical path are usually marked with a //

Example
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Exercise 01
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Activity
A weigh ingredients B mix ingredients C dough rising time D prepare tins E pre-heat oven F knock back dough and place in tins G 2 nd dough rising time H cooking time

Preceded by
A B C&D F E&G

Elapsed time (minutes)

Answer Ex: 01
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Exercise 02
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Activity A B

Predecessor 1 1

Successor 2 3

Estimated Duration 1 2

C
D E F G H I J

1
2 3 3 4 5 7 6

4
5 5 6 7 6 6 8

3
4 5 4 6 6 2 3

Exercise 03
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Activity

A B C D E F G H

Duration 3 6 7 5 13 8 11 6

Immediate Predesesor A A A B,C C,D D,F G,E

Exercise 04 Float Calculation

Task

Early Start Early Dade Finish Date 01st June 01st June 01st June 02nd June 01st June 02nd June 03rd June 07th June

Late Start Date 03rd June 01st June 03rd June 06th June

Late Finish date 03rd June 02nd June 07th June 09th June

Float

A B C D

E F
G H I J

03rd June 03rd June

09th June 08th June

03rd June 14th June

09th June 17th June

Critical Chain Analysis

The resource-constrained critical path is known as the critical chain. The critical chain method adds duration buffers that are non-work schedule activities to manage uncertainty. One buffer, placed at the end of the critical chain, is known as the project buffer and protects the target finish date from slippage along the critical chain. Additional buffers, known as feeding buffers, are placed at each point that a chain of dependent tasks not on the critical chain feeds into the critical chain. Feeding buffers thus protect the critical chain from slippage along the feeding chains. The critical chain method focuses on managing remaining buffer durations against the remaining

Resource Leveling
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Resource leveling is a schedule network analysis technique applied to a schedule that has already been analyzed by the critical path method. Resource leveling can be used when shared or critical required resources are only available at certain times, are only available in limited quantities, or to keep resource usage at a constant level. Resource leveling is necessary when resources have been over-allocated, such as when a resource has been assigned to two or more activities during the same time period, when shared or critical required resources are only available at certain times or are only available in limited quantities. Resource leveling can often cause the original critical path to change.

What-if Analysis
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This is an analysis of the question What if the situation represented by scenario X happens? A schedule network analysis is performed using the schedule to compute the different scenarios, such as delaying a major component delivery, extending specific engineering durations, or introducing external factors, such as a strike or a change in the permitting process. The outcome of the what-if scenario analysis can be used to assess the feasibility of the project schedule under adverse conditions, and in preparing contingency and response plans to overcome or mitigate the impact of unexpected situations. The most common technique is Monte Carlo

Schedule Compression
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Schedule compression shortens the project schedule without changing the project scope, to meet schedule constraints, imposed dates, or other schedule objectives. Schedule compression techniques include:
Crashing Fast

Tracking

Schedule Control
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Control Schedule is the process of monitoring the status of the project to update project progress and manage changes to the schedule baseline. Schedule control is concerned with:
Determining

the current status of the project

schedule Influencing the factors that create schedule changes Determining that the project schedule has changed and

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Schedule Control Inputs/ Outputs

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End of Session 05

Thank you