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Importance: Importance of Project Schedules

This document discusses the importance of project scheduling and time management. It notes that 50% of IT projects faced challenges in 2003, with average time overruns of 82%. Proper scheduling is key to avoiding conflicts, especially in the second half of projects. The document then outlines the six main processes for project time management: activity definition, sequencing, resource and duration estimating, schedule development, and control. Effective use of techniques like Gantt charts, critical path method, and schedule updating are emphasized.

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55 views

Importance: Importance of Project Schedules

This document discusses the importance of project scheduling and time management. It notes that 50% of IT projects faced challenges in 2003, with average time overruns of 82%. Proper scheduling is key to avoiding conflicts, especially in the second half of projects. The document then outlines the six main processes for project time management: activity definition, sequencing, resource and duration estimating, schedule development, and control. Effective use of techniques like Gantt charts, critical path method, and schedule updating are emphasized.

Uploaded by

Anonymous XybLZf
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 21

Importance of Project Schedules

delivering projects on time -- one of biggest challenges.

50% IT projects were challenged in 2003 CHAOS study,


average time overrun now 82% from a low of 63% in 2000.*

Scheduling issues -- main reason for conflicts on projects,


especially during the 2nd half of projects.

Time -- least amount of flexibility;


Time passes no matter what happens on a project.

*The Standish Group, Latest Standish Group CHAOS Report Shows Project Success Rates Have Improved
by 50%, (www.standishgroup.com) (March 25, 2003).

Project Time Management Processes


:

1. Activity Definition:
Identify specific activities that the team and stakeholders must perform to
produce deliverables

2. Activity Sequencing:
Identify and document the relationship between project activities

3. Activity Resource Estimating:


Estimate how many resources team should use to perform pjt. Activities

4. Activity Duration Estimating:


Estimate work periods needed to complete individual activities.

5. Schedule Development:
Analyze activity sequences, resource estimates, duration estimates to
create project schedule

6. Schedule Control:
Control and manage changes to project schedule

1. Activity Specifics
Definition: An activity or task
is an element of work normally found on the WBS that has an expected
duration, cost, and resource requirements.
Project Schedules
come from project charter, scope statements, and WBS.
Activity List tabulation of activities on schedule includes activity
name,
activity identifier,
description
Activity Attributes include for each activity:
predecessors,
successors,
logical relationships,
leads and lags,
resource requirements,
constraints,
imposed dates, and
assumptions
3

Milestones
Definition: a significant event that
normally has NO duration
Often takes several activities and
a lot of work to complete a milestone
Are useful tools for setting schedule
goals and monitoring progress
Examples:
Completion and customer sign-off on
key documents
Completion of specific products
4

2. Activity Sequencing
Involves:
Reviewing activities
Determining dependencies (relationships)
Input to Critical Path Analysis
Dependency Types:
Mandatory: inherent in the nature of work
(aka hard logic)
Discretionary: defined by team (aka soft logic) used
with care, can limit options
External: relationships between project and non-project
activities
5

Network Diagrams

a schematic display of logical relationships among, or


sequencing of, project activities

Preferred technique for showing activity sequencing

2 main formats:
Arrow:
Activity on Arrow aka AOA or
Arrow Diagramming Method aka ADM
Precedence Diagramming Method aka PDM or
Activity on Node aka AON

Comparison of
ADM or AOA

PDM or AON

Arrows represent Activities

Boxes represent Activities

Nodes or circles are the


start/end points

Arrows show relationships


between activities

Can only show finish-to-start


dependencies

More popular than ADM

Used by PM software

Better at showing different


types of dependencies e.g.,
mandatory
discretionary
external

Comparison of PDM and ADM

Each box has:


identifier
start date
end date
duration
resources

PDM or AON example

Each arrow has:


identifier
duration
ADM or AOA example
8

3. Activity Resource* Estimating


Before estimating durations,
must get for each activitys resources :
the quantity needed
type (skills) needed

Important issues in estimating resources:


How difficult will it be to complete specific activities?
What is organizations history on similar activities?
Are the required resources available?

* Assume Human Resources


9

4. Activity Duration Estimating

Duration includes the actual amount of time worked on an activity plus the elapsed
time.

Effort is the number of workdays or work hours required to complete a task.

Effort does not normally equal duration.

People doing the work should help create estimates.

An expert should review estimates.

3-Point Estimates

Substitute Optimistic, Most Likely and Pessimistic for discrete number.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks for four weeks.

Needed for PERT estimates and Monte Carlo simulations.

10

5. Schedule Development

Use results from other time management processes to


determine project:
Start date
End date

Goal:
realistic project schedule for monitoring project progress on
time dimension

Tools and techniques:

Gantt Charts
Critical Path Analysis
Critical Chain Scheduling
PERT analysis
11

Gantt Charts
provide a standard format for displaying project schedule information
by listing project activities and
their corresponding start and finish dates in a calendar format.

Note: In Project 2003 darker bars are red to represent critical tasks
12

Milestones & Gantt Charts

Many like to focus on meeting milestones, especially for large projects.

Milestones emphasize important events or accomplishments in projects.

Can typically create milestone by entering tasks that have a zero duration,
or you can mark any task as a milestone.

Smart Criteria for Milestones:

Specific
Measurable
Assignable
Realistic
Time-framed

13

6.7 Sample Tracking Gantt Chart

14

Critical Path Method (CPM)


CPM is a network diagramming technique used to
predict total project duration.
A critical path for a project is the series of
activities that determines the earliest time by which
the project can be completed.
The critical path is the longest path through the
network diagram and has the least amount of slack
or float.
Slack or float is the amount of time an activity can
be delayed without delaying a succeeding activity
or the project finish date.
15

How to use the CPM


Develop a good network diagram (ND)

Add duration estimates for all activities on each path through ND


The longest path is the critical path.
If any activities on the critical path take longer than planned,
the whole project schedule will slip unless PM takes corrective action.

16

Some thoughts on CPM

Critical path does not necessarily contain all the critical


activities;
Critical path only accounts for time.

There can be more than one critical path if the lengths of


two or more paths are the same.

The critical path can change as the project progresses.

17

Using CPM to make Schedule Trade-Offs

Free slack or free float --- time an activity c/be delayed without delaying
the early start of any immediately following activities.
Total slack or total float --- time an activity can be delayed from its early
start without delaying the planned project finish date.
A forward pass through the ND determines early start and finish dates.
A backward pass determines the late start and finish dates.

18

Table 6-1. Free and Total Float or Slack for Project X

19

Importance of Updating Critical Path Data


It is important to update project schedule
information to meet time goals for a project.
The critical path may change as you enter actual
start and finish dates.
If you know the project completion date will slip,
negotiate with the project sponsor.

20

Chapter Summary
Project time management is often cited as the
main source of conflict on projects, and most IT
projects exceed time estimates.
Main processes include:

Activity definition
Activity sequencing
Activity resource estimating
Activity duration estimating
Schedule development
Schedule control

21

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