An introduction to project planning

Why plan? Project development is complex and time consuming There are usually a number of people involved with a project Communication Informs Project Manager/Team of the state of the project Customer confidence To provide a project development “Audit trail,” for anything more than the smallest project planning must be a formal process.

Why plan? The key to a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing you should do when undertaking any kind of project. Often project planning is ignored in favour of getting on with the work. However, many people fail to realise the value of a project plan in saving time, money and many problems. Managing any project without a plan is like trying to construct a house without a set of blueprints. It can be like trying to find your way in a strange city without a map. Working without knowing where you are going can lead to problems and project failure

Project planning Requires knowledge drawn from: Development techniques Application domain Project planning techniques Skills, abilities and motivation of developers Business and organisational environment Current standards and legislation Past case studies/projects Best practises for a given domain area.

Two views of a plan The Plan is a straight-jacket Very Precise Focus on data The Plan is a working tool Focus on information Very Accurate Always clearly, accurately, and concisely record project plan changes as part of the “Configuration management” system.

The cost of planning Labour and associated expenses Planner's tools Cost of preparing the written plan Opportunity costs - what could those involved be doing if they weren't planning? Meetings Walkthroughs Documentation control.

Benefits of planning Avoids the cost of the chaos that would ensue if the project was unplanned Filters out projects that would provide a negative return Being able to resolve problems in advance Being able to allocate resources in advance Can minimise contractual disputes Provides the corner stone of good risk management Essential for good Quality Control.

The project plan – Simple form How will the project be divided? Work breakdown structure Product breakdown structure When will the work be carried out? Gantt Chart Who does what? Resource allocation.

The project plan Summary plan Shows key activities, events and milestones in the systems project Detailed plan Activity plans Resource plans Cost plans Quality plans Communication plans Risk management plans Configuration management plans.

Who does the planning Developing the project plan is an iterative process that involves the: Project manager Project management support team Project board Project sponsor Customer Users Suppliers and Sub-contractors Other stakeholders.

An iterative process The project plans will evolve as the project evolves The plan is reviewed and updated as more information becomes available and uncertainties become less uncertain More detail can be added to the plan to indicate, level of performance, quality, costs, risks, the availability of resources Plan Monitor & Review Plan Monitor & Review Plan Monitor & Review

Work to be done The requirements of the work, activities or tasks to be done starts with either the Work breakdown structure (WBS) or Product breakdown structure (PBS) The WBS or PBS will then be further broken down: From the WBS “Statements of work” will be produced, with their associated “project deliverables” descriptions From the PBS “Product Flow” diagrams will be produced, and then “Work packages” with their associated “Product” descriptions

Work to be done WBS Statement of work Activity or task list PBS Product flows diagrams Product descriptions Work packages Project deliverables descriptions

Activity/Task planning Generating a plan The activities required Scheduling the activities The resources required The timing of activities Reviewing the plan.

The activities required State your objectives List the individual project deliverables in the order in which they must be achieved to reach the project objectives Identify what activities are required for each project deliverable, and then the sequence they need to be carried out in Define in measurable terms, what a successful outcome will be for each project deliverable

Scheduling the activities Identify the “Start time” for implementation of the solution Identify the sequence of activities Determine which activities can be done in parallel Determine which activities are on the “Critical Path” Identify activities sharing common resources Determine the start and finish dates for “Parallel activity streams”

Scheduling the activities Identify the time required for each activity Calculate the start and finish date for each activity relative to the “activity sequence” Determine the “total time” required to achieve the objectives Don’t be over-optimistic on time scales Allow time to accommodate delays and unforeseen obstacles

PM information systems Projects need systems that can collect data in real time concerning the project progress and costs Data analysis and distribution of information must be carried out as rapidly as possible Don’t rely on PM tools to replace good project management skills

Gantt chart

Gantt chart advantages and disadvantages It is good at showing timings It shows project progress clearly It is therefore an ideal tool for the summary plan Disadvantages Not ideal for showing inter-relationships

Network diagrams Splits up the decision making process into Method/logic - the order in which activities have to be completed Time – estimates for the time to completion can be added to each activity Resources – these can be added and then analysis carried out Identifying Activity Each activity is given a unique ID number ID number is often given in WBS The flow of work is from left to right

Two methods Activity on Arrow Activity on Node Traditionally the preferred method Activity on Node More popular these days Supported by most Project Management software tools (i.e. MS Project)

Activity on arrow Arrows are used to represent an activity Circles are used to represent the points where activities meet i.e. the work completed Specify Hardware Place H/W order 1 4 3 2 5 Specify software design Code software

Activity on arrow 1 2 3 4 Dig Hole 20m Put Tree In Hole 1m 20 21 Fill Hole 5m 26

Activity on arrow 2 3 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2 11 1 1 1 11 12 1 1 1 4 7 4 3 3

Activity on node Activities are represented by boxes Dependencies are represented by arrows joining the boxes Activity A Activity D Activity C Activity B

Networks nodes labelling Activity ID Estimated Duration Earliest Finish Earliest Start Activity Description Latest Start Latest Finish Activity span Float

Network Node Example Span = latest finish – earliest start Earliest finish day = earliest start + duration Latest Finish Day 39 Float 26 Start 36 Activity Description Hardware design Earliest Day 13 Estimated Duration 3days Activity ID E Activity span 29 10 Span = latest finish – earliest start float = latest finish date –earliest start date –duration the amount by which an activity can be delayed if all its preceding activities take place at the earliest times and the following activities can wait until their latest times ,activates with zero float are critical. Earliest finish day = earliest start + duration Critical path = the route joining the nodes that have zero float Critical path = the route joining the nodes that have zero float Span = latest finish – earliest start Float = latest finish date –earliest start date –duration

Network example Span = latest finish – earliest start Float = latest finish date –earliest start date –duration the amount by which an activity can be delayed if all its preceding activities take place at the earliest times and the following activities can wait until their latest times ,activates with zero float are critical. Earliest finish day = earliest start + duration Critical path = the route joining the nodes that have zero float.

Network example “Software Project Management” Bob Hughes & Latest Finish WK 8 Float 2 weeks Start WK 2 Activity Description Hardware design Earliest WK 6 Estimated Duration 6 weeks Activity ID C Activity span 8 weeks WK 0 Latest Finish WK 11 Float 2 weeks Start WK 8 Activity Description Build Hardware Earliest WK 9 Estimated Duration 3 weeks Activity ID D Activity span 5 weeks WK 6 “Software Project Management” Bob Hughes & Mike Cotterell (11-6-3=2) Latest Finish WK 7 Float 3 weeks Start WK 3 Activity Description Software Design Earliest WK 4 Estimated Duration 4 weeks Activity ID A Activity span 7 weeks WK 0 Latest Finish WK 11 Float 3 weeks Start WK 7 Activity Description Code Software Earliest WK 8 Estimated Duration 4 weeks Activity ID B Activity span 7 weeks WK 4 Latest Finish WK 13 Float 2 weeks Start WK 11 Activity Description Install & test Earliest Estimated Duration 2 weeks Activity ID E Activity span 4 weeks WK 9 Span = latest finish – earliest start float = latest finish date –earliest start date –duration the amount by which an activity can be delayed if all its preceding activities take place at the earliest times and the following activities can wait until their latest times ,activates with zero float are critical. Earliest finish day = earliest start + duration Critical path = the route joining the nodes that have zero float

Critical path The series of tasks that must be completed on schedule for a project to finish on schedule. It is the series of tasks (or even a single task) that dictates the calculated finish date Any delay of an activity on the critical path directly impacts the planned project completion date (i.e. there is no float on the critical path). When the last task in the critical path is completed, the project is completed. A project can have several, parallel near critical paths.

Critical path example Activity ID C Activity ID D Estimated Duration 6 weeks Estimated Duration 3 weeks Earliest Start WK 0 Earliest Finish WK 6 Earliest Start WK 6 Earliest Finish WK 9 Activity Description Hardware design Activity Description Build Hardware Latest Start WK 0 Latest Finish WK 6 Latest Start WK 6 Latest Finish WK 9 Activity span 6 weeks Float 0 weeks Activity span 3 weeks Float 0 weeks Latest Finish WK 5 Float 2 weeks Start WK 2 Activity Description Software Design Earliest WK 3 Estimated Duration 3 weeks Activity ID A Activity span 5 weeks WK 0 Latest Finish WK 9 Float 2 weeks Start WK 5 Activity Description Code Software Earliest WK 7 Estimated Duration 4 weeks Activity ID B Activity span 6 weeks WK 3 Activity ID E Estimated Duration 2 weeks Earliest Start WK 9 Earliest Finish WK 11 Activity Description Install & test Latest Start WK 9 Latest Finish WK 11 Activity span 2 weeks Float 0 weeks

Milestones Events or activities, primarily from a “Special products” viewpoint, that have particular significance can each be designated as “milestones”. Milestones should ideally align with “Project Management Stages”. Milestones are often tied to the “stage payments” made to suppliers for work done for the customer

PERT The Program Evaluation & Review Technique for estimating PERT is basically a method to analyze the time needed to complete each project task, and identifying the minimum time needed to complete the total project. PERT was developed in the 1950’s, primarily to simplify the planning and scheduling of large and complex projects. It was able to incorporate uncertainty by making it possible to schedule a project not knowing precisely the details and durations of all the activities.

PERT From the optimistic, likely, and pessimistic estimates a “Probable duration” is calculated The probable duration is based on the statistical basis that all errors will fall within a normal distribution curve. The calculation is repeated on all activities in the network and used to predict the probability of completing the project within the scheduled time t + t 4t + p t o m e = 6

PERT The Program Evaluation & Review Technique for estimating Probability Time 4tm t0 tp to= Shortest Time tp= Longest Time tm=likely Time The Program Evaluation and Review Technique commonly abbreviated PERT is an estimation technique

Other Software Tools Project Management Tools Accounting tools e.g. spreadsheets, invoice generators Documentation tools Word processors, report generators Group work tools Discussion forums, GDSS What/if simulation

Useful Links The OGC Project Management Web Site http://www.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/reference/deliverylifecycle/impplans/proj_mgmt.html Project Management Software Tools http://www.project-management-software.org/ http://www.startwright.com/project1.htm Example Project Definition Document http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/f2d920e015d1183d80256c670041a50b/547330bbc5c2e99f80256c2a0059f4c7/$FILE/Project%20Definition%20Document.pdf

An introduction to project planning