Project Time Management Sections of this presentation were adapted from A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge 3rd Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., © 2004

Project Time Management “The processes required to accomplish timely completion of the project”

Why Time Management? Part of triple constraint, can’t manage one without the others (scope, time, and quality) Second hardest section on the test behind integration

How Do We Manage Time? Six processes Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Activity Definition Inputs Tools & Techniques Outputs Enterprise Environmental Factors Inputs Tools & Techniques Outputs Decomposition Templates Rolling wave planning Expert judgment Planning component Organizational Process Assets Activity List Project Scope Statement Activity Attributes Work Breakdown Structure Milestone List WBS Dictionary Requested Changes Project Management Plan Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Activity Definition Rolling Wave Planning – Progressive planning where near term work is broken down in detail and distant work is kept at a higher WBS level Planning Component – WBS items that cannot be broken down into work packages are put in a: Control Account – High level planning dates for the scope to be defined Planning Package – Package includes scope to be completed but no activities.

Activity Sequencing Inputs Tools & Techniques Outputs Project Scope Statement Precedence diagramming method (PDM) Arrow diagramming method (ADM) Schedule network templates Dependency determination Applying leads and lags Project Schedule Network Diagrams Activity List Activity List Updates Activity Attributes Activity Attributes Updates Milestone List Approved Change Requests Requested Changes Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) Commonly called Activity on Node (AON), most commonly used sequencing method Boxes are used to represent tasks with arrows used for dependencies Four types of dependencies Finish to Start – Task must finish before next one can start Finish to Finish – One task must finish before the other can finish Start to Start – One task must start before the other can start Start to Finish – One task must start before the other can finish Activity A Activity B Node Dependency

Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) Commonly called Activity on Arrow (AOA) Boxes are used to represent dependencies with arrows used for tasks Only Finish to Start relationships Can use “dummy” activities Used for CPM and PERT estimating methods Task Activity A Dependency

Method Comparison PDM (AON) Method Start Finish ADM (AOA) Method Start Build Foundation Build Walls Build Roof Start Finish Install Grass Build Foundation ADM (AOA) Method Build Walls Build Roof Start Finish Install Grass

Activity Resource Estimating Enterprise Environmental Factors Inputs Tools & Techniques Outputs Expert judgment Alternatives analysis Published estimating data Project management software Bottom-up estimating Activity Resource Requirements Organizational Process Assets Activity Attributes Updates Activity List Resource Breakdown Structure Activity Attributes Resource Availability Resource Calendar Updates Project Management Plan Requested Changes Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Activity Duration Estimating Enterprise Environmental Factors Tools & Techniques Expert judgment Analogous estimating Parametric estimating Three-point estimates Reserve Analysis Organizational Process Assets Outputs Project Scope Statement Inputs Activity Duration Estimates Activity List Activity attributes updates Activity Attributes Activity Resource Requirements Resource Calendar Project Management Plan Risk Register Activity Cost Estimates Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Estimating Methods CPM (Critical Path Method) One time estimate per task Controls cost with flexible schedule Only on AOA networks (can have dummies) Not the same thing as schedule critical path PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) Three estimates per activity (Optimistic, Pessimistic, most likely) Emphasis on meeting schedule with flexible cost Monte Carlo Simulation Gives probabilities of completing project on time, cost, and whether or not project is on critical path

PERT (Expected Duration) Estimating with PERT PERT Formula (Expected Duration) =(P+4M+O)/6 Standard Deviation = (P-O)/6 Variance = [(P-O)/6]2 Task O Optimistic M Most Likely P Pessimistic PERT (Expected Duration) Std Dev Variance A 2 days 4 days 8 days 4.3 days 1 day

Schedule Development Tools & Techniques Outputs Inputs Enterprise Environmental Factors Tools & Techniques Project schedule Schedule network analysis Critical path method Schedule compression What-if analysis Resource leveling Critical chain method Project management software Applying calendars Adjustable leads and lags Schedule model Schedule model data Organizational Process Assets Schedule baseline Outputs Resource requirements updates Project Scope Statement Inputs Activity attributes updates Activity List Activity Attributes Project calendar updates Activity Resource Requirements Requested changes Resource Calendar Project management plan updates Schedule management plan updates Project Management Plan Risk Register Activity Cost Estimates Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Scheduling from Estimates Critical Path Longest time through the network diagram, the shortest time the project is expected to take Slack (or Float) The amount of time a task can be delayed without impacting the project Calculated using: Late Start – Early Start (LS-ES) Or Late Finish – Early Finish (LF-EF) Early Starts computed by making a “forward pass” through the network while late starts are computed using a “backward pass”

Critical Path Determination EF=ES+DUR-1 LS=LF-DUR+1 Slack=LF-EF or LS-ES ES DUR EF Task Name LS Slack LF 3 2 4 Task B 7 4 8 1 2 2 9 2 10 Task A Task D 3 6 8 1 2 9 10 Task C 3 8

Schedule Control Tools & Techniques Inputs Outputs Schedule model data updates Tools & Techniques Schedule baseline updates Schedule network analysis Critical path method Schedule compression What-if analysis Resource leveling Critical chain method Project management software Applying calendars Adjustable leads and lags Schedule model Inputs Schedule Management Plan Performance measurements Outputs Requested changes Schedule Baseline Recommended corrective actions Performance reports Organizational process assets updates Approved Change Requests Activity list updates Activity attribute updates Project Management Plan updates Activity Definition Activity Sequencing Activity Resource Estimating Activity Duration Estimating Schedule Development Schedule Control

Other Important Terms Lag – Inserted waiting time between tasks Free Slack – Available delay time without impacting start of successor Total Slack – Amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying project completion date Project Slack – Amount of time a project can be delayed without impacting completion dates imposed by client Crashing – Adding resources to critical path items to shorten schedule Fast Tracking – Performing critical path tasks in parallel rather than series Resource Leveling – Adjusting completion dates of tasks to meet available resources Heuristics – Rules of thumb