3 pm3 t_4%20-%20schedule%20development

Activity Definition
Activity List
Resource Plan
Activity sequencing
Activity Resource
Estimating
Activity Duration
Estimating
Duration Estimate
Network Diagram
Schedule
Development
Integrated Schedule

Making a Schedule that “Works”
Identify schedule “problems”
Incorrect activity definition: work packages vs activities
Incorrect sequencing: Unhealthy networks
Over-allocated resources: resource levelling
Making the schedule “useful”
“Just in time” scheduling: The Rolling Wave
Getting done on time
Making status visible: Reports and Milestones
The final product is the Time Management Plan called the “Integrated Schedule”

Activities vs. Work Packages
Activities describe the processes performed to complete all the “work” in the Work Package

Activities vs Work Packages
Example:
Work Package = Qualification Test Report
Activities:
Collate Test Results
Provide Data Package to Publications
Prepare Report
Check Report
Project Manager Review
Submit through Data Management

The “reality check”
Once the links are entered, they should form a complete network
Everything ties in to “something”
As much as possible, all the “loose ends” tie back together at the end

Resource Levelling
When the “ideal” schedule is viewed to check the “resource usage”, many resources maybe “overutilized”
Example:
If you have only one carpenter, you can’t have “Saw table legs” happen at the same time as “Assemble chair back”
This is usually showed via a “histogram” that plots resource demand over time vs. the defined team size

Options for dealing for overutilized resources
Negotiate increased resources with functional manager
Increase “productivity” through overtime, or procurement of enabling technology
Consider options for work re-allocation:
Outsourcing
Work segmentation to allow partial performance by another under-utilized function (eg. Getting an Admin Assistant to perform “clerical” tasks of writing a technical report)
“Resource levelling” = re-arranging existing program resources and task sequence to minimize impacts to the “critical path” – delay “non-critical” tasks with conflicting resources

“Rolling Wave” Schedule Definition
Some projects can be scheduled in detail at the beginning:
Repeat of previous projects (eg. Building a house)
Technology well understood, with little chance for environmental impact (eg. Database design)
For many projects, however, only near term tasks are scheduled in detail:
Technology not well developed or developed during project (eg.cold fusion reactor)
Project involves significant “trade studies” or selection of alternative approaches (eg. Project to “develop corporate network” – Client/server vs. stand-alone? Mac vs. PC? Wireless vs broadband?)
Project is lengthy and act of activity definition is a significant cost driver
Latter using “Rolling Wave” scheduling

“Rolling Wave” Definition
Near term/known events scheduled and resource loaded in detail to “activity” level
Longer term activities scheduled at increasingly reduced levels of detail
Depending on risk reduction philosophy, these may either have no budget/ resources allocated, or may be “lumped” as “Planning Packages”

Techniques for Shortening a Project Schedule
Focus on the Critical Path
Crashing: shortening the “calendar” duration of a task
Apply more resources
Apply overtime
Introduce enabling technologies, eg. Automation
“re-design” the work (eg. Current process requires 4 approvals – change process to require 2)
Fast tracking: doing tasks - normally done in sequence - in parallel
Eg. you eat breakfast, then drive to work eat breakfast while driving
Eg. Test product, then ship it perform “minimum”/safety-critical tests and ship while completing remainder
Remember the “Constraint Triangle”, any schedule reduction means:
Cost, scope or quality trade-off
Risk impact – especially when fast-tracking

Shortening Project Schedules
Original
schedule
Crashing
Shortenedduration
Fast tracking
Overlapped
tasks

Milestones
Milestones = zero duration tasks inserted into the schedule to provide visibility to key dates
May be mandated by contract or management, at PM discretion or both
Location:
“Milestone” section at the top of the project
Provides immediate summary of program goals and status
Easy access for changing and “What-if” analyses
“Embedded” in the related task path if needed to clarify inputs critical to that path
Definition methods:
“Hard dates”:
Typed in as a “date”
no “driving” dependencies
Used to flow information “into” the schedule
“Status Dates”:
Hooked on to the end of a task network leading up to the state to be tracked
Used to flow information “out of” the schedule

Application of Milestones
Flow “down” key commitments from the contract/program plan (eg. First shipment; inputs to customer activities)
“Hard” dates in the “milestone” section
Flow “up” estimated completion dates (eg. Design complete; Foundation complete)
“Status” dates usually embedded in schedule
Indicate “external” inputs to the program from other schedules or program entities (eg. Parts available from supplier; test equipment available in shared facility)
“Hard” dates embedded or at the top
Measurement of performance – discussed in integration section
Estimated vs committed
“Burndown”
Earned Value recognition
Contractual basis for invoicing progress payments
Usually attached to the “key commitments”

Schedule Reports
the “schedule” is actually a database that integrates task cost, time and logic – often called:
integrated schedule
Integrated master schedule
Cost/budget
Can be used to generate various views and reports:
WBS (sometimes)
Network diagram (PERT chart)
“Schedule” (GANTT chart)
Resource/cost profiles

3 pm3 t_4%20-%20schedule%20development

by harwoodr on Jun 03, 2010

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3 pm3 t_4%20-%20schedule%20development Presentation Transcript