This document provides an overview of project scheduling concepts and best practices. It discusses the purpose of a project schedule as a management communication tool [SENTENCE 1]. It covers schedule strategy, including building a schedule on paper before entering it into software. The document also discusses scheduling software options, certification in project scheduling through PMI, and tips for preparing for the PMI Scheduling Professional exam [SENTENCE 2]. Project scheduling concepts discussed include work breakdown structures, critical path method, appropriate level of detail in a schedule, and regularly updating the schedule [SENTENCE 3].

1. The Basics of Project
Scheduling
Project Management Institute (PMI)
27 August 2015 – Galveston, TX
Carla Fair-Wright, PMP, MCTS, CSQE

2. Disclaimer
OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE SOLELY MY OWN AND
DO NOT EXPRESS THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF MY
EMPLOYER.

3. Contents
• Learning Objectives
• Project Scheduling Concepts
• Schedule Strategy
• Scheduling Software
• PMI Scheduling Professional Certification
• Summary
• Q & A

4. Learning Objectives
 Help participants become better project managers
 To understand the purpose of a schedule
 To gain a greater understanding of schedule construction
 To understand the requirements for PMI-SP certification

5. How does a project get to be a year behind
schedule? One day at a time. - Fred Brooks
System 360 Chief Designer, IBM

6. What is a Project Schedule?
Project schedule communicates what work
needs to be done
Resources who will
perform the work
Timeframes in which
that work needs to
be performed.

7. What is a Project Schedule Really?
Project schedule is a management
communications tool.
It is a signal to stakeholders:
whether or not your project is
on track
Likely to be widely dispersed,
read, nitpicked, and
referenced, potentially by
every key resource and
stakeholder on the project
David M. Ciriello is a Project Management Professional (PMP)® and Project Management Institute Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)®

8. Ancient Egypt
The origins of project
management tools can be traced
back to ancient civilizations.
Over 5,000 years ago, the Great
Pyramid of Giza, which stands
close to Egypt’s capital city Cairo,
was built using over million blocks
of stone.
Thousands of skilled workers were
organized into four construction
teams, one for each face of the
pyramid.
The 20-year construction
project required
sophisticated planning and
organization in order to find
the correct stones, and then
to cut, transport, and set
them in place on blocks of
stone. Each of the blocks
weighed around two tons

9. History Project Schedule
Until about 1960, projects
were scheduled using bar
charts. Henry Gantt and
Frederick Taylor created a
system of notation for
creating such charts and
using them to report
progress, so they are
commonly called Gantt
charts.
Program Evaluation and
Review Technique (PERT)
makes use of a calculated
task duration and allows you
to estimate probabilities of
completing work
Critical Path method
CPM makes use of
estimated task durations
with no regard for
probabilities.
*Project Planning , Scheduling & Control: The Ultimate Hands-On Guide to Bringing Projects in on Time and on Budget, Fifth Edition by James P. Lewis

10. CPM & PERT
Both Critical Path method CPM and Program Evaluation and Review
Technique (PERT) provide tools to:
1. Develop critical path
2. Establish most likely time estimates
3. Calculate boundary times that define a time window for each task
 Boundariesinclude:
 earliest time for task to begin
 latest time for task to begin
 earliest completion time for task
 latest completion time for task

11. Fact Check:
In the 1950s Dupont Chemical collaborated
with mainframe computer maker Remington
Rand (Univac) to devise the Critical Path
Method of network scheduling (CPM).
This method was tested in 1958 with the
construction of a major new chemical plant.
A.True
B.False

12. Schedule Strategy
Build the schedule on paper before entering it
into your computer.
A better approach is to either sketch the
network on paper or use Post-it® notes on a
whiteboard to work out the logic.

13. Basics of Project Scheduling
1. Create deliverables-based project schedules
2. Determine the appropriate level of detail
3. Implement a regular status update and reporting process
4. Regularly review and update the schedule

14. Deliverables-based Schedules
Deliverables vs. Activities
◦ Deliverables are products produced by a project – all projects have
deliverables
◦ Deliverables are tangible: documentation, software tools, application accessible by users,
etc.
◦ Activities are performed by team member(s) in order to create a
deliverable
◦ Activities consist of one or more tasks: gather system requirements, install hardware, install
software, test system access and features
The Five Secrets of Project Scheduling- A PMO Approach - Michelle Colodzin PMP, PMI-SP, MCTS

15. The best project schedules are those which contain all of the
required information and nothing more
◦ There must be sufficient detail to accurately track and manage the project’s activities and
deliverables
◦ There must not be so much detail that the schedule becomes unmanageable
The level of detail required for a particular project must be defined prior to the start of scheduling and
followed consistently throughout the life of the project
Appropriate Level of Detail
The Five Secrets of Project Scheduling- A PMO Approach
Michelle Colodzin PMP, PMI-SP, MCTS

16. A project schedule must be updated regularly to ensure ongoing integrity
and to enable monitoring of project progress
On large projects the project scheduler is responsible for determining how
to gather task status information, how often the information will be
collected and the method for collecting and validating the information
The first step in developing a regular update and reporting process is to
work with the project manager and key stakeholders to determine the
reporting requirements and expectations
Schedule Status Updates

17. Review and Adjust the Schedule Regularly
A good project schedule is dynamic
All projects experience unforeseen events – successful projects have a
process for incorporating these events into the project schedule
There should be a change control process
◦ For smaller projects, this may be informal and occur on an as-needed basis
◦ For larger projects, this must be formal and occur regularly

18. The big picture: How is a project scheduled
The individual work items (called tasks) required to complete the project. For
each task, you might enter one or all of the following:
Durations
Task dependencies
Constraints
If you enter resources, task schedules are further refined according to the
following resource information:
Work
Units

19. Basic Rules
Time allocation
◦ Allocate number of work units (e.g. person days of effort) to each task
◦ Assign start and completion dates
Effort validation
◦ Ensure that no more than the allocated number of people are allocated at any
given time
Defined responsibilities
◦ Assign every task to a specific team member(s)

20. Basic Rules
Defined outcomes
◦ Every task must have a defined outcome ( e.g. design of a module)
Defined milestones
◦ Every task should be associated with a project milestone
◦ Quantitative measurement, an internal or external deliverable, turning point
or transition in the project
◦ Phase transitions are probably the best known milestones
◦ Rates of Completion are commonly used milestones when the project involves repetition without
sequential advancement to the next stage
◦ Performance recognition milestones
◦ Completion of a deliverable

21. Effort Distribution
General guideline - 40-20-40 rule
 40% or more of all effort allocated to analysis and design tasks
 40% of effort allocated to testing
 20% of effort allocated to programming
Characteristics of each project dictate the distribution of effort

22. Work Breakdown Structure -WBS
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is essentially the scope
statement reduced to individual pieces of work.
Tasks - called work breakdown structure (WBS)
To project schedule, begin with set of tasks (WBS)
1. Effort, duration and start date are determined for each task
2. Assign tasks to project team member(s)
3. Develop a Gantt (timeline) chart
Project Scheduling and Cost Control: Planning, Monitoring and Controlling the Baseline - James C. Taylor

23. Benefits and Uses of WBS
The completed WBS will expose
all the component parts of the
project down to a workable
level of detail.
The WBS itself is not a schedule
or cost estimate, but it provides
the underlying framework for
developing both of these key
management tools.
Project Scheduling and Cost Control: Planning, Monitoring and Controlling the Baseline - James C. Taylor

24. Practice Standard for Scheduling, Second Edition
Project Management Institute (Figure 1-1: Scheduling)

25. Scheduling Software
Zoho
Projects
Teamwork
Projects
LiquidPlanner Workfront Wrike Basecamp
Comindware
Project
ProofHub
Easy
Projects
Price $40 $49 $39 $30 $99 $99 $28.49 $99 $21
Price Per Month $40 $49 $39/User (Min.
10)
$30/User $99 $50 $29/User $99 $21/User
Storage Included 15GB 20GB 100GB
250MB per
user
5GB 15GB # of Users 40GB 50GB
Free Account Offered Yes Yes No No Yes No No Yes No
Storage Space for
Free Account 10MB 10MB N/A N/A 2GB N/A N/A 25MB N/A
Number of Projects in
Free Account 1 2N/A N/A Unlimited N/A N/A 1N/A
Integrated Chat Yes No No No No No No Yes No
Supported by Zapier
WebApp automation tool No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes
Android App Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPhone App Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes

26. PMI-SP Value
Highlight subject matter expertise and experience in project
scheduling
Increase marketability to existing and potential clients
and/or employers (differentiator)
Demonstrate commitment to professional development and
ongoing education
Obtain PDU’s to maintain your PMP credential

27. PMI-SP Credential
The PMI-Scheduling Professional Certification is a credential for those who
practice project management in the specialty area of scheduling.
The exam is NOT tool specific and is based on the participants knowledge of
scheduling, it’s terminology and relationship to the PMBOK (fifth edition).

28. Eligibility Requirements
Three to five years of project scheduling experience
 With a bachelor’s degree or global equivalent have:
 + 30 contact hours of formal education (must be in project scheduling)
 + Within the past five years, a minimum of 3,500 hours of experience in project scheduling
OR
 With a high school diploma or global equivalent have:
 + 40 contact hours of formal education (must be in project scheduling)
 +Within the past five years, 5,000 hours of experience in project scheduling

29. Application Process
For detailed information Download PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI–SP)
Credential Handbook (58 pages)
Major Points Covered
How to Apply Online
PMI-SP Eligibility Requirements & Verification
PMI-SP Examination Information & Blueprint
PMI-SP Credential Fees & Refund Policy
PMI-SP Credential Maintenance

30. Preparing for the Exam
If you have not completed a course containing Project Scheduling concepts, PMI
recommends you do so. Educational programs are offered through a variety of
providers including:
PMI component organizations (chapters, SIGs, colleges)
MPUG
PMI Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s)
University and college academic and continuing education programs
Training companies or consultants
Distance learning providers
Study groups (i.e. local chapter study groups)

31. Tips for Exam
Study with focus on the Time Management knowledge area
Understand scheduling methods (Critical Chain, etc.), Histograms and performance reporting
(Earned Value, in particular).
Read Practice Standard for Scheduling - 2nd Edition to become familiar with the terminology of scheduling, so
time spent in the “Terms and Definitions” section will likely pay off.

32. Books and Websites on Scheduling
Project Planning , Scheduling & Control: The Ultimate Hands-On Guide to Bringing
Projects in on Time and on Budget, Fifth Edition
by James P. Lewis
Planning and Scheduling Using Microsoft Project 2013
by Paul Eastwood Harris
* Dynamic Scheduling with Microsoft Project 2013: The Book by and for
Professionals
by Rodolfo Ambriz and Mario Landa
Planning and Scheduling Using Microsoft Project 2010: Updated 2013 with New
Workshops
by Paul Eastwood Harris
*A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth
Edition
by Project Management Institute
* Practice Standard for Scheduling, Second Edition
by Project Management Institute
Templates: MS Office - https://templates.office.com/en-ca/Project-timeline-with-milestones-TM00000009
Display - https://www.officetimeline.com/timeline-templates/project-management-download
MPUG
http://www.mpug.com
ww.pmi.org/Learning/On-Demand_Webinars

33. ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Carla Fair-Wright, PMP, CSQE, MCTS is a software engineer with over 28
years of experience in the IT industry. She is an IT Project Manager for
Chevron.
Carla is the chapter author of two books, 'Encyclopedia of Energy
Engineering and Technology' and 'Case Studies and Applications of Web
Based Energy Information and Control Systems.' She has been featured
in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) magazine,
Maintenance Technology, and CODE Magazine.