Project

Schedule
Management
Project Management
Project Schedule Management
Project Plan
Define Sequence
Schedule schedule
activities activities
management
Management

Estimate Estimate
Develop
activity activity
schedule
resources durations

Control
schedule
Define Activities

• The first process in developing a project schedule is

to define all of the work activities
• “What work activities must be completed to create
each of the lowest level project deliverables"
• The bottom level of a WBS represents the work
packages or the lowest-level deliverables.
Sequence Activities

• Predecessors and Successors (Precedence diagramming method

(PDM)

• Leads and Lags

• Alternative Dependencies
Predecessors and Successors

• Predecessors are tasks that must be completed before another

task (the successor) can begin.
• while Successors are tasks that depend on the completion of a
predecessor.
Leads and Lags
Lead
is the amount of time whereby a
successor activity can be advanced with
respect to a predecessor activity.

Lag
Lag is a delay before a successor activity
can start (waiting time).
Sequence Activities
Activity list is finalized.
• Mandatory dependencies are identified
• Optional dependencies are identified
• External dependencies are identified
• Milestones are identified
• Common Tools & Techniques used are;
o Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
o Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM)
Activity Sequencing : Project Network Diagram
• Project network diagram – Schematic Display of project activities and logical
relationships among them.
• Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
o Nodes represent activities
o Arrows connect activities and show dependencies
o Also referred to as Activity-on-Node (AON)
• Uses four type of dependencies:
o Finish-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-start, start-to-finish
Alternative Dependencies
RELATIONSHIP DESCRIPTION
“a logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a
predecessor activity has finished.”
Finish-to-start (FS),
You must finish building the foundation before you can start building the walls.
The walls cannot be built until the foundation is completed.
“the logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a
predecessor activity has finished.” For example, Task 1: Writing a report and Task
2: Proofreading the report. You can start proofreading while the report is being
Finish-to-finish (FF)
written, but proofreading can’t be finished until the report is done.
The graphics could be designed while the marketing campaign is being designed
but could not be completed until the marketing campaign is completed.”
The first task must start before the second task can start. Both tasks can
Start-to-start (SS) proceed concurrently, but the second one cannot start until the first one has
begun. Software development starts before software testing can begin.
“a logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a
predecessor activity has started.” This is the least used relationship. Imagine a
scenario where a new system is being implemented to replace an old system.
Start-to-finish (SF)
The old system’s shutdown (successor) cannot be completed until the new
system starts (predecessor). The old system’s shutdown process can only finish
once the new system has been turned on and is functional.
Alternative Dependencies
Activity-on-Node Fundamentals
Activity-on-Node Fundamentals
Network Information
Partial Network
Automated Warehouse – Complete Network
Exercise

• Draw a network diagram using PDM:

Activity Duration Estimating
• Activity list is further reviewed and finalized
• Any additional Constraints and assumptions are identified
• Resource requirements/capabilities are defined
• All Historical information is retrieved for estimating
• Identified Risks with estimation is documented.
• Expert judgment is used for time estimation
• Reserve time (Contingency) is built in as risk mitigation
o Results in;
o Activity duration estimates
o Activity list updates
DEVELOPING PROJECT
SCHEDULES
Schedule Development
• Schedule development means determining start and finish dates for project
activities.
• Mathematical Analysis used commonly;
oProgram Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
oCritical Path Method (CPM)
oGantt Chart
• Duration Compression
oCrashing
oFast Tracking
PERT and CPM

• Network techniques
oDeveloped in 1950’s
• CPM by DuPont for chemical plants (1957)
• PERT by Booz, Allen & Hamilton with the U.S. Navy, for Polaris missile (1958)

• Consider precedence relationships and interdependencies

• Each uses a different estimate of activity times
Six Steps in PERT and CPM

• Define the project and prepare the work breakdown structure

• Develop relationships among the activities - decide which
activities must precede and which must follow others
• Draw the network connecting all of the activities.
Six Steps in PERT and CPM

• Assign time and/or cost estimates to each activity.

• Compute the longest time path through the network – this is
called the critical path.
• Use the network to help plan, schedule, monitor, and control
the project.
Questions PERT & CPM
Can Answer
• When will the entire project be completed?
• What are the critical activities or tasks in the project?
• Which are the noncritical activities?
• What is the probability the project will be completed by a specific date?
Questions PERT & CPM
Can Answer
• Is the project on schedule, behind schedule, or ahead of schedule?
• Is the money spent equal to, less than, or greater than the budget?
• Are there enough resources available to finish the project on time?
• If the project must be finished in a shorter time, what is the way to
accomplish this at least cost?
CPM
CPM
• Earliest start time (ES): This is simply the earliest time that a task can be started in your project. You cannot
determine this without first knowing if there are any task dependencies

• Latest start time (LS): This is the very last minute in which you can start a task before it threatens to delay
your project timeline

• Earliest finish time (EF): The earliest an activity can be completed, based on its duration and its earliest start time

• Latest finish time (LF): The latest an activity can be completed, based on its duration and its latest start time

• Slack or float: The slack or float of a task, is a term that describes how long you can delay a task before it impacts its
task sequence and the project schedule. The tasks on the critical path have zero float because they can’t be delayed
CPM- Forward Pass Computation

• Add activity times along each path in the network (ES + Duration =
EF).
• Carry the early finish (EF) to the next activity where it becomes its
early start (ES) unless…
• The next succeeding activity is a merge activity, in which case the
largest EF of all preceding activities is selected.
CPM Forward Pass
CPM –Forward Pass/Backward Pass
Activity Predecessor Duration Days
A - 3
B A 4
C A 2
D B 5
E C 1
F C 2
G D,E 4
H F,G 3
CPM –Forward Pass/Backward Pass
CPM –Forward Pass/Backward Pass
Backward Pass Computation
• Subtract activity times along each path in the network (LF - Duration =
LS).
• Carry the late start (LS) to the next activity where it becomes its late
finish (LF) unless
• The next succeeding activity is a burst activity, in which case the
smallest LF of all preceding activities is selected.
Forward and Backward Passes Completed with Slack Times
Practice
ACTIVITY Preceding Activity Time (Weeks)
A ………… 4
B ……… 6
C A, B 7
D B 8
E B 5
F C 5
G D 7
H D, E 8
I F, G, H 4
Practice
Project Network Diagram Example
(Determining the Forward Pass)
Project Network Diagram Example
(Determining the Forward Pass)
Project Network Diagram Example
(Determining Slack and the Critical Path)
PERT
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
• PERT is a project management planning tool used to calculate the amount of time it will take to
finish a project.
• PERT charts are tools used to plan tasks within a project – making it easier to schedule and
coordinate team members accomplishing the work.
• PERT is However, critical path in that they are both used to visualize the timeline and the work that
must be done for a project.
• However, with PERT, you create three different time estimates for the project: you estimate
the shortest possible amount time each task will take, the most probable amount of time, and
the longest amount of time tasks might take if things don’t go as planned.
Schedule Development - PERT

• CPM assumes we know a fixed time estimate for each activity

and there is no variability in activity times
• PERT uses a probability distribution for activity times to allow
for variability.
Schedule Development- Uncertainty in Project
Schedule
• Construct the best possible schedule.
• Manage the project very closely.

• OR
• Estimate a range of possible times each individual activity may take.
• Examine the impact of each activity on the entire schedule.
Schedule Development- PERT

• »Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

• ›Uses weighted Average duration estimates
• ›PERT uses mean instead of Most Likely estimate used by CPM
• Pert Calculations
▪ ›O = Optimistic
▪ ›P = Pessimistic
▪ ›M = Most likely
PERT

 Three time estimates are required

 Optimistic time (a) – if everything goes according to plan

 Pessimistic time (b) – assuming very unfavorable conditions

 Most likely time (m) – most realistic estimate

PERT

Formula: (P+4M+O)/6
Example: (8 + 4(14)+20)/6 = 14 Weeks
PERT

Activity Optimistic Most Likely Pessimistic Expected

Determine new 4 5 12 6
product features
Acquire prototype 16 20 30 21
Materials
Produce prototype 8 10 12 10
Design marketing 9 10 14 10.5
campaign
Design graphics 6 10 20 11
Conduct marketing 28 30 50 33
Perform sales calls 20 25 30 25
Variability In Time Estimate

Expected time:

t = (a + 4m + b)/6

Variance of times:
v = [(b – a)/6]2
Variability In Time Estimate
Variability In Time Estimate
Probability of Project Completion

• Project variance is computed by summing the variances of

critical activities
Probability of Project Completion
PERT makes two more assumptions:

• Total project completion times follow a normal probability distribution

• Activity times are statistically independent
Probability of project completion
Probability of project completion