Ch 6 Project Schedule Management Flashcards
Schedule Baseline
One of the three baselines in the project management plan that the project manager and team will use to measure the progress of the project schedule
It will include the baseline start and end dates of the project
An output of the Develop Schedule process (Schedule/Planning)
Schedule Management Plan
The management plan that documents how the project defines the activities, sequences the activities, estimates the resources, develops the schedule and controls the schedule to ensure the project stays on schedule.
An output of the Plan Schedule Management process (Schedule/Planning)
An input to the:
- Develop Project Management Plan process (Integration/Planning)
- Define Activities process (Schedule/Planning)
Parametric Estimating
A method of estimation that uses a math algorithm based on historical data and variables to calculate cost or duration
A tool used to help execute the Estimate Activity Durations process (Schedule/Planning)
Activity Attributes
Detailed information about each activity (e.g., resources necessary, location, cost, assumptions, constraints, leads and lags, and relationships to other activities)
Plan Schedule Management
The process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, developing, executing, and controlling the schedule
Knowledge Area: Schedule
Process Group: Planning
Inputs:
- Project Charter
Tools:
- None
Outputs:
- Schedule Management Plan
Project Schedule Management
Knowledge area regarding the processes required to manage the timely completion of the project; creating the schedule baseline, project schedule, and ensuring the project stays on schedule
Control Schedule
The process of monitoring the status of the project to:
- Ensure that it finishes on the schedule baseline
- Update the project schedule
- Manage changes to the schedule baseline
Knowledge Area: Schedule
Process Group: Monitoring & Controlling
Inputs:
- Work Performance Data
Tools:
- None
Outputs:
- Work Performance Information
Dependency Determination
There are four types of activity dependencies:
- Mandatory (hard logic/dependency): must be done; could halt the project (e.g., government regulations); can be imposed by customer or sponsor
- Discretionary (soft logic): best practice, customary
- External: outside the project team’s control (e.g., construction permits, deliveries)
- Internal: within the project team’s control
A tool used to help execute the Sequence Activities process (Schedule/Planning)
Duration Estimates
Duration estimates for each individual activity
A numerical estimation (e.g., hours, days, weeks required) with ranges, if known
An output of the Estimate Activity Durations process (Schedule/Planning)
An input to the Develop Schedule process (Schedule/Planning)
(Total) Float or Slack
The amount of time you can delay an activity (or multiple activities) without delaying the entire project
An important concept for the Critical Path Method, a tool used to help execute the Develop Schedule process (Schedule/Planning)
Sequence Activities
The process of putting identified activities in the order they will be performed; identifying and documenting the relationships between project activities
Knowledge Area: Schedule
Process Group: Planning
Inputs:
- Activity List
Tools:
- Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
- Dependency Determination
- Lags & Leads
Outputs:
- Project Schedule Network Diagrams
Crashing
A method of schedule compression in which more resources are added to activities to complete them faster
This method generally increases cost
A tool used to help execute the Develop Schedule process (Schedule/Planning)
Fast Tracking
A method of schedule compression in which activities are completed in parallel instead of sequentially
This method generally increases risk
A tool used to help execute the Develop Schedule process (Schedule/Planning)
Bottom-Up Estimating
A method of estimation that breaks down the work into its lowest levels and aggregates the work back up to find an overall cost or duration
The most accurate method that requires more work and time to complete
A tool used to help execute the Estimate Activity Durations process (Schedule/Planning)
Define Activities
The process of taking the work packages from the WBS and breaking them down (decomposition) into activities; identifying and documenting the specific actions to be performed to produce the project deliverables
Knowledge Area: Schedule
Process Group: Planning
Inputs:
- Project Management Plan
- Scope Baseline
- WBS
- WBS Dictionary
- Project Scope Statement
- Schedule Management Plan
- Scope Baseline
Tools:
- Decomposition
- Rolling Wave Planning
Outputs:
- Activity List
- Activity Attributes
- Milestone List
Develop Schedule
The iterative process of creating the project schedule and the schedule baseline; the project manager will continue updating the schedule throught the project life cycle
Knowledge Area: Schedule
Process Group: Planning
Inputs:
- Duration Estimates
- Project Schedule Network Diagrams
Tools:
- Critical Path Method
- Critical Chain Method
- Resource Optimization Techniques
- Resource Leveling
- Data Analysis
- Monte Carlo Simulation
- Schedule Compression
- Crashing
- Fast Tracking
Outputs:
- Schedule Baseline
- Project Schedule
- Bar / Gantt Charts
- Milestone Charts
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
A technique used to build a sequence of defined activities; used to create the Project Schedule Network Diagrams (the output of the Sequence Activities process)
One method of PDM is an activity-on-node (AON) precedence diagram, in which the boxes are activities and the arrows indicate the type of relationship (see pgs 124-125)
- Finish-to-Start (FS) is most frequently used
- Finish-to-Finish (FF)
- Start-to-Start (SS)
- Start-to-Finish (SF)
A tool used to help execute the Sequence Activities process (Schedule/Planning)
