Chapter 6- Project Time Management Flashcards
Activity List
The primary output of breaking down the WBS work packages.
Alternative analysis
The identification of more than one solution. Consider roles, materials, tools, and approaches to the project work.
Analogous estimating
A somewhat unreliable estimating approach that relies on historical information to predict what current activity durations should be. Analogous estimating is more reliable, than team member recollections. It is also known as a top-down estimating and is a form of expert judgement.
Bottom-up estimating
The most accurate time-and-cost estimating approach a project manager can use. This estimating approach starts at “bottom” of the project and considers every activity, its predecessor and successor activities, and the exact amount of resources needed to complete each activity.
Control account
A WBS entry that considers the time, cost, and scope measurements for that deliverable within the WBS. The estimated performance is compared against the actual performance to measure overall performance for the deliverables within that control account. The specifics of a control account are documented in a control account plan.
Control threshold
A predetermined range of acceptable variances, such as +/- percent off schedule. Should the variances exceed the threshold then project control processes and corrected actions will be enacted.
Crashing
A schedule compression approach that adds more resources to activities on the critical path to complete the project earlier. When crashing a project, costs are added because the associated labour and sometimes resources ( such as faster equipment) cause cost to increase.
Critical Chain Methos
A network analysis approach where the deadlines associated with individual tasks are removed and only date that matters is the promised due date of the project deliverable. CCM works to modify the project schedule based on the availability of the project resources rather than on the pure sequence of events, as in the critical path method.
Critical path
The path in the project network diagram that cannot be delayed, otherwise the project completion date will be late. There can be more than one critical path. Activities on the critical path have no float, and it is the path longest path on the network diagram.
Discretionary dependencies
These dependencies are preferred order of activities. Project manager should use these relationships at their discretion and should document the logic behind the decision. Discretionary dependencies allow activities to happen in a preferred order because of best practices, conditions unique to the project work, or external events. Also known as preferential or soft logic.
Early finish
The earliest a project activity can finish. Used in the forward pass procedure to discover the critical path and a float.
Early start
The earliest a project activity can start. Used in the forward pass procedure to discover the critical path and a float.
External dependencies
As a name implies, these are dependencies outside of the project’s control. Examples include the delivery of equipment from a vendor, the deliverable of another project, or the decision of a committee, lawsuit, or expected new law.
Fast tracking
A schedule compression method that changes the relationship of activities. With fast tracking, activities, that would normally be done in sequence are allowed to be done in parallel or with some overlap. Fast tracking can be accomplished by changing the relation of activities from FS to SS or even FF by adding lead time to downstream activities. However, fast tracking does add risk to a project.
Finish-to-finish (FF)
An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to be finished before its successor can finish.
Finish-to-start (FS)
An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to be finished before its successor can start.
Fragnet
A representation of a project network diagram that is often used for outsources portions of a project, repetitive work within a project, or a subproject. Also called a subnet.
Free float
This is the total time a single activity can be delayed without affecting the early start of its immediately following successor activities.
Hard logic
Logic that describes activities that must happen in a particular order. For example, the dirt must be excavated before the foundation can be built. The foundation must be in place before the framing can begin. Also known as a mandatory dependency.
Internal dependencies
Internal relationships to the project or the organisation. For example, the project team must create the software as a part of the project’s deliverables before the software can be tested for quality control.
Lag time
Positive time that moves two or more activities further apart.
Late finish
The latest a project activity can finish. Used in the backward pass procedure to discover the critical path and project float.
Late start
The latest a project activity can start.Used in the backward pass procedure to discover the critical path and project float.
Lead time
Negative time that allows two or more activities to overlap where ordinarily these activities would be sequential.
Management reserve
A percentage of the project duration to combat Parkinson’s law. When project activities become late, their lateness is subtracted from the management reserve.
Mandatory dependencies
These dependencies are the natural order of activities. For examples, you can’t begin building your house until a foundation is in place. Also called hard logic.
Monte Carlo Analysis
A project simulation approach named after the world famous gambling district in Monaco. This predicts how scenarios may work out, given any number of variables. The process doesn’t actually churn out a specific answer, but a range of possible answers. When Monte Carlo analysis is applied to a schedule, it can examine, for example, the optimistic completion date, the pessimistic completion date, and the most likely completion date for each activity in the project and then predict a mean for the project schedule.
Parametric estimate
A quantitatively based duration estimate that uses mathematical formulas to predict how long an activity will take based on the quantities of work to be completed.
Parkinson’s law
A theory that states:” Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” It is considered with time estimating, because bloated or padded activity estimates will fill the amount of time allotted to the activity.
Planning package
A WBS entry located below a control account and above the work packages. A planning package signifies that there is more planning that need to be completed for this specific deliverable.
Precedence diagramming method
A network diagram tat shows activities in nodes and the relationship between each activity. Predecessors come before the current activity, and successor come after the current activity.
Project calendars
Calendars that identify when the project work will occur
Project float
This is the total time the project can be delayed without passing the customer-expected completion date.
Project network diagram
A diagram that visualises the flow of the project activities and their relationships to other project activities.
Refinement
An update to the work breakdown structure.
Resource breakdown structure RBS
This is hierarchical breakdown of the project resources by category and resource type. For example you could have a category of equipment, a category of human resource, and a category of materials. Within each category, you could identify the types of equipment your project will use, the types of human resources, and the types of material.
Resource calendars
Calendars that identify when project resources are available for the project work.
Resource-levelling heuristic
A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the availability supply. Resource levelling can be applies using different methods to accomplish different goals. One of the most common methods is to ensure that workers are nor overextended on activities.
Rolling wave planning
The imminent work is planned in detail, while the work in the future in planned at a high level. This is a form of progressive elaboration.
Schedule management plan
A subsidiary plan in the project management plan. It defines how the project schedule will be created, estimated, controlled, and managed.
Soft logic
The activities don’t necessarily have to happen in a specific order. For example, you could install the light fixtures first, than the carpet and then paint in the room. The project manager could use soft logic to change the order of the activities if so desired.
Start-to-finish
An activity relationship that requires an activity to start so that its successor can finish. This is the most unusual of all activity relationship types.
Start-to-start
An activity relationship type that requires the current activity to start before its successor can start.
Subnet
A representation of a project network diagram that is often used for outsourced portions of projects, repetitive work within a project, or a subproject. Also called fragnet.
Template
previous project that can be adapted for the current project and forms that are pre-populated with organisational specific information
PLAN SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT
Inputs: PMP Charter Organisational Process Assets Enterprise Environmental Factors
T&T
Expert judgement
Analytical Techniques
Meetings
OUTPUTS:
Schedule Management Plan
Define Activities
Inputs: Schedule Management Plan Scope Baseline Organisational Process Assets Environmental factors
T&T
Rolling wave planning
Decomposition
Expert judgement
Outputs
Activity List
Activity Attributes
Milestone list
Sequence Activity
Inputs: Schedule Management Plan Activity List Activity Attributes Milestone list Project Scope Statement Organisational Process Assets Environmental factors
T&T
Precedence diagramming method (PDM)
Dependence determination
Leads and Lags
Outputs
Project schedule network diagram
Project document updates
Estimate activity resources
Inputs Schedule Management Plan Activity List Activity Attributes Resource calendars Risk register Activity Cost estimates Organisational Process Assets Environmental factors
T&T Expert judgement Alternative analysis Published estimating data Bottom-up estimating Project management software
Outputs
Activity resource requirements
Resource breakdown structure
Project documents updates
Determine activity duration
Inputs: Schedule Management plan Activity List Activity attributes Activity resource requirements Resource Calendars Project Scope Statement Risk Register Resource Breakdown structure Organisational Process Assets Environmental factors
T&T Expert judgement Analogous estimating Parametric estimating Three point estimating Reserve analysis Group decision making techniques
Outputs
Activity duration estimates
Project documents updates
Develop Schedule
Inputs Schedule Management Plan Activity list and attributes Project Schedule network diagrams Activity resource requirements Resource calendars Activity duration estimates Project Scope Statement Risk Register Project staff assignments Resource breakdown structure Enterprise environmental factors Organisational process assets
T&T Schedule network analysis Schedule compression Scheduling tool Critical path method Critical Chain method Modelling techniques Resource optimisation techniques
Outputs Schedule baseline Project schedule Schedule data Project calendars PMP updates Project document updates
Control schedule
Inputs: PMP Project Schedule Work performance data Project calendars Schedule data Organisational process assets
T&T Performance reviews Project Management software Resource optimisation techniques Modelling techniques Leads and Lags Schedule compression Scheduling tool
Outputs Work performance information Schedule forecasts Change requests PMP updates Project documents updates Organisational process assets updates
Resource optimisation techniques
Resource Levelling
Resource smoothing
Resource smoothing
Resource optimisation technique
Technique that adjusts the activities of a schedule model such that the requirements for resources on the project do not exceed certain pre-defined resource limits.
Modelling techniques
What-if scenario
Simulation
Schedule compression
Crashing
Fast tracking
Project schedule formats
Bar charts
Milestone charts
Project Schedule network diagrams
Performance reviews techniques
Trend analysis
Critical Path method
Critical chain method
Earned value management
What-if Scenario analysis
process of evaluation scenarios in order to predict their effect, positively or negatively of project deliverables.
Simulation
Involves calculating multiple project durations with different sets of activity assumptions, usually using probability distributions constructed from the three point estimates to account for uncertainty. Most common Monte-Carlo- distribution of possible activity durations is defined for each activity and used to calculate a distribution of possible outcomes for the total project.
