Planning: Schedule Management

Question 1

The processes required to manage timely completion of the project.

Answer 1

Project Schedule Management

Question 2

The process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, developing, managing, executing, and controlling the project schedule.

Answer 2

3.6 Plan Schedule Management

Question 3

What is this the key benefit for?

It provides guidance and direction on how the project schedule will be managed throughout the project.

Answer 3

3.6 Plan Schedule Management

Question 4

A component of the project or program management plan that establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule

Answer 4

Schedule Management Plan

Question 5

Thresholds indicating allowable schedule variation before action must be taken

Answer 5

Control thresholds

Question 6

The process of identifying and documenting the specific actions to be performed to produce the project deliverables.

Answer 6

‘3.7 Define Activities’

Question 7

A documented tabulation of schedule activities that shows the activity description, activity identifier, and a sufficiently detailed scope of work description so project team members understand what work is to be performed.

Answer 7

Activity list

Question 8

Multiple attributes associated with each schedule activity that can be included within the activity list

can include: activity codes, predecessor activities, successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags, resource requirements, etc.

Answer 8

Activity Attributes

Question 9

A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project.

Answer 9

Activity

VERBS!

Question 10

A list of significant points or events in a project

ex: submission of a prototype to the FDA

Answer 10

Milestone list

Question 11

The process of planning near-term activities in great detail and longer-term activities at a high level.

Iterative, ongoing process, and is a form of progressive elaboration

Answer 11

Rolling-Wave Planning

Question 12

The work defined at the lowest level of the WBS for which cost and duration are estimated and managed.

Answer 12

Work Package

NOUNS!

Question 13

Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be produced to complete a process, phase, or project

Answer 13

Deliverable

Question 14

Activities are never included in the ___.

Activities are shown separately on the ___.

Answer 14

WBS

Activity List

Question 15

The process of identifying and documenting relationships among the project activities.

Answer 15

3.8 Sequence Activities

Question 16

A graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities.

Answer 16

Project Schedule Network Diagram

Question 17

A method used in Critical Path Methodology (CPM) to build a network diagram showing activity relationships

Answer 17

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)

Question 18

Name and describe the four types of PDM relationships.

Answer 18

1. Finish-to-start: A finishes before B starts (most common)
2. Start-to-finish (A starts before B finishes (rarely used)
3. Finish-to-finish: A finishes before B finishes
4. Start-to-start: A starts before B starts

Question 19

What does PDM stand for and what is it also known as?

Answer 19

Precedence Diagraming Method

Activity on Node (AON)

Question 20

What are the four types of Dependencies?

Answer 20

Mandatory (aka hard logic or hard dependencies)

Discretionary (aka soft logic or preferred dependency)

External

Internal

Question 21

Dependency that is contractually required, physical limitations, etc.

Answer 21

Mandatory dependency

(aka hard logic or hard dependency)

Question 22

Dependency where there is a preferred order or logic

(focus on these when you need to re-sequence tasks)

Answer 22

Discretionary dependency

(aka soft logic or preferred dependency)

Question 23

Dependency outside the project team’s control

ex: must wait for FDA approval before proceeding with next steps in development

Answer 23

External dependency

Question 24

Dependency generally within the control of the project team.

Answer 24

Internal dependency

Question 25

The amount of time whereby a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessor activity.

Answer 25

Lead

Question 26

The amount of time whereby a successor activity will be delayed with respect to a predecessor activity.

Answer 26

Lag

Question 27

an information system consisting of the tools and techniques used to gather, integrate, and disseminate the outputs of project management processes.

Answer 27

Project Management Information System (PMIS)

Question 28

Visual representation of the relationships between schedule activities.

Answer 28

Project Schedule Network Diagrams

Question 29

The process of estimating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with estimated resources.

Answer 29

'3.9 Estimate Activity Durations'

Question 30

The total number of work periods required to complete an activity or WBS component, expressed in hours, days, or weeks.

Answer 30

Duration

Question 31

The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity or WBS component, often expressed in hours, days, or weeks

Answer 31

Effort

Question 32

Supporting documentation outlining the details used in establishing project estimates such as assumptions, constraints, level of detail, ranges, and confidence levels.

Answer 32

Basis of Estimates

Question 33

A technique for estimating the duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project.

Answer 33

Analogous Estimating

Question 34

An estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data and project parameters.

Answer 34

Parametric Estimating

Question 35

A technique used to estimate cost or duration by applying an average or weighted average of optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates.

Answer 35

Three-Point Estimating

Question 36

A point will eventually be reached when adding one factor (resources) yields less (products).

Answer 36

Law of diminishing returns

Question 37

Work expands to fill time available

Answer 37

Parkinson's Law

Question 38

What is Student Syndrome?

Answer 38

Procrastination

Question 39

A hierarchical representation of resources by category and type.

Answer 39

Resource Breakdown Structure

Question 40

A calendar that identifies the working days and shifts upon which each specific resource is available.

Answer 40

Resource Calendar

Question 41

The types and quantities of resources required for each activity in a work package.

Answer 41

Resource Requirements

Question 42

What is the formula for Three-Point Estimating?

Answer 42

[Optimistic + Most Likely + Pessimistic] / 3 aka Triangular Distribution (simple average)

Question 43

A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the WBS.

Answer 43

Bottom-Up Estimating (most accurate form of estimating and most time-consuming)

Question 44

An analytical technique to determine the essential features and relationships of components in the PMP to establish a reserve for the schedule duration, budget, estimated cost, or funds for a project.

Answer 44

Reserve Analysis

Question 45

A provision in the PMP to mitigate cost and/or schedule risk.

Answer 45

Reserve Often used with a modifier to provide further detail on what types of risk are meant to be mitigated.

Question 46

Time or money allocated in the schedule or cost baseline for known risks with active response strategies.

Answer 46

Contingency Reserve

Question 47

An amount of time of the project budget or project schedule held outside of the performance measurement baseline (PMB) for management control purposes, that is reserved for unforeseen work that is within scope of the project.

Answer 47

Management Reserve

Question 48

Integrated scope, schedule, cost baselines used for comparison to manage, measure, and control project execution.

Answer 48

Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB)

Question 49

___ reserves (known-unknowns) are included in the baseline, and ___ reserves (unknown-unknowns) are not included in the baseline.

Answer 49

Contingency reserves Management reserves

Question 50

Effort vs Duration

Answer 50

Effort is the total amount of labor needed while Duration is how long it will take for that labor to be done.

Question 51

Formula for Standard Deviation

Answer 51

SD = (P - O) / 6

Question 52

Formula for Three-Point Estimating

Answer 52

(t)E = (O + M + P) / 3

Question 53

Formula for PERT (beta) distribution formula

Answer 53

(t)E = (O + 4M + P) / 6

Question 54

A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of schedule flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model.

Answer 54

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Question 55

A technique to identify early and late start dates, as well as early and late finish dates, for the uncompleted portions of project activities.

Answer 55

Schedule Network Analysis

Question 56

A representation of the plan for executing the project's activities including durations, dependencies, and other planning information, used to produce a project schedule along with other scheduling artifacts.

Answer 56

Schedule Model

Question 57

Estimates or predictions of conditions and events in the project's future based on information and knowledge available at the time the schedule is calculated.

Answer 57

Schedule Forecasts

Question 58

A technique in which activity start and finish dates are adjusted to balance demand for resources with the available supply.

Answer 58

Resource Optimization Technique

Question 59

A resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to optimize the allocation of resources and which may affect critical path.

Answer 59

Resource Leveling

Question 60

A resource optimization technique in which free and total float are used without affecting the critical path.

Answer 60

Resource Smoothing

Question 61

The process of evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect on project objectives.

Answer 61

What-If Scenario Analysis

Question 62

An analytical technique that models the combined effect of uncertainties to evaluate their potential impact on objectives

Answer 62

Simulation

Question 63

A technique used to shorten the schedule duration without reducing the project scope.

Answer 63

Schedule Compression

Question 64

The approved version of a schedule model that can be changed using formal change control procedures and is used as the basis for comparison to actual results.

Answer 64

Schedule Baseline

Question 65

An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources.

Answer 65

Project Schedule

Question 66

The collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule.

Answer 66

Schedule Data

Question 67

A calendar that identifies working days and shifts that are available for scheduled activities.

Answer 67

Project Calendar

Question 68

A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable, or baseline.

Answer 68

Change Request

Question 69

What are the three types of float?

Answer 69

Total float (slack) Free float Project Float

Question 70

The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed or extended from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint.

Answer 70

Total Float (slack)

Question 71

The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint.

Answer 71

Free Float

Question 72

The amount of time a project can be delayed without impacting the externally imposed project deadline set by a customer or management.

Answer 72

Project Float

Question 73

Adding resources to critical path tasks, which exchanges higher costs for shorter schedule duration (try to do this at the lowest incremental cost)

Answer 73

Crashing (type of Schedule Compression)

Question 74

Converts sequential activities to parallel, which primarily increases risk

Answer 74

Fast tracking (type of Schedule Compression)

Question 75

High level summary timeline of release schedule (3-6 months) based on product roadmap/vision

Answer 75

Agile Release Planning

Question 76

random, iterative computer model showing probability distributions

Answer 76

Monte Carlo Analysis (type of Simulation)

Question 77

What is the difference between a Project Schedule and Project Calendar?

Answer 77

Project Schedule - planned start/finish dates for each activity Project Calendar - identifies working days and shifts available for scheduled activities

Question 78

A critical path method technique for calculating the early start and early finish dates by working forward through the schedule model from the project start date or a given point in time.

Answer 78

Forward Pass

Question 79

A critical path method technique for calculating the late start and late finish dates by working backward through the schedule model from the project end date.

Answer 79

Backward Pass

Question 80

How do you calculate the float (aka slack)?

Answer 80

LF - EF Late Finish - Early Finish

Question 81

What is the difference of One Day Scheduling Method and Zero Day Scheduling Method?

Answer 81

One Day subtracts from the duration Zero Day adds to the duration to the ES