Project Time Management Flashcards
1
Q
Areas of Time Management (Schedule)
A
- Plan Schedule Management
- Define Activities
- Sequence Activities
- Estimate Activity Resources
- Estimate Activity Durations
- Develop Schedule
- Control Schedule
2
Q
Decomposition
A
- a method for dividing and sub-dividing the preojct scope and deliverables into smaller, more manageable chunks
3
Q
Rolling Wave Planning
A
- An iterative planning technique in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level
- Example: CSX Phase 1A vs. Phase 1B
4
Q
Sequence Activities
A
- Defining the rleationships between task
5
Q
Precedence Diagramming Method
A
- uses a diagram that shows graphical links between activities based on 4 different types of relationships:
- FS
- FF
- SS
- SF
6
Q
Mandatory Dependencies
A
- legally or contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work
- Often involve physical limitations
- Example: foundation of a house set before construction can begin
7
Q
Discretionary Dependencies
A
- Also referred to as preferential logic, preferred logic, or soft logic
- based on knowledge of best practicesWhen fast tracking, discretionary dependencies should be explored first
- Can create arbitrary total float values
8
Q
External dependendencies
A
- involve a relationship between project activities and non-project activities
- usually outside the project team’s control
- Example: testing of equipment is dependent upon a third party delivery of the hardware
9
Q
Internal Dependencies
A
- generally in the project team’s control
10
Q
Lead
A
- Amount of time a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessaor activity
- Often represented as a negative value in Scheduling software
- Example: FS-10d
11
Q
Lag
A
- Amount of time a successor activity id delayed with respect to a predecessor
- Example: FS +10d
12
Q
Bottom Up Estimating
A
- method of estimating duration or by aggregating the estimates of the lower level components of the WBS
13
Q
Analagous Estimating
A
- Estimating based on duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project
14
Q
Parametric Estimating
A
- Estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on histrocial data and project prarameters
15
Q
Three Point Estimating
A
- A way to estimate based on risk or level of uncertainty
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
- Defines an approximate range for each activity’s duration
- Three Points:
- Most Likely (tM)
- Optimistic (tO)
- Pessimistic (tP)
16
Q
Expected Duration calculated from Three Point Estimating
(tE)
A
- Two common formulas:
- Triangular Distribution: tE = (tO + tM + tP)/3
- Beta Distribution: tE = (tO = 4tM + tP)/6
17
Q
Contingency Reserves
A
- Estimated durations within the scheduled baseline
- Allocated for accepted risks and for which mitigation responses are developed
- For “known-unknowns”
- May be a percentage of the estimated activity duration, or may be developed using qualitative analysis such as Monte Carlo Analysis
18
Q
Management Reserves
A
- Intended to address “unknown-unknowns”
- Not included in the schedule baseline, but are part of the overall project requirements
19
Q
Critical Path Method
A
- Used to estimate the minimu project duration, which is the longest path through the schedule
- Calculates early start, early finish, late start, and late finish without regard for resource limitations through a forward and packward pass analysis
- Usually represented by zero total float
20
Q
Total Float
A
- Amount of time an activity can be delayed or extneded from its early start date without delaying the project delivery date
21
Q
Free Float
A
- Amount of time an activity can be delayed or extended without delaying the early start date of any successor activity or viloating a schedule constraint
22
Q
Critical Chain Method
A
- Allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for uncertainties or resource limitations
- Considers the affects of resource allocations, resource optimization, resource leveling
- Resource constrained critical path
23
Q
Project Buffer
A
- Critical Chain buffer placed at the end of the critical chain
24
Q
Activity Buffer
A
- Critical Chain buffer placed on an individual activity
25
Q
Resource Levelling
A
- A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource sontraints or limitations
- Critical path can be affected
- Would use this if you have flexibility on dates, but not on resource assignments
26
Q
Resource Smoothing
A
- Adjusts the activities of a schedule so resources do not exceed predefined limits
- Critical path is NOT changed, and end date is not affected
- Schedule is only adjusted within total and free float
27
Q
What-if Analysis
A
- evaluating scenarios to predict their effect
- outcomes can beused to plan contingencies, etc
28
Q
Simulation
A
- Calculating multiple project durations with different sets of assumptions
- Most common simulation is Monte-Carlo analysis
29
Q
Crashing
A
- Shortens the schedule duration
- Adding resources to acitivites to complete them sooner
- Think “crashing a party” - adding more people
30
Q
Fast Tracking
A
- Schedule compression technique
- Compresses schedule by moving sequential activities to occur in parallel
31
Q
A
32
Q
Trend Analysis
A
- Examines project performance over time to determine if performance is improving or deteriorating
33
Q
- a method for dividing and sub-dividing the preojct scope and deliverables into smaller, more manageable chunks
A
Decomposition
34
Q
- An iterative planning technique in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level
- Example: CSX Phase 1A vs. Phase 1B
A
Rolling Wave Planning
35
Q
- Defining the rleationships between task
A
Sequence Activities
36
Q
- uses a diagram that shows graphical links between activities based on 4 different types of relationships:
- FS
- FF
- SS
- SF
A
Precedence Diagramming Method
37
Q
- legally or contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work
- Often involve physical limitations
- Example: foundation of a house set before construction can begin
A
Mandatory Dependencies
38
Q
- Also referred to as preferential logic, preferred logic, or soft logic
- based on knowledge of best practicesWhen fast tracking, discretionary dependencies should be explored first
- Can create arbitrary total float values
A
Discretionary Dependencies
39
Q
- involve a relationship between project activities and non-project activities
- usually outside the project team’s control
- Example: testing of equipment is dependent upon a third party delivery of the hardware
A
External dependendencies
40
Q
- generally in the project team’s control
A
Internal Dependencies
41
Q
- Amount of time a successor activity can be advanced with respect to a predecessaor activity
- Often represented as a negative value in Scheduling software
- Example: FS-10d
A
Lead
42
Q
- Amount of time a successor activity id delayed with respect to a predecessor
- Example: FS +10d
A
Lag
43
Q
- method of estimating duration or by aggregating the estimates of the lower level components of the WBS
A
Bottom Up Estimating
44
Q
- Estimating based on duration or cost of an activity or a project using historical data from a similar activity or project
A
Analagous Estimating
45
Q
- Estimating technique in which an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on histrocial data and project prarameters
A
Parametric Estimating
46
Q
- A way to estimate based on risk or level of uncertainty
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
- Defines an approximate range for each activity’s duration
- Three Points:
- Most Likely (tM)
- Optimistic (tO)
- Pessimistic (tP)
A
Three Point Estimating
47
Q
- Two common formulas:
- Triangular Distribution: tE = (tO + tM + tP)/3
- Beta Distribution: tE = (tO = 4tM + tP)/6
A
Expected Duration calculated from Three Point Estimating
(tE)
48
Q
- Estimated durations within the scheduled baseline
- Allocated for accepted risks and for which mitigation responses are developed
- For “known-unknowns”
- May be a percentage of the estimated activity duration, or may be developed using qualitative analysis such as Monte Carlo Analysis
A
Contingency Reserves
49
Q
- Intended to address “unknown-unknowns”
- Not included in the schedule baseline, but are part of the overall project requirements
A
Management Reserves
50
Q
- Used to estimate the minimu project duration, which is the longest path through the schedule
- Calculates early start, early finish, late start, and late finish without regard for resource limitations through a forward and packward pass analysis
- Usually represented by zero total float
A
Critical Path Method
51
Q
- Amount of time an activity can be delayed or extneded from its early start date without delaying the project delivery date
A
Total Float
52
Q
- Amount of time an activity can be delayed or extended without delaying the early start date of any successor activity or viloating a schedule constraint
A
Free Float
53
Q
- Allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for uncertainties or resource limitations
- Considers the affects of resource allocations, resource optimization, resource leveling
- Resource constrained critical path
A
Critical Chain Method
54
Q
- Critical Chain buffer placed at the end of the critical chain
A
Project Buffer
55
Q
- Critical Chain buffer placed on an individual activity
A
Activity Buffer
56
Q
- A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource sontraints or limitations
- Critical path can be affected
- Would use this if you have flexibility on dates, but not on resource assignments
A
Resource Levelling
57
Q
- Adjusts the activities of a schedule so resources do not exceed predefined limits
- Critical path is NOT changed, and end date is not affected
- Schedule is only adjusted within total and free float
A
Resource Smoothing
58
Q
- evaluating scenarios to predict their effect
- outcomes can beused to plan contingencies, etc
A
What-if Analysis
59
Q
- Calculating multiple project durations with different sets of assumptions
- Most common simulation is Monte-Carlo analysis
A
Simulation
60
Q
- Shortens the schedule duration
- Adding resources to acitivites to complete them sooner
- Think “crashing a party” - adding more people
A
Crashing
61
Q
- Schedule compression technique
- Compresses schedule by moving sequential activities to occur in parallel
A
Fast Tracking
62
Q
A
63
Q
- Examines project performance over time to determine if performance is improving or deteriorating
A
Trend Analysis
