Schedule Flashcards
The two most notable trends currently impacting scheduling are
- Iterative scheduling with a backlog
2. On-demand scheduling
Iterative scheduling with a backlog
a type of rolling wave planning used in adaptive project management (such as Agile) to deliver incremental value to the customer during an iteration.
back log
The backlog is the list of features that have yet to be developed during the current increment.
user story
A brief description of deliverable value for a specific user.
The schedule is based on project requirements that are documented with user stories. User stories are prioritized and clarified to define the requirements for
product features that are developed within a defined work period (a time-boxed period).
On-demand scheduling
an approach typically used in a Kanban system to limit the team’s work in progress in order to balance demand against throughput.
The schedule is subject to the availability of resources:
Plan Schedule Management
the process of establishing the policies, procedures and documentation for planning, managing and controlling the project schedule.
Plan Schedule Management
benefit
guidance and direction of how schedule will be managed throughout the project
Plan Schedule Management
inputs
- project charter (milestone sturcuture)
- pmp: scp mt plan & development approach
- EEF (scheduling software & commercial database)
- OPA (monitoring and reporting tools)
Plan Schedule Management
TT
EDM
Plan Schedule Management
outputs
Schedule Management Plan
schedule management plan establishes
- project schedule model development maintenance practices
- level of accuracy that will be required for activity duration estimates
- units of measure (time and quantity) that will be used for each resource
- Organizational procedures links based on the WBS
- Control thresholds for monitoring schedule performance
- rules of perf measurement
Define Activities
determining and listing the activities required to create the deliverables of the project
Note: list is created without regard to necessary resources, start dates, or completion dates
Define Activities
benefit
it decompose the work packages into schedule activities that provides a basis for..
Define Activities
inputs
- schedule mt plan
- scope baseline
Define Activities
TT
E+M
Decomposition
RWP (rolling wave planning)
Define Activities
outputs
- activity list
- activity attributes
- milestone list
Activity List
The activity list enumerates each schedule activity
stipulated for the project, including its IDENTIFIER and
SCOPE DESCRIPTION sufficiently DETAILED to ensure an understanding of the work by each team member.
NOT a component of the WBS.
break down the activity list to the point where the activities are 4-80 hours in duration.
Activity Attributes
clarify an activity by identifying multiple components related to the activity.
The components evolve during the project. When completed:
a description of the activity, predecessor and successor activities, logical relationships, leads and
lags, resource needs, constraints, assumptions, and exact dates.
Rolling Wave Planning
TT of define activities
concept that utilizes the progressive elaboration concept in planning.
work to be done in the near term is planning in detail, work further in the future is planned at higher level
Control Accounts
specific points in the WBS where the project scope,
budget, actual cost, and schedule are combined
Planning Package
a piece of the WBS above the work package. It is used
to plan work that has been scoped but lacks sufficient
work package level details.
Sequence Activities
identifying and documenting relationships among project activities
Sequence Activities
benefit
defines the logical sequence of the work to obtain the greatest efficiency giving all the constrains.
Sequence Activities
inputs
- schedule mt plan
- scope baseline
- activity list
- milestone list
Sequence Activities
TT
- PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method)
- Dependency Determination and Integration
- Leads and Lags
Sequence Activities
outputs
- PSDM (Project Schedule Network Diagrams)
2. activity attributes
four types of dependency attributes
- mandatory (legally or contractually required)
- discretionary (preferred, based on best practices)
- external (usually out of the project team’s control)
- internal (relationship between project activities)
FS
successor cannot start until predecessor finishes
most common
FF
successor cannot finish until predecessor finishes
SS
successor cannot start until predecessor starts
SF
predecessor cannot finish until successor start
very rare
leads
amount of time that a successor activity will be started BEFORE a predecessor activity is completed
lags
the amount of time that a successor activity will be
delayed AFTER the predecessor activity is completed
precedence diagramming method (PDM)
typically used with modern project management scheduling software. This method depicts each activity in a box (node) and connects the activities by arrows. It is sometimes called activity-on-node (AON).
GERT (Graphical Evaluation Review Technique)
uses FEEDBACK LOOPS or multiple passes through a diagram as iterations are completed
arrow diagramming method (ADM)
typically used for manual drawing. This method depicts each activity on an arrow or line, and activities are connected by a circle or box and is sometimes called activity-on-arrow (AOA).
A dummy used with ADM
A dummy is a dashed line that connects
two activities where a relationship exists, but is not directly connected.
The dummy is not an activity and has a zero duration.
Total Float
Total Float is the schedule flexibility or amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed or extended without delaying the project finish date
Free Float
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without violating any schedule limitation and without delaying the early start date of successor activities
estimate activity duration
estimate the number of workdays (or hours) to complete each activity with estimated resources
estimate activity duration
benefit
provides the amount of time each activities will take to complete
estimate activity duration
inputs
- schedule mt plan
- activity list
- assumption log
- lessons learned register
- resource requirement
- risk register
estimate activity duration
TT
E+APTB
Reserve analysis
estimate activity duration
outputs
- duration estimates
- basis of estimates
- activity attributes update
Duration Estimates
Duration estimates are quantitative estimates of activity durations.
They are often expressed as a range of time or a probability of reaching a specific duration
Computerized estimates
Monte Carlo
computerized tool that simulates project outcome to
determine factors such as time or cost or number of needed resources
PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique)
beta distribution
Develop Schedule
the process of analyzing activity sequence, durations, resource requirements and schedule constraints to create a schedule model for proj exe, monitor & control
Develop Schedule
benefit
it generate a schedule model with planned dates for completing project activities.
Develop Schedule
Input
schedule mt plan activity list and attributes duration estimates milestone list project schedule network diagrams project team assignments resource calendars resource requirements risk register agreements
Develop Schedule
TT
schedule network analysis CPM resource optimization leads and lags schedule compression agile release planning
Develop Schedule
output
schedule baseline
project schedule
project calendars
critical path
the longest path through the project and represents the minimum project duration
schedule network analysis
it employs several techniques to create the
schedule model.
The analysis typically includes critical path analysis, resource optimization, modeling techniques, and techniques to increase the effectiveness of resources.
Resource Optimization
adjust the start and finish dates of activities to schedule to accommodate resource availability.
resource leveling
adjusting start and finish dates
based on resource constraints
to offset resource demand with resource supply.
CP may change.
Resource smoothing
using an activity’s float to offset resource demand with resource supply.
activities only be delayed within their free and ttl float.
CP is not changed.
Completetion date may not be delayed.
lead
the amount of time that a successor
activity will be started before a predecessor
activity is completed.
lag
A lag is the amount of time
that a successor activity will be delayed after the
predecessor activity is completed.
schedule compression
shorten or accelerate the schedule duration without reducing the project scope
Resource leveling and schedule compression techniques are typically used together
in several iterations to attain an optimal balance between delivery deadlines and resource
utilization.
crashing
adding resources. (high cost)
works ONLY for activities on the CP
fast tracking
activities normally done in sequence are performed in parallel. (high risk)
work ONLY when activities can be overlapped to shorten the duration on CP
Agile Release Planning
creates a high-level timeline of the release schedule for the next 3-6 months in accordance with the product roadmap.
The number of iterations or sprints in the release
is determined during planning so decisions can be
made regarding the extent of product development
and the length of time required to release the
product.
The customer typically finds the timeline
more understandable than the project schedule since
it exhibits the features that will be functional as a
result of each iteration.
The coach/facilitator facilitates the release planning meeting. The team and the product
owner/customer attend this meeting.
Milestone Schedule
typically used in executive reporting
and each milestone has a zero (0) duration. It lacks detail, generally listing only the main project milestones as diamonds instead of Gantt bars.
Summary Schedule
shows an aggregate or rolled up view of the various activities at a summary level.
control schedule
monitor the status of the project to update project schedule
manage changes to the schedule baseline
control schedule
benefit
maintain schedule baseline
control schedule
inputs
schedule mt plan schedule baseline project schedule schedule data WPD
control schedule
TT
data analysis
- EVA
- Iteration burndown chart
- performance review
- trend analysis
- what if scenario analysis
CPM
resources optimization
leads and lags
schedule compression
control schedule
output
WPI
schedule forecasts
change request
updates: schedule baseline
iteration burndown chart
TT of control schedule
depicts remaining work from the iteration backlog. An ideal burndown (the burndown established during iteration planning) is used as the basis for comparison and analysis.
Using a forecast trend line, the variance at iteration
completion can be determined so that the proper
course of action can be taken.
schedule baseline
the APPROVED version of schedule model.
can be changed ONLY through formal change control procedures.
project schedule
an output of project schedule, often presented graphically using:
- bar chart (aka Gantt chart)
- milestone chart
- PSND project schedule network diagrams
