Schedule and Resources Flashcards
Steps for constructing a project schedule
_ allocate resources _ identify and sequence tasks _ determine task start and end dates and milestones _ construct the schedule _ determine the critical path _ set the baseline and obtain approval _ set quality gates _ establish governance process
Defining tasks
_ further breakdown WBS work packages
_ don’t break tasks so far down that you’re managing individual member’s to-do lists
_ rule of thumb: define tasks so that they take 40-80 hours to complete; but critical tasks might be listed as well, even if they are shorter in duration
_ give each task an ID for tracking purposes, alongside its associated WBS code and a description of the work
Sequencing tasks
_ process of identifying dependencies among project tasks and putting them into proper order
_ includes identifying dependency types
Types of dependencies
_ mandatory - prerequisite; created by the type of work the project requires
_ discretionary - usually process or procedure driven, often a best practice technique (e.g. sign-offs and approvals)
_ external - outside of the project manager’s control
_ internal - relationship between tasks “within an individual project”
Logical relationships between tasks
_ finish-to-start (FS) - predecessor activity must complete before the successor activity can start
_ start-to-finish (SF) - predecessor activity must start before the successor activity can finish (uncommon)
_ finish-to-finish (FF) - predecessor activity must finish before the successor activity finishes
_ start-to-start (SS) - predecessor activity must start before the successor activity can start
Network diagram
_ a partial ordering of tasks organized by their logical relationships
_ “precedence diagramming method” (PDM) - boxes represent activities, each usually showing duration, with arrows pointing to dependent boxes; aka “activity on node”
Resource calendar
_ provides the time frames in which resources are available (e.g. reflecting their vacation schedules)
_ may also include their skills, quantity, and availability
_ tracks availability of equipment
duration
_ number of days required to complete task
_ not person-hours, because a person working only part-time on the task will extend the duration of the task beyond what can be done in an 8-hour day
_ distinguish workday and calendar day durations, the latter of which needs to account for weekends and holidays
_ have everyone agree on whether the durations they provide are workdays or calendar days; suggests using workdays
Techniques for estimating task durations
_ analogous estimating (aka top-down estimating)
_ expert judgement
_ parametric estimating
_ PERT
Analogous estimating
_ aka “top-down estimating” or “order-of-magnitude estimate”
_ uses cost/durations from similar tasks on previous projects
_ usually used in early stages of planning, before there is much detail
_ usually the least accurate estimate
_ results are better if the person doing the estimate is familiar with both projects
_ relies on expert judgement
Expert judgement estimating
_ the people most familiar with the work or a similar task come up with an estimate
_ ideally, done by the team member who will do the work
Parametric estimating
_ multiples quantity of work by productivity rate
_ e.g. if a typical crew can bury 5 miles of cable/day, it should take 10 days to bury 50 miles of cable
PERT estimation
_ Program Evaluation and Review Technique
_ similar to “three-point estimates,” which use an average estimate to determine a project duration
_ uses an “expected value” (aka “weighted average”), calculated as: (optimistic + pessimistic + 4*(most likely))/6
_ always round to the hundredths place
PERT chart
_ a partial ordering, a kind of network diagram
_ nodes represent milestones, usually as rectangles
_ arrows from nodes to their dependents indicate sequence
_ numbers on the arrows indicate durations
milestone
_ major accomplishment or major deliverable or set of deliverables
_ denoted in the project schedule as an event with zero duration, dependent on all the accomplishments that it represents
_ shown in a milestone chart - for each milestone, shows scheduled start, actual start, scheduled completion, and actual completion
_ milestones are triggers for communicating with stakeholders, as is failing to meet a milestone
Gantt chart
_ most common way to display project schedules
_ can show milestones, deliverables, project tasks, task durations, start/end dates, resources assigned to tasks
_ durations of tasks shown as horizontal bars (lists tasks vertically, time horizontally)
Critical path method (CPM)
_ widely used
_ determines “float time” for each activity by show the ranges of possible start dates and possible end dates
_ “float” is the amount of time you can delay starting an activity without pushing out the end date
_ when there is only one possible start date and only one possible end date (“zero float”), the task is considered to be a “critical path task”
_ if a critical path task does not finish on schedule the project end date is affected
critical path
_ the longest path of tasks in the project, by total duration
Duration compression
_ used for shortening the duration of the project, should you find that the total duration puts you out past the target deadline
_ there are two techniques: crashing and fast tracking
crashing
_ shortens length of critical path and thus duration of the project
_ adds more time worked to the critical path, by (a) adding more resources (people), or (b) by having people work longer hours, or (c) moving delivery deadlines forward for team members or vendors
_ reduction in time isn’t linear with resources added due to ramp-up time or interference
_ may impact budget
Fast tracking
_ shortens length of critical path and thus duration of the project
_ performing tasks in parallel that were previously sequential
_ may be logistically more challenging
_ may increase risks
_ work with team to establish challenges and risks and communicate them to the sponsor and key stakeholders
Schedule baseline
_ final approved version of the project schedule
_ “baseline” for tracking and reporting project progress
_ has baseline start and finish dates
_ has resource assignments
_ get sign-off on the project schedule from stakeholders and the functional managers who are supplying resources
_ used to monitor progress throughout project
Quality gates
_ similar to milestones but are evaluations of work to assess accuracy and quality
_ the quality checks are usually processes, checklists or templates that can be used on multiple projects
Governance gates
_ approval points on the project
_ places where go/no-go decisions can be made about preceding with the project
_ client sign-off, management approval, and legislative approval
_ legislative approvals typically occur before the project starts, but in large, long projects might occur during project
Dedicated resource
_ a resource dedicated to a project
_ there’s no need to coordinate this resource with others
_ typical of projectized organizations
Shared resource
_ works for both the functional manager and the project manager
_ usually prioritize functional work, which is the normal operation of the business
_ project managers need to negotiate with functional manager to make sure shared resource have enough time to work on the project
_ project manager should also negotiate for having some say in the team member’s performance report, which helps the team members to take the project seriously
Benched resource
_ someone who has finished one project but not yet been allocated to another project, is waiting for the next project
_ often occurs in a projectized organization
Interproject dependency
_ when deliverables of one project are needed for another project
_ remove dependencies when possible
_ get status reports on these other projects
Project organization chart
_ hierarchical breakdown of project team, with project manager at the top
Resource breakdown structure (RBS)
_ decomposes project work according to the classes of resource needed
Responsibility assignment matrix (RAM)
_ table matching WBS elements (by code) to the classes of resource (or skill set) needed, indicating the number of people needed in each class of resource (or skill set)
RACI chart
_ shows the responsibility each type of resource has on a project
_ the columns are resource names (such as name of team members)
_ the rows are work elements such as milestones or work packages
_ each cell indicates a combination of the letters RACI:
_ _ R = responsible for performing the work
_ _ A = accountable for the work, approving/signing off on work
_ _ C = consulted for input on work or decisions
_ _ I = informed on decisions or results
Roles and responsibilities document
_ lists each group or team member on the project and their associated responsibilities
_ makes clear what each person is accountable for
_ also indicates the standards or methodologies that must be adhered to, documentation that must be completed, time-reporting responsibilities, “to name a few”
_ may evolve over the course of the project
Five stages of team development
_ forming _ storming _ norming _ performing _ adjourning * adding a new member causes the cycle to start over, where ever it is when the member is added
forming
_ 1st stage of team development
_ members learn why they’re working together
_ members tend to be formal and reserved
storming
_ 2nd stage of team development
_ members become confrontational as they vy for position and control
norming
_ 3rd stage of team development
_ members know each other now, are comfortable with their positions
_ begin dealing with project problems instead of with people
_ decisions are now jointly made
_ mutual respect and familiarity
performing
_ 4th stage of team development
_ team is productive and effective
_ trust is high among members
_ not all teams make it this far (they may instead “churn between storming and norming”)
adjourning
_ 5th stage of team development
_ break up of team, returning members to their functional managers
Techniques for detecting and resolving conflicts
_ smoothing _ forcing _ compromising _ confronting _ avoiding _ negotiating
smoothing
_ aka “accommodating”
_ emphasize areas of agreement in order to bury areas of disagreement
_ make issue appear less important than it really is
_ temporary way to resolve a conflict; not a good strategy
_ “lose-lose”; neither side winds
forcing
_ one person forces a solution on other parties
_ not best technique for team-building
_ “win-lose”; one side wins, one loses
compromising
_ each party gives up something to reach a solution
_ each decided what they will and won’t give in on
_ neither party really buys into the solution, but if the parties commit to the resolution, it can work
_ not necessarily a permanent resolution
confronting
_ aka “problem-solving”
_ assumes there is one right solution and facts will bear this out
_ requires going on a fact-finding mission
_ revealing the facts to all parties makes the right decision clear, so everyone agrees
_ “best way to resolve a conflict”
_ “win-win”
avoiding
_ aka “withdrawing”
_ one party refuses to discuss conflict
_ “probably the worst technique” for conflict resolution
_ “lose-lose”
negotiating
_ both parties communicate, asking questions
_ might use a third party who has no vested interest in the outcome for facilitation
_ can be win-win, win-lose, or lose-lose, depending on how the negotiations are conducted and on the outcome
Project kickoff meeting
_ formally introduces team members and stakeholders, including introducing the team to the project manager
_ establish a good first impression “tone”
_ best to be both serious and fun
_ get members aligned on goals
_ get members comfortable with each other
Timing of project kickoff meeting
_ held after the project charter is signed
_ if not all team members have been assigned yet, either hold off on the kickoff meeting or hold a second kick-off meeting later when all team members are present
_ the timing is less important than actually having a meeting (this was on a quiz)
Components of a project kickoff meeting
Components that one may “choose” to include:
_ welcome/introduction
_ individual introductions
_ project sponsor and key stakeholders introduce themselves and their goals
_ project overview, including helping members understand how they fit into the project
_ stakeholder expectations - explain reason for the deadline and budget constraints, if any; make sure team is aware of related quality concerns, political issues, or market announcements
_ roles and responsibilities - start with your own roles and responsibilities, how you’ll be managing the project; may want to review roles and responsibilities of the team members, depending on size; share expectations
_ Q&A - engages team more in project, clarifies information
