SIX - Schedule Management Flashcards
What does Plan Schedule Management involve (P)?
Involves documenting how a PM will plan, manage, and control the project to the schedule baseline, and how they will manage schedule variances. Need to determine what the measures of performance will be, how and when they will capture data needed to evaluate schedule performance, how they will use the data to keep the project on track, and what they will do when variances occur
What questions does Plan Schedule Management answer?
Who will be involved?
What approach will be used to plan the schedule?
What processes and procedures will be used to create the schedule?
What are the outputs of Plan Schedule Management?
Schedule Management Plan
What is the Schedule Management Plan?
Can be formal or informal, and is part of the PM Plan. Defines the:
Scheduling methodology and software;
Estimate units;
Schedule baseline;
Threshold acceptance for variance;
Performance measures;
How variances will be managed;
Process that determines whether a variance should be acted upon;
Schedule change control procedures;
Required schedule reports;
Format and frequency of project reporting;
Number and timing of releases and iterations (adaptive life cycle)
What is Define Activities (P) Process?
Involves taking the work packages in the WBS and decomposing them into the activities that are required to produce the work package deliverables and thus achieve the project objectives
What should the activities be size was?
At a level small enough to estimate, schedule, monitor, and control.
What are inputs to Define Activities (P)?
Schedule management plan, scope baseline (WBS), OPAs, PM Plan, EEFs
What are the Tools and Techniques of Define Activities (P)?
Rolling Wave Planning, Decomposition
What is Rolling Wave Planning?
If there are many unknowns and it is difficult to break down the work and schedule it, consider Rolling Wave Planning. It is a technique of progressive elaboration (process of clarifying and refining plans as the project progresses). PM plans activities to the level of detail needed to manage the work just before they start the work. This technique plans to a higher level and then develop more detailed plans when the work is to be done
What may Rolling Wave Planning result in?
Iterations of rolling wave planning may result in additional activities being added, the further elaboration of other activities, may create need for updates to the PM plan which require integrated change control
What are the Outputs of Define Activities (P)?
Activity List and Activity Attributes
Milestone List
Change Requests (Look at Rolling Wave)
Updates to the PM Plan
What is Activity List and Activity Attributes?
Activity list includes all activities required to complete the project, and activity attributes, or details, regarding project activities.
Known attributes may be limited to the activity name and ID, as planned completion date, leads and lags, and predecessor and successor activities may be added
What is the Milestone list? What are Milestones?
Milestones are significant events within the project schedule that are not work activities and have no duration. Milestone list is part of project documents
What is Sequence Activities Process (P)? What is the result?
Involves taking the activities and sequencing them in the order in which the work will be performed. The result is a network diagram
What are the inputs to Sequence Activities?
PM Plan, EEFs, OPAs, Project Documents (Activity Attributes, assumption log, milestone list, and activity list)
What are the Tools and Techniques of Sequence Activities (P)?
Precedence Diagramming Method, Dependencies Determination, Leads and Lags, PMIS
What is the Precedence Diagramming Method?
Nodes or boxes are used to represent activities, and arrows are added to show activity dependencies. There can be four types of logical relationships between activities displayed in the precedence diagramming method
What are the four types of logical relationships between activities?
Finish to Start (FS) Activity must finish before the successor can start (Dig a hole — plant tree)
Start to Start (SS) (You must start designing, and wait two week’s lag before have enough designed to start coding)
Finish to Finish (FF) (Must finish testing before finish documentation)
Start to Finish (SF)
What are Dependencies Determination?
The sequence of activities may be based on the following dependencies:
Mandatory (Hard Logic) Dependency
Discretionary (preferred, or soft logic);
External;
Internal Dependency
What is a Mandatory Hard Logic Dependency?
A mandatory dependency is inherent in the nature of the work, or required by contract. You must design before you construct
What is Discretionary Soft Logic Dependency?
How an organization may choose to have work performed. There are other ways it could be done, but this is the preferred approach. They can be changed if necessary and are important to analyze when compressing the schedule
What are External Dependencies?
Based on the needs or desires of a party outside the project (government or supplier)
What are Internal Dependencies?
Based on the needs of the project and may be something the project team can control
What dependencies does the project team identify? What about the PM?
The mandatory and discretionary dependencies, while the PM identifies the external and internal dependencies.
Can more than one dependency be identified for the same work?
Yes. Example, mandatory internal, discretionary external, etc
What are Leads and Lags?
A lead indicates and activity can start before its predecessor activity is completed.
A lag indicated waiting time inserted between activities (wait 3 days after pouring concrete)
How is a PMIS helpful in sequence activities?
Automated software can schedule all leads and lags and activities easily
What are the outputs of Sequence Activities (P)?
Project Schedule Network Diagrams, Project Document Updates
What is the Project Scheduled Network Diagram?
An image depicting the flow of project activities in a logical order in which they will be performed. Shows dependencies of activities. It also helps plan which activities can be completed in parallel and determine where leads/lags are required.
What is a path convergence?
When an activity has two or more activities directly preceding it
What is a path divergence?
When an activity has two or more successor activities directly following it
What are path convergences and divergences indicators of?
Greater risk within the impacted activities
What are the benefits of the schedule network diagrams?
Helps to justify time estimate for the project;
Aid in planning, organizing, and controlling the project;
Show inter-dependencies of all activities, identifying riskier activities;
Shows workflow;
Identifies opportunities to compress the schedule;
Show project progress
What are the inputs to Estimate Activity Durations (P)?
Project documents (milestone list, project team assignments, resource calendars, risk register);
Activity list and attributes (leads/lags must be factored)
Assumption log
Lessons learned register
Resource breakdown structure
Resource requirements
What are the tools and techniques of Estimate Activity Durations?
Analogous (Top Down) Estimating Parametric Estimating Three-Point Estimating Bottom Up Estimating Data Analysis Decision Making
What is Analogous (Top-Down) Estimating?
Uses expert judgement and historical information to predict the future. Can use historical data from past, similar projects. Can be used at project level (last 5 projects similar to this one took 8 months) and activity level
What is Parametric Estimating?
Involves creating mathematical equations using data from historical records, standards, or other sources to create an estimate. Analyzes relationships between historical data and other variables to estimate. Time per metre, time per line of code, time per installation.
What are the two techniques a parametric estimator may use?
Regression analysis (scatter diagram) - Tracks two variables to see if they are related. Diagram is then used to create formula to use in future estimating
Learning Curve - The 100th room painted will take less time than the first because of improved efficiency
What is Three-Point Estimating?
Statistically, there is a very small chance of completing the project on exactly any one date. Estimators can use this to create a range for each activity by giving an Optimistic, Pessimistic, and Most Likely estimate.
What are the two averages for the three-point estimate?
A Triangular Distribution (Simple Average) and Beta Distribution (Weighted Average)
What is Bottom Up Estimating?
Involves creating detailed estimates for each part of an activity or work package. The estimates are then rolled up into control accounts and finally into overall project estimates. This type of estimating requires a well defined WBS
What are the two forms of data analysis that Estimate Activity Durations Process uses?
Alternatives Analysis
Reserve Analysis
What is Alternatives Analysis?
When activity estimates are not acceptable within constraints of project, use alternatives analysis to look more closely at variables that impact the estimates. Look at options such as outsourcing work verses internally to meet a schedule constraint. Or purchasing testing software vs manually testing components.
What does Alternatives Analysis involve?
Involves evaluating the impact of each option on project constraints, including financial investment vs time saved and level of risk. The result of this analysis will be the best approach to complete the project work within the constraints
What is the relationship between estimating and risk management?
Connects topics of estimating and risk management. Estimating helps determine more risks. Risk management reduces the uncertainty in time and cost estimates by planning for significant opportunities and threats, and how they will be dealt with if they occur. Risk management saves time and money on the project
What is Reserve Analysis?
Connects estimating and risk management. the PM has the responsibility to establish reserves to accommodate risks that remain after risk management.
What are the two types of reserves that can be added to a project scheudle?
Contingency and Management Reserves
What are contingency reserves in schedule?
They are allocated for identified risks that remain after Plan Risk Response process (known unknowns). These reserves are included in project baseline schedule
What reserves are included in the project schedule baseline?
Contingency reserves and schedule reserve
What is the schedule reserve?
Significant risks to critical path activities may be managed by allocating specific amount of schedule reserve. Amount of reserve is based on impact of identified risk on the activity, as well as contingency plans to deal with it. The expected values of each contingency plan are added together to create the schedule contingency reserve
What are management reserves?
Additional funds and time to cover unforeseen risks that could impact the project’s ability to meet the schedule (unknown unknowns). Management reserves are not part of the schedule baseline, and require approval of a formal change request.
What is the difference between creating reserves and padding?
Creating reserves the PM has info necessary to reliably calculate what additional time or funds may be needed. With padding, team members arbitrarily determine how much padding they want to add to their estimates
Decision Making - Why is team member participation valuable in estimating?
Involving team members in estimating can be beneficial. Those doing the work are likely to have a good understanding of time and effort required. Also allows for member buy-in
What are the outputs of Estimate Activity Duration?
Estimates, including reserves
Update or make changes to documents (activity attributes, assumption log, lessons learned register)
Basis of Estimates - explanation of how the estimates were derived, what assumptions and constraints were included, and what risks were considered. Also includes the confidence level of estimator (ie +-20%)
How is the schedule Developed?
Input the network diagram and activity estimates into the scheduling software of the PMIS to create a schedule model
What does the schedule model include?
All the porject data that will be used to calculate the schedule: activities, duration estimates, dependencies, and leads and lags
What are the Inputs to Develop Schedule?
OPAs (historical records), PM Plan, defined activities (activity list and attributes), milestone list, assumption log, network diagram, basis of estimates, activity duration estimates, resource requirements, resource calendars, resource breakdown structure, company calendar identifying working and non-working days, project team assignments, risk register
What are the Tools and Techniques of Develop Schedule?
Schedule Network Analysis, Critical Path Method, Schedule Compression, Data Analysis, Monte Carlo Analysis, Resource Optimization, Agile Release Planning
What is Schedule Network Analysis, and what techniques does it use?
It is used to create the schedule modell, and to finalize the project schedule. Uses the following techniques: Critical path method; Schedule Compression; What-If/Monte Carlo Analysis; Resource Optimization; gile Release Planning
What is the Critical Path Method?
Involves determining the longest duration path through the network diagram, and earliest and latest an activity can start, and the earliest and latest it can be complete
What does the critical path help with?
Helps prove how long the project will take;
Helps PM determine where to focus the PM efforts;
Helps determine if an issue needs immediate attention;
Provides a vehicle to compress the schedule;
Shows which activities have float
What is the critical path?
The longest duration through a network diagram which determines the shortest time it takes to complete a project. Has no float.
What is the near-critical path?
The path closest in duration to the critical path. The near-critical path could become the critical path if the critical path is shortened, or near-critical path takes longer than expected.The closer in length the critical path and near-critical path are, the more risk there is.
What are the three types of float?
Total, Free, and Project Float
What is Total Float?
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project end date or a milestone. This is the primary type of float.
What is Free Float?
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of its successor(s)
What is Project Float?
AKA Positive Total Float. The amount of time a project can be delayed without delaying the externally imposed project completion date required by the customer/management, or the date previously committed by the PM.
Can there be negative float, and what does it mean?
Yes, it means the project is behind
What does the PM do if there is negative float?
Must compress the schedule. If this doesn’t result in 0 or + float, then must request a change to the schedule baseline
What are the techniques to compress a schedule?
Fast tracking, crashing, reduce scope, cut quality
What is Fast Tracking?
Involves taking critical path activities that were originally planned in a series and doing them instead in parallel for some or all of their duration.
What are the impacts due to Fast Tracking?
Fast tracking often results in rework, always adds risk, and requires more attention to communication
What is crashing?
This technique involves adding or adjusting resources to compress the schedule while maintaining the original project scope.
What does crashing result in?
Will always result in increased costs, and may increase risk
What is the Monte Carlo Analysis?
Uses computer software to simulate the outcome of a project based on three-point estimating for each activity and the network diagram
What can a Monte Carlo Simulation tell you?
The probability of completing the project on any specific date, for any specific cost;
The probability of any activity actually being on the critical path;
An indication of the overall project risk
What is Resource Optimization, and what are it’s two techniques?
Refers to finding ways to adjust the use of resources. Achieves this outcome by using Resource Leveling or Resource Smoothing
What is Resource Leveling?
Used to produce a resource-limited schedule. Leveling lengthens the schedule and increases the cost to deal with a limited number of resources, resource availability, and other resource constraints. It levels the peaks and valleys of the schedule from one month to another, resulting in a more stable number of resources used on your project
What are some examples of when you would use resource leveling?
When you need 5 resources one month, 15 the next, and 3 the next. Or when you need 15 resources but don’t have 15, so you lengthen the project instead of hiring
What is resource Smoothing?
Modified form of resource leveling, where resources are leveled only within the limits of the float of their activities so the completion dates of activities are not delayed
What is Agile Release Planning?
Work to develop the product of the project is broken down into iterations and releases in an Agile or Change driven project. Agile Release Planning provides a high-level schedule that includes the timing of releases and number of iterations to be completed as part of each release. These planning efforts result in a timeline which indicates the features to be included in each release
What are the Outputs of Develop Schedule (P)?
Project Schedule, schedule baseline, schedule data, change requests, and updates to related project documents.
What is the schedule baseline?
The iterated, realistic, and approved scheudle that results from iterating the schedule in risk management and other knowledge areas. The schedule baseline is part of the PM Plan
What are types of schedule formats?
Gantt, network diagram, bar chart (do not show resources or dependencies, good for reporting and progress control), milestone chart (good tool for reporting to customer or management)
What does schedule data include?
Encompasses all data used to create the schedule: milestones, activities, activity attributes, duration estimates, dependencies, and assumptions and constraints
What does it mean to Control a project (M&C)?
Control means measure. A PM will need to measure against the plan to stay in control of their project and will show how the project is performing compared to the plan. PM will take actions as needed to control the project
What is Reestimating (In Control Schedule Process)?
Since changes always occur during a project, it is standard practice that a PM reestimates the remaining work at least once during the life of a project. This ensures the PM can still satisfy the project objectives with schedule, cost, and other constraints or adjust the project if needed.
What are the tools and techniques of control schedule?
Data Analysis (earned value analysis, trend and variance analysis, what-if scenarios) and PMIS
What are the outputs of Control Schedule?
Work Performance Information, Schedule Forecasts, Change Requests, PM Plan Updates
Work Performance Info..
Earned value analysis produces work performance info including schedule variance and schedule performance index. This info can be used to generate forecasts and reports
Schedule Forecasts..
Based on results of earned value analysis and other work performance
