Understand Schedule and Resource Optimisation

Question 1

Describe Ways to Create and Maintain a Schedule - What is Scheduling?

Answer 1

• The timing and sequencing of project related tasks
• Collection of techniques used to develop and present schedules that show when work will be performed
• Process used to determine the overall duration and when activities and events are planned to happen
• Includes identification of activities and their logical dependencies and estimation of activity durations, taking into account requirements and availability of resources

Question 2

Scheduling Process

Answer 2

• Define the projects objectives including target dates
• Gather and refine the requirements
• Define the projects scope in terms of products/work
• Identify work packages to deliver the scope
• Pinpoint the activities
• Analyse the sequence of products. work
• Identify the resources needed
• Estimate duration, effort, materials and other resources
• Check availability, productivity, and constraints
• Assess the results
• Reiterate until a viable schedule is produced

Question 3

Planning Views

Answer 3

• Means different things to different people

> to senior management it means setting goals, targets and deadlines

> to team members it means defining activities

• Different level of plans for different purposes

Question 4

Differentiate between critical path and critical chain as scheduling techniques - The Critical Path

Answer 4

• Sequence of activities through a project network from start to finish, the sum of whose durations determines the overall project duration
• Takes into account interdependencies, in which the late completion of activities will have an impact on the project end date or delay a key milestone

> the longest path through the schedule
the path with zero float
the set of activities that must happen on time
the sect of activities where any delay will affect the whole schedule
- the shortest planned project duration

• a project can have more than one critical path but they will have the same duration

Question 5

Critical Path Analysis

Answer 5

• CPA is a project management technique that requires mapping out every key task that is necessary to complete a project.
• It includes identifying the amount of time necessary to finish each activity and the dependencies of each activity on any others
• Made up of THREE STEPS

1 - Forward Pass
> calculates the overall duration of the network/project
> early finish = early start + duration

2 - Backward Pass
> calculates the latest time activities can start
> late start = late finish +duration

3 - Float Calculations
> calculates how much flexibility there is and where
> total float = late finish - early finish OR later start - early start

Question 6

Critical Chain

Answer 6

• A resources based approach to scheduling, useful when time is critical and derived from the critical path, that protects critical chains of activities with buffers
• Scheduling method that plans and manages projects with a focus on allowing for resource delay. Resources can include internal and external personnel (contractors or customers), physical space, logistics and equipment
• Also known as resource critical path
• Resources are kept at constant utilisation, avoiding common working practices such as: multitasking between activities and not starting work at the earliest date

Question 7

Float

Answer 7

• How long an activity can be delayed or extended

Types:

• Total Float: time by which an activity may be delayed or extended without affecting the total project duration or violating a target finish date
• Free Float - time by which an activity may be delayed or extended without affecting the stat of any succeeding activity

Question 8

Milestones

Answer 8

• Markers along the way
• Used for key events in the project
• Usually linked to the project phases/ stages and deliverables
• Used for visibility and reporting
• Often the focus of management attention
• Contractual payments often linked to the achievement of milestones