Project Time Management Processes

BSBPMG402A Apply Time Management Techniques

Apply TimeManagement Techniques

Project Time Processes – Part 2

Certificate IV in Project Management 17871Qualification Code BSB41507

Unit Code BSBPMG402A


Project Time Management Processes

PMBOK Project Time Management Processes -

6.1 Define Activities

6.2 Sequence Activities

6.3 Estimate Activity Resources

6.4 Estimate Activity Duration

6.5 Develop Schedule

6.6 Control Schedule

Related processes from Project Integration Management –

4.1 Develop Project Charter

4.2 Develop Project Management Plan

PMBOK 4th Edition


Project Time Processes – Part 2

• PMBOK Project Time Management Processes - 6.1 Define Activities

6.2 Sequence Activities





• Related processes from Project Integration Management –

4.1 Develop Project Charter

4.2 Develop Project Management Plan


Learning Objectives – Part 2

1. Understand of the processes required to manage Project Time

2. Acquire the skills and knowledge required to assist with project scheduling activities

3. Explain the project scheduling process and several tools and techniques used to estimate activity resourcing and duration

4. Understand the importance of defining the Critical Path for a project

5. Understand how to control the project schedule to ensure projects can stay on track


Reading – Time Processes Part 1

Please take some time to review the PMBOK Chapters 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6

This could take 30 to 45 minutes



• The process of estimating the type and quantities of material, people, equipment or supplied required to perform each activity

• Closely related to the Estimate Costs process (7.1) and normally done simultaneously

• Sometimes the resources are captured in project management software, most particularly human resources

• Supplementary registers are often maintained for non human resources

• Occurs during the Planning Phase

Adapted from PMBOK 4th Edition

Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control



• Inputs to Estimate Activity Resources

Activity list and attributes

Resource Calendars

Resource availability and skills

Staffing policies and procedures

Procurement policies and procedures

• Tools and techniques to Estimate Activity Resources


Bottom-UpEstimating

ExpertJudgement

AlternativesAnalysis

PublishedEstimating

Data

ProjectManagement

Software



• Published Estimating Data

Many industries (eg Construction) have standard production rates and unit costs for common activities

• Bottom-Up Estimating

Decomposing activities into more detail to assist with estimation

• Project Management Software

Can assist with planning, organising and managing resources

Different levels of sophistication Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control




• Outputs of this process include –

Activity Resource Requirements

– Captured in project management software or supplementary registers

Resource Breakdown Structure

– Hierarchical chart of resources required

– Commonly depicted as the project organisation structure for human resources

Revised Activity List and Attributes

Revised Resource Calendar

– Resources marked as unavailable



Monitor

Control



• The process of approximating the number of work periods needed to complete individual activities with the assigned or estimated resources

• Previous experience in the type of project and activities being estimated greatly helps with the accuracy of duration estimates

• Duration is a function of work effort and resources

• Most project management software can perform this function

• Occurs during the Planning Phase



Monitor

Control



• Inputs to Estimate Activity Duration


Activity Resource requirements and estimates

Resource Calendars

Project Scope Statement

Productivity metrics and estimating data

• Tools and techniques to Estimate Activity Duration


Three-PointEstimating

ExpertJudgement

AnalogousEstimating Parametric

Estimating

ReserveAnalysis



• Analogous EstimatingDevelops duration estimates based on previous projects with

similar size, risk and complexity

Relies heavily of expert judgement and previous experience

Less costly and less time consuming than other methods

Least accurate

Most common form of duration estimating

• Parametric EstimatingDuration is quantified by multiplying the quantity of work by

the labour hours required

Relies on published estimating data

Common in Construction


Monitor

Control




• Three-Point Estimates - PERT

Calculates the Expected activity duration based on the weighted average of the Most Likely, Optimistic and Pessimistic estimates

Often more accurate than other methods and quantified range of uncertainty

• Reserve Analysis

Inclusion of contingency

Can be calculated for each activity

Can be calculated for entire project

Often a percentage based on risk or complexity


Monitor

Control




• The major output of this process

Activity Duration Estimates

Draft or High Level Project Duration Estimate

• Often include some form of range of possible results

• Most common form of range is plus or minus - eg

2 weeks +/- 2 days – the activity could take between 8 and 12 days

3 weeks +/- 30% - the activity could take between 2 weeks and 4 weeks



Monitor

Control



• The process of analysing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements and schedule constraints to create the project schedule

• All this data is entered into a project scheduling tool which generates a schedule with planned dates for completing project activities

• An iterative process with several cycles of refinement

• Baseline Schedule developed in Planning Phase

• Simultaneous with 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 & 6.4



Monitor

Control



• Inputs to Develop Schedule


Project Schedule Network Diagrams – relationships and dependencies

Activity Resource Requirements

Resource Calendars

Activity Duration Estimates

Project Scope Statement

Project Scheduling Tool

Scheduling Methodology and Standards

Overall Project Calendar and PrioritiesAdapted from PMBOK 4th Edition


Monitor

Control



• Tools and techniques to Develop Schedule



Monitor

Control

Critical ChainMethod

SchedulingTool

ScheduleNetworkAnalysis Critical Path

Method

ResourceLevelling

ScheduleCompression

ApplyingLeads &

Lags

What-ifScenarioAnalysis


• Critical Path MethodWas developed in the 1950s by the Dupont Corporation The Critical Path Method, abbreviated CPM, or Critical Path

Analysis, is a mathematically based algorithm for scheduling a set of project activities.

It takes the activities in the Work Breakdown Structure, the durations and the interdependencies, and calculates the longest path through the project.

It is the longest total duration of all the activities required to complete a project

Advanced techniques and calculations (such as early start and early finish dates, and late start and late finish dates) are now carried out using project scheduling tools

Does a forward and backward pass through the schedule with no regard for resource limitations

Critical Path & Critical Chain



• Critical Chain MethodUndertakes the same form of analysis and calculations, but

takes into consideration the resource availability and constraints

Takes the Critical Path and resource availability to produce a resource constrained critical path OR Critical Chain

It is the longest total duration of all the activities required to complete a project, considering resource availability and limitations

Often done simultaneously with Critical Path

Critical Path and Critical Chain


Critical Chain = Resource Constrained Critical Path


Schedule Compression

Shortens the project schedule without changing project scope

1. Crashing

Only works for activities where additional resources will shorten duration

Does not always produce a viable schedule

Always results in increased cost

Sometimes results in increase risk

Cost

RiskCrashing leads to

increased

increased


Schedule Compression

Shortens the project schedule without changing project scope

2. Fast Tracking

Phases or activities normally performed sequentially are performed in parallel

Only works if activities can be overlapped to shorten duration

May result in rework and increased risk

Can result in decreased costCost

Risk

Fast Tracking leads to

decreased

increased

Reworkincreased



• The major outputs of this process

Project Schedule

– Milestone charts

– Bar chart – GANTT charts

– Project Schedule Network Diagrams – PERT Charts

Schedule Baseline

Revised Activity Resource Requirements

Revised Activity Attributes

Project Calendar

Revised Risk register



Monitor

Control


What is a GANTT chart?

• Gantt charts are named after their creator, an American engineer Henry Laurence Gantt, who created the first bar charts in the early 1910’s.

• It converts the Work Breakdown Structure into a graphical display of a project schedule

• It displays the durations of all scheduled activities including the interdependencies

• Often also includes information on project milestones and resource allocation to activities

• It has become one of the most widespread project management tools due to the prevalence of MS project


Sample GANTT Charts


What is a PERT chart?

• PERT stands for Programme Evaluation and Review Technique

• It was created by a Naval scientist, Frederick Taylor, in the 1950’s

• It is a project management technique for determining how much time a project needs before it can be completed.

• Each activity is assigned a best, worst and most probably completion time estimate.

• These estimates are then used to determine the average completion time and are represented graphically in a network diagram


Sample PERT Charts



• The process of monitoring the status of the project in order to update progress and manage any changes to the baseline project schedule

• Includes –

Determining the current status of the project schedule

Influencing the factors that create the schedule changes

Determining that the project schedule has changed

Managing changes as they occur

• Occurs during Monitoring & Controlling

• Is part of Perform Integrated Change Control (4.5) Adapted from PMBOK 4th Edition


Monitor

Control



• Inputs to Control Schedule

Project Management Plan

Project Schedule

Performance data

Project Reporting standards

• Tools and techniques to Control Schedule


VarianceAnalysis

StatusReports

PerformanceReviews

ProjectManagement

Software

SchedulingTool

ResourceLevelling

ScheduleCompression

ApplyingLeads &

Lags

What-ifScenarioAnalysis



• The major outputs of this processWork Performance measurement

Costs and impacts of variance and corrective actions

Lesson learned

Change Requests

Project Management Plan updates– Schedule baseline

– Schedule management plan

– Cost baseline

Project Schedule updates

Status Reports



Monitor

Control


Project Scheduling Forum

1. Take some time to reflect on the different tools and techniques that can be used to develop the project schedule.

2. Reflect on how schedules are developed on your projects and those within your organisations.

3. See if you can find some policies, standards or templates to assist with project scheduling. Look both inside your organisation and do some online research.

4. Then go to the Forum on Project Scheduling and discuss the tools and techniques that you have seen in use. Get involved in the debate about which ones are better than others and provide your rationale.

Research Practice Comment


Project Scheduling Activity

1. Carefully read the Project Scheduling activity for the Dinner Party case study

2. Prepare a detailed project schedule using project scheduling software (preferably MS Project).

3. Ensure that you have linked all your activities using the different types of relationships and then calculate the critical path.

4. Then go to Assignments – Time Exercise and upload your solution. Your facilitator will provide feedback in a few days and your results will contribute to your participation mark.

Practice Learn Improve


Next Steps

Please proceed to Tests & Tasks and take

the Project Time Quiz.

Be sure that you have completed the

Project Time Exercises and participated in the Forums.

Best of Luck!

These are all due at the end of Week 6 in the Course Delivery Schedule

Project Time Management Processes

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