PMBOK Chapter 5 - Time

8/3/2019 PMBOK Chapter 5 - Time

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Chapter 5:

Project Time Management

adopted from PMIs PMBOK 2000 and

Textbook : Information Technology Project Management(author : Dr. Kathy Schwalbe)


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Contents of time management

definition: charter and scope statement

sequence: mandatory dependencies, discretionarydependencies, external dependencies

schedule: ADM, PDM

estimation: actual time + elapsed time. An artrequire experience.

schedule development: Gantt chart, CPM andPERT

schedule control and change control: performchecks, allow contingencies, communicate with

stakeholders regularlyChapter 5


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Developing the schedule involves

define the scope of the work

define the activitiesestimate how long the activities will take

define sequence the activities based on its

relationships

estimate associate costs with the activities.


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Processes Project time management involves the processesrequired to ensure timely completion of a

project.

5 Processes include:

Activity definition

Activity sequencing planning

Activity duration estimating Schedule development

Schedule control control

Chapter 5


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Activity Definition process

4th planning phase process

It involves identifying and documenting

the specific activities that must beperformed in order to produce the

deliverables and sub-deliverables identified

in the WBS.


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Inputs to Activity Definition

process WBS The primary input to Activity Definition. It is scope definition tool that

organizes the work and provides a basis for project estimates.

Scope statement

must be considered explicitly during Activity Definition. Projectjustification and objectives are especially important.

Historical information

activities required on similar projects should be considered in definingproject activities.

Constraints

Factors that limit the teams options

Assumptions

factors that, for planning purposes, will be considered to be true, real, orcertain.

Expert judgment

guided by historical information should be used whenever possible.subject-matter experts can help.


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Tools & techniques for Activity

Definition process Project schedules grow out of the basicdocument that initiate a project

Project charter includes start and end dates and

budget informationScope statement and WBS help define what

will be done

Activity definition involves developing amore detailed WBS and supportingexplanations to understand all the work tobe done

Chapter 5


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Tools & techniques for Activity

Definition process (2)

Decomposition

dividing project elements into smaller, more

manageable components. Decomposition in Activity

Definition and in Scope Definition differ; the finaloutputs in Activity Definition are activities (action

steps) and deliverables (tangible items)

Templates

previous project templates help project team to jump-start the process.


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Outputs from Activity Definition

process Activity list

includes all activities that will be performed on the project.Descriptions of each activity should ensure that stakeholdersunderstand how the work will be done.

Supporting details includes assumptions, constraints, and anything else that is

relevant.

WBS update Missing deliverables, clarifications, or corrections. This output

creates a feedback loop by which you get to tie up loose ends.

Update the WBS and related documents, such as cost estimates.These updates are often called refinements.


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Activity Sequencing

5th planning phase process

Involves reviewing activities and determiningdependencies

Mandatory dependencies: inherent in the nature of thework; hard logic

Discretionary dependencies: defined by the projectteam; soft logic

External dependencies: involve relationships between

project and non-project activities You mustdetermine dependencies in order to use

critical path analysis

Chapter 5


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Inputs to Activity Sequencing

Activities list

includes all activities that will be performed on the project.

Product description

product characteristics. These often affect Activity Sequencing.

Mandatory dependencies inherent in the nature of the work being done. They often involve

physical limitations. Constraints caused by mandatory dependencies arecall hard-logic.

Discretionary dependencies

defined by the project management team. Constraints caused by

discretionary dependencies are called soft logic.

External dependencies

involve a relationship between project and non-project activities.

Milestones

part of activity sequencing to ensure that requirement for the milestone

events are being met.


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Tools & techniques

Project network diagrams

a schematic display of the logical relationships among, or sequencing of,project activities

preferred technique for showing activity sequencing

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) constructing a project network diagram to president the activities andconnecting them with arrows to show the dependencies between tasks.

Activities are represented by boxes, arrows show relationships between activities

This charting method is also called activities-on-node (AON)

More popular than ADM method and used by project management software such

as MS-project. better at showing different types of dependencies There are 4 types of dependencies:

finish-to-start;

finish-to-finish;

start-to-start;

start-to-finish.


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Tools & techniques (2)

Arrow diagramming method (ADM) constructing a project network diagram by using arrows to

represent the activities and connecting them at nodes to show thedependencies.

Nodes or circles are the starting and ending points of activities It is known as activities-on-arrow (AOA). This method uses only

finish-to-start activities.

Conditional diagramming methods allow for non-sequential activities such as loops or conditional

branches, neither of which is possible in the PDM or ADM. Network templates

Can expedite the preparation of project network diagrams


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PDM

fundamentals


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Task Dependency Types in PDM

Chapter 5


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Sample Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)

Network Diagram for Project X

Project 98 file
http://fig5-4.mpp/http://fig5-4.mpp/


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AOA

fundamentals


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Sample Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)

Network Diagram for Project X

Chapter 5


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Steps for Creating AOA Diagrams

1. Find all of the activities that start at node 1. Draw their finish nodes

and draw arrows between node 1 and those finish nodes. Put the

activity letter or name and duration estimate on the associated arrow

2. Continuing drawing the network diagram, working from left to right.

Look for bursts and merges. Bursts occur when a single node isfollowed by two or more activities. A merge occurs when two or

more nodes precede a single node

3. Continue drawing the project network diagram until all activities are

included on the diagram that have dependencies

4. As a rule of thumb, all arrowheads should face toward the right, andno arrows should cross on an AOA network diagram

Chapter 5


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Outputs from Activity

Sequencing

Project network diagram

a schematic delay of the projects activities and the

logical relationships (dependencies) among them.

(note: it is not called a PERT chart)

Activity list update

allow a feedback loop if a network diagram reveals

instances where an activity must be redefined in order

to diagram the correct logical relationships


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Activity Duration Estimating

6th of 21 planning phase process

After defining activities and determiningtheir sequence, the next step in time

management is duration estimating

Duration includes the actual amount of timeworked on an activityplus elapsed time

People doing the work should help createestimates, and an expert should reviewthem

Chapter 5


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Inputs to Activity Duration

Estimation Activity list

includes all activities that will be performed on the project.

Constraints

Factors that limit the performance of the project. When constraint are

involved, special considerations are often required for communications. Assumptions

Factors that for planning purposes are considered to be true, real, or certain.

Resource requirements

controlling factors on activities duration. The duration of most activities willbe significantly influenced by the resources assigned to them.

Resource capabilities

staff and material resources assigned to them will affect the duration of mostactivities.

Historical information

may be available for review from project records, commercial duration-

estimating databases, and team knowledge.


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Tools & techniques

Expert judgment Judgment guided by historical information should be used

whenever possible.

An example is the Delphi Technique, which is a forecasting

technique that relies on gathering expert opinions. After severaliterations, the experts reach consensus of opinions.

Analogous estimating uses the duration of a previous, similar activity as the basis for

estimating the duration of a future activity.

It is also called top-down estimating. Simulation

calculates multiple durations with different sets of assumptions.

The most common is the Monte Carlo Analysis.


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Outputs from Activity Duration

Estimation

Activities duration estimation

Quantitative assessments of the likely number of work

periodssuch as hours, days, weeks, or monthsthat

will be required to complete an activities.

Basis of estimates

includes the assumptions made in developing your

estimates, which must be documented.

Activities list updates

this feedback loop ensures completeness.


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Gantt Charts

Gantt charts provide a standard format for

displaying project schedule information by listing

project activities and their corresponding start and

finish dates in a calendar format Symbols include:

A black diamond: milestones or significant events on a

project with zero duration

Thick black bars: summary tasks

Lighter horizontal bars: tasks

Arrows: dependencies between tasks

Chapter 5


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Schedule development


It is the process of determining the start

and finish dates for all project activities The activity sequences, activity duration,

and resource requirement are analyzed

together to create the project schedule.


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Schedule Development


Schedule development uses results of the othertime management processes to determine the startand end date of the project and its activities

Ultimate goal is to create a realistic projectschedule that provides a basis for monitoringproject progress for the time dimension of the

project Important tools and techniques include Gantt

charts, PERT analysis, critical path analysis, andcritical chain scheduling

Chapter 5


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Inputs to Schedule development

Project network diagram: A schematic display of theprojects activities and the logical relationships(dependencies) among them.

Activities duration estimation: Quantitative assessments

of the likely number of work periodssuch as hours,days, weeks, or monthsthat will be required tocomplete an activities.

Resource requirements: define what physical resources

(people, equipment, and materials) and what quantities ofeach are needed to perform project activities.

Resource pool descriptions: identify the requiredresources, listing who will be available, when, and inwhat patterns, as necessary for schedule development.


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Inputs to Schedule development (2)

Calendars: identify the time when work is allowed.Project calendars affect all resource. Resource calendarsaffect a specific resource or category of resource.

Constraints: constraints to consider during schedule

development include: a) imposed dates; b) key events ormajor milestones.

Assumptions: factors that, for planning purposes, areconsidered to be true, real, or certain.

Leads and lags: the lead is the minimum necessary lapseof time between the start of one activity and the start ofan overlapping activity. The lag is the waiting timebetween two tasks (negative lead) such as waiting forconcrete to harden or paint to dry.


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Inputs to Schedule development (3)

Risk management plan: A subsidiary part of the

project plan. It documents the procedures to

manage risk throughput the project.

Activity attributes: describes various

characteristics of the activities scheduled

responsibilities, WBS order, the location where

the work will be performed, the level.


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Tools & techniques

Mathematical analysis Calculating theoretical early and late start and finish dates for all

project activities without any resource pool limitations.

The most common analysis techniques are

Critical path method (CPM); Graphical evaluation and review technique (GERT);

PERT.

Duration compression methods ways to shorten the project schedule without changing the project

scope. Two techniques are used:

crashing;

fast-tracking.


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Tools & techniques (2)

Simulation: calculates multiple durations with different sets of assumptions.

The most common is Monte Carlo analysis, in which adistribution of probable results is defined for each activity and

used to calculate a distribution of probable results for the totalproject.

Resource level heuristics use mathematical analysis to produce a preliminary schedule.

Resource leveling heuristics are used when the schedule requires

more resources during certain time periods than are available, orrequires changes in resource level that are not manageable.

Project management software widely used to assist with schedule development


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Outputs from Schedule

development Project schedule

includes at a minimum the planned start and expected finish datesfor each detailed activity.

displayed graphically in one of the following formats

project network diagrams (e.g. Gantt Chart)

bar charts

milestone charts

Support details include at least documentation of all identified assumptions and

constrains. Some examples are resource histograms, alternativeschedules, and cash-flow schedules.

Schedule management plan defines how changes to the schedules will be managed.

Resource requirement updates

a result of resource leveling and activity list updates.


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Gantt Chart for Project X

Project 98 fileChapter 5
http://fig5-5.mpp/http://fig5-5.mpp/http://fig5-5.mpp/


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Gantt Chart for Software Launch Project

Project 98 file
http://ch5fig5_6.mpp/http://ch5fig5_6.mpp/


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Sample Tracking Gantt Chart

Project 98 filewhite diamond: slipped milestone

two bars: planned and actual times

Chapter 5
http://fig5-7.mpp/http://fig5-7.mpp/


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Critical Path Method (CPM)

CPM is a project network analysis technique

used to predict total project duration

A critical path for a project is the series of

activities that determines the earliest time by

which the project can be completed

The critical path is the longest path through

the network diagram and has the least

amount of slack or float

Chapter 5


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Finding the Critical Path

First develop a good project network

diagram

Add the durations for all activities on eachpath through the project network diagram

The longest path is the critical path

Chapter 5


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Simple Example of Determining

the Critical Path

Consider the following project network

diagram. Assume all times are in days.

2 3

4

5

A=2 B=5

C=2

D=7

1 6

F=2

E=1

start finish

1. How many paths are on this network diagram?

2. How long is each path?

3. Which is the critical path?

4. What is the shortest amount of time needed to

complete this project? Chapter 5


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Determining the Critical Path

for Project X


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More on the Critical Path

If one of more activities on the critical path takes

longer than planned, the whole project schedule

will slip unless corrective action is taken

Misconceptions: The critical path is not the one with all the critical

activities; it only accounts for time

There can be more than one critical path if the lengths

of two or more paths are the same

The critical path can change as the project progresses

Chapter 5


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Using Critical Path Analysis to

Make Schedule Trade-offs Knowing the critical path helps you make schedule

trade-offs

Free slack or free floatis the amount of time an

activity can be delayed without delaying the earlystart of any immediately following activities

Total slack or total floatis the amount of time an

activity may be delayed from its early start without

delaying the planned project finish date

Chapter 5


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Free and Total Float or Slack for

Project X


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Techniques for Shortening a

Project Schedule

Shortening durations of critical tasks for adding

more resources or changing their scope

Crashing tasks by obtaining the greatest amount of

schedule compression for the least incremental cost Fast tracking tasks by doing them in parallel or

overlapping them

Chapter 5


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Importance of Updating Critical

Path Data

It is important to update project schedule

information

The critical path may change as you enteractual start and finish dates

If you know the project completion date

will slip, negotiate with the project sponsor

Chapter 5


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Multitasking Example


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Program Evaluation and Review

Technique (PERT)

PERT is a network analysis technique

to estimate project duration when there is a high

degree of uncertainty about the individual activity

duration estimates PERT uses probabilistic time estimates based on

different estimates of activity durations

optimistic estimates (weighting 1)

most likely estimates (weighting 4)

pessimistic estimates (weighting 1)

Chapter 5


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PERT Formula and Example

PERT weighted averageformula:optimistic time + 4x most likely time + pessimistic time

6

Example:

PERT weighted average =

8 workdays + 4 X 10 workdays + 24 workdays = 12 days6

where 8 = optimistic time, 10 = most likely time,

and 24 = pessimistic time


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Controlling Changes to the

Project Schedule 4th of 8 Controlling phase process

It involves managing changes to the schedule.The major activities include

monitor the schedule performance of project activities detect variances from the original schedule baseline.

general steps: Perform reality checks on schedules

Allow for contingencies Dont plan for everyone to work at 100% capacity all

the time

Hold progress meetings with stakeholders and be clearand honest in communicating schedule issuesChapter 5


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Inputs to Schedule control

Project schedule

As a part of the integrated project plan, the approved schedule is calledschedule baseline.

Project team/manager re-baseline when the schedule becomesunrealistic.

Re-baselining occurs when project team/manager do any major update inorder to have a better control the schedule.

Performance reports

provide information on schedule executionshowing if planned dateshave been met. These reports also alert project team on issues that maycause problem in future.

Change requests

any update of schedule, that may require extending or accelerating theschedule.

Scope management plan

describes how changes will be integrated into the project. It is part of the

project plan.


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Tools & techniques for Schedule

control process Schedule change control system:

defines the procedures for changing the project schedule. It includes thepaperwork, tracking systems, and approval levels necessary forauthorizing changes.

Performance measurement techniques:

assess the magnitude of any variations that occur in project performance.An important part of Schedule Control is to decide if the schedulevariation requires corrective action.

Additional planning:

prospective changes may require new or revised activity durationestimates, modified activity sequences, or analysis of alternativeschedules.

Project management software:

widely used to assist with schedule development and control. In thecontext of controlling, it is schedule tracking, and reporting. It helps

levels resources, for schedule alternatives.


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Using Software to Assist in

Time Management

Software for facilitating communications

helps people exchange schedule-related

information

Decision support models help analyze

trade-offs that can be made

Project management software can help in

various time management areas

Chapter 5


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Outputs from schedule control

process Schedule updates:

include any modification to the schedule used to manage theproject. A special category of schedule updates, revisions,describes changes to start and finish dates in the approval projectschedule.

Corrective action: encompasses anything that brings your expected future schedule

back in line with the project plan. These actions are outputs fromthe other knowledge areas.

Lessons learned: document causes of variances, the reasoning behind corrective

actions, and other lessons learned from schedule change.


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Working with People Issues

Strong leadership helps projects succeed

more than good PERT charts

Project managers should useempowerment

incentives

discipline

negotiation

Chapter 5


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Summary

importance of project schedules: IT projectalways over-run

Time management process

definition (planning)

sequence (planning)

schedule estimation (planning)

schedule development (planning)schedule control (control)

Chapter 5


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Summary (2)

definition: charter and scope statement

sequence: mandatory dependencies, discretionarydependencies, external dependencies

schedule: ADM, PDM estimation: actual time + elapsed time. An art

require experience.

schedule development: Gantt chart, CPM and

PERT

schedule control and change control: performchecks, allow contingencies, communicate withstakeholders regularly

Documents

PMBOK Chapter 5 - Time