PMP PMI Module on Time Management

PMP PREP – MODULE ON TIME MANAGEMENT

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C5 – TIME MANAGEMENT

Process Manage timely completion

Includes

Plan Schedule Management

Define Activities

Sequence Activities

Estimate Activity resources

Estimate Activity durations

Develop Schedule

Control Schedule

Schedule Model • Representation of the plan for executing project’s activities including durations, dependencies, and other plans

Projects with smaller scope

• Defining activities, sequencing activities, estimating activity resources are viewed as a single process

C5 – SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT

Process Developing/Managing/Executing and Controlling schedule

Key Benefit

Guidance and direction on managing schedule

Important Points

Includes Control Thresholds

Contains how schedule contingencies will be reported and assessed

Component of the project management plan

C5 – PLAN SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT (INPUTS)

Project Managemen

t Plan

• Information used to develop schedule management plan related to cost, risk, communication, scope etc.,

Project Charter

• Defines the summary milestone schedule and project approval requirements that will influence schedules

Enterprise Environment

al Factors

•Organizational culture and structure•Resource availability and skills•Project management software•Published commercial information, such as resource productivity•Organizational work authorization systems.

Organizational Process

Assets

•Monitoring and reporting tools to be used•Historical information•Schedule control tools•Existing schedule control related policies, procedures, and guidelines•Templates•Project closure guidelines•Change control procedures•Risk control procedures including risk categories, probability definition and impact

C5 – PLAN SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES, OUTPUTS)

Expert Judgment• Insight about the information from prior similar projects• Suggest whether to combine methods and how to reconcile

differences • By Expertise in an application area, Knowledge Area, discipline,

industry

Analytical Techniques

•Scheduling methodology•Scheduling tools and techniques•Estimating approaches•Formats•Project management software•Ways to fast track or crash

Other Techniques

•Rolling wave planning•Leads and lags•Alternatives analysis•Methods for reviewing schedule performance

Meetings• To develop the schedule management plan• Participants - PM, Sponsor, Selected team, selected

stakeholders, anyone with responsibility for schedule

Schedule Management Plan

•Model - Scheduling methodology and scheduling tool•Level of accuracy - Acceptable range of estimates including contingencies•Units of measure - such as staff hours, staff days is defined•Organizational procedures links•Project schedule model maintenance - update the status, record progress•Control thresholds - Variance thresholds before some action is taken•Rules of performance measurement - EVM rules or others•Reporting formats - The formats and frequency•Process descriptions - Descriptions of each processes

C5 – DEFINE ACTIVITIES

Process Specific actions performed to product the deliverables

Key Benefit

Create activities for Estimating, Scheduling, Monitoring & Controlling

Important Points

Work packages are decomposed into smaller components called activities

Activities represent the work effort required to complete the work package.

C5 – DEFINE ACTIVITIES (INPUTS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)Schedule Management

Plan• Prescribed level of detail necessary to manage the work.

Scope Baseline • WBS, deliverables, constraints, and assumptions

Enterprise Environmental Factors

•Organizational cultures and structure•Published commercial information from commercial databases•Project management information system (PMIS)

Organizational Process Assets

•Historical information regarding activity lists•Standardized processes•Templates•Planning-related policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Decomposition

• Dividing/subdividing scope/deliverables into smaller, manageable parts• Activities represent the effort needed to complete a work

package• Activity list, WBS, WBS dictionary - sequentially or concurrently• Work package decomposed into activities to produce the

deliverables• Involving team members can lead to better and more accurate

results.Rolling Wave Planning

• Iterative planning technique - work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in future is planned at a higher level• Form of progressive elaboration• Initially Work packages can be decomposed at higher level later

into activities.Expert Judgment • Expertise in defining activities.

C5 – DEFINE ACTIVITIES (OUTPUTS)

Activity List• Comprehensive list that includes all schedule activities• Activity identifier and a scope of work description• Unique title that describes its place in the schedule

Activity Attributes

• Activities – have durations, work is performed, with resources/costs

• Components for each activity• Initially - Identifier (ID), WBS ID, and label or name• When completed - Activity codes, description, predecessor,

successor, relationships, leads and lags, resources, dates, constraints/assumptions

• Used to – Identify the person, place, dates, activity type (level of effort (LOE), discrete effort, and apportioned effort)

• Selecting, ordering, sorting the planned schedule activities within reports

Milestone List

• Milestone is a significant point or event in a project• Identifying all project milestones and categorizing

• Mandatory - Required by contract• Optional - Based upon historical information

• Milestones are similar to regular activities, same structure and attributes, but with zero duration because milestones represent a moment in time.

C5 – SEQUENCE ACTIVITIES

Process Identifying/documenting relationships among activities

Key Benefit

Logical sequence of work to obtain greatest efficiency with the constraints

Important Points

Work packages are decomposed into smaller components called activities

Every activity and milestone except the first and last• At least one predecessor with a finish-to-

start or start-to-start relationship• At least one successor with a finish-to-start

or finish-to- finish relationship

Use lead or lag time to support a realistic schedule.

C5 – SEQUENCE ACTIVITIES (INPUTS)Schedule

Management Plan

• Scheduling method and tool used, guide how the activities may be sequenced.

Activity List• Contains all schedule activities, which are to be sequenced• Dependencies and other constraints as they influence sequencing

of activities.

Activity Attributes

• Describe sequence of events, predecessor or successor relationships

Milestone List • Scheduled dates for specific milestones, may influence the sequence.

Project Scope Statement

• Product characteristics that may affect activity sequencing• Information on project deliverables, constraints, and assumptions

for accuracy

Enterprise Environmental

Factors

• Government or industry standards• Project management information system (PMIS)• Scheduling tool• Company work authorization systems.


• Project files from the corporate knowledge base• Activity planning-related policies, procedures, and guidelines• Templates that can be used to expedite the preparation of

networks

C5 – SEQUENCE ACTIVITIES (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)

Precedence Diagramming

Method

• Used for constructing a schedule model• Activities are represented by nodes and linked by logical

relationships• Activity-on-node (AON) method used mostly in software

packages.• Predecessor - logically comes before a dependent activity• Successor - logically comes after another activity• Four types of logical relationships• Finish-to-start (FS) - Successor cannot start until predecessor

finished• Finish-to-finish (FF) - Successor cannot finish until predecessor

finished• Start-to-start (SS) - Successor cannot start until predecessor

started• Start-to-finish (SF) - Successor cannot finish until predecessor

started• Finish-to-start is the most commonly• Start-to-finish is very rarely used

Dependency Determination

• Characterized as mandatory or discretionary, internal or external

• Has four attributes, but two can be applicable at the same time• Mandatory dependencies• Legally or contractually required or inherent in the nature of the

work• Often involve physical limitations i.e. Prototype to be built before

tested• Referred as hard logic or hard dependencies

• Discretionary dependencies• Referred as preferred logic, preferential logic, or soft logic• Established based on knowledge or best practices or some unusual

aspect• Documented as they create arbitrary total float (used for

scheduling options)• These dependencies should be reviewed for modification (Fast

tracking)• External dependencies

• Relationship between project and non-project activities• Outside the project team’s control

•Internal dependencies• Involve a precedence relationship and inside the project

team’s control

C5 – SEQUENCE ACTIVITIES (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)

Leads and Lags

• Lead• Amount of time whereby a successor can be advanced with

respect to a predecessor• Example - landscaping could be scheduled to start 2

weeks prior to the scheduled punch list completion• Shown as a finish-to-start with a two-week lead

• Lead is often represented as a negative value for lag• Lag

• Amount of time whereby a successor will be delayed with respect to a predecessor

• Example - Editing the draft of a large document 15 days after they begin writing it• Shown as a start-to-start relationship with a 15-day

• Indicated by the nomenclature SS+15 (start-to-start plus 15 days lag) even though offset is not shown relative to a timescale.

C5 – SEQUENCE ACTIVITIES (OUTPUTS)

Project Schedule Network Diagrams

• Graphical representation of relationships (Dependencies) among activities

• Produced manually or by using software• Include full project details, or have one or more summary

activities• Any unusual activity sequences within the network should be

fully described

Project Document Updates

• Activity lists• Activity attributes• Milestone list• Risk register.

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY RESOURCES

Process Estimating type and quantities of material, staff, equipment, or supplies

Key Benefit

Identifies the type, quantity & characteristics of resource for accurate cost/duration estimates

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY RESOURCES (INPUTS)Schedule

Management Plan

• Identifies the level of accuracy and the units of measure to be estimated

Activity List• Identifies the activities which will need resources.

Activity Attributes

• Provide the primary data input for use in estimating the resources

Resource Calendars

• Resource availability - Working days and shifts• Availability used for estimating resource utilization• Specify when and how long resources will be available• Experience and/or skill level, locations and their availability

Risk Register• Risk events impact resource selection and availability

Activity Cost Estimates

• Cost of resources may impact resource selection.


Factors

• Resource location• Availability• Skills.

Organizational Process Updates

• Policies and procedures regarding staffing• Policies and procedures relating to rental/purchase of supplies and

equipment• Historical information regarding types of resources

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY RESOURCES (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)

Expert Judgment• Group or person with specialized knowledge in resource

planning/ Estimating

Alternative Analysis• Various levels of resource capability or skills, different size or

type of machines• Different tools (hand versus automated), and make- rent-or-buy

decisions

Published Estimating data

• Updated production rates and unit costs of resources (Material, and equipment for different countries and locations within countries)

Bottom-Up Estimating

• Aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of WBS

• The work within the activity is decomposed into more detail• The resource needs are estimated• These estimates are aggregated into a total quantity for each

resource• Dependencies, pattern of resource usage is reflected and

documented

Project Management Software

• Scheduling software tool – to help plan, organize, and manage resource pools and develop resource estimates

• Assist in optimizing resource utilization - resource breakdown structures, resource availability, resource rates, and resource calendars

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY RESOURCES (OUTPUTS)

Activity Resource Requirements

• Identify types and quantities of resources for an activity in a work package

• Aggregated to determine the estimated resources for each work package and each work period

• Resource requirements documentation includes• Basis of estimate for each resource• Assumptions• Availability• Quantities

Resource Breakdown Structure

• Hierarchical representation of resources by category and type• Examples - labor, material, equipment, and supplies

• Resource types - skill level, grade level, or other information• Useful for reporting schedule data with resource utilization

information.


• Activity list• Activity attributes• Resource calendars.

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY DURATIONS

Process Estimating the number of work periods to complete activities

Key Benefit

Provides the amount of time each activity takes to complete

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY DURATIONS (INPUTS)Schedule

Management Plan

• Method used, level of accuracy along with other criteria to estimate durations

Activity List • Identifies the activities that will need duration estimates.

Activity Attributes

• Activity attributes provide the primary data input for use in estimating durations

Activity Resource

Requirements

• Level to which the resources assigned will significantly influence the duration

• Example - lower-skilled resources, may be reduced efficiency/ productivity

Resource Calendars

• Influence the duration of schedule activities• Example - Skilled staff can be expected to complete a given

activity in less time than a relatively less-skilled staff.


• Assumptions and constraints are considered when estimating durations.

• Examples of assumptions - Existing conditions, Information Availability etc.,

Risk Register • List of risks, along with the results of risk analysis and risk response


• Hierarchical structure of the resources by resource category and resource type.


Factors

• Duration estimating databases and other reference data• Productivity metrics, Published commercial information, and

Location of teamOrganizational Process Assets

• Historical duration information, Project calendars, Scheduling methodology, and Lessons learned.

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY DURATION (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)

Expert Judgment • Duration estimate or recommended maximum activity durations• To combine methods of estimating and how to reconcile

differences.

Analogous Estimating

• Technique for estimating the duration or cost using historical data

• Uses parameters from a previous projects, such as duration, budget, size etc.,

• Relies on the actual duration of previous, similar projects• Adjusted for known differences in project complexity• Frequently used when there is a limited amount of detailed

information• Less costly and less time consuming also less accurate• Most reliable - previous activities are similar in fact and not just

in appearance, and the team members preparing estimates have needed expertise.Parametric

Estimating

• Algorithm is used to calculate cost/duration based on historical data and project parameters.

• Uses a statistical relationship to estimate cost, budget, and duration.

• Activity durations = quantity of work * labor hours per unit of work

• Higher levels of accuracy depending on sophistication of data used

Three-Point Estimating

• Accuracy of single-point estimates improved by considering uncertainty/risk

• Originated with the program evaluation and review technique (PERT)

• PERT uses three estimates for an activity’s duration• Most likely (tM), optimistic (tO) and Pessimistic (tP).• Depending on the assumed distribution the expected

duration tE, can be calculated using a formula• Triangular tE = (tO + tM + tP) / 3• Beta (traditional PERT technique). tE = (tO + 4tM

+ tP) / 6

C5 – ESTIMATE ACTIVITY DURATION (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES, OUTPUTS)

Group Decision – Making Techniques

• Brainstorming, Delphi or nominal group techniques• Involving structured group of people - additional information is

gained and more accurate estimates obtained

Reserve Analysis

• Contingency reserves• Estimated duration allocated for risks • Associated with “known-unknowns”• % of the estimated duration, fixed number of work , or

developed using quantitative analysis methods such as Monte Carlo simulation

• Separated from the individual activities and aggregated into buffers

• Should be clearly identified in schedule documentation• Included in the schedule baseline• Also referred as time reserves or buffers

• Management reserves• Specified amount of the project duration withheld for

management control• Reserved for unforeseen work that is within scope of the

project• Intended to address the “unknown-unknowns”• Not included in the schedule baseline, but it is part of overall

durationActivity Duration Estimates

• Quantitative assessments of time periods required to complete an activity

• Duration estimates do not include any lags, may include range


• Activity attributes• Assumptions made (skill levels and availability)• Basis of estimates for durations.

C5 – DEVELOP SCHEDULE

Process Analyzing activity sequences, durations, resources, constraints to create schedule

Key Benefit

Entering activities, durations, resources, availabilities, relationships to generate a schedule model

C5 – DEVELOP SCHEDULE (INPUTS)Schedule

Management Plan• Identifies scheduling method and tool, and how the schedule is to

be calculated.

Activity List • Identifies the activities that will be included in the schedule model.

Activity Attributes • Provide the details used to build the schedule model

Project Schedule Network Diagrams

• Contain the relationships of predecessors and successors used for scheduling

Activity Resource Requirements

• Identify the types and quantities of resources required to create schedule model.

Resource Calendars • Contains information on the availability of resources during the project

Activity Duration Estimates

• Contain the quantitative assessments of work periods to complete an activity


• Contains assumptions and constraints that can impact the schedule

Risk Register • Provides the details of risks and their characteristics that affect schedule model.

Project Staff Assignments

• Specify which resources are assigned to each activity.


• Provides the details on organizational reporting


Factors

• Standards, Communication channels, Scheduling tool


• Scheduling methodology and project calendar(s)

C5 – DEVELOP SCHEDULE (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)

Schedule Network Analysis

• Various analytical techniques - Critical path method, Critical chain method, what-if analysis, and resource optimization

• Calculates early start/finish, late start/finish dates using forward/backward pass

• Network paths may have points of path convergence/divergence used in schedule compression

Critical Path Method (CPM)

• To estimate the minimum duration and the amount of scheduling flexibility

• Critical path - Sequence of activities with the longest path and shortest duration.

• Total float - Time that a schedule activity can be delayed/extended without delaying the finish date

• CPM critical path will have zero total float• Critical paths - positive, zero, or negative total float depending on

constraints• Schedule networks may have multiple near-critical paths• Free float—the amount of time an activity can be delayed without

delaying the early start date of any successor.


Critical Chain Method

• Allows team to place buffers on a path to account for limited resources/uncertainties

• Introduces the concept of buffers and buffer management• Resource-constrained critical path is known as the critical chain.• Project Buffer - Placed at the end of critical chain and protects the

finish date• Feeding Buffer - Placed at each point where a chain of dependent

activities that are not on the critical chain feeds into critical chain• Feeding buffers protect the critical chain from slippage along the

feeding chains• Size of each buffer should account for the uncertainty• Instead of managing total float, critical chain method focuses on

managing the remaining buffer durations of chains of activities.


Resource Levelling

• Start and finish dates are adjusted balancing resources demand and supply

• Used when shared or critical resources available at certain times, or limited quantities, or over-allocated, or to keep resource usage at a constant level

• Often cause the original critical path to change, usually to increase.

Resource Smoothing• Adjusts the activities for resources do not exceed predefined

resource limits• As opposed to resource leveling, critical path is not changed and

the completion date not delayed. Activities adjusted within free and total float

• Resource smoothing may not be able to optimize all resources.


What-If Scenario Analysis

• Evaluating scenarios in order to predict their effect on objectives• Analysis of question, “What if the situation represented by

scenario ‘X’ happens?”• Assess the feasibility of schedule under adverse conditions,

preparing contingency and response plans to overcome the impact

Simulation• Involves calculating multiple durations with assumptions, using

probability distributions constructed from three-point estimates to account for uncertainty

• The most common simulation technique is Monte Carlo analysis

Leads and Lags• To develop a viable schedule by adjusting start time of the

successor activities• Leads are used to advance successor activity with respect to

predecessor activity • Lags are used where a set period of time to elapse between the

predecessors and successors without work or resource impact.

Schedule Compression

• To shorten the schedule duration without reducing the scope• Crashing - To shorten the schedule duration by adding resources• Crashing - Works only for activities on the critical path where

additional resources will shorten the activity’s duration• Fast tracking - Activities or phases done in sequence are

performed in parallel• Fast tracking - May result in rework and increased risk• Fast tracking - Only works if activities can be overlapped.

Scheduling Tool• Expedite the scheduling process based on the inputs of activities,

network diagrams, resources and activity durations using schedule network analysis

• Scheduling tool can be used in conjunction with other software as well as manual

C5 – DEVELOP SCHEDULE (OUTPUTS)

Schedule Baseline• Approved version of schedule model• Used as a basis to determine the variances

Project Schedule• Outputs from a schedule model are schedule presentations• Presents linked activities with planned dates, durations,

milestones, resources• At minimum, includes a planned start date/finish dates• May be presented in summary form, sometimes referred to as

the master/ milestone schedule, or presented in detail. • Presented in tabular form, or graphically

• Bar charts• known as Gantt charts, relatively easy, frequently used• Hammock activity - broader, more comprehensive

summary activity used between milestones• Milestone charts

• Similar to bar charts, but only identify the start or completion of major deliverables and key external interfaces• Commonly presented in activity-on-node diagram

format showing activities and relationships without time scale referred as a pure logic diagram• Presented in a time-scaled schedule network diagram is

called as logic bar chart

C5 – DEVELOP SCHEDULE (OUTPUTS)

Schedule Data

• Collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule

• Includes at least the schedule milestones, schedule activities, activity attributes, and documentation of assumptions and constraints

• Supporting detail includes• Resource requirements (resource histogram)• Alternative schedules, such as best-case or worst-case, not

resource-leveled, or resource-leveled, with or without imposed dates

• Contingency reserve• Cash-flow projections• Delivery schedules

Project Calendars• Identifies working days and shifts• Distinguishes time periods in days or parts of days that are

available• Require more than one project calendar to allow for different

work periods

Project Management Plan Updates

• Schedule baseline• Schedule management plan


• Activity resource requirements• Activity attributes• Calendars• Risk register

C5 – CONTROL SCHEDULE

Process Monitoring the status, Update progress, Manage changes to baseline

Key Benefit

Means to recognize deviation from the plan and take corrective/ preventive actions

C5 – CONTROL SCHEDULE (INPUTS)Project

Management Plan

• Schedule management plan - describes how schedule be managed/ controlled

• Schedule baseline - To compare with actual, corrective/ preventive action

Project Schedule

• Recent version with notations, completed activities, started activities

Work Performance

Data

• Refers to information about project progress, activities started and finished.

Project Calendars

• To calculate the schedule forecasts

Schedule Data • Reviewed and updated in the Control Schedule process.


• Existing schedule control-related policies, procedures, and guidelines

• Schedule control tools• Monitoring and reporting methods to be used.

Risk Register • List of risks, along with the results of risk analysis and risk response

C5 – CONTROL SCHEDULE (TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES)Performance Reviews

• Measure, compare, and analyze schedule performance - actual start and finish dates, percent complete, and remaining duration for work in progress

Trend Analysis • To determine whether performance is improving or deteriorating. • Graphical technique - Understanding current performance/

comparison to futureCritical Path Method • Comparing progress along the critical path help determine

schedule status• The variance on the critical path will have a direct impact on the

project end dateCritical Chain Method • Comparing the amount of buffer remaining to the amount of buffer needed

• Difference between buffer needed /remaining determine need for action

Earned value management

• SV and SPI used to assess the magnitude of variation• Total float and early finish variances are also essential• Determining cause and degree of variance, deciding

corrective/preventive actions considering future impact• Similar analysis by comparing planned vs actual start dates (Not

using EVM)Project Management

Software

• Provides the ability to track the status, report variances against the schedule baseline, and to forecast the effects.

Resource optimization techniques

• Scheduling of activities & resources required considering availability and time

Modeling Techniques • To review various scenarios to align with the approved schedule baseline.

Leads and Lags • To find ways to bring project activities into alignment with the plan

Schedule Compression • To bring project activities into alignment with plan by fast tracking or crashing.

Scheduling Tool • Schedule data is compiled to reflect actual progress and remaining work

• Manual methods or software to generate an updated project schedule.

C5 – CONTROL SCHEDULE (OUTPUTS)

Work Performance Information

• SV and SPI time performance indicators• Work packages and control accounts, are documented and

communicated

Schedule Forecasts• Estimates or predictions of conditions and events in the

project’s future• Information is based on the project’s past performance and

expected future performance, and includes earned value indicators

Change Requests• Review and disposition through the Change Control process • Preventive actions - changes to eliminate/reduce probability of

negative variances

Project Management Plan Updates

• Schedule baseline• Schedule management plan• Cost baseline


• Schedule data• Project Schedule• Risk register

Organizational Process Updates

• Causes of variances• Corrective action chosen and the reasons• Other types of lessons learned

Documents

PMP PMI Module on Time Management