Project Scheduling

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Project Scheduling

• Daniel J. McFarland, Ph.D.

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Project Management Terms

• Milestone
• one point in time
• no resources or duration
• Task/Activity
• must have a resource, duration, start point and
  end point
• Summary Task
• Task timing
• duration, ES, LS, EF, LF
• Task Interdependency
• SS, FS, FF
• Merge Activity
• Burst Activity

• Resource Leveling
• Node
• Start/End point(s)
• Float/Slack
• Slippage
• Critical Path
• Critical Task
• change in duration will impact project duration
• Contingency Factor
• Lag Time (time between tasks)
• may be negative
• Parallel Activities

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Scheduling Objectives

• A schedule is the conversion of a project action
  plan into an operating timetable
• A schedule is one of the most popular project
  management tools
• It serves as the basis for planning, monitoring,
  and controlling project activities

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Scheduling Provides

• A project completion date
• Identification of critical tasks
• If delayed, a critical task will delay the
  project completion date
• Slack is calculated for each task
• Slack is the amount of time a task may be delayed
  before impacting the project completion date
• Task interdependencies are shown
• Calendar start and end times are calculated for
  each task

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Scheduling Entails

• The basic approach of all scheduling techniques
  is to form a network of activity and event
  relationships
• This network graphically portrays the relations
  among project tasks
• Each task precedes or follows other tasks
• Tasks are defined in terms of time, cost, and
  function

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Project Scheduling Tools

• Network Diagrams
• Organization and coordination of work
• Depicts task interrelationships and provides
  relative duration estimates
• Precedence Diagrams
• Permits more varied task interdependencies
• Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
• Probabilistic estimates for Task and Project
  Durations
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Determination of the Critical Path using the
  stated interdependencies
• Gantt Chart
• The calendarization of work
• Determines the calendar start dates and calendar
  end dates for each task and the overall project

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How to Construct an AON Network Diagram

• Networks are constructed from left-to-right
• Networks have one Start Node and one End Node
• If multiple tasks begin or end a project, a dummy
  node may be created to depict the start and/or
  end of the project
• Each of the lowest-level Work Breakdown Structure
  elements is shown as a Node on the diagram.
• Arrows represent task sequencing/precedence.
  Each task relationship is depicted using an
  arrow.
• All predecessor tasks must be complete before a
  task may begin
• Looping and conditionals are not permitted
• Crossing of Arrows should be avoided

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AON Example
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Precedence Diagrams Types of Task
Relationships
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Precedence Diagrams Other Task Scheduling
Constraints

• As early as possible
• Most common
• Must start on (date)
• Training class
• Must finish on (date)
• Course registration
• Start no earlier than (date)
• A task waiting for a new budget cycle

• Start no later than (date)
• Spend it or loss it
• Finish no earlier than (date)
• A perishable item
• Finish no later than (date)
• Term paper due date
• As late as possible
• A task requiring significant spending

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Gantt Chart

• A Gantt chart shows planned and actual progress
  for the project tasks based on a horizontal time
  scale
• Provides a great deal of information
• They are easily to construct, maintain, and
  understand
• Gantt charts provide a clear picture of the
  current state of a project

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Gantt Example