Chapter 6 – TIME Management

Project Time Management - processes required to ensure timely completion of the project

Activity Definition – defines activities that must take place to produce project deliverables

Activity – consumes time (eg testing)

Events – specified accomplishment / does not consume time (eg tested)

Time Management – In small projects Activity Definition, Sequencing, Resource Estimation,

Duration Estimation and Schedule development are so tightly linked that they are viewed as
single process.

Schedule Management Plan – Development of Schedule Management Plan is part of Develop

Project Management Plan Process. SMP is a subsidiary plan of PMP and may formal or informal,
highly detailed or broadly framed depending on the project.

Decomposition (TT used in Activity Definition)

Involves sub dividing the Work Packages into smaller components called activities.
Activity Definition output is schedule activities not Deliverables (Create WBS output is
Deliverables)

Activity list, WBS and WBS dictionary can be developed either sequentially or concurrently.
Performed by team members responsible for the work package.

Planning Component (TT used in Activity Definition)

Control Account – From management Perspective a control line is drawn in the WBS Hierarchy
levels. All the Planning components above this line belong to what is called the Control
Account. All efforts performed within a control account are documented in a control account
plan.

Planning Package – It is a WBS Component below the control account but above the work
package.

Activity List
Does not include any schedule activity that is not required as part of the project scope
It includes a activity identifier and scope of work description for each schedule activity in
sufficient detail.

It is used in schedule model and is part of PMP(Project Management Plan)

Discrete components of Project Schedule but are not components of the WBS.

Activity Attributes – Contain Activity identifier, activity Code, Activity Description, Predecessor
Activities, Successor activities, logical relationships, leads and lags, resource requirements,
imposed dates, constraints and assumptions.

Milestone – Can be mandatory or optional, it a component of PMP, included in SS and WBSD

and used in schedule model. PM can impose additional milestones.

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Fragment Network – Portions of project schedule network diagram are often referred to as a Sub
network or Fragment Network. Sub Network templates are useful when project has several
identical or nearly identical deliverables.

Lead and Lag – Lead allows acceleration of the successor activity, A lag direct a delay in
Successor activity.

Bottom Up Estimation (TT of Resource Estimation) – Estimation is done for lower level items and
then aggregated.

Activity Resource Estimation – Identifies type and quantities of resources required for a schedule
activity. These are aggregated to determine the estimated resources for each work package.

RBS (Resource Break Down Structure) – Output of Activity Resource Estimation process, it is a
hierarchical structure of resources by category & type.

Activity Duration Estimate – Some indication of range of possible values (2Weeks + or – 2 days)

TT for Activity Duration Estimation

1. Analogous Estimation – Using actual duration of previous similar schedule activity. It is
project level, given to PM from Management or Sponsor; it is a form of Expert Judgment.
2. Parametric Estimation – Quantity of Work * Productivity Rate - 1.Regression Analysis
(Scatter Diagram) 2.Learning Curve. Results of Parametric Estimation can become
heuristics.
3. Three Point Estimates – Most Likely, Optimistic, Pessimistic.
4. Reserve Analysis
5. Expert Judgment

Imposed Dates – Imposed dates in Scope Statement (I/P to Schedule Development Process)
restrict the start or finish date.

Schedule Network Analysis (TT for Schedule Development)

1. Critical Path Method – Calculate Project Duration, Critical path length and Float. Critical
path can have 0 or negative total float.

2. Schedule Compression – Crashing (Additional Resources) and Fast Tracking (Parallel)

3. What if Scenario – Monte Carlo Analysis

4. Resource Leveling – Applied after Critical Path Method, Keep resource usage at
constant level

5. Critical Chain Method – Uses Pessimistic resource availability, Adds duration buffers that
are non work schedule activities.

Monte Carlo Analysis – 1. Probability of Completion 2. Probability of Completion in amount of

Cost 3.Probability of activity in critical path 4. Risk

Project Schedule – Should at least include planned start date and finish date for each schedule
activity, project schedule is preliminary till resource allocations are done, which usually happens

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before completion of PMP. Project schedule is when presented in summary form is called as
master schedule or milestone schedule.

Time Estimate – Non-Calendar Schedule – Calendar Based

Hammock Activity – O/p of Schedule Development -> Bar Charts -> For Control and
management communication, the broader more comprehensive summary activity called
Hammock Activity is used between milestones or across multiple interdependent work
packages.

Project network diagrams. Project network diagrams are schematic displays of the project’s
activities and the logical relationships (dependencies) among them.

Coding structure. – Activities must have different attributes (as responsibility, geographic area ,…
- Used for sorting)

Critical Path Method (CPM) (ML) —calculates start and finish date for each activity & float
Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT)—allows for probabilistic treatment of both
network logic and activity duration estimates. It is a form of ADM (A Network Drawing Method)
that allows loops between activities. The easiest example is when you have an activity to design
a component and then test it.
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) (O+4ML+P/6)—uses a weighted average
duration estimate to calculate activity durations.

Project Time Management

Arrow Diagramming PERT and CPM focuses on float duration, to determine which
Method (ADM): activities have the least scheduling flexibility. Activity on Arrow.
Only Show finish-to-start relationship
PERT Program Evaluation and Review Technique
Emphasis on meeting schedules with flexibility on cost
Three time estimates per activity: pessimistic, most likely, and
optimistic
The probability of completing a project at or later than its
expected time is 50%
Event oriented; uses dummy; activity on arrow (AOA)
Finish-to-Start logical relationship
Time estimates appear on arrow
Critical Path Method Emphasis on controlling cost and leaving the schedule flexible
(CPM) One time estimate per activity
Activity oriented; uses dummy; activity on arrow
Time estimates appear on arrow
Precedence Diagram Represents improvement to PERT and CPM by adding lag
Method (PDM) relationships to activities
[Start to Start; Start to Finish; Finish to Start; Finish to Finish]
Work is done during activity. Arrow indicates dependancy
Activity on node; no dummy
finish-to-start is the most commonly used type of logical
relationship. Start-to-finish relationships are rarely used
GERT A network diagram drawing method that allows loops between
tasks. It is a method of sequencing (e.g. a project requires redesign
after completion of testing)

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Dependencies
Mandatory or Hard Often involve physical or technological limitations (based on the
nature of work being done)
Discretionary may also be called preferred logic, preferential logic, or soft logic.
Soft: desirable and customary (based on experience)
Preferential: preferred or mandated by a customer (also, need of
the project sponsor)
Defined by PM Team
External Input needed from another project or source

Critical chain is a technique that modifies the project schedule to account for limited resources.

PERT Weighted Average = (O + 4M + P)/6 standard deviation = (P - O)/6 variance = standard

deviation2 (To add standard deviations: convert to variance then add; take the square root of
the sum). Best method when you have no historical data for a similar task. Results is the 50% point
(mean).

Monte Carlo Analysis - computer simulation of project outcomes using PERT estimates; result
represented in S curve. Provides the ability to compute the probability of completing a project
on a specific day. Can also be used to assess feasibility of schedule under adverse conditions
(eg when a schedule constraint is identified)

Heuristics - rules of thumb

Critical Path – longest path (almost always have no float)

Near Critical Path – Path is close in duration to critical path, the close it is the more RISK project
has.

Variance - Plan minus Actual

Float / Slack – 1.Free 2. Total 3. Project Float. Time an activity may be delayed from its early start
without delaying the project finish date. Difference between the required end date and the
expected project completion date. A negative slack on the critical path means that the project
is behind schedule.

Free Float – Amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the early start of its
successor

Total Float – amount of time that an activity may be delayed from early start without delaying
the project finish date

Lag – waiting time between two tasks (negative lead)

Schedule Baseline - the original, approved project schedule; should never be changed without
proper review and approval. Any approved change should be documented in writing. Should
be created at the beginning of the project and used during the project to gauge (measure)
overall project performance, not just schedule.

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The project Performance Measurement Baseline should generally change only in response to a
scope or deliverable change. The project performance measurement baselines should generally
change only in response to a scope or deliverable change.

Corrective action - in project time management primarily concerns expediting to ensure that
activities remain on schedule. Is anything done to bring expected future schedule performance
in line with the project plan.

Revisions are changes to the scheduled start and finish dates in the approved project schedule;
generally revised only in response to scope changes. Rebaselining may be needed to provide
realistic data to measure performance.

Scheduling and allocating resources to multiple projects may affect schedule slippage and in-
process inventory.

The most important element necessary for project control is clear requirements.

Duration Compression Methods – occurs after activity duration estimating and before finalizing
the schedule. Include crashing, fast track,
Crashing – when you are worried about time, not so much about costs.

Fast Track – resources in parallel, involve increase rework. Should fast track tasks on the critical
path (float = 0) in order to save time.

Resource Leveling – often results in a project duration that is longer than the preliminary
schedule.

Resource reallocation from non-critical to critical path activities is a common way to bring the
schedule back, or as close as possible, to the originally intended overall duration. So 1. Schedule
Can Slip 2. Cost increase

Finish to Finish - activities must finish on a specific sequence

“Start no earlier than” & “Finish no later than” – Respectively #1 and #2 most popular date
constraint in project management software.

Root Cause Analysis – used to identify the cause of the variation

Variance analysis – key element to time control. Float variance is an essential planning
component for evaluating project time performance.

Revision – category of schedule update that result in change to the project’s scheduled start or
finish dates. New target schedule should be the usual mode of schedule revision.

Schedule Management Plan – defines how schedule changes will be managed; may be formal
or informal.

Schedule Change Control System – defines procedures for changing the project schedule and
includes the documentation, tracking systems, and approval levels required for authorizing
schedule changes.

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Resource Planning
Tools
Responsibility Matrix Identify who does what at what time/phase of the project
Resource Quantifies how much work is needed from each resource during each time period
Spreadsheet
Resource Gantt Identify the periods of time (e.g. calendar date) when a particular resource is
Chart working on a particular task
Resource Histogram Vertical bar chart showing the total number of resources needed during each time
(Resource Loading period
Chart)

Scheduling Tools
Networks (PERT, CPM, Interdependencies; how related
PDM)
Barchart (Gantt) Effective progress reporting tool; no logical relationships shown between
activities
Milestone Chart Significant events; good for communicating status (used to track success)

Bar Chart (Grant Chart) – 1. Weak Planning Tools 2. Good reporting tools 3. No Dependency
Shown 4. No Resources shown

Progress Report – 50/50, 20/80, 0/100 – An Activity is considered X percent complete when it
begins and gets credit of the last 100-X percent only when it is completed.

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Time Questions
What is the critical path?
What is crashing?
What is fast tracking?
How does resource leveling work?
What is activity duration estimating?
What is a dummy activity?
What is slack or float? Free float?
What is lag?
GSN Notes- 6 Time
The longest path through the network which represents the
shortest amount of time in which the project can be
completed.
Taking action to determine how to obtain the greatest amount
of duration compression for the least incremental cost;
generally increases cost.
Compressing the schedule by overlapping activities that would
normally be done in sequence; may result in rework and
increased risk; logical relationships are modified
By using positive float available on non-critical paths, schedule
by smoothing or leveling peaks and valleys of resource
utilization
Assessing the number of work periods likely to be needed to
complete each activity
One that consumes no time or resources; it shows only
dependency
Amount of time that an activity can be delayed without
delaying project. Free float is the amount of time an activity
can be delayed without delaying the early start of the next
activity
Required waiting time between activities
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