Business Tools for Career Readiness

Project Management: The Basics for Success

Module 3

with Rob Stone, M.Ed., PMP

Planning: Scheduling

The Project Schedule

• Shows the relationship of the project activities and tasks

• Shows the dependencies (which tasks follow other tasks in a logical sequence)

Example Let’s consider a short project with very few tasks – “Flying to Darwin”

Flying to Darwin

Flying to Darwin

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

(½ Hour Loading)

(½ Hour Loading)

Flying to Darwin

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

(½ Hour Loading)

(½ Hour Loading)

Flying to Darwin

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

Two Concepts

• Sequential• Simultaneous

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

(½ Hour Loading)

(½ Hour Loading)

Flying to Darwin

Two More Concepts

• Critical Path• Float Time

Critical Path

Flying to Darwin

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

Float Time(1 Hour)

Flying to Darwin

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

Slack Time(1 Hour)

Flying to Darwin

DarwinDongara

Marble Bar

Kalgoorlie

Critical PathGenerally, but not always, the sequence of schedule activities that determines the duration of the project. It is the longest path through the project.

©2013 Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge®, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition

Float TimeTotal Float Time (Slack Time)The total amount of time a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date or violating a schedule constraint.

Free FloatThe total amount of time a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of any immediately following schedule activities.

©2013 Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge®, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition

What Does a Schedule Look Like?

Gantt Chart Network Diagram

They both show the same basic information in different ways

Project Diagrams• Gantt Chart

• Network Diagram– AOA (Activity On Arrow)

– AON (Activity On Node)

– PERT Chart (an early AON Diagram)

• CPM (Critical Path Method)

Project Diagrams• Gantt Chart

• 1917, Henry Gantt

• Network Diagram– AOA (Activity On Arrow)

• 1959, DuPont– AON (Activity On Node)

• 1960, Navy and Booze Allen– PERT Chart (An early AON Diagram)

• CPM (Critical Path Method)• 1959, DuPont

Time

Original Gantt View

1

2

3

Time

1

3 4 5

6 7

2

Gantt’s Adaptation

Time

1

3 4 5

6 7

2

First Transition

Time

1

3 4 5

6 7

2

Second Transition

1

3 4 5

6 7

21.0

1.0 2.0

3.0

Third Transition

1

3 4 5

6 7

PERT Chart

21.0

1.0 2.0

3.0

Gantt Chart

The Project Schedule• Tasks across a timeline• Road map

– Project– Project Manager– Customers and stakeholders

• Communication tool• Tracking tool