Chapter 13 - Scheduling
Midway through a project, a project manager determined the project was running far behind schedule. If the project manager needs to shorten the project schedule without changing the project scope, which of the following schedule compression techniques could he use? Your response: Crashing Incorrect response: Last Tracking Incorrect response: Reserve Analysis Incorrect response: Forecasting
Crashing Crashing is a technique that can be applied to compress the project schedule without changing the project scope. Another option is fast tracking. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 215]
Definitive or Budget Estimate
Detailed estimate that is the final budget. -5% to +10% risk of opportunity cost
Forward Pass
EF=ES+Dur take the largest value moving forward to the next box
After one year of construction, an office building is scheduled for completion on 30 January. The landscaping work needs to start 15 days prior to the building's completion. Which of the following relationships most likely represents the relationship of the start of landscaping work to the completion of the office building? Your response: Finish-to-start with a 15-day lead Incorrect response: Start-to-finish with a 15-day lag Incorrect response: Start-to-finish with a 15-day lead Incorrect response: Finish-to-start with a 15-day lag
Finish-to-start with a 15-day lead The landscaping work needs to start before completion of the office building, so it is a finish-to-start relationship. Since it needs to start 15 days before completion of the building, it requires a lead of 15 days. Hence, the answer is finish-to-start with a 15-day lead. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 192]
Ron is a project manager handling an alternate water-supply project. During a project performance review, he notices the following: (i) Activity A, on the critical path, is delayed by four days. (ii) Activity B, not on the critical path, is delayed by nine days. (iii) Activity C, on the critical path, is delayed by two days. (iv) Activity D, not on the critical path, is delayed by five days. In what sequence should Ron prioritize his efforts in addressing these delays? Your response: First Activities A and C, and then Activities B and D Incorrect response: First Activities A and B, and then Activities C and D Incorrect response: First Activities C and D, and then Activities A and B Incorrect response: First Activities A and D, and then Activities B and C
First Activities A and C, and then Activities B and D An important part of schedule control is deciding if schedule variation requires corrective action. Activities on the critical path get first priority for immediate action. Larger delays on activities not on the critical path may not require immediate attention since they may not affect the overall project schedule. Hence, Ron will first deal with the delays on the critical path and then tackle the delays on the other paths. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 210]
You have been asked to create a graphic display of schedule-related information, listing schedule activities on the left side of the chart, dates on the top, and activity durations as date-placed horizontal bars on the right side. What is such a chart called? Your response: Gantt chart Incorrect response: PERT chart Incorrect response: Hunt chart Incorrect response: GERT chart
Gantt chart Such a chart is called a Gantt chart. This is a popular representation of project schedule information. Activity start dates, end dates, durations, dependencies, and milestones are easily depicted on this chart in a graphical manner. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 217]
Analogous Estimating is an estimation technique that uses the values of parameters such as scope, cost, budget, and duration from a previous similar activity as the basis of activity. It is frequently used for estimation when there is a limited amount of information about the project. This is a form of: Your response: Gross value estimation Incorrect response: Precision Estimation Incorrect response: Function point estimation Incorrect response: Fixed point estimation
Gross value estimation Analogous estimating is a gross value estimating technique. It is most reliable when the previous activities are similar in fact and not just in appearance, and the project team members preparing the estimates have the needed expertise. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 200]
Early Finish Date (EF)
In the critical path method, the earliest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the data date, and any schedule constraints. -earliest the task can end
Early Start Date (ES)
In the critical path method, the earliest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can start based on the schedule network logic, the data date, and any schedule constraints. -earliest the task can begin
Late Finish Date (LF)
In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints. - latest the task can end
Backward Pass
LS=LF-Dur take the smallest value moving backward to the next box
You are managing a complex project with over a thousand scheduled activities. Your project's progress update meeting is coming up where you will be required to present the progress to the senior leadership of the organization. Instead of sharing progress on individual project activities, you want to display the project schedule with only the key deliverables displayed. What is the correct tool for this purpose? Your response: Milestone chart Incorrect response: Critical chain diagram Incorrect response: Project schedule network diagram Incorrect response: Critical path network
Milestone chart A milestone chart displays only the key deliverables and is simple and easy to understand. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 218]
Bottoms-Up Estimating
Most common - using subject matter expert's knowledge at the lowest level of delivery. A method of estimating project duration or cost by aggregating the estimates of the lower-level components of the WBS.
The functional manager of a project resource responsible for a critical path task has just informed you the resource will be out on sick leave for the next two weeks. There will be a day-to-day slip on the project until the resource returns, as there is not an alternative resource that can be used. What do you do? Notify the project stakeholders immediately Cover the delay with your schedule reserves Crash the project Fast track the project
Notify the project stakeholders immediately Notify the stakeholders immediately that there is project delay due to a resource that is no longer available. Once the stakeholders are aware of the situation and its impact to the project, a path forward can be developed. Project managers are required to provide timely and accurate project information at all times, and to follow all project process and policies, as per the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. [PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct]
estimates
PMI strongly recommends having the people doing the work create the estimate because they have knowledge of: The risks -level of effort -potential pitfalls
You are leading a complex automation project. The stakeholders want an extremely reliable cost estimate for the project. Which of the following estimating techniques uses a statistical relationship between historical data and other variables (such as square footage of data center area or lines of code in software development): Parametric Estimating Analogous Estimating Bottom-up Estimating Historical Analysis
Parametric Estimating This technique is known as Parametric Estimating. It can produce higher levels of accuracy, depending on the sophistication as well as on the underlying resource quantity and cost data built into the model. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 200]
You are considering using a scheduling tool to manage your project schedule that is being managed as a waterfall project. Most project management software packages use a method of constructing a waterfall project schedule network diagram known as: Precedence Diagramming Method Just-in-time Method Agile Method Waterfall Method
Precedence Diagramming Method PDM uses nodes to represent activities and connects the activities with arrows to show dependencies. The rest of the choices are not valid schedule network diagramming techniques. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 189]
A project manager estimates the work to be accomplished in the near term in detail at a low level of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). He estimates work far in the future as WBS components that are at a relatively high level of the WBS. What is this technique called? Your response: Rolling wave planning Incorrect response: Earned value planning Incorrect response: Decomposition Incorrect response: Scope Creep
Rolling wave planning In Rolling Wave Planning, the work to be accomplished in the near term is estimated in detail at a low level of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), while the work far in the future is estimated as WBS components that are at a relatively high level of the WBS. The work to be performed within another one or two reporting periods in the near future is planned in detail during the current period. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 185]
Your project team has listed an exhaustive list of project activities that need to be completed in order to deliver the project. As the next step you and the project team need to understand the inter-activity dependencies before you can put together an overall project schedule. Which of the Project Schedule Management processes involves identifying and documenting dependencies among schedule activities? Your response: Sequence Activities Incorrect response: Control Schedule Incorrect response: Define Activities Incorrect response: Develop Schedule
Sequence Activities Sequence Activities is the process of identifying and documenting dependencies among schedule activities. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 187]
Free Float
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint.
Binomial Distribution
The probability distribution of a binomial random variable.
Activity Duration Estimates
The quantitative assessments of the likely number of time periods that are required to complete an activity.
Central Limit Theorem
The theory that, as sample size increases, the distribution of sample means of size n, randomly selected, approaches a normal distribution.
Planning Poker - Agile Estimating
a consensus-based technique for estimating, mostly used to estimate effort or relative size of tasks in software development.
NUTS - Nebulous Units of Time
a flamboyant way of measuring that focuses on how arbitrary it is and requires consistency
regression analysis
a graphic analysis to track if 2 variables are related.
Relative Sizing Agile Estimating
a mechanism for sizing different items relative to each other. Examples story points planning poker t shirt sizes
Benchmarking
a process by which a company compares its performance with that of high-performing organizations
Lag time
a relationship that requires a delay between the two tasks
Heuristic
a rule-of-thumb problem-solving strategy
Resource Optimization
after CPM - redistributing resource assignment where a resource is needed on more than one task in the same time period
Duration
amount of calendar time the task will take
story map
an analysis of a story's organizational elements; used to strengthen instructional decisions
simulation
an imitation of an event; a reproduction of an event that is similar to the actual event
Ideal Time - Agile Estimating
assumes 100% dedicated resources
On Demand scheduling
based on the theory of constraints and pull based scheduling concepts from lean manufacturing to limit a teams work in progress in order to balance demand against the teams delivery throughput. its primarily used in Kanban
Triangulation - Story Point
comparing a story to both a larger and a smaller story
Fibonacci sequence - Agile Estimating
comparison technique A sequence of numbers in which each number is the sum of the preceding two. 1, 2,3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40 in sequence
Fast Tracking on a linear project
doing activities in parallel or overlapping them it amounts to changing a FS relationship to SS or FF relationship. IMPT negative impact of Fast tracking is rework
ROM (Rough Order of Magnitude)
done early in project lifecycle -25% to +75% Most inaccurate
slack, slip or float
float = LF - EF or LS - ES
goal-oriented roadmap
focusses on the goals or benefits of the product expressed in terms of the business: increasing revenue, decreasing cost, increasing users
Product Roadmap
high level, strategic plan that supports purpose and vision of the product
Crashing on a linear project
increasing the number of hours worked. this can be done by adding resources assigned to a task, activity or deliverable or by simply working overtime. Neg impact of crashing is likely increase in cost.
Near-Critical Path
network path close in length to the critical path
Leads time
occurs whenever a finish-to-start relationship allows the successor task to start prior to the completion of the predecessor
Affinity Estimating - Agile Estimating
process of grouping requirements into categories or collection. Used to group similarly sized user stories together
Effort - Story Point
represents the time units it takes to get something done
One-Point Estimating
single value estimate used in Waterfall
Mandatory (hard logic) dependencies
situations where the ordering of tasks, activities, or deliverables is locked into place by the work itself and there is no other alternative path
discretionary (soft logic)
situations where there is more than one possible path to complete the project work but someone has chosen a specific path for some reason
Wide Band Delphi - Agile Estimate
start with group breaking down project into large components raises questions and discusses collect anonymous estimates aggregate the results on plot until you reach a consensus
Elapsed Time
the actual calendar time required for an activity from start to finish
Project float (slack)
the amount of time the project can be delayed without impacting an externally imposed completion date
learning curve
the improvement achieved by doing an activity more than once
Late Start (LS)
the latest time the activity can start and not delay the project - latest task can begin without impacting the task
Effort
the number of labor units required to complete a scheduled activity or WBS component, often expressed in hours, days or weeks. Contrast with duration
Critical Path Method (CPM)
the project path which will be the longest duration or where all activities have zero float. - does not necessarily have greatest risk -determines the earliest completion of the project
float
the slack, slip or float is the amount of time the task can delay without impacting the project end date. Also called Total float
Linear or predictive cycles - Estimates
use level of effort -PERT (3 point estimating) - Monte Carlo - Single Point estimates
Story Points - Agile
value is independent of who is doing the work. Story Points create the ability for people of different skill levels to estimate together - 2 runners looking at the same run
Relative - Story Point
within a project, a 2 point item is twice the size of a 1 point item
Schedule Management Plan
Defines how the project schedule will be created and managed.
Triangular Distribution
tE = (tO + tM + tP)/3
Schedule Management Plan Components
- project schedule -accuracy of activity duration estimate -units of measure to be used - organizational procedure links used with the WBS -rules of performance measurements to be used -reporting formats to be used - process descriptions to explain how schedule management processes are to be documented throughout the project
Analogous Estimating
2 project that are alike. An estimating technique that uses the actual duration of a similar, completed activity to determine the duration of the current activity. This is also called top-down estimating.
PERT Standard Deviation
=(Pessimistic - Optimistic) / 6
PERT weighted average formula
=Optimistic + 4x Most likey + pessimistic/6
Monte Carlo Simulation
A computer model which allows the analyst to simulate an activity 1000, or more times to achieve a probability of a result wide range of curves over a data set
Parametric Estimating
A cost-estimating technique that uses project characteristics (parameters) in a mathematical model to estimate project costs
activity
A distinct, scheduled portion of work performed during the course of a project.
To define the logical relationship among dependencies accurately, a project manager is determining which ones require a lead or a lag. Which of the following correctly describes leads or lags? A lead allows a successor activity to be delayed. A lead allows an acceleration of the successor activity. A lag allows acceleration of the successor activity. A lag directs a delay in the predecessor activity.
A lead allows an acceleration of the successor activity. To define the logical relationship among dependencies accurately, the project management team determines which ones require a lead or a lag. A lead allows an acceleration of the successor activity. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 192]
Finish-to-Finish (FF)
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished.
Start-to-finish
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has started. hardly ever used in the real world & sign items are misaligned
Finish-to-Start (FS)
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished.
Start-to-start
A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started. allows you compress your schedule
Critical Chain Method - time management
A schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to account for limited resources and project uncertainties. - longest chain of dependent tasks with zero slack taking into consideration resource constraints -allows more accurate estimates with smaller misses.
Resource Leveling
A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply.
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
A technique used for constructing a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and are graphically linked by one or more logical relationships to show the sequence in which the activities are to be performed.
Resource Smoothing
A technique which adjusts the activities of a schedule model such that the requirement for resources on the project do not exceed certain predefined resource limits. - does not all the project critical path to change and the projects completion date cannot be delayed
External Dependency
A type of dependency where a relationship between a project task and a factor outside the project, such as weather conditions, drives the scheduling of that task. regulation or law
In a project, Activity A has a duration of four days and begins on the morning of Monday the fourth. The successor Activity, B, has a Finish-to-Start (FS) relationship with A. The Finish-to-Start relationship has two days of lag, and Activity B has a duration of three days. If Saturday and Sunday are non-working days, which of the following statements is true? Your response: Activity B will be completed by the end of the day on Thursday, the 14th Incorrect response: Activity B will be completed by the end of the day on Friday, the 15th. Incorrect response: Activity B will be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, the 12th Incorrect response: Total elapsed days (completing both activities) is seven days
Activity B will be completed by the end of the day on Thursday, the 14th Activity A has a duration of 4 days and completes by end of the day on Thursday, 7th. There is a 2-day lag, and since Saturday and Sunday are non-working, Activity B can begin only on Tuesday, 12th. Activity B has a duration of 3 days and completes by end of the day on Thursday, 14th. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 192]
The senior analyst on a project came up with Activity Duration Estimates as follows: Activity A: 10 days + a lag of two days; Activity B: 1 week + a lead of three days. The project manager who reviewed these estimates raised some objections to them. What would they most likely be? Your response: Activity Duration Estimates should not include any lag or lead information. Incorrect response: The analyst should have included percent variance information while mentioning the Activity Duration Estimate. This would indicate a range of possible results. Incorrect response: It is advisable not to mix up units such as days and weeks while coming up with Activity Duration Estimates. Incorrect response: The Activity Duration Estimate should have also mentioned the predecessor or successor activity to which the lag or lead is attached.
Activity Duration Estimates should not include any lag or lead information. Activity duration estimates are quantitative assessments of the likely work periods to complete an activity. They do not contain any lag or lead information. Lead and lags are determined during the Develop Schedule process when schedule network analysis is performed. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 209]
Project Schedule
An output of a schedule model that presents linked activities with planned dates, durations, milestones, and resources.
If you are working on a project where there is no definite detailed scope, but there were similar projects executed by the organization in the past, which of the following estimating techniques will you use? Parametric Estimating Analogous Estimating Three Point Estimating Critical Path Estimation
Analogous Estimating Analogous estimation relies on comparing a project to previous projects that were similar in nature. [PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, Page 200]
Agile project Estimates
Avoid using absolute time estimates -story Point technique provides a unit less measure estimation
