21 - PMP I Lesson 11 - Sequence Activities & Estimate Activity Duration/20 - PMP I Lesson 10 - Plan Schedule Management & Define Activities/22 - PMP 1 Lesson 12 - Develop Schedule & Control Schedule/23 - Rita's Chapt 6 (Schedule Mgmt)
Crashing
- A duration compression method that adds resources to work efforts to reduce time - You are considering adding approved overtime work for extended 10-hour workdays to get the project schedule back on track. This is an example of:
Finish to Finish (FF)
- A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished. - You cannot start laying the pipe until the trench is finished. - The successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished. - Creates overlap between predesscor and successor. - SFPF.
Mandatory Dependency
- A relationship that is inherent in the nature of the work - as part of an ongoing software implementation project, the project team must set-up a new testing environment before they can commence the software testing. this is an example of:
analogous estimating
- A technique for estimating duration or cost using historical data from a similar project for a new project. -- A project manager employs a technique in which he uses expert judgement and refers historical records of previous projects to reach an estimate for that project. What kind of estimating technique did he use?
Change Requests
- A which of the following is a key output of the control schedule process? - If the schedule variance requires corrections, you'll need to do a root cause analysis and potentially run a few schedule simulations to determine your realignment plan. There are two possible scenarios, and it will depend on the answer to one question: Will the baseline completion date remain the same? Option 1: You may ask for additional time. Option 2: If the orginal baseline completion date cant be moves, then you'll need to ask for additional resources to accellerate the work to make the date. Schedule change requests are handled through the Integrated Change Control process and only approved change requests can be implemented.
All of the following information should be collected when statusing the scheduling:
- Actual start date - Actual finish date - Percent complete
Backwards Pass Analysis
- Also known as a left to right analysis. - This time you start with the last activity and work your way back to the project beginning. - You do a backwards pass to identify float. - Backward pass utilizes late finish to calculate late start. - Late start = (Late finish - duration) + 1
Calculating Free Float
- Float is the amount of time you can delay an activity from its early start without impacting the early start of its successor. - Formula in picture for free float = (early start s - early start x )-duration - You take the early start of the successor (indicated as (s)) and subtract the early start of the target activity (indicated as (x)), then subtract the target activity duration. - Where there is total float, there is the possibility of free float. Its a good place to start your search. There are two additional rules when calculating free float 1. The amount of free float can't exceed total float for the target activity, so it will max out at the total float limit 2. The free float for the last activity will always be zero. Technically, it can't be calculated without a sucessesor, so it is deemed to zero. Even when there is total float, there may not be free float.
Rolling Wave Planning
- Is an example of a scheduling technique - a project manager is in the planning stage of a project and realizes he may not be able to plan the lowest level of detail because some of the components are still unknown. therefore, he decides to plan the work a level lower, wait for the project to commence, and then plan the lowest level of work, once further details are available. what kind of planning practice has this project manager employed?
What is the correct list of the processes in the project schedule management knowledge area?
- Plan schedule management - Define activities - Sequence activities - Estimate activity durations - Develop schedule - Control schedule
Activity Attributes
- Predecessors - Duration estimates - Resource requirementsCompanion to your activity list to include more descriptive terms. The five w's - Activity identifier - WBS work pkg identifier - Activity name - Activity description - Predecessors - Successors - Resource requirements - Duration estimate - Cost estimate - Calendar assessment - Activity type - Assumptions - Constraints - Risks
Scheduling Technique
- Rolling wave planning is a type of ________. - Describes your approach to planning and managing schedule units (work packages and activities) within the schedule. Includes: - Rolling wave planning (most common) - Agile Scheduling - PERT Scheduling (not same as PERT estimating) - Monte Carlo Simulations
Start-to-Finish (SF).
- The successor activity cannot finish uniil a predeccesssor activity has started. - The least common dependency type. - SFPS
Finish to start (FS)
- The successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished. - Most commonly used and the only dependecy that does not increase schedule risk. - Best practice to use this one first. - SSPFA logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished is known as: A lead modifier can only be used with which activity dependency type What activity dependency is most commonly used and has the lowest schedule risks? Examples: - You get a passport before your trip out of the country. - You can't purchase your oversea airline ticket until you have your passport.. - Each chapter must be written in the book before the editor can read it. - You have to dig a trench so that you can lay pipe. - A lead can only be used on which activity dependency type? You are remodeling your kitchen. Once the kitchen cabinets are installed, the countertops can be installed. What types of activity dependency is this?
Fast tracking
- This compresses duration by creating overlap between two activities on the critical path. - Originally, a finish to start dependency was defined, and now a lead is used to move the successor earlier in the schedule. - A duration compression method that creates overlap between activities on the critical path in order to shorten the overall project duration
schedule Instance
- Whenever you save a copy of your schedule to capture current status information. - Every time you save your schedule as a moment of time, you've captured a snapshop. - This is your proverbial paper trail that goes back to the beginning of the project.
Project Status and Schedule Updates
- Work that started in this time period and actual start dates. - Work that completed in this time period and actual finish date - Percent complete on work in progress and an estimate on remaining work. - Actual duration in hours.
Float Overview
- represents schedule flexibility. There is a difference between the earliest possible start and the latest possible start for one or more activities. - It allows you to apply discretionary logic to activity dependencies. - The most common use is to align activity schedule dates with resource availabilty dates. - also known as slack. In order for its existence, two conditions must be true: - There must be more than one path. - If there is only one path, it is the critical path and there is no float. - Of the two or more parties, they can't have the same duration. If you have two paths and both were 10 day durations, then you'd have two critical paths and there's still no float. Putting it all together: - There's the possibility for float when there are two or more paths of unequal durations. There are two types of float: - total float - free float.
Duration Compression Techniques
1. Add more resources - More people can get the same amount of work done in a shorter amount of time. 2. Change schedule logic - Create overlap between critical path activities. Crashing - add more resources to critical path activities. - The logic is that if one person can do the work in two weeks, then two people should be able to do the work in half that time. - Crashing could also include extending the workday (from 8 to 10 hour days), or workweek (5 days to 6 days). - It does come with risk, double the people doubles the budget.
Plan Schedule Management Questions to document/answer
1. How do you plan to develop your schedule model? The WBS orientation should be a consideration to help you determine the activity list format. 2. What method will you use? Critical path method is one of the most common, but others may work as well. 3. Estimating: What is the level of estimating accuracy you need, and what is the unit of measurement the team should use? 4. Schedule maintenance: How frequently will updates be made? By whom? How? 5. Performance measurements: How will percent complete be measured? Will it be using Earned Value management? Physical percent complete? 6. Reporting Formats How will you share project information with different stakeholders. Will a Gantt chart be acceptable? Milestone schedule? Perhaps you need resource specific views for your team assignments.
2 key points regarding statusing the schedule
1. When you have two ways of calculating peformance using the same source (information provided by your team, the data analysis should give you the same result/answer. 2. Each status report is a single schedule instance or snapshot. When you compare several, you can see trends emerge. Trend analysis is a powerful tool in the project manager's tool kit. It allows you to take actions earlier and perhaps minimize negative impacts. - If the variance is significant enough that the baseline is at risk, you'll need to consider corrective actions. You have several alternatives that can help you realign current performance to the schedule baseline.
Start to start (SS)
A logical relationship where a successor activity cannot start until its predecessor has started - Which of the four activity dependencies allows for overlapping and puts both activities on their earliest start time? - The successor activity cannot start until its predecessor activity has started. - Creates overlap between predecessor and successor. - SSPS
Budgetary estimate.
A refined estimate typically associated with the project cost or schedule baseline
Critical chain method
A schedule method that determines the shortest duration of the project based on duration and resources
External dependency.
A schedule relationship between project activities and non-project activities
Discretionary Dependency
A schedule relationship that is established based on the knowledge of best practices
Network path
A sequence of activities connected by logical relationships in a schedule network diagram
PERT
Acronym for Project Evaluation Review Technique: a budgetary estimating technique
What is the purpose of a lag?
Allows the delay of the successor activity
Float is 12
An activity has an early start date of 5 and a late start date of 17. Its duration is 8. Which of the following statements describes a correct condition about this activity?
Predecesseor.
An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity
Parametric estimating
An estimating technique where an algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration based on historical data
Preliminary
Analogous estimating can be used to develop which type of estimate?
note
Anytime there is path convergence, complete the analysis on both paths leading up to it before continuing.
Look ahead planning
Associated with the execution phase and definitive estimating: reconfirming short-term work is ready to go, typically two weeks in advance of start
another name for a Gantt chart
Bar chart
Schedule Model
Contains project specific information such as activities milestones, and resources. includes: - Gantt Chart - Milestone Schedule - Network Diagram
Tools and Techniques
Decomposition - MCOW Rolling Wave Planning - a form of progressive elaboration Expert Judgment - SME's
schedule management plan
Dominic is a project manager who just taken over a project from Phil, who is leaving their company. The project was still in the planning phase when Dominic took over and he now wants to check what Phil had planned for managing schedule changes. Which of the following would be best suited for this purpose?
Activity Duration Estimates
Finish to finish (FF) - successor activity cannot finish until the predecessor activity finishes (SFPF) Start to Start (SS) - successor activity cannot start until predecessor activity starts (SSPS) Finish to Start (FS) - successor activity cannot start until predecessor activity finishes (SSPF) Start to Finish (SF) - successor activity cannot finish until predecessor activity starts (SFPS)
The longest path
How is the critical path best described?
This describes mandatory dependencies
Inherent in work
Re-base lining
Making changes to the schedule that will require approval of a new committed target completion date
Re-scheduling
Making changes to the schedule while keeping the project target completion date the same.
Critical path method
Method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of schedule flexibility. It calculates the earliest possible project completion date and the amount of float in the schedule model. Pure CPM only utilizes the finish to start activty dependency type.
Which activity type is used to indicate a significant event in the schedule?
Milestone
Which of the following scheduling methods is distinguished because it provides a simplified display of the network and allows for all four-activity dependency types?
Precedence Diagraming Method (PDM)
Scheduling methods
Provide the framework you'll use to build our schedule model. The most popular schedule analysis used is Critical Path Method (CPM).
Schedule Guidelines - Calendars
Regular calendar specifies work and nonwork periods Resource Calendar- access to certain non human resources like access to certain facilities, etc.
Path divergence
Schedule path where one predecessor has multiple successors
Path convergence
Schedule path where one successor has multiple predecessors
Calculating Total Float
TF is calculated as the individual activity level and is shared by all activities on that portion of the path between a path divergence and convergence. Total Float is defined as the amount of time you can move an activity from its early start without delaying the end date of the project. There are two possible formulas: Total (Start) Float = Late Start - Early Start Total (Finish) Float = Late Finish - Early Finish
Precedence diagraming method (PDM)
Takes CPM to the next level by providing a cleaner, more user friendly layout, including three additional activity dependency types, (SS FF, SF) as well as lead and lag modifiers. A scheduling technique where activities are represented by nodes and linked by arrows
Total float.
The amount of time an activity can be delayed from its early start without delaying the project end date
Free float.
The amount of time that an activity can be delayed from its early start without delaying the early start of a successor
Schedule baseline
The approved version of the schedule model used as a basis for comparison to actual results
Forward Pass Analysis
The critical path method (CPM) is the best known and most commonly used scheduling method. When you finish developing your schedule, you should be able to identify the earliest possible start and earliest possible finish for each activity. To calculate the critical path, you'll need to do a forward pass analysis also known as a left to right analysis. There are two sets of formulas: The working assumption is the first day of the project is called day one. It is the earliest possible start, so all activities starting on the first day of the project have an early start of 1. Once you have the early start then you can calculate the early finish. Early finish = (Early start + duration) - 1
Early Finish
The earliest possible time when a scheduled activity can complete
Early start.
The earliest possible time when a scheduled activity can start
Schedule Control Overview
The goal of control is to maintain the integrity of the schedule baseline. The most common form of control is status at regular interval and updatng the schedule with actuals. Once you know what work has been completed, you'll analyze and compare planned versus actual performance to determine if there is a variance.
Late finish
The latest possible point in time an activity can finish based on schedule network logic
Late start.
The latest possible point in time an activity can start based on schedule network logic
Definitive estimate
The most accurate estimating category used during project execution phase
In order for there to be float, which of the following conditions must be true?
There must be multiple paths of unequal duration
Leads & lags
These two concepts modify dependencies
Level of Effort (LOE)
This activity type is best used for long duration work efforts that aren't very measurable
A predecessor
This type of element might you find in a network diagram
The difference between total float and free float:
Total Float is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date. Free Float is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor activity
Scheduling Tool
Typically an automated or software application. provides: - schedule component names - definitions - structural relationships - formats that support the application of a scheduling method
9
What is the calculated three-point estimate duration when the worst-case scenario is 16, the most likely is 8, and the best case is 6?
In the schedule management plan
Where should you document required schedule components and schedule guidelines?
Mandatory external dependency
You are required to use a contractor to conduct the inspections. This is an example of?
Develop options to meet the milestone date
You just discovered an error in the implementation plan that will prevent you from meeting a milestone date. Up to this point, your project has been running true to its baselines, and you will be delivering a routine status report tomorrow. The milestone in question is not on the critical path, but it is on a near critical path. What is the best thing you can do?
Report your assessment to the sponsor.
You've been assigned to take over managing a project that should be half complete according to the schedule. After an extensive evaluation, you discover the project is running far behind schedule, and will probably take twice the time originally estimated by the previous project manager. However, the sponsor has been told the project is on schedule. What is the best course of action?
activity
a discrete unit of work to be performed. There are characteristics of an activity that make it easier to plan and manage.
not on the critical path
a project activity has an early start (ES) of day 2, a late start (LS) of day 11, an early finish (EF) of day 7, and a late finish (LF) of day 16. This indicates that this activity is:
an activity lists
a project manager and his project team are planning the work to be done on a project. they have reviewed the customer requirements and have created an outline of the work breakdown structure and its corresponding WBS dictionary. They are now breaking down the work packages into smaller increments. What are they now trying to create?
it is a quick estimation technique
a project manager is due to provide his project estimate within a day and he decides to use the analogous estimation technique for his project. What is a typical advantage associated with this technique?
the project risk increases
a project you are managing has multiple critical paths. Which of the following statements is the best description of how this will impact the project?
when reporting to the management
both milestone charts and bar charts are used for project planning and reporting. But when are milestone charts used instead of bar charts?
Delphi
considered a budgetary estimating technique
time and cost estimates are not interrelated
estimating activity resources and activity duration are crucial processes in schedule management. Which of the following statements regarding estimations is not true?
there will be no change in overall schedule.
for the project mentioned in the previous question, the customer has requested the activity F to be cut by 2 weeks. what will be the impact on the project schedule, when this is carried out?
it could increase risks, but it allows some activities to be run in parallel
in a recent management review, it was decided the project you are currently running has to be finished 2 weeks ahead of the planned schedule. accordingly, you have been requested to fast track your project. which of the following correctly states a disadvantage and an advantage associated with fast tracking?
make more activities in parallel
in your last project review, it was identified that your project is likely to complete only 4 days after the desired completion date. There are no additional resources available for allocation. Your project has a benefit cost ratio of 1.3, has low risk and its various activities have discretionary dependencies. Given these details, which of the following is the best course of action to complete the project on time?
risk impact of crashing each project activity
peter is a project manager who has been instructed to complete his project one week ahead of the originally planned schedule. Therefore, he is now looking at the cost associated with crashing some of the project activities . The best approach to crashing project activities will also take into account:
it is a commonly accepted rule.
project managers employ the use of heuristics when managing projects. What is a heuristic?
1
what is the standard deviation of an activity that has an optimistic estimate of 14 days and a pessimistic estimate of 20 days?
it aligns the project team with the management team's expectations.
which of the following is a benefit of the analogous estimating technique?
to show associated costs of interlinked activities.
which of the following is a network diagram not used for?
it is the longest path throughout the network that contains zero float
which of the following is the most appropriate description of what a critical path is?
35.8 weeks
you are trying to determine the time it would take for your upcoming software project to complete and eventually determine that it was most likely to complete in 35 weeks. However, one of the additional resources you had asked for get allocated to the project, you believe that you can complete the project in as easy as 30 weeks. On the flip side, if the hardware assignment gets delayed, the project might take up to 45 weeks. using the 3-point estimate (PERT method) what would be the likely completion timeline for the project?
resource leveling
you have just made some changes to your project to ensure you use a constant number of resources every month. what have you just carried out?
Critical Path
- always the path with the least float. - The sequence of activities that represents the longest path through the project
Remember the four things when identifying activities:
1. Measurable 2. One resource 3. Specific 4. No interruptions
Gantt Chart
A bar chart view of the schedule
Logical relationships.
A dependency between two activities
Successor activity
A dependent activity that logically comes after another activity
Estimate
A quantitative assessment of the likely amount of time, effort, resources or money
Start to finish (SF)
But you better not order all the food unless you know the guest count. Each chapter must be written in the book before the editor can read it. You cant start laying the pipe until the trench is finished.
6.83 Days
Calculate the expected duration of an activity based on the following information: Best case it could take four days, worst case it could take as long as nine days and most of the time it takes about seven days.
This is an output of control schedule
Change requests
Keep in Mind - vs - Risks
Competences ----- Resource Availabitly Learning Curve ----- Costs
Forward pass
Critical path method technique for calculating early start and early finish dates
Backward pass
Critical path method technique for calculating late start and late finish dates
Schedule Methods
Describes how you will build your schedule, It includes guiding principles and rules: Includes: - Critical Path Method - Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) - Critical Chain Method
Activity Types
Discrete - have short durations and are very measurable Level of Effort - used an exception basis for longer activities that are not easily measured such as administrative or support work. Milestone - management points or events and have zero duration.
Preliminary estimate.
Estimates associated with the early days of the project; associated with project charter and business case
specific instance
Every time there is a major event, such as capturing the approved baseline or are rebase lined.
Finding Free Float
FF is different from TF in a couple of ways. Free float is the amount of time you can delay an activity from its early start without impacting the early start of its successor. Free float is never shared and is unique to a single activity. It is possible to have free float and but no total float. It is also possible to have total float but no free float. There is only one place you will find the free float and that is on the non critical path activity just prior to a path convergence.
What is the major benefit of using the precedence diagramming method?
Identifies project activity interdependencies
Resource Substitution
If a junior level compentency is currently assigned, can you negotiate for a senior level resource? A senior should get the work done faster but it will have an impact on the budget.
How do you determine early start and finish dates on a project schedule?
Perform a forward pass analysis
Effort
The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity
Control schedule
The process of monitoring the status of the project schedule and managing changes to schedule baseline
If the critical path is increased
This condition is certain to alter a project's completion date
This characteristic is unique for critical chain method
Use of buffers
What is involved in fast tracking a project?
Working on two activities in parallel
create a preliminary schedule
project manager Dominic with assistance from his project team, has prepared the WBS, the WBS dictionary, the estimates for each work package and also the network diagram. What should he do next?
