What is involved in project schedule management. Project time management (project schedule) - General concepts. Project Schedule Development

"project name" Weekly status-report Reporting period:___________________

Work carried out in the reporting period

Operation name

Planned start date

Planned end date

Expected end date

% completed

Schedule management.

Schedule Management Plan a document that establishes the criteria and operations for developing and managing the project schedule. The schedule management plan should be formal or informal, very detailed or generalized based on the needs of the project.

What is Project Schedule Management? Essentially, the project schedule is reflected in the project schedule. One of the first steps in project planning is the compilation of a hierarchical work structure (WBS or Work Breakdown Structure), from which, by putting down the duration of the work, their relationship, their beginning and end, as well as the resources involved, a work schedule is obtained.

The project schedule provides a "roadmap", a map against which the project manager must navigate his project. Those. the project schedule shows at what point in time, which resources will be involved, in what works, and what results will be provided. Project schedule management͵ includes all planning, control and even corrective schedule activities. It is the project schedule that allows you to use resources in the most efficient way, attract them on the dates when they are needed and release them when the critical importance of resources disappears. From a financial point of view, the company will be able to plan its payments through the project schedule, thus avoiding such negative things as, for example, cash gaps. At the same time, the project schedule is included in the sources for peer valuation and is an excellent source for project analysis. Large projects use different standards when creating a project schedule. For example, the PMBoK standard. The PMI Project Management Institute has even released a "Practical Standard for Schedule Management". Creating and managing a project schedule according to the standard is a long and painstaking process, which may include actions such as choosing a schedule management methodology, choosing tools, etc. On small projects, of course, the process of creating and managing the schedule differs in the direction of simplification, but still, it’s usually not possible to call it simple. In addition to the project manager, the project team, the customer and project sponsor. If there is a project office (project management office) in the company, he can help you. It is necessary to carefully evaluate the duration of certain operations. Coordinate with the owners of resources their availability, with various financial divisions of the company, making payments on certain dates.

The project schedule must be realistic. An unrealistic project schedule is a common mistake new project managers make. Some try to set minimum deadlines, while others, on the contrary, lay down too large reserves in terms of time and resources. Both are bad. If you initially set deadlines that you cannot meet, this will either lead to the fact that already at the beginning of the project you will be forced to adjust the schedule (in this case, additional risks arise), or you will immediately fall behind the plan, and therefore, extracurricular work, stress, etc. If you put too much margin in the schedule, you most likely won’t be able to explain it to the management with arguments, and, think about the team, what will they do in their free time? Well, the effectiveness of your project compared to similar ones, alas, will be low. So, in summary: 1. When creating and managing a project schedule, it is extremely important to understand the purposes for which a project schedule is created. 2. Before you start creating a schedule, try to determine exactly how you will create it (whether you will use any particular methodology, what tool will you use, etc.). 3. Involve the project team, client, project sponsor, and other stakeholders to create the project schedule. 4. The project schedule must be realistic!

Outputs of the scheduling process

The outputs of the schedule development process are:

Project schedule. The project schedule can be developed in detail or enlarged as a milestone schedule. The schedule can be presented in a tabular form or have a graphical representation in the form of network diagrams, bar graphs or milestone diagrams. In bar charts, the bars represent the activities, show the start and end dates of the activities, and their expected duration. They are easy to read and are often used to present information to the management of an organization. Milestone charts show only scheduled start or completion dates for the main results of IP implementation and key external events.

Data for the schedule model. Mandatory data for a project schedule includes schedule milestones, schedule activities, operation parameters, and documentation of any assumptions and constraints that exist, while optional data includes resource requirements by time period, alternative schedules, and contingency reserves.

Basic schedule plan is a special version of the project schedule, developed through analysis of the schedule network of the schedule model, accepted and approved by the project management team as the initial (baseline) schedule plan with the specified base start and base finish. The base schedule plan is used to identify deviations in the actual timing of operations from the planned ones.

Resource requirements (updates).

Operation parameters (updates).

Project calendar (updates). Requested changes. During the schedule development process, requested changes may appear and are processed through the Integrated Change Control process.

Project management plan (updates). The project management plan is updated to reflect any approved changes to how the project schedule is managed.

Determine the list of operations that should be included in the schedule;

Determine the relationship of operations;

Determine the duration of each operation;

Calculate the time reserve for each operation;

Determine the critical path;

Compare the project's expected completion date with the commitment's project completion date;

Define resource limits;

Adjust schedule according to resource constraints;

Check if the project is scheduled to be completed on the adjusted schedule before the commitment date;

Adjust the schedule or completion date of the commitment project if the project is scheduled to end earlier than this date;

Agree on a schedule.

Schedule Management

Schedule management is related to determining the current state of the project schedule, influencing the factors that create changes in the schedule, identifying the facts of changes in the project schedule, and managing changes. Schedule management is considered as part of the overall change control process.

Input to the schedule management process

Schedule Management Plan defines how the project schedule will be monitored and managed.

Basic schedule plan is a component of the project management plan and the basis for measuring and reporting on schedule performance under a baseline performance plan.

Task performance reports provide information about the execution of the schedule.

Approved Change Requests are used to update the schedule baseline and other plan components.

Schedule Management Tools and Techniques

Project Progress Reporting includes the actual start and end dates and the remaining duration of pending schedule activities. When using the earned value methodology, reporting may include the percentage of completion of current schedule activities. To simplify the preparation of periodic reporting on the progress of the project, it is convenient to use standard forms - templates. An example of a reporting form template is shown in fig. 5.12.

Project schedules, influencing the factors that create changes in the schedule, identifying the facts of changes in the project schedule, change management. Schedule management is considered as part of the overall change control process.

Input for the scheduling process

The schedule management plan defines how the project's schedule will be controlled and managed.

The schedule baseline is a component of the project management plan and the basis for measuring and reporting schedule performance within the performance baseline.

Task execution reports provide information about the execution of the schedule.

Approved change requests are used to update the schedule baseline and other components of the plan.

Schedule management is performed using the following tools and methods.

Project progress reporting includes actual start and end dates and the remaining duration of pending schedule activities. When using the earned value methodology, reporting may include the percentage of completion of current schedule activities. To simplify the preparation of periodic reporting on project progress, it is convenient to use standard forms - templates. An example of a reporting form template is shown in Table 16.

Table 16

Project Progress Report Form Template

"Name of the project"

Weekly status report

Reporting period:___________________

To whom:

From:

Date of:

Work carried out in the reporting period

№

Operation name

Planned start date

Planned end date

Deviation

Expected end date May

% complete

A comment

Name of the package of operations

Conclusions and offers

Conclusions:

Offers:

Open questions and problems

№

№ in the journal

Description

Decision / Draft decision

Decision term

Responsible

Priority

Schedule Change Management System should be consistent with the project's integrated change management procedures and determine how the project schedule changes; includes document management, tracking systems, and authorization levels required to authorize changes; is part of the overall change control process.

Measurement of efficiency. Performance measurement methods produce a schedule variance and a schedule completion index used to estimate the magnitude of any schedule variances that occur.

Analysis of deviations. A key function of schedule management is to analyze schedule variances. Comparing the target start and due dates with the actual/forecast ones provides information for taking corrective action in the event of a delay.

Comparative schedule charts. To simplify the analysis of the execution of the schedule, it is convenient to use a comparative bar chart that has two columns for each schedule activity - the current status and the status of the approved schedule baseline. The diagram clearly shows the places where the schedule overtakes the planned one and where it lags behind it.

Execution line

The progress line shows how much time each project activity is ahead of or behind the base schedule.

To the left of the execution line, the completed share of each operation is shown, to the right - the remaining share. According to Dragan Z. Milosevic, in the advanced applications of recent times, the execution balance line is considered as one of the steps in proactive schedule management. The amount of time an operation is behind the base schedule is used to adjust impacts to eliminate potential delay.

Building a project execution line

Is everything correct with the numbering? Preparation of information for building a line of execution: a basic schedule in Gantt chart format, project progress reports, requests for changes that may affect the project completion date.
Conducting meetings with operations owners. The project manager talks individually with the owner of each activity in order to get a real picture of the timing of its implementation. It is recommended that you ask the following questions:

What is the deviation of the actual schedule from the base one?
What problems do deviations cause?
What new risks might arise and how might they affect the completion date of the transaction?
What is the current trend in project execution?
What actions has the owner of the operation planned to prevent the failure to meet the deadlines for the operation?

Step 2 can be skipped if there is a well-functioning system for collecting real information about the progress of the project.

Conducting a meeting on the progress of the project. Meetings should be held regularly (once a month or once a week, depending on the duration of the project).
Registration of the minutes, where the answers to the above questions are recorded, which are repeatedly asked to the owners of operations within the framework of the meeting.
Line drawing.

Take the basic schedule of the project and mark on the calendar (in the header of the base schedule) the date of the meeting - status or reporting.
From this date, draw a vertical line down to the intersection with the line of the first operation
Draw a horizontal line extending it by as many days to the left or right of the reporting date as the operation is behind or ahead of the base schedule; from this point, extend the line to the next operation and repeat the indicated actions.

Thus, the execution line allows you to regularly monitor and adjust the implementation of the project's base schedule.

Milestone Diagram

The main difference from the execution line is that the diagram is focused on project milestones.

To draw it, the same steps are performed as when drawing a line of execution, with one difference - control events are the object of analysis.

P
Figure 13. Example of a project execution line (Milosevic)
building a milestone diagram

On the vertical axis, the dates of the occurrence of control events recorded in the base schedule are marked - planned events.

The same dates of control events are marked on the horizontal axis.

Draw the planned line for the execution of the project, it runs at an angle of 45 degrees to each of the axes. Scheduled control events are noted on the execution line (see Figure 14).

At the meeting, the owner of the first milestone evaluates the progress of progress (execution of operations that ensure the achievement of the milestone) and fixes it on the diagram, as well as evaluates current problems that cause deviations from the base schedule, predicts the dates of the milestone, determines the degree of influence of actual deviations on dependent milestones. developments.

Organization of project schedule management Schedule management is associated with determining the current state of the project schedule, influencing the factors that create changes in the schedule, identifying changes in the project schedule, and managing changes. Schedule management is considered as part of the overall change control process.

Input for the scheduling process

The schedule management plan defines how the project's schedule will be controlled and managed.

The schedule baseline is a component of the project management plan and the basis for measuring and reporting schedule performance within the performance baseline.

Task execution reports provide information about the execution of the schedule.

Approved change requests are used to update the schedule baseline and other components of the plan.

Schedule management is performed using the following tools and methods.

Project progress reporting includes actual start and end dates and the remaining duration of pending schedule activities. When using the earned value methodology, reporting may include the percentage of completion of current schedule activities. To simplify the preparation of periodic reporting on project progress, it is convenient to use standard forms - templates. An example of a reporting form template is shown in Table 16.

Table 16

Project Progress Report Form Template

"Name of the project"

Weekly status report

Reporting period:___________________

To whom:

From:

Date of:

Work carried out in the reporting period

№

Operation name

Planned start date

Planned end date

Deviation

Expected end date May

% complete

A comment

Name of the package of operations

Conclusions and offers

Conclusions:

Offers:

Open questions and problems

№

№ in the journal

Description

Decision / Draft decision

Decision term

Responsible

Priority

Measurement of efficiency. Performance measurement methods produce a schedule variance and a schedule completion index used to estimate the magnitude of any schedule variances that occur.

Execution line

The progress line shows how much time each project activity is ahead of or behind the base schedule.

To the left of the execution line, the completed share of each operation is shown, to the right - the remaining share. According to Dragan Z. Milosevic, in the advanced applications of recent times, the execution balance line is considered as one of the steps in proactive schedule management. The amount of time that an operation is behind the base schedule is used to adjust impacts to eliminate potential delay.

Building a project execution line

Is everything correct with the numbering? Preparation of information for building a line of execution: a basic schedule in Gantt chart format, project progress reports, requests for changes that may affect the project completion date.
Conducting meetings with business owners. The project manager talks individually with the owner of each activity in order to get a real picture of the timing of its implementation. It is recommended that you ask the following questions:

What is the deviation of the actual schedule from the base one?
What problems do deviations cause?
What new risks might arise and how might they affect the completion date of the transaction?
What is the current trend in project execution?
What actions has the owner of the operation planned to prevent the failure to meet the deadlines for the operation?

Step 2 can be skipped if there is a well-functioning system for collecting real information about the progress of the project.

Conducting a meeting on the progress of the project. Meetings should be held regularly (once a month or once a week, depending on the duration of the project).
Registration of the minutes, where the answers to the above questions are recorded, which are repeatedly asked to the owners of operations within the framework of the meeting.
Line drawing.

Take the basic schedule of the project and mark on the calendar (in the header of the base schedule) the date of the meeting - status or reporting.
From this date, draw a vertical line down to the intersection with the line of the first operation
Draw a horizontal line extending it for as many days to the left or right of the reporting date as the operation is behind or ahead of the base schedule; from this point, extend the line to the next operation and repeat the indicated actions.

Thus, the execution line allows you to regularly monitor and adjust the implementation of the project's base schedule.

Milestone Diagram

The main difference from the execution line is that the diagram is focused on project milestones.

To draw it, the same steps are performed as when drawing a line of execution, with one difference - control events are the object of analysis.

P
Figure 13. Example of a project execution line (Milosevic)
building a milestone diagram

On the vertical axis, the dates of the occurrence of control events recorded in the base schedule are marked - planned events.

The same dates of control events are marked on the horizontal axis.

Draw the planned line for the execution of the project, it runs at an angle of 45 degrees to each of the axes. Scheduled control events are noted on the execution line (see Figure 14).

Graphically presented information about the progress of the project provides a visual representation of the internal dynamics of the project.

Schedule Resource Leveling

A network schedule with deadlines will become a real schedule only when it is guaranteed by the availability of resources. The project manager must align the schedule and resources so that all project work is provided with sufficient resources on time. But when leveling schedule resources, there are usually one of two constraints: either the project is limited in time (the duration of activities cannot be extended), or the project is limited in resources.

The art of the project manager is to prioritize the project, minimize the risk of delaying the project as a whole, and stay within the resource limit. In this case, it is possible to study a variety of options using computer programs.

In scheduling programs for each activity, you can follow one of two principles of resource leveling:

Fixed duration, when the duration of work remains constant, but the provision of this amount of work with assigned resources will change;

A fixed amount of resources, when resources are assigned based on their availability, i.e. the duration of the work will change depending on the availability of assigned resources.

Thus, by reducing the provision of work with resources, their duration increases, and by increasing the number of resources, the duration is reduced.

The scheduling software allows you to assign resources to activities (jobs) - in hours, days, or percent busy per day. Typically, the calculation is based on an 8-hour working day and a 40-hour working week. Computer programs make it possible to identify resource problems when scheduling. A prerequisite is the presence of a description of the need and availability of resources at the input of the process under consideration. In our project, if one person with 100% daily employment is employed in it, then the resource utilization histogram will look like the one shown in the previous figure. As you can see, in the first half of the schedule, resources are overloaded. It can be leveled either by a) adding resources, or b) increasing the period of operations, or c) reducing the labor costs of operations. In our case, it is reasonable to apply the last resource leveling option. For example, resource overload can be eliminated by reducing the labor costs of operations, i.e. the next load of one person for operations: operation No. 1 - 100%, No. 2 - 50%, No. 3 - 50%, No. 4 - 50%, No. 6 - 100%, No. 7 - 100%. 7.9

Timing is one of the three constraints of a project. Keeping a project on schedule—a baseline timeline—requires effort and certain control actions.

The scheduling process is:

In the regulation of factors affecting the schedule;

In the analysis of deviations, the identification of changes and the actual change in the schedule, both documented and corrective actions on project participants.

At the input of the schedule control process, we have:

Project schedule;

Performance reports;

Requests for changes;

Schedule management plan.

At the exit:

Clarification of the schedule, adjustment of the Project Plan;

Corrective action.

Note that the schedule is sensitive to risks, more precisely, to additional work that causes risks. Therefore, the final schedule is drawn up after detailed risk planning.