Project Schedule Management Overview | PMBOK Video Course

Project Schedule Management Overview

In this section, we will learn about project schedule management and its importance in the planning and execution of a project. We will also explore the processes involved in project schedule management.

Planning Schedule Management

• The process for planning out the schedule

• Tools and techniques used for planning out the schedule

• Inputs, including project management plan, project documents, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets

Defining Activities

• Turning scope into activities

• Sequencing activities into dates

• Estimating activity durations using various techniques such as analogous estimating, parametric estimating, three-point estimating, and bottom-up estimating

Developing Schedule

• Creating a schedule based on all information gathered during previous steps

• Outputs include basis of estimates, activity list, and schedule network diagrams

Control Schedule

• Ensuring that the project stays on track

• Tools and techniques used to control the schedule such as data analysis, critical path method (CPM), leads and lags, and schedule compression techniques

Key Concepts for Project Schedule Management

• Importance of communication with stakeholders

• Scheduling methods selected by the project management team

• Planned dates/durations/resources required entered into scheduling tool to create a model for the project

Project Schedule Management

This section covers the different tools and techniques used in project schedule management, including network diagrams, Gantt charts, rolling wave planning, and user stories.

Tools and Techniques for Project Schedule Management

• Network diagrams are used to calculate the critical path of a project.

• Gantt charts provide a clear visual representation of project activities and their durations.

• Rolling wave planning involves iterative scheduling with a backlog of work that is planned out in more detail before each iteration.

• User stories document how users will use the product and are prioritized and refined just before development or construction.

Emerging Practices in Project Schedule Management

• On-demand scheduling can be achieved through a kanban system where tasks are moved across a board as they are being worked on.

• Life cycle approaches should be chosen based on the complexity of the project. Agile is appropriate for projects with high uncertainty while waterfall is better suited for well-defined projects.

• Resource availability, project dimensions, complexity, and technology support all influence project durations.

Overall, this section provides an overview of various tools and techniques used in project schedule management. It also highlights emerging practices such as on-demand scheduling through kanban systems. The importance of choosing appropriate life cycle approaches based on project complexity is emphasized along with factors that influence project durations.

Hybrid Approaches

In this section, the speaker discusses how hybrid approaches can be used in project management.

Different Approaches

• There are different approaches to project management, such as predictive development life cycle or an adaptive project life cycle.

• Hybrid approaches can also be used where all of the scope is defined up front but then a kanban board is used to manage the work and pull it across the board.

• Another example of a hybrid approach is when working with a third party who uses a waterfall approach where all their scope is done up front and they deliver it in one big bang, but you use an agile approach to integrate that into your systems during one of your iterations.

Role of Project Manager

• The role of the project manager doesn't change depending on whether it's a predictive development life cycle or an adaptive project life cycle.

• However, to be successful in adaptive approaches, the project manager will need to be familiar with tools like scrum and kanban boards, using iterations and backlogs, servant leadership, and the whole team approach.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes their discussion on project schedule management.

Key Takeaways

• To be successful in adaptive approaches, project managers need to be familiar with tools like scrum and kanban boards.

• The role of the project manager remains consistent regardless of whether it's a predictive development life cycle or an adaptive project life cycle.