Philippine Christian University

Graduate School of Business & Management

Master in Business Management

MMPA Quantitative Techniques in Decision Making

A Written Report on
Project Scheduling

by:
JO ANNE V. GUEVARRA
MIRIAM LUNINGNING C. PADILLA
DBP Head Office

November 2019

Professor: MYLENE A. ARCULLO, MBA

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PROJECT SCHEDULING

The project schedule is the tool that communicates what work needs to be performed, which

resources of the organization will perform the work and the timeframes in which that work needs

to be performed. The project schedule should reflect all of the work associated with delivering

the project on time. Without a full and complete schedule, the project manager will be unable to

communicate the complete effort, in terms of cost and resources, necessary to deliver the project.

It usually includes an intended start and finish date and lists all project related milestones,

activities and deliverables. In order to develop a project schedule, project managers will estimate

the time it will take to complete the individual action items. Scheduling therefore requires a good

amount of project management experience. When estimating the duration of an action item, it is

crucial to take into consideration limiting factors like available resources and budget. Another

decisive factor in creating a project schedule are the action items' dependencies. It is important to

maintain the order in which the individual action items should be completed in order to fulfill

any existing delivery cycles. For simple projects, a project schedule is basically a timeline or

calendar which lists tasks and activities with expected start and finish dates. For more complex

projects, a project schedule can be layered with different details to enable project managers to

direct and manage resources more smoothly, communicate more frequently and effectively with

stakeholders, and identify and monitor dependencies and constraints between tasks to avert

preventable delays. The project schedule can be expressed in several display forms depending

upon the purpose of the schedule, the stage of the development of the project, and the primary

user of the schedule.

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A project schedule is most commonly visualized in a Gantt chart. Not only do they show all

important milestones and dependencies, the Gantt chart includes a progress bar that they allow

team members and project managers alike to track their project's overall progress.

The most common types of project schedules are the master project schedule, the milestone

schedule, and the detailed schedule.

Master Project Schedule

Developed in the initial phase of project planning, the master project schedule is a summary level

schedule which highlights the principal activities and tasks and their estimated duration. This

schedule's strength lies in its ability to aggregate individual activity schedules and display them

in one convenient document. The schedule can serve as an early communication tool for building

buy-in for the project with upper level management and external stakeholders. The schedule is

also useful for facilitating team brainstorming during the initial phrases of the project to work out

logistics.

Milestone Project Schedule

As an advanced schedule, a milestone schedule is often referred to throughout the project’s life

cycle. The milestone schedule is a summary level schedule that allows the project team leader to

review and identify all of the significant and major project related milestones that may surface

during the course of a project. A milestone is a significant event in the project usually marked by

the completion of a major deliverable. Because of its visually-pleasing format, the milestone

schedule is recommended for reporting status reports to top level management and external

stakeholders. The milestone schedule is also useful during team assessments, particularly for

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newly-formed teams to give them an opportunity to take pride in their accomplishments, reflect

upon their setbacks, and most importantly bond as a team.

Detailed Project Schedule

Detailed schedules are operational schedules intended to help front line managers in directing

hourly, daily, or weekly project work. The detailed schedule is considered the execution

playbook for the project.

One aspect of project planning and project management that is often overlooked is effectively

communicating the project schedule to the various project stakeholders. Although presenting a

one-page schedule list to the core team may be sufficient, the use of visual representations of the

schedule is highly recommended when presenting the schedule to upper level management and

external stakeholders. The most common display options for presenting a project schedule are

the summary table, Gantt chart, and network diagram.

 A summary table in its most basic form is an action list of the tasks and completion dates.

 A Gantt chart is the most common form for representing a project schedule. A Gantt chart

can show a wealth of information and is often used to visually compare actual progress against

estimated or baseline completion dates. For more information on how to create Gantt charts,

continue reading these articles on creating Gantt charts in Excel 2007 and Microsoft Project

2007.

 A network diagram is another type of graphical representation that uses nodes and arrows

to show interrelationships between events and activities and predecessor/successor indicators to

show resource constraints. The network diagram is superior in highlighting the critical path of a

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project and to show the project's logic flow from start to finish. For more information, this article

on examples of network diagrams provides more detail on the two main types of network

diagrams.

Financial

Project scheduling impacts the overall finances of a project. Time constraints require project

managers to schedule resources effectively. This is particularly true when resources must have

highly specialized skills and knowledge in order to complete a task or when pricey materials are

required. Completing a project in a short time frame typically costs more because additional

resources or advanced materials are needed. With accurate project scheduling, realistic estimates

and accurate projections prevent last-minute orders that drive up costs.

Documentation

Creating a comprehensive work breakdown structure allows you to create a chart, such as a Gantt

chart, that lists the project tasks, shows dependencies and defines milestones. Management

consultant Henry Gantt designed this type of chart to show a graphic schedule of planned work.

Its role in business projects is to record and report progress toward project completion. Your

project schedule also allows you to assign human resources to the work and evaluate their

allocation to ensure you have the appropriate levels of utilization. You may also develop a

program evaluation and review technique chart, or PERT chart, to help you analyze project tasks.

Management

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Effective project managers conduct regular meetings to get status reports. They use project

scheduling meetings to check in with their team members and prevent costly misunderstandings.

These regular meetings ensure that work flows from one process to the next and that each team

member knows that he needs to do to contribute the project’s overall success.

Quality

Project scheduling ensures one task gets completed in a quality manner before the next task in

the process begins. By assuring that quality measures meet expectations at every step of the way,

you ensure that managers and team members address problems as they arise and don't wait until

the end. No major issues should appear upon completion because you’ve established quality

controls from the very beginning of the scheduling process. Effective project managers

understand that ensuring quality control involves managing risks and exploiting opportunities to

speed up the schedule when possible to beat the competition and achieve or maintain a

competitive edge with a more reliable product.

Project Management Technique

Techniques in project management range from traditional to innovative ones. Which one to

choose for running a project, depends on project specifics, its complexity, teams involved, and

other factors. Most of them can be used in various fields, however, there are techniques that are

traditionally used in certain areas of activity or are developed specifically for certain fields.

Below, we’ve listed the most popular techniques that are used in project management.

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A. Classic Technique

The simplest, traditional technique is sometimes the most appropriate for running projects. It

includes preparing a plan of upcoming work, estimating tasks to perform, allocating

resources, providing and getting feedback from the team, and monitoring quality and

deadlines.

Where to use: this technique is ideal for running projects performed by small teams, when

it’s not really necessary to implement a complex process.

B. Waterfall Technique

This technique is also considered traditional, but it takes the simple classic approach to the

new level. As its name suggests, the technique is based on the sequential performance of

tasks. The next step starts when the previous one is accomplished. To monitor progress and

performed steps, Gantt charts are often used, as they provide a clear visual representation of

phases and dependencies.

Where to use: this technique is traditionally used for complex projects where detailed

phasing is required and successful delivery depends on rigid work structuring.

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C. Agile Project Management

Agile project management method is a set of principles based on the value-centered

approach. It prescribes dividing project work into short sprints, using adaptive planning and

continual improvement, and fostering teams’ self-organization and collaboration targeted to

produce maximum value. Agile frameworks include such techniques as Scrum, Kanban,

DSDM, FDD, etc.

Where to use: Agile is used in software development projects that involve frequent

iterations and are performed by small and highly collaborative teams.

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Today, many project & work management software tools like actiTIME offer convenient

ways to introduce Scrum and Agile in work process. With them, you can configure multiple

levels of your work structure, track long-term and short-term deadlines, use estimates in

planning process, and create Kanban boards to monitor work progress. Basically, software

tools allow to structure your work according to the Agile method and visualize the structure.

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D. Rational Unified Process

Rational Unified Process (RUP) is a framework designed for software development teams

and projects. It prescribes implementing an iterative development process, where feedback

from product users is taken into account for planning future development phases.

Where to use: RUP technique is applied in software development projects, where end-user

satisfaction is the key requirement.

E. Program Evaluation and Review Technique

Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is one of the widely used approaches in

various areas. It involves complex and detailed planning and visual tracking of work results

on PERT charts. Its core part is the analysis of tasks performed within the project.

Originally, this technique was developed by the US Navy during the Cold War to increase

the efficiency of work on new technologies.

Where to use: this technique suits best for large and long-term projects with non-routine

tasks and challenging requirements.

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F. Critical Path Technique

Actually, this technique is an algorithm for scheduling and planning project works that is

often used in conjunction with the PERT method discussed above. This technique involves

detecting the longest path (sequence of tasks) from the beginning to the end of a project and

defining the critical tasks. Critical are tasks that influence the deadlines of the entire project

and require closer attention and thorough control.

Where to use: Critical Path technique is used for complex projects where delivery terms and

deadlines are critical, in such areas as construction, defense, software development, and

others.

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G. Critical Chain Technique

Critical Chain is a more innovative technique that derives from PERT and Critical Path

methods. It is less focused on rigid task order and scheduling and prescribes more flexibility

in resource allocation and more attention to how time is used. This technique emphasizes

prioritization, dependencies analysis, and optimization of time expenses.

Where to use: like the previous two techniques, it is used in complex projects. As it is

focused on time optimization and wise resource allocation, it suits best for projects where

resources are limited.

H. Extreme Project Management

Extreme project management technique (XPM) emphasizes elasticity in planning, open

approach, and reduction of formalism and deterministic management. Deriving from extreme

programming methods, it is focused on the human factor in project management rather than

on formal methods and rigid phases.

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Where to use: XPM is used for large, complex and uncertain projects where managing

uncertain and unpredictable factors is required.

I. Project Management Tools

When applying any of the techniques to the project you need to accomplish, you also need

to use specific tools for successfully implementing the technique. Here’s a list of software

tools that are used in project management on different work steps.

J. Organizing Workflow & Planning

This step is the core part of starting a project: it defines how the project will be performed,

and how the quality of its outcome will be ensured. Large companies often use such

comprehensive solutions as MS Project. For smaller teams, various alternatives are available.
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 They don’t provide all the rich functionality typical to complex and expensive tools, but they

have planning and roadmap features that are sufficient for visualizing future project progress.

There are also free project management solutions that suit best for startups and small

businesses.

Communication

Being the key point in many techniques and methodologies, communication within a project

team needs to be properly organized. While using email for formal communication and important

messages, it’s also essential to have a corporate messenger – Slack and Skype are the most

popular ones. And, if your team members use different tools to communicate, eliminate the pain

of having multiple messengers by integrating them.

Scheduling

When allocating resources and planning for the future, it’s crucial to know who on the team is

available for specific dates. Use scheduling software for that! Such tools as actiPLANS provide a

clear visual chart of absences for upcoming dates and allow to see all necessary details to team

members’ leaves and time off.

Time management

Knowing where your team’s time goes not just helps to manage current project risks. It also

provides valuable information for future planning and estimating. Time management tools, such

as actiTIME, help managers understand both individual time expenses and team’s results for any

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period. Informative reports with time & cost summaries and notes to the logged time provide

insights into how time is used and what can be optimized.

Finance & Accounting

For any project manager and business owner, understanding the financial outcome of the projects

is crucial for analysis and future planning. Most used accounting tools – QuickBooks, Zoho,

Freshbooks – help collect this information. For smaller project teams, other accounting

solutions can be reasonable. They require less investment, but also provide insights on project

profitability, teams’ performance, and estimation accuracy.

Summary

A smart business owner knows that planning and scheduling are crucial to success. In fact, these

two activities form the basis for almost all processes and activities in the company. That’s why

it’s important for you to take the time to learn why exactly these two are important to any builder

who wants to level up.

Planning and scheduling go hand in hand. They need each other in order to achieve maximum

results. Planning may involve creating a business plan, setting goals for the year, or listing down

tasks that need to be done. When you plan, you map out your next course of action.

But of course, step two involves setting a timeline. It’s not enough to identify what needs to be

done. It’s equally important to figure out when these things need to be accomplished. This is

where scheduling comes in. When we talk about scheduling, we’re dealing with specific dates

and specific timeframes.

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So, for planning and scheduling, it’s all about laying out the what’s, the how’s, the why’s, and

the when’s.

at the benefits:

1. Goals Become More Achievable

It’s easy to say that you want your profits to double. But we all know that it’s far easier said than

done. However, if you’re prepared with a solid plan and a realistic schedule, your goals will

suddenly be more tangible. Now you can see the exact baby steps needed to get to your

destination.

2. It Keeps Your Costs Down

Planning and scheduling allow you to stick within a budget. This is especially true for builders

who deal with different types of personnel- some of whom are on a contractual, weekly, or even

daily wage. Without a careful plan and timeline, you will definitely go over-budget.

3. They Prepare You for Unexpected Problems

A good plan should also identify the possible risks and challenges. When you’re properly

organized, it’s easier to predict the problems that may pop up during a project. Thus, it’s much

easier to craft contingencies.

4. Everyone is on the Same Page

With a carefully crafted plan and schedule, you can get every member of your team on the same

page. Expectations are clear and roles are clearly defined. Each team and team member know

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when their part begins and ends. Target dates of completion for each segment is disseminated to

everyone. Basically, everybody knows their part. This means less stress for you!

5. Progress is Easier to Track

Before starting work on any project, select the technique to be used and the tools that will help

your team speed up and automate work. This defines the entire workflow, management process,

and control procedures. By following the principles of the selected technique and using the

functionality of the project management tools, you’ll ensure successful project delivery in

compliance with requirements and deadlines.

Once you’ve determined your goals and tasks, together with its corresponding schedule, it’s

easier to determine where your company currently stands. Progress tracking is possible since you

now have benchmarks to compare with.

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