Project Management

Lect#9

Scheduling
 Activity Relationships

 Precedence relationships among project-related activities:

1.    Finish to Start (FS)
2.    Finish to Finish (FF)
3.    Start To Start (SS)
4.    Start to Finish (SF)

Finish-to-start is the most commonly used type of precedence

relationship.
 Finish to Start

PMBOK® Definition: The logical relationship where initiation of work of the

successor activity depends upon the completion of work of the predecessor
activity.

Layman’s Definition: Once this task finishes, we can start the next one.

Practical Definition:  In a Finish-to-Start relationship, the predecessor must finish

before the successor can start. In fact, the predecessor’s finish date determines the
Successor’s start date.

Abbreviation: FS
Finish to Start
 Start to Start

PMBOK® Definition: The logical relationship where initiation of the work of the
successor schedule activity depends upon the initiation of the work of the
predecessor schedule activity.

Layman’s Definition: We want these two tasks to start at the same time.

Practical Definition: Once the predecessor task starts, we can start the successor
task.

Abbreviation: SS
Start to Start
 Finish to Finish

PMBOK® Definition: The logical relationship where completion of work of the

successor activity cannot finish until the completion of work of the predecessor
activity.

Layman’s Definition: We want these two tasks to finish at the same time.

Practical Definition: Once the predecessor task finishes, the successor task can
finish.

Abbreviation: FF
Finish to Finish
 Start to Finish

PMBOK® Definition: The logical relationship where the completion of the

successor schedule activity is dependent upon the initiation of the predecessor
schedule activity.

Layman’s Definition: This task finishes when the next one starts, but not before
then.

Practical Definition: Once the predecessor task starts, the successor task
finishes.

Abbreviation: SF
Start to Finish
 PERT
Program Evaluation and Review Technique
 PERT

 It is used mostly in research and development

projects, particularly projects of non-repetitive
nature.
 Estimate of time for activities are not so accurate and
definite.
 Probabilistic model concept is used as opposed to
deterministic model concept of CPM.
 PERT

PERT uses a weighted average duration estimate to calculate

activity durations. PERT differs from CPM primarily in that it uses
the distribution's mean (expected value) instead of the most
likely estimate originally used in CPM.
 PERT

Completion time is found using three time estimates:

– Optimistic (O),
– Pessimistic (P), and
– Most likely (M),

which are expressions of the risk associated with the time

required for each activity.
 PERT
• Optimistic time (O): the minimum possible time required to accomplish a task,
assuming everything proceeds better than is normally expected. (Best case
scenario)

• Pessimistic time (P): the maximum possible time required to accomplish a task,
assuming everything goes wrong. (Worst case scenario)

• Most likely time (M): the best estimate of the time required to accomplish a
task, assuming everything proceeds as normal.

Expected Time (TE) is found by:

TE = (O + 4M + P) ÷ 6

Reference: “Project Management” by: Clifford F. Gray/ Erik W. Larson (page#161)

PERT
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PERT
 Example#1 (AON)
Activity Days Precedents
a Schedule of liabilities 20 -
b Mail confirmation 20 -
c Test pension plan 10 -
d Vouch selected liabilities 15 a
e Test accruals 10 b,c
f Process confirmations 14 b,c
g Reconcile interest 4 b,c
h Verify debt compliance 11 c
i Investigate balances 18 g,h
j Review payments 8 d,e

Required: the network, the CP, and slack times of activities

 Example#2 (AON)

Activity a m b Predecessors
a 1 4 7 -
b 2 2 2 -
c 2 5 8 a
d 3 4 5 a
e 4 6 8 c,b
f 0 0 6 c,b
g 3 6 9 d,e

Required: the network, the CP, and slack times of activities