Lessons in Project Management - 5 - Project Planning and Scheduling

International Project Management

Prof. Dr. Frank Habermann

Lecture 5 –

Project Planning and Scheduling

© Becota GmbH | www.becota.com | 2010

What is a project break down structure?

– How do identify and set appropriate milestones?

– How to drill-down work packages?

The principles of project scheduling

– Critical path analysis

– Understanding time, effort and duration

– Calculating project times

Assigning resources

– Understanding roles and responsibilities

– The advantages of a role-based project model

How to compress a project schedule?

Content

© Becota | www.becota.com | 2010

for detailed activity planning, you have to

break downthe

work!


Imagine your project would be the „Tour de France“

The project



The project

The project stages(milestones)



The project


The tasks to reach a milestone(work packages)

…



The project



…

top-down


Another exmaple: producing a 3-tier wedding cake

The project


Another exmaple: producing a 3-tier wedding cake

The project



top-down


For creating a work breakdown structure we start with ourresults from scoping, contracting and risk management

ProjectContract(s)

ProjectContract(s)

ProjectContract(s)

ProjectCharter

S W

OBusiness

CaseStudy

Project Risk Analysis


For creating a work breakdown structure we start with ourresults from scoping, contracting and risk management

ProjectContract(s)

ProjectContract(s)

ProjectContract(s)

ProjectCharter

S W

OBusiness

CaseStudy

Project Risk Analysis

project

WBSwork breakdown structure

Level 0

Level 1

Level 2

Level n

. . .

milestones

workpackages

tasks


Firstly, we need to define the project‘s milestones!


What is a project milestone?

A milestone is equal to a major deliverable of the project

A milestone marks an event, i.e. a crucial pointwithin the project life cycle (with zero duration!)

A milestone defines the end of a mainproject phase (or sub-project)

Milestones are thus an important aspectof project monitoring and controlling

Having reached a milestone meanssignificant and visible progress


If you‘ve reached a milestone: celebrate your success!


There are two main approaches of defining milestones1- the object-oriented approach

Focusing the core components of your product




The flanbase

The creamfilling

The icing

The chocolates

The final cake




The flanbase

The creamfilling

The icing

The chocolates

Engineering-driven:Milestones aredisplaying areasof engineerialexpertise

The final cake


There are two main approaches of defining milestones2- the function-oriented approach

Focusing the core phases of your project




Prepare Build ReleaseTest




Prepare Build ReleaseTest

Plan/Model

Management-driven:Milestones aredisplaying areasof managementresponsibilities


In practice, both approaches are often mixed

Prepare ReleaseThe flan

baseThe cream

fillingThe icing

The chocolates

Here: management responsibility is of highest importancefor starting and closing the project

focus on engineeringand production


A common way of visualizing milestones and phases

preparationcompleted

flan baseready

cream fillingready

chocolatesready

icingready

final cakeready

TIME

Prepare

The flanbase

The creamfilling

The chocolates

The icing

Release

Milestones(points in time!)

Milestonephases(lead usto work

packages)


All milestones should be touchable andvisible (verifyable deliverables)

All milestones should be named asprecisely as possible (what does „ready“ in the previous slide actually mean: available, draft, final, approved, etc.?)

All milestones should be intuitive tounderstand by all project members unlesstheir professional backgrounds (obviousand coherent)

All milestones should be of similarimportance for the project progress(comparable weight)

Milestones should have only few and veryclear relationships to each other (simple structure)

Golden rules for milestone definition

Picture source: http://kreative-impressionen.de


Secondly, we need to define the work packages

Picture source: www.hotel-platzer.at/uploads/pics


What is a work package?

A work package is a bundle of detailed tasks

In contrast to milestones, work packagesare time consuming

A work package must be executed in order to reach a certain milestone

For reaching one particular milestonemultiple work packages could be defined

One particular work package can servemore than one milestone, too


Defining the work packages per milestone


baseThe cream

fillingThe icing

The chocolates


Defining the work packages per milestone


baseThe cream

fillingThe icing

The chocolates

Build

Test

Build

Test

Build

Test

Build

Test

workpackages

AnalyzeCase

ProducePlan


Whenever we split a thing in partswe need some glue to bringing it together again

Picture source: www.simmipage.de REVELL


The glue in managementis called coordination

Whenever we distribute work and delegate tasks,we produce a need for coordination!

If original task = 100% => distributed task > 100%(with X% extra effort for coordination involved)

Coordination keeps the bird‘s eye perspective(supervision), solves conflicts between the specializedwork packages and guerantees a joint result

A project schedule (plan) is an instrument forcoordinating the project


Coordinative tasks must be consideredwhen creating the project task list


baseThe cream

fillingThe icing

The chocolates

Build

Test

Build

Test

Build

Test

Build

Test

AnalyzeCase

ProducePlan

AssembleCake

ApproveFinal Result

© Becota | www.becota.com | 2010 Source: Schwalbe, 2006, p. 176

Example hierarchical WBS organized by phase…


1.0 Concept1.1 Evaluate current systems1.2 Define requirements

1.2.1 Define user requirements1.2.2 Define content requirements1.2.3 Define system requirements1.2.4 Define server owner requirements

1.3 Define specific functionality1.4 Define risks and risk management approach1.5 Develop project plan1.6 Brief Web development team

2.0 Web Site Design3.0 Web Site Development4.0 Roll Out5.0 Support

Source: Schwalbe, 2006, p. 176

… and how to translate it into a tabular WBS


Now let‘s go into detail …

Picture Source: Thomas Tatzel, 2005

Great job!But shouldn‘t we be

a bit more explicit in this phase?

then a

miracle

occurs

install


after we know the WBS:

let‘s create the

schedule!


Remember last lectures?

Picture source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com

“The way to project success is never clean and easy. Wrong expectations based on a lack of understanding and unrealistic estimates are the most important reason for project failure!”


Three major steps in project scheduling

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK

Identify the „natural“ relationshipsbetween project activities(regardless of resources)A

B

D

C

E



LOGICALFLOW OF WORK

EFFORT, TIMESAND DURATION

Identify the „natural“ relationshipsbetween project activities(regardless of resources)

Estimate the amount of work foreach single activity as well asfor the entire project

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS



LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

Identify the „natural“ relationshipsbetween project activities(regardless of resources)

Estimate the amount of work foreach single activity as well asfor the entire project

Assign roles and resources anddefine the final project schedule

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task


Business logicdomain-specific (natural) set of rules andresulting order between tasks

Effortamount of work to complete a task(measured in FED = full employee days, working months or working hours; net time!)

Durationthe time span of the task (measured in calendar time, i.e. incl. weekends, holidays, etc.)

Resourcesthe persons (human resources) orother resources working on the task

Scheduling tasks involves …

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task


here we concentrate on describing thebusiness logic

How to do it

– Start with the milestones (duration = zero)

– Find an appropriate level of detail andstick to it (connect only tasks of the same level)

– Identify precedences (logical constraints -> remember the „what happens next“ machine)

– Identify concurrencies (degrees of freedom ->parallelize tasks as much as possible)

– Minimze dependencies between tasks in order to avoid later bottlenecks

– Introduce tasks for project management andquality assurance (e.g. reporting, approval, etc.)in order to complete the logical flow

Identifying logical relationships between tasks

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task


Three logical relationship types between tasks

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

• finish-to-start

– B cannot start until A has been finished

– A: Produce flan base -> B: Cut flan base

• start-to-start

– B cannot start until A has been started

– A: Let the dough prove -> B: prepare cream

• finish-to-finish

– B cannot finish until A is completed

– A: Add icing -> B: Approve final cake


Example predecessor table and diagrams

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task


Critical path analysis

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

here we concentrate on describing thecritical process paths („longest full path“)

• How to do it

– Start with estimating the duration per task

– Assign the figures to the logical flow

– Identify the most critical path

– Determine it‘s entire duration



LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task


• How to do it





B

C

D

H

K

A

E G J

F

L

2 3

2 6

4

3

4

22

2 1



LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task


• How to do it





B

C

D

H

K

A

E G J

F

L

2 3

2 6

4

3

4

22

2 1


Understand effort and duration

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

effort = actual use of resources(productive time, net working time)

duration = reserved maximum time span (includesproductive as well as unproductive time)


Understand effort and duration

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

effort = actual use of resources(productive time, net working time)

duration = reserved maximum time span (includesproductive as well as unproductive time)

StartCalendarDate

EndCalendar

Date

Work Work

DURATION

EFFORT

Task/Activity


Components of the detailed schedule data

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

Earliest start (ES) = Latest Earlest Finish (EF) of the predecessors

Earliest finish (EF) = ES + Duration

Latest finish (LF) = Earliest Latest Start (LS) of the sucessorsLatest start (LS) = LF – Duration


Components of the detailed schedule data

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

Earliest start (ES) = Latest Earlest Finish (EF) of the predecessors

Earliest finish (EF) = ES + Duration

Latest finish (LF) = Earliest Latest Start (LS) of the sucessorsLatest start (LS) = LF – Duration

Slack = degree of freedom before delaying eitherthe next task or the entire project(also: float or buffer time)

= LF – ES – Duration

EarliestStart

LatestStart

EarliestFinish

LatestFinish

Duration

Slack


Calculating the scheduleStep 0: initial situation

B

C

D

H

KA

E G J

F

L

2 3

2 6

4

3

4

22

2 1

ES 2 EF ES 6 EF

Task C Task H

LS S LF LS S LF

0 2 EF ES 3 EF ES 4 EF ES 2 EF ES 1 EF

Task A Task B Task D Task K Task L

LS S LF LS S LF LS S LF LS S LF LS S LF

ES 4 EF

Task F

LS S LF

ES 3 EF ES 2 EF ES 2 EF

Task E Task G Task J

LS S LF LS S LF LS S LF


Calculating the scheduleStep 0: initial situation

ES Duration EF

Task name

LS Slack LF

Legend:

ES 2 EF ES 6 EF

Task C Task H

LS S LF LS S LF

0 2 EF ES 3 EF ES 4 EF ES 2 EF ES 1 EF



ES 4 EF

Task F

LS S LF

ES 3 EF ES 2 EF ES 2 EF




Calculating the scheduleStep !: forward pass

ES Duration EF

Task name

LS Slack LF

Legend:

5 2 7 7 6 13

Task C Task H

LS S LF LS S LF

0 2 2 2 3 5 5 4 9 14 2 16 16 1 17



8 4 12

Task F

LS S LF

5 3 8 8 2 10 12 2 14



forward pass:

- from left to right- determine ES and EF- EF = ES + D- ESsuccessor = EFpredecessor


Calculating the scheduleStep !: forward pass

ES Duration EF

Task name

LS Slack LF

Legend:

5 2 7 7 6 13

Task C Task H

LS S LF LS S LF

0 2 2 2 3 5 5 4 9 14 2 16 16 1 17



8 4 12

Task F

LS S LF

5 3 8 8 2 10 12 2 14



forward pass:

- from left to right- determine ES and EF- EF = ES + D- ESsuccessor = EFpredecessor

- if multiple predecessors,take highest/latest EF


Calculating the scheduleStep 2: backward pass

ES Duration EF

Task name

LS Slack LF

Legend:

backward pass:

- from right to left- determine LS and LF- LS = LF – D- LFpredecessor = Lssuccessor

5 2 7 7 6 13

Task C Task H

6 S 8 8 S 14

0 2 2 2 3 5 5 4 9 14 2 16 16 1 17


1 S 3 3 S 6 10 S 14 14 S 16 16 S 17

8 4 12

Task F

8 S 12

5 3 8 8 2 10 12 2 14


7 S 10 10 S 12 12 S 14


5 2 7 7 6 13

Task C Task H

6 S 8 8 S 14

0 2 2 2 3 5 5 4 9 14 2 16 16 1 17


0 S 2 2 S 5 10 S 14 14 S 16 16 S 17

8 4 12

Task F

8 S 12

5 3 8 8 2 10 12 2 14


5 S 8 10 S 12 12 S 14

Calculating the scheduleStep 2: backward pass

ES Duration EF

Task name

LS Slack LF

Legend:

backward pass:

- from right to left- determine LS and LF- LS = LF – D- LFpredecessor = Lssuccessor

- if multiple successors,take shortest/earliest LS


5 2 7 7 6 13

Task C Task H

6 1 8 8 1 14

0 2 2 2 3 5 5 4 9 14 2 16 16 1 17


0 0 2 2 0 5 10 5 14 14 0 16 16 0 17

8 4 12

Task F

8 0 12

5 3 8 8 2 10 12 2 14


5 0 8 10 2 12 12 0 14

Calculating the scheduleStep 3: calculate slack/float

ES Duration EF

Task name

LS Slack LF

Legend:

slack/float:S = maxtime – durationS = (LF-ES) – duration

If you got a negative slack,you need to review thetask order, compress theflow and/or postponedate(s)


Down-scale project (reduce scope)

Reduce quality (shift scope)

> these 2 approaches mean „giving up“

How to compress your schedule?





Allow overlapping and parallel tasks

Outsource tasks to third-party

Eliminate tasks and/or buffer

> these 3 approaches enhance the risk










Apply better methods and/ tools

Train people and/ or hire experts

Work overtime

> these 3 approaches are expensive










Apply better methods and/ tools

Train people and/ or hire experts

Work overtime

> these 3 approaches are expensive

Add more resources/ people

> this not always works!



When adding resources won‘t enhance productivity

100 guys might be able to dig100 times faster than one guy … but

Picture source: http://derekmcauley.files.wordpress.com



“The bearing of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned”

Quote: Fred Brooks

Picture source: http://in.theasianparent.com


It is in the nature

of some tasks that they

cannot be speeded up

- Tasks which are highly individual(either physically or intellectually)

- Tasks which are inevitablysequential, i.e. activities that needresults of the predecessor(s)


“The bearing of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned”

Quote: Fred Brooks

Picture source: http://in.theasianparent.com


Another wrong myth is aboutadding last second resources

Picture source: http://img.wallpaperstock.net


Adding late resources to a delayed projectwon’t necessarily accelerate things … but …

Picture source: http://www.wstahr.de/UntMat


…it will surely lead to a big waste of money!

Picture source: http://farm5.static.flickr.com

It is in the nature

of a project that adding

late resources will

- cause enormouscoordination effort (PM effort)

- create a significant needof training and knowledgetransfer (team effort)

- significantly drive therisk of failure andmisunderstanding

- probably lead to chaoticsituations and a completedesaster


After we know all this, let‘s assign human resources to our schedule

Picture source: www.cobaplastics.com/graphics/graphic_project.jpg


Understand the diference between roles and persons

LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

taskrole

profile

skills & competenciesrequired to perform

the task

person



LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

taskrole

profile


the task

Set upDatabase

SQL expertise

person

do we have the skills inhouse?do we need to train people, etc.?split the task among people?how about substitutes?

…

Oracleexpertise



LOGICALFLOW OF WORK


ROLES ANDRESOURCES

A

B

D

C

E

EFES

LFLS

task

taskrole

profile


the task

Set upDatabase

SQL expertise

person

Mr Miller!

…

Oracleexpertise


Finally, use professional software to draw your plan

Picture source: http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/openproj_ubuntu.png


mission clear?contracts closed?

charter written?tasks scheduled?

resources in place?

then go …


… and offcially kick-off your project!

Picture source: http://www.apa.at/cms/pressecorner/attachments/


… and life is a big surprise

But always keep in mind that a plan is a plan is a plan …

Thank you very much!

presentation by

Frank Habermann

founder of Becota and Professor of Business

http://de.linkedin.com/in/frankhabermann/en

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