Online PMP Training Material for PMP Exam - Time Management Knowledge Area

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Time Management
Chapter 6

Chapter 6
Objectives
Understand the different Time Management
Processes
Their Inputs, Tools and Techniques,
Outputs
This chapter entails one to
understand the various Time
Management aspects
required to understand the
customer delivery timeline
needs.
Also, how the timeline will
be approached, managed
and finally honored –
making the project
successful!

Project Time Management includes processes to ensure the schedule is defined, managed,
controlled and has updated schedule baseline to meet project timeline.
Establishing a Project schedule involves using the Project Information, Project Scheduling
Methods & Tools.
Most common scheduling methods include Critical Path Method (CPM) & Critical Chain
Method (CCM).
Schedule may be represented in many a ways including the Bar Chart, Network Diagram
and/or Activity List.
Knowledge Area: Time Management

There are 7 Time Management processes:
1. Plan Schedule Management
Establishing Project Schedule in Schedule
Management Plan Document which will be used
across project to control timelines as project
evolves and changes occur.
2. Define Activities
Breaking down the larger chunks of scope into
actionable small activities using the WBS by
defining project activities
3. Sequence Activities
Establishing the relationships between the
defined project activities to ensure the sequence
of activities are done in rightful manner
4. Estimate Activity Resources
What type and amount of estimated resources
are required to accomplish sequenced activity
5. Estimate Activity Durations
How long will it take to ensure the estimated
resources perform the activity assigned
6. Develop Schedule
Based on all the available information from
defined activities to sequence activities to
estimate resource & durations will aid to arrive at
develop schedule
7. Control Schedule
Monitoring and Controlling the project schedule
across the project duration w.r.t schedule
baseline and achieve the project objectives
Knowledge Area: Time Management

6.1 Plan Schedule Management
Inputs
• Project
Management
Plan
• Project Charter
• Requirements
Documentation
• Organizational
Process Assets
Tools &
Techniques
• Expert
Judgment
• Analytical
Techniques
• Meetings
Outputs
• Schedule
Management
Plan
•Integration
•Develop Project Management Plan
•Scope
•Plan Scope Management
•Collect Requirements
•Define Scope
•Create WBS
•Time
•Plan Schedule Management
•Define Activities
•Sequence Activities
•Estimate Activity Resources
•Estimate Activity Duration
•Develop Schedule
•Cost
•Plan Cost Management
•Estimate Costs
•Determine Budget
•Quality
•Plan Quality Management
•Human Resource
•Plan HR Management
•Communications
•Plan Communications Management
•Risk
•Plan Risk Management
•Identify Risks
•Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
•Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
•Plan Risk Responses
•Procurement
•Plan Procurement Management
•Stakeholder
•Plan Stakeholder Management
Planning Process
Is the process to ensure project schedule is managed from
beginning of the project to the end of the project with a defined
approach.
Key benefit of this means to provide a guidance and oversight
on how the project schedule is to be managed with an upfront
defined schedule thresholds.
The schedule management plan also defines how schedule
contingencies will be reported and assessed over the course of
the project delivery.

This may involve options to estimate and schedule the project using
the Scheduling methodology, scheduling Tools and techniques,
estimation approaches, formats and project management software.
Approaches are defined to ensure speedy delivery while ensuring
the project risk is managed well.
Crashing or Fast Tracking are common schedule compression
techniques using which the work is parallelized. While delivery of
the work in parallel is beneficial this may also increase the risk on
the project. These decisions are to be well explained to the relevant
stakeholders as the case may be.
In some cases, organizations with well established frameworks
ensure to have organization policies and procedures with defined
techniques to employ such as:
Rolling wave planning
Leads and lags
Alternative analysis
Methods for reviewing schedule performance
Analytical Techniques

Schedule Management Plan defines the criteria
and activities for developing, monitoring and
controlling project schedule. It establishes the
following:
Project Schedule Model Development →
Scheduling Methodology & Scheduling Tool to be
used
Level of Accuracy → Extent of the estimates
supposed to be accurate. Include any contingency
for estimation gaps
Units of Measure → What units will be applied,
staff hours, staff days, weeks, meters, liters,
kilometers and so on
Organizational Procedure Links → Links to the
phases, activities from the WBS to ensure
consistency and resulting schedules
Project Schedule Model Maintenance → Define
the updates and changes to the schedule during
the execution phase of the project
Control Thresholds → Percentage deviations
which ensure that the actions are taken for any
threshold value deviations
Rules of Performance Management
EVM (Earned Value Management) rules or
similar performance management rules are
set
How the percentage completion will be
established?
Control Accounts on which the management
review to be performed
EVM techniques applied
SV (Schedule Variance) & SPI (Schedule
Performance Indicator) against the Schedule
baseline
Reporting formats → What reports are required,
Which format and at What frequency
Process descriptions → Any processes which will
administer the schedule performance and
management across the project course
Schedule Management Plan

6.2 Define Activities
Inputs
• Schedule
Management
Plan
• Scope Baseline
• Enterprise
Environmental
Factors
• Organizational
Process Assets
Tools & Techniques
• Decomposition
• Rolling Wave
Planning
• Expert Judgment
Outputs
• Activity List
• Activity
Attributes
• Milestone List
•Integration
•Scope
•Define Scope
•Create WBS
•Time
•Develop Schedule
•Cost
•Estimate Costs
•Determine Budget
•Quality
•Human Resource
•Communications
•Risk
•Identify Risks
•Procurement
•Stakeholder
Planning Process
Define Activities process is performed to ensure the actions are identified
and documented to produce end project deliverables.
Key benefit of this process is to provide an understanding of breaking
down the work packages into activities that can be easily estimated,
scheduled, executed, monitored and controlled.
The purpose of this process is to identify the specific tasks needed to be
done in order to produce the project’s deliverables.
Scope Baseline is used as a starting point to breakdown documented
deliverables even further, as well as a guide to assure that entire scope
of Project is covered, but not extend beyond boundaries of Project.

Rolling Wave Planning
Rolling wave planning is the iterative planning
technique to plan the immediate work in detail
and subsequent work at higher levels in at
progressive elaboration manner.
As an example, in the early stages of the project
work packages are defined at a higher level for
different phases. However, as we enter the phase
more clarity is available and the work packages
are made granular.
Understand it this way, waves closer to us give
better clarity on what they bring along with them.
Similar to the immediate work at hand, we know
more detailed view of them to accomplish, than
the far away waves or work.
This is a comprehensive list of all activities to be
performed as part of the project.
Each activity is supplemented with an activity
identifier and sufficient detailed scope of work so
as that could be accomplished.
Is Activity List same as WBS?
An activity list is a list of “What we are doing” in
the project to accomplish deliverables.
Whereas a WBS is a list of “What we are
making” in the project as deliverables.
Imagine this as WBS is a high level view of
deliverables and Activity list as a low level view of
the deliverables.
Activity List

Activity Attributes
Often the activity has just more than
the activity identifier like WBS ID,
Activity label, Activity code, successor
activity code, predecessor activity
code, logical relationship definition,
leads, lags, resource associated, cost
associated, geographic tag, the
project calendar the activity is
assigned, effort type(level of effort,
apportioned effort, discrete effort) and
so on.
All these attributes help bring more
organized and clarity in the
accomplishment of each activity.
A Milestone is an important event of
accomplishment of major work.
These milestone activities are simply
put, the zero duration activities.
They could be either internal to the
organization or external market
commitment requirements.
Milestone List

6.3 Sequence Activities
Inputs
•Schedule
Management Plan
•Activity List
•Activity Attributes
•Milestone List.
•Scope Statement
•Enterprise
Environmental
Factors
•Organizational
Process Assets
Tools & Techniques
•Precedence
Diagramming
Method (PDM)
•Dependency
Determination
•Leads And Lags
Outputs
•Project Schedule
Network Diagrams
•Project Document
Updates
•Integration
•Scope
•Define Scope
•Create WBS
•Time
•Develop Schedule
•Cost
•Estimate Costs
•Determine Budget
•Quality
•Human Resource
•Communications
•Risk
•Identify Risks
•Procurement
•Stakeholder
Planning Process
Activities need to be sequenced or connected with each other
by a relation and dependencies to ensure the proper flow and
completion of the project work considering all the constraints.
This also ensures realistic schedules and efficiency in delivery
of project work since the appropriate leads and lags are added.
All activities other than the very first and very last
activity/milestone, rest all of them need to be connected with
each other.

PDM is one of the activity sequencing techniques in practice; in which activities are represented in a graphical
manner to show precedence of activities to be accomplished in sequence.
In this technique, activities are represented as Nodes. Also known as AON (Activity on Node).
Most software packages use this type of representation including Microsoft Project.
PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method)
Start
A
B
C
D
E G
H
Finish

PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method)
Finish to Finish RelationshipStart to Start Relationship
Research Data
Started
Produce Report
Started
Data Transfer
Finished
Migration
Finished
Start to Finish Relationship
Most Rarely Used
Server Installation Started
Vendor Job Finished
Finish to Start Relationship
Most Commonly Used
Draft Manual
Finished
Print Manual
Started
PDM also used logical relationships between activity to activity. Four types of relationships:

Dependencies can be of different nature.
Mandatory → These are the legally or contractually required or inherent in the nature of work being done.
Hard logic which has to be met at any cost.
Discretionary → These dependencies are at discretion of Project Team. And are the preferred
dependencies based on the best practices of work done in the past or as defined by the SME(Subject
Matter Experts) for an alternate option. Also know as Soft logic which can undergo an alternate option.
External → Dependencies where the project team has to consider the external work done beyond the
project team’s control. This is more rampant in case of Contractual Projects. This is beyond control of
project team.
Internal → Dependencies where project team has to lookup to internal precedence to ensure the previous
work is accomplished. This is in the control of the Project team.
These 4 dependencies can be clubbed in combination:
Mandatory External Dependencies
Mandatory Internal Dependencies
Discretionary External Dependencies
Discretionary Internal Dependencies
Dependency Determination

Lead Time
Let us understand what a lead is with an example.
For a movie, Activity A(movie shooting) takes 5 Days.
Post the movie shooting, Activity B(mass production)
takes another 10 Days for release. The movie in such a
scenario is produced for release at 5+10=15 days.
Let us now consider a little smart situation. Activity A
takes 5 days. Activity B takes another 10 days for mass
production. However, as the movie is been shot, the
production activities can be started with 3 days in
advance(lead) to completion of movie shooting.
This would mean the new release date of the movie can
be as early as 12 days instead of 15 days with a lead
time of 3 days for production.
Let us understand what a lag is with an example.
For a wooden house construction, Activity A(Procurement
of wood) takes 4 days. Activity B(Construction of house)
takes 6 days. The schedule for the house construction in
such an ideal scenario is 4+6=10 days.
Let us now consider a little practicality, After the wood is
procured, we would want to ideally have the wood
seasoned for 3 days(Lag) during which time, neither the
procurement can be done nor the construction can begin.
This would mean the practical end to end of construction
of wooden house is 4+3+6=13 days. More realistic
sense.
Lag Time
A – 5 Days
B – 10 Days
Lead of 3 Days
Total Duration 2+10=12 Days
A – 4 Days
B – 6 Days
Lag of 3 Days
Total Duration 4+3+6=13 Days

Pay attention to Tasks where convergence and divergence occurs.
These are critical tasks. Any defects introduced in these tasks or delays
will lead to major quality deficit.
Activity Convergence – Many outputs of
activities converge into one activity making
it critical activity
Activity Divergence – Many outputs will
diverge from this activity making it critical
activity
Activity Activity
Output
Many
Outputs
Input
Many
Inputs
A project is termed highly complex with many activities with convergences and
divergences, not just the many number of tasks on the Project schedule
network.

As the name suggests it is a graphical representation of the Project Schedule in
a Network format. Though it is usually represented in graphical manner, it is
also accompanied by descriptions for any exceptions represented in the
graphic.
A
B
D
I
C
E
K
J
F
L
G
Start End
H
Exceptions
-----------
-----------
-----------
-----------
Project Schedule Network Diagram

6.4 Estimate Activity Resources
Inputs
•Schedule
Management Plan
•Activity List
•Resource Calendars
•Risk Register
•Activity Cost
Estimates
•Enterprise
Environmental
Factors
•Organizational
Process Assets
Tools & Techniques
•Expert Judgment
•Alternative Analysis
•Published
Estimating Data
•Bottom Up
Estimating
•Project
Management
Software
Outputs
•Activity Resource
Requirements
•Resource
Breakdown
Structure
•Project Document
Updates
•Integration
•Scope
•Define Scope
•Create WBS
•Time
•Develop Schedule
•Cost
•Estimate Costs
•Determine Budget
•Quality
•Human Resource
•Communications
•Risk
•Identify Risks
•Procurement
•Stakeholder
Planning Process
This is the process of estimating based on the type, quantity,
quality of human resources, material resources to arrive at
more accurate estimate(key benefit).
Estimate Activity Resources and Estimate Costs are closely
linked to each other.
For example, a high rise tower construction needs
specialized government approvals and specialized skilled
workers to execute tasks at such a high rise tower. This
means additional cost incurred to procure these resources.

Activity Cost Estimates are the probable
costs which may be incurred on the
particular activities and summed to arrive at
the project completion cost.
The cost of resources may impact resource
selection to keep the project cost optimal to
respect the triple constraints.
Activity Costs may be direct or indirect :
Direct:
Labor Cost, Materials, Equipment,
Services
Interest Charges, Exchange Rates, Cost
Contingency Reserve
Indirect:
Depends on the performing business
unit and/or Organization
Activity Cost Estimates

Alternative Analysis
Many activities can be accomplished in more
than one way. Alternative Analysis is the ways of
finding the best optimal manner to accomplish
the activities and project completion.
This includes various skill levels of the resources,
type of resources used, size and performance of
the machines used, manual or automated tools,
make-rent-or-buy decisions and so on.
A make-or-buy analysis results whether work can
best be accomplished by project team or
purchased from contracted sources.
In Practice, these type of decisions are some
times best defined by the organizational culture
and project manager’s decision is limited in
nature. Some organizations prefer to always buy
a new tool instead of development of one. And
some other prefer to develop their own tool
instead of buy. A few also venture out to sell their
own use tools to the market.
Many Organizations have a predefined rate lists,
estimation production chart data, per unit costs
defined for geographies, countries, time zones,
special work days and so on. This type of data is
readily usable to arrive at the estimation.
In this technique, the activity is compared to the
activities for which data exists and the actual cost
or durations of the closest comparable activity is
selected from the data and used as the estimate.
The advantage of this technique is that it is very
accurate when the project conditions match the
conditions under which the published data was
generated.
The disadvantages are that data does not exist
for many activities and that the published data
that does exist is based upon the characteristics
of the organizations who compiled and published
the data.
Published Estimating Data

Bottom up Estimating
Aggregation of all the bottom most
elements which can be individually
estimated to sum up for estimate is known
as bottom up estimate.
All WBS elements broken down into work
packages and further granular elements
are used to arrive at the bottom up
estimating.
Advantage of such estimate analysis is
that it is highly accurate form of estimate
as the work is better understood.
Disadvantage of such estimate analysis is
that it is time consuming and also may not
be practical at the beginning of the project
since it may not have a decomposed WBS.
Advance in technology has led us to utilize
the software tools to ensure we have more
accurate and reliable estimates based on
the input collaboration of various project
management aspects like scheduling,
risks, optimized resource utilization,
breakdown structures and so on.
Project Management Software
Source Acknowledged: http://www.tenrox.com/

Defines the list of resources to be applied for any given activity on the project.
Identification of Set of Responsibilities for a Role. Pooling all different roles into
Resource requirements for meeting the Project objectives.
Activity Resource Requirements
It is a structural illustration of resources based on category and type. This is useful
for organizing and reporting project schedule data with resource utilization
information.
Resource Breakdown Structure
Project
Resources
Management
Leads
Analysts
Design
Development
Project
Manager
Sr.
Management
Materials
Notepads Sketch Boards
Marketing
Brochures
Equipment
Computers
Photo Copiers
Project Staff
Architects &
Designers
Developers Quality
Assurance
Control

6.5 Estimate Activity Duration
Inputs
•Schedule Management Plan
•Activity List
Requirements
•Project Scope Statement
•Risk Register
•Resource Breakdown
Structure
•Enterprise Environmental
Factors
•Organizational Process
Assets
Tools & Techniques
•Expert Judgment
•Analogous Estimating
•Parametric Estimating
•Three-Point Estimating
•Group-Decision Making
•Reserve Analysis
Outputs
•Activity Duration
Estimates
•Project Document
Updates
•Integration
•Scope
•Define Scope
•Create WBS
•Time
•Develop Schedule
•Cost
•Estimate Costs
•Determine Budget
•Quality
•Human Resource
•Communications
•Risk
•Identify Risks
•Procurement
•Stakeholder
Planning Process
This is one of the most important
process which aids in the overall
estimation of the project size in
terms of duration.
It is the process of estimating the
period taken for each activity to
complete with estimated resources.
May not be possible to estimate
completely at the beginning and may
be progressively elaborated for
accurate estimations.
Assumptions should be called out to
the reviewer. Estimates usually
originate from the person or group
with the most familiarity about the
task at hand. This minimizes
estimation gaps upfront due to
ambiguity of task.
Estimation activity uses multiple
information including activity scope
of work, required resource types,
estimated resource quantities and
resource calendars.

Example.
For your new bungalow, installing an artificial lawn will take 80 hours of effort.
With one worker who can work 40 hours a week(8 hours a day for 5days) will take 10 work days of duration which is 2 weeks
of elapsed time to complete 80 hours of effort.
With two workers who can work 40 hours a week(8 hours a day for 5days) will take 5 work days of duration which is 1 week
of elapsed time to complete 80 hours of effort.
With four workers who can work 40 hours a week(8 hours a day for 5days) will take 2.5 work days of duration which is 1/2
week of elapsed time to complete 80 hours of effort.
With two workers who can work 80 hours a week(16 hours a day for 5days) will take 2.5 work days of duration which is 1
week of elapsed time to complete 80 hours of effort.
Effort ↔ Duration ↔ Elapsed Time

Analogous Estimating
(Cost or Duration)
Based on the previous experiences or historical
information, one may readily come up with the
duration or cost estimate for a similar work.
This is known as Analogous(equivalent)
estimating also sometimes knows as Gross value
estimating.
Most easily and commonly used form of
estimation, costless form of estimation. However,
it is also less accurate.
Example:
Two years back I spent 4 months for this
Based on my past experience of such a,
I believe the new
would cost us the same 4 months.
Based on the estimating technique in which an
algorithm is used to calculate cost or duration
using the historical information or project
parameters(statistical relationship).
Example:
For a 1 square foot of construction, it took
INR 3500 in the previous construction project.
For the construction of the 50 square foot of new
construction project,
The estimate will be 50*3500 = INR 175000.
Parametric Estimating
(Cost or Duration)
project
project

Accuracy of the estimates may be significantly improved considering the risk and uncertainty
of every estimate. This can be achieved by using the PERT(Program Evaluation and Review
Techniques) values.
PERT uses 3 different estimates to define an approximate range for an activity’s duration.
Most Likely (M) – This is the most likely estimate
Optimistic (O) – based on thinking best case scenario
Pessimistic (P) – based on thinking worst case scenario
Considering the range of risk and uncertainty, the 3 different estimates can be either:
Triangular Distribution (simple average). Estimate =(O+M+P) / 3
Beta Distribution (weighted average). Estimate = (O+4M+P) / 6
Three Point Estimating
Example: For development of an e-commerce website:
• It will take 3 days to complete (optimistic) – Best case scenario
• It will take 5 days to complete (most likely)
• It will take 13 days to complete (pessimistic) – Worst case scenario
Realistic Estimate = (3+4*5+13)/6 = 3+20+13 /6 = 36/ 6 = 6 Days
Realistic Estimate will always be closer to Most Likely Estimate.

Learning Curve
Estimation
A common learning curve on Project
depicts that the cumulative average
time to complete a manual task which
involves learning will decrease 20%
whenever volume doubles. This is
referred to as an 80% learning curve.
Let's illustrate the 80% learning curve with a person
learning to design and code websites of similar size and
complexity. If the first website takes 100 hours, then after
the second website the cumulative average time will be 80
hours (80% of 100 hours).
The cumulative average of 80 hours consists of 100 hours
for the first website plus only 60 hours for the second
website resulting in a total of 160 hours divided by 2
websites.
After the fourth website the cumulative average time will be
64 hours (80% of 80 hours).
After the eighth website the cumulative average will be 51.2
hours (80% of 64 hours). In other words, total time to
complete all eight websites will be 409.6 hours (8 websites
times an average time of 51.2 hours).
Improvements in technology can mean time and cost
reductions beyond those in the learning curve.
For example, software may become available to assist in
the design and coding, computer processing speeds might
increase, there may be lower costs of processing and
storage, etc.
The learning curve is important for setting standards,
estimating costs, and establishing selling prices.

Estimates may sometimes include the Contingency Reserve (Time reserves or
Money buffers) which is included for estimates considering the “known-
unknowns” of the estimates. However, these are different from Management
Reserve, which are kept for any “unknown unknowns” scope additions by
management.
Contingency Reserve is used by Project Manager.
Management Reserve is used by Stakeholders(Management).
ReserveAnalysis

6.6 Develop Schedule
Inputs
•Schedule Management
Plan
•Activity List
Requirements
•Project Scope Statement
•Risk Register
•Risk Breakdown Structure
•Enterprise Environmental
Factors
•Organizational Process
Assets
Tools & Techniques
•Schedule Network
Analysis
•Critical Path Method
•Critical Chain Method
•Resource Optimization
Technique
•Modeling Techniques
•Leads And Lags
•Schedule Compression
•Scheduling Tool
Outputs
•Schedule Baseline
•Project Schedule
•Schedule Data
•Project Calendars
•Project
Management Plan
Updates
•Project Document
Updates
•Integration
•Scope
•Define Scope
•Create WBS
•Time
•Develop Schedule
•Cost
•Estimate Costs
•Determine Budget
•Quality
•Human Resource
•Communications
•Risk
•Identify Risks
•Procurement
•Stakeholder
Planning Process
It is the process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource
requirements, and schedule constraints to create project schedule
model.
Key benefit is that by entering schedule activities, durations, resources,
resource availabilities, and logical relationships into the scheduling tool,
it generates a schedule model with planned dates for completing project
activities.
As the project evolves, it is a continuous process to ensure the schedule
is updated for changes.

It is a technique that generates the project schedule model. More importantly the analysis will help you
identify the points of path convergence and divergence.
This helps in schedule compression analysis and ensuring the key points and paths are given due diligence.
Schedule Network Analysis

The longest duration path
of the project is known as
the critical path. The
duration of the project is
determined by activities
listed on critical path.
Critical Path Method
Technique is to identify the
minimum longest duration
path of project. Any activity
on this critical path is called
a critical path activity.
Any activity other than the
critical path activity with
total float gives the
schedule flexibility without
altering the Project end
dates.
S F
5 3 6
4 9
8
S F
5+3+6=14
4+9=13
8
Longest Path is
Critical Path
This path of
activities would
have a Float of 6
(14-8)
This path of
activities
would have a
Float of 1
(14-13)

End
D 5
F 9
E 8
C 6
Start
Early
Start(ES)
Early
Finish(EF)
Total
Float
Task name & Duration
Late
Start(LS)
Late
Finish(LF)
Branch1:
Non Critical Path: ABCF(3+4+6+9= 22)
Branch2:
Critical Path: ADEF(3+5+8+9=25)
– The longest duration path on the project is identified also
known as Critical Path.
Critical Path Method using Forward Pass & Backward Pass
B 4
A 3
Representation
of the task in the
Project Schedule
This method helps the project manager identify the critical activities on the entire project by identification of the Critical Path and
also to understand how much delays on tasks is acceptable without impacting the project.
In forward pass, each of the activities, Early Start & Early Finish can be arrived for entire project.
In backward pass, each of the activities, Late Start & Late Finish can be arrived for entire project duration.
After both forward pass & back ward pass, once we have identified ES, EF & LS, LF, one can easily come up with the total float on
each of the activities for entire project duration.

End
3 8
D 5
16 25
F 9
8 16
E 8
7 13
C 6
Start
Early
Start(ES)
Early
Finish(EF)
Total
Float
Activity name &
Duration
Late
Start(LS)
Late
Finish(LF)
Forward Pass (EF = ES + Duration)
3 7
B 4
0 3
A 3
Branch1(ABCF) the last EF is 13.
Branch2(ADEF) the last EF is 16.
In forward pass, pick the largest previous EF number
from the branches, which will also become the ES for
merging activity F. Hence, ES(Task F) will be 16.
On Activity F
ES(Task F) = 16
EF(Task F) = ES(Task F) + Duration(Task F)
= 16 + 9 = 25 days
On Activity A
ES(Task A) = 0. Start the first activity as soon as possible, 0.
EF(Task A) = ES(Task A) + Duration(Task A) = 0 + 3 = 3 days
Let us calculate ES & EF of all branches first.
Branch 1(ABCF)
On Activity B
EF(Task A) = 3, This value is assigned to ES(Task B)
EF(Task B) = ES(Task B) + Duration(Task B) = 3 + 4 = 7 days
On Activity C
EF(Task B) = 7, This value is assigned to ES(Task C)
EF(Task C) = ES(Task C) + Duration(Task C) = 7 + 6 = 13 days
Branch2(ADEF)
On Activity D
EF(Task A) = 3, This value is assigned to ES(Task D)
EF(Task D) = ES(Task D) + Duration(Task D) = 3 + 5 = 8 days
On Activity E
EF(Task D) = 8, This value is assigned to ES(Task E)
EF(Task E) = ES(Task E) + Duration(Task E) = 8 + 8 = 16 days Task representation legend

End
3 8
D 5
3 8
16 25
F 9
16 258 16
E 8
8 16
7 13
C 6
10 16
Start
Early
Start(ES)
Early
Finish(EF)
Total
Float
Activity name &
Duration
Late
Start(LS)
Late
Finish(LF)
Backward Pass (LF – DURATION = LS)
3 7
B 4
6 100 3
A 3
0 3
Branch1(ABCF) the first LS is 6.
Branch2(ADEF) the first LS is 3.
In backward pass, pick the smallest LS number from the
branches(6 or 3?) which will also become the LF for
activity A. Hence, LF(Task A) will be 3.
On Activity A
LS(Task A) = LF(Task A) – Duration(Task A) = 3 – 3 = 0.
When ES & LS are ‘0’, that would mean all calculations
so far are correct.
On Activity F
EF(Task F) = 25, This value is assigned to LF(Task F)
ES(Task F) = EF(Task F) – Duration(Task F) = 25 – 9 = 16 days
Let us calculate LS & LF of all branches now.
Branch 1(ABCF)
On Activity C
LF(Task F) = 16, This value is assigned to LF(Task C)
LS(Task C) = LF(Task C) – Duration(Task C) = 16 – 6 = 10 days
On Activity B
LS(Task C) = 10, This value is assigned to LF(Task B)
LS(Task B) = LF(Task B) – Duration(Task B) = 10 – 4 = 6 days
Branch2(ADEF)
On Activity E
LS(Task F) = 16, This value is assigned to LF(Task E)
LS(Task E) = LF(Task E) – Duration(Task E) = 16 – 8 = 8 days
On Activity D
LS(Task E) = 8, This value is assigned to LF(Task D)
LS(Task D) = LF(Task D) – Duration(Task D) = 8 – 5 = 3 days Task representation legend

A Float (also known as Slack) is the amount of time an activity may be delayed without having any further impact.
Free Float is known as the delay on the activity without impacting the subsequent tasks.
Total Float is known as the delay on the activity without impacting overall project completion itself.
With Floats, Project Manager has little comfort to realign the activity priorities and reschedule for any constraints.
Floats on a Project
A B C D E F
X Y
7 4 9 3 8 1
9
Alternate
Path of
Activities
Critical
Path of
Activities
Free Float of X
8
Free Float of Y
9 + 8 = 17
Total Float of X
8
Total Float of Y
All Critical Path Activities (A, B, C, D, E, F) will have Zero Free Float Duration & Zero Total Float Duration
End
Start

End
3 8
0 D 5
3 8
16 25
0 F 9
16 258 16
0 E 8
8 16
7 13
3 C 6
10 16
Start
Early
Start(ES)
Early
Finish(EF)
Total
Float
Activity name &
Duration
Late
Start(LS)
Late
Finish(LF)
Let us calculate “Float/Slack” now!
3 7
3 B 4
6 100 3
0 A 3
0 3
Did you notice all activities falling on the critical path?
All activities on this critical path by default have Zero
Slack or Zero Float.
In order to calculate Float on all activities,
simply use the LS – ES otherwise LF – EF.
On Activity A
0 – 0 = 0. Float on Activity A is 0.
On Activity B
6 -3 = 3. Float on Activity B is 3 days
On Activity C
10 – 7 = 3. Float on Activity C is 3 days.
Please observe, either Activity B or Activity C can be delayed by 3 days, with
out impacting the project. This does not mean you can delay both B and C
together by 3 & 3 days.
On Activity D
3 – 3 = 0. Float on Activity D is 0.
On Activity E
8 – 8 = 0. Float on Activity E is 0.
On Activity F
16 – 16 = 0. Float on Activity F is 0. Task representation legend

Activity: Please perform
A4
B6
D9
C7
E4
F5
G6 FinishStart
Q1. Identify the Critical path of the project?
Q2. How early can we finish the project itself?
Q3. How late can we finish the project without impacting Client?
Q4. What is the float on the task C?
Q5. What would be the new critical path duration if C7 become C14?

Activity: Answers
A4
B6
D9
C7
E4
F5
G6 FinishStart
Q1. Identify the Critical path of the project? A4-D9-F5-G6
Q2. How early can we finish the project itself? 24 Days
Q3. How late can we finish the project without impacting Client? On 24th Day
Q4. What is the float on the task C? 2 Days
Q5. What would be the new critical path duration if C7 become C14? 29 Days
0 4
0 4
18 24
18 24
10 14
14 18
13 18
13 18
4 10
8 14
4 11
6 13
4 13
4 13

Project Buffer
A B C Project
Buffer
In reality, Project
Completion with
no Project Buffer
may derail the
end market
commitments
and cause major
business
reputation loss
Ideal
Project
Completion
Ideally,
1 Task is assigned to
1 Project Resource
at any given point in
time.
No multitasking by
same resources.
G H
X Y
Project
Start
Project
End
Critical Path of Project with Project Buffer
makes the project more realistic towards end
result.
Start-A-B-C-End is the Critical Path.
Start-G-H-B-C-End is alternate path.
Start-X-Y-B-C-End is alternate path.
Many a times, in order to suppress the ambiguity on
projects and overcome the uncertainty, Project
buffer’s are used.
This is simply sometimes an extra timeline after the
anticipated Ideal Project Completion.
Project Buffers should not be planned thinking
resources on the project will not be productive!

Feeding Buffer
Critical Path of Project with Project Buffer makes the project more realistic towards end result.
In addition, all alternate paths collision to critical path activities need to be buffered(feeding buffer) to stop
derailment of critical path activities. This will protect the Project timeline by not cascading on each individual
critical path activity.
Each feeding buffer size must account for uncertainty/ambiguity in the duration of the chain of dependent
activities leading up to that buffer.
A B C Project
Buffer
Ideal
Project
Completion
Ideally,
1 Task is assigned to
1 Project Resource
at any given point in
time.
No multitasking by
same resources.
G H
X Y
Project
Start
Project
End
Feeding
Buffer
Feeding
Buffer
Real
Project
Completion

Critical Chain Method
In a typical project to calculate the project duration, we would
look into Sequencing of Activities through critical path. And this
critical path can be considered as the actual project duration, if
the assumption of 1 Task Per Resource Per Project is true.
However, in reality – we would want to achieve some
benefit(including resource optimization) by applying same
resource(SME’s sometimes) to work on some activities, such as
in the case depicted above. This application of resource over
multiple places on the project alters the critical chain of the
project.
This optimized resource constrained critical path is sometimes
known as Critical Chain.
Look at task H & Y to be performed by the same resource
Person 1 after task A. This would mean that automatically the
project critical path which was earlier
Start-A-B-C-End
this has now altered to become Start-A-H-Y-B-C-End
As new Critical Chain path emerges, feeding buffers will change
so that critical path activities are not cascaded further.
A
Person1
B
Person1
C
Person 4
Project
Buffer
Ideal
Project
Completion
G
Person2
H
Person1
X
Person 3
Y
Person1
Project
Start
Project
End
Real
Project
Completion
Feeding Buffer
Feeding Buffer

Resource Leveling
Resource allocation on particular activities may require critical resources which are in high
demand. This may impose these critical resources to be over allocated on parallel activities
and/or multiple projects.
Resource leveling ensures these critical resources are optimally spread across parallel
activities and multiple projects so that they don’t need to work 16 hours a day!
Resource Smoothing
Activities with free float are re-adjusted so that the resources work is evened out.
Readjustment of these activities should not cause changes to the project schedule duration.
Resource Optimization Techniques
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9
40WorkHours
40WorkHours
Leveling

What-IF Scenario Analysis
Process to evaluate the scenarios and their
anticipated outcomes which may be either
Positive, Negative or Unknown.
Based on the outcome of the scenarios, the
schedule network analysis is performed which
may result into actionable results such as
delayed production delivery, impacted financial
revenue from the product delivery, extended
periods of delivery so on.
The outcomes may also be used in adverse
situation planning such as in case of a labor
union unrest, what may be the contingency plan
or response to such situation.
Simulation
Simulation involves calculation of multiple project
durations based on the activity assumptions.
This may be based on the 3 point estimates
distribution(Optimistic, Most Likely, Pessimistic)
or Monte Carlo Simulation.
Monte Carlo Simulation is the most common
simulation in which a distribution of possible
activity durations (based on 3-point estimating –
Optimistic, Pessimistic, Most Likely) are defined
based on probabilistic random number ranges.
This simulation aides the project manager to come
up with variations and extremes which in turn
helps project manager to inform stakeholders and
set rightful expectations on the project schedules
and costs.
Stakeholders are in advantage situation to make a
better informed decision based on at least some
probabilistic patterns of simulation instead of
pulling numbers from thin air.
Modeling Techniques

Schedule Compression Techniques are applied to shorten schedule duration of
the entire project.
Crashing
Cost & Schedule tradeoffs are analyzed to determine how to obtain the
greatest amount of compression with least incremental cost.
As the compression is achieved, the risk and the cost on the particular
task dramatically increases. It may not be best to crash always.
Methods to apply crashing include
adding additional resources
approving overtime resources
adding incentives for finishing early
General practice is to ensure the tasks on critical path are crashed first.
Fast Tracking
Activities or Phases performed in parallel instead of sequential leading to
quick delivery, though increased cost and/or some rework.
This only works when the activities overlap on each other for some
duration.
Schedule Compression Techniques
40 Work Hours done
by 1 Person
40 Work
Hours done by
2 Person
Crashing done by addition
of resources to save time

Crashing Graphically
Terminate
(T)
Start
(S)
7M
6M
8M
7M
Critical Path: Longest Duration Path of
Project. Any delay on this path of
activity will further delay Project itself.
Alternate Path: This path if
wanted could be delayed by a
flexibility of 2M. This
flexibility is called Float.
Terminate
(T)
Start
(S)
7M
6M
8M
7M
Months

Crashing Graphically
Terminate
(T)
Start
(S)
7M
6M
8M
7M
Instead of 1 Person
working for 8M, let
us say 2 people work
on this task to
complete in 2M
1 Person
1 Person 1 Person
1 Person
Terminate
(T)
Start
(S)
7M
6M
2M
7M
With 2 Person working now, duration of
task reduced to 2M from 8M, incurring
an extra cost of maybe 1 extra machine
/extra salary for new person
1 Person
1 Person 1 Person
2 Person
New Critical Path is
13M with an Extra
Cost of 1 Person
This is the new
Alternate Path with a
Float of 13M-9M = 4M

Crashing Exam Example
What activities can be crashed?
• All Critical Path Activities with Zero Float Activity can be crashed.
• Non-Critical Path Activities need not be crashed as they don’t generate
any additional benefit to the project schedule compression.
Which will be most beneficial activity that can be crashed from the list?
• Activity F will be the most beneficial from the activities among B, C, F, H, J
since it has Cost per Month of 433 which is the least.
Activity
Critical
Path
Activity
Activity
Float
(Slack)
Project
Float
Duration
(month)
Crash
Duration
Time
Savings
Cost
(month)
Crash
Cost
Extra
Cost
Cost
Per
Month
A 1 5 9 1 8 9300 12000 2700 338
B √ 0 5 4 3 1 6800 9000 2200 2200
C √ 0 5 3 2 1 8000 14000 6000 6000
D 2 5 4 3 1 13700 18000 4300 4300
E √ 3 5 6 1 5 6600 10000 3400 680
F √ 0 5 5 2 3 9700 11000 1300 433
G 2 5 8 2 6 7400 8500 1100 183
H √ 0 5 7 3 4 10100 12500 2400 600
I 2 5 10 3 7 12200 17500 5300 757
J √ 0 5 8 4 4 5800 9500 3700 925
Project has a float of 5 months, what
would be the best possible crash activity
to ensure the 5 months float is saved?
• Zero slack critical path activities B, C,
F, H, J.
• Combining them together to achieve 5
months, looking into Time savings
B+C+F, B+J, C+J, B+H, C+H which will
be 2200+6000+433, 2200+925,
6000+925, 2200+600, 6000+600
• The best option is to pick the lowest
crash cost per month combination
which is B+H.
What is the cost incurred to crash this
Project?
• Cost incurred to crash any project
would be to crash all the critical path
zero slack activities and utilize the
complete Project float value(in this case
5 Months) to pick the lowest crash cost
per month combination as calculated
earlier.
• So the combination is B+H which is
2200+600 = 2800 (Crash cost of the
project)

Fast Tracking Example
Days -> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
"A" Task of 6 days A A A A A A
"B" Task of 9 days B B B B B B B B B
"C" Task of 12 days C C C C C C C C C C C C
"D" Task of 5 days D D D D D
Days -> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
"A" Task of 6 days A A A A A A
If "B" can be fast tracked by 4d
"B" Task of 9 days B B B B B B B B B
If "C" can be fast tracked by 8d
"C" Task of 12 days C C C C C C C C C C C C
If "D" can be fast tracked by 4d
"D" Task of 5 days D D D D D
4 days
8 days
4 days
Total Task Duration = 6+9+12+5 = 32 days
Total Fast Tracked Task Duration = 16 days Duration Saved from Fast tracking
Fast Tracking applicable
for overlapping activities
& phases only
What is the fast tracked duration for above example?
• Yes, that’s correct. It is 16 days.

6.7 Control Schedule
Inputs
•Project Management Plan
•Project Schedule
•Work Performance Data
•Project Calendars
•Schedule Data
•Organizational Process Assets
Tools & Techniques
•Performance Reviews
•Project Management
Software
•Resource Optimization
Techniques
•Modeling Techniques
•Leads and Lags
•Schedule Compression
•Scheduling Tool
Outputs
•Work Performance
Information
•Schedule Forecasts
•Change Requests
•Project Management Plan
Updates
•Project Document Updates
•Organizational Process Assets
Updates
•Integration
•Monitor and Control Project Work
•Perform Integrated Change Control
•Scope
•Validate Scope
•Control Scope
•Time
•Control Schedule
•Cost
•Control Costs
•Quality
•Control Quality
•Human Resource
•Communications
•Control Communications
•Risk
•Monitor & Control Risks
•Procurement
•Control Procurements
•Stakeholder
•Control Stakeholder Management
Monitoring & Controlling
Process
It is the process of managing the project schedule and
controlling the schedule to ensure the project is
delivered with in the planned schedule timeframe.
Key benefit includes the project schedule is well within
the planned schedule timeframe.
Using control schedule the project can be put back in to
track by corrective and preventive actions.

It is the data required to manage and control the Schedule itself. It is generally
observed that alternative schedules arising out of the contingency or due to the
funding limit reconciliation are parked here.
Schedule data includes the milestones, schedule related activities, identified risks,
assumptions and schedule related constraints. Data could also include the
histograms whether the resource leveled or not resource leveled.
Schedule Data

Performance Review of work in progress and work accomplished may be carried in
perspective of:
What is accomplished (actual function/story points to planned function/story points)
at what cost (actual amount of money or percentage wise)
when it is done (actual hours/dates or the deviation dates)
In the Schedule Performance reviews:
actual start date compared to the planned start date
actual end date compared to the planned end date
percentage work accomplished to planned accomplishment
Various Techniques may be used for performance reviews:
Trend Analysis
Critical Chain Method
EVM(Earned Value Management)
Performance Reviews

Schedule Variance (SV) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI) are the two important Schedule Work
Performance Information which need to be kept in radar to have the control on the Schedule.
Continuous monitoring of these two parameters help one understand the progress being made and the
performance of the project on schedule, allowing the recommended corrective and preventive actions.
Progress reports on the schedule during the control schedule are continuously reported to the stakeholders
on desired intervals.
Work Performance Information
Project Status Report

Schedule Forecasts are future predicted timelines of the
schedule, it may be for a task, activity, module or for a
project.
Mainly the Project schedule forecast is of our importance,
however, at times it may be of critical task, activity or a
module as well.
Scheduled forecast is arrived based on the already work
completed, work in progress and work in future to be
accomplished. In other terms, it is progress against schedule
baseline and the computed time estimate to complete(ETC).
The past performance indicators reflect the future course of
project work accomplishment.
Forecasts are helpful to determine if the project schedule is
within the defined tolerance levels of the schedule ranges.
Schedule Forecasts

Chapter 6 - Debrief

THIS BRINGS TO “TIME MANAGEMENT” COMPLETION.
From what we have understood so far is:
 7 Time Management Knowledge Area Processes
 Identified their Inputs, Tools & Techniques, Outputs
Chapter 6

Acknowledgements & Disclaimer
PMI, PMBOK, PMP, CAPM, PgMP, PMI-
ACP, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP are registered
marks of Project Management Institute,
Inc.
All registered trademarks, symbols, names
are marks of their respective owners and
acknowledged.

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