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Scheduling the Project

Scheduling

Break the project down

  • Phases
  • Sub-Phases
  • Tasks
  • Milestones
    • Can have deliverables
    • Zero time duration

Phase, sub-phase, task hierarchy is called the Work Breakdown Structure ( WBS )

Gantt chart

  • Plots timeline using bars
  • Most commonloy used chart

Use MS Project

Gantt Chart

  1. Assign a name to the task
  2. Either set the Task Mode to "Auto Scheduled" or assign a start/end and duration time to the task
  3. You can nest tasks within another task by selecting child tasks and indenting them
  4. Define flow by assigning an item's predessesor ( the row number of the item that comes before it )

Resource sheet

Define what your fixed costs are ( labour, supplies, etc )

  • Add a resource under "Resource Name"
  • Define the type ( Work, Material, Cost )
  • Define the rate of pay / cost

Assign resources

  • For each task that needs resources assigned, Add the approipriate resource under "Resource Names"
  • If there is a scheduling conflict, right-click the "Info" icon and choose either Reschedule to an available date or Ignore Problems for this task

eg. Build an Android App

  1. Analyze the market
    1. Conduct feasability study
    2. Create marketing plan
    3. Do comparative analysis
  2. Gather user requirements
    1. Conduct interviews with potential users
      1. Identify main tasks users will perform
      2. Prepare questions
      3. Interview users
    2. Collect information about similar applications and about how they are used
  3. Design the app
  4. Do the testing
  5. Take it to market

Critical Path Method - CPM

  1. Determine Early Start / End times for all tasks
  2. Determine Late Start / End times for all tasks
  3. Determine Total Float of each task ( Late Finish - Early Finish )
  4. Determine Free Float of each taks ( Early Start of Successor - Early End )
  5. Longest path is the Critical Path

Predessesor-Successor Relationships

A => B

  1. End-to-Start

    2. We can start B after A has ended

  2. Start-to-Start

    3. B can only start after B has started

  3. Start-to-End

    4. B can finish only after A has started

  4. End-to-End

    5. B can finish only after A has finished

End-to-Start

Lag time is the amount of time that must pass after finishing A before you are able to start B

Lead time is the amount of time that B can be started before A finishes

Constraints

  • Start no later than...
  • Finish no later than...
  • Must start on...
  • Must finish on...

Costs

  • Kinds of costs
  • Estimating
    • Who should do it?
    • Fixed price vs. hourly rates
  • Tracking completino status and actual vs. estimates
    • Slippage

Estimating Task Duration

  • Mathematical method ( PERT weighted average )
    • Determine optimistic time for task, most likely time, pessimistic time
    • Sample formula:
      • Estimate = ( optimistic + ( 4 x most likely ) + pessimistic ) / 6
  • History
  • Experience

For example build a webpage:

Optimistic time 1 day
Most likely time 2 days
Pessimistic time 7 days

Estimate = ( 1 + ( 4 x 2 ) + 7 ) / 6

Estimate = 2.66 days