Project Time Management

Knowledge Area

Process

Initiating Planning Executing Monitoring & Control Closing

Time  

Activity DefinitionActivity SequencingActivity Resource EstimatingActivity Duration EstimatingSchedule Development

  Schedule Control  

Enter phase/Start project

Exit phase/End project

InitiatingProcesses

ClosingProcesses

PlanningProcesses

ExecutingProcesses

Monitoring &Controlling Processes

Project Time Management

Critical Path• Critical Path is the longest duration path• Identify the shortest time needed to complete a project• There can be more than one critical path

• Float (Slack)– Total float: the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project end date or intermediary milestone.

– Free float: the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of its successor(s).

Critical Chain Method

The longest duration path through the project considering both activity 

dependencies and resource constraints.

Type of buffers

Project buffer

Feeding buffer

Resource buffer

To keep resource usage at a

constant level. Resource leveling is

necessary when resources have

been over-allocated , such as when

a resource has been assigned to

two or more activities during the

same time period

Resource Leveling

What-if Scenario Analysis

Analysis on effect of changes on a particular thing (assumption) on the project which make activity duration change.Monte Carlo SimulationUsed when there is possibility that the critical path will be different for a given set of project conditions.Using computer software 

• Schedule Compression : • 1- crashing • additional resources will  add to shorten the duration (increase cost)

• 2- fast tracking :• activities normally performed in sequence are performed in parallel 

• (increase risk )• E.g. Design is half finished and start coding.

Schedule Network Analysis

Schedule network analysis is a

technique that generates the

project schedule. It employs

various analytical techniques,

such as critical path method,

critical chain method, what-if

analysis, and resource leveling to

calculate the early and late start

and finish dates for the

uncompleted portions of project

activities.

• Develop Schedule• Process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, 

and schedule constraints to create the project schedule.

Inputs

1. Activity list2. Activity attributes3. Project schedule 

network diagram4. Activity resource 

requirements5. Resource Calendars6. Activity duration 

estimates7. Project scope statement8. Enterprise 

environmental factors9. Organizational process 

assets

Tools & Techniques

1. Schedule network analysis

2. Critical path method3. Critical chain method4. Resource leveling5. What-if scenario 

analysis6. Applying leads and lags7. Schedule compression8. Scheduling tool

Outputs

1. Project schedule2. Schedule baseline3. Schedule data4. Project document 

updates

Schedule formats:Milestone charts.

scheduled start or

completion of major

deliverables and key

external interfaces.

Bar charts

- show activity start and end dates ,as well as expected durations

- easy to read, and are frequently used in management presentations

Network Diagrammingالتالية االنشطة من مكون مشروع لدينا

النشاط اسم النشاط وصف الموارد احتياجات االصلية المدةالمنطقى النشاط

السابق

Start   0 -------------

A   2 Start

D   6 Start

B   12 A

C   5 B & D

E   7 D

F   3 E

Finish   0 C & F

StartFinish

A B C

D E F

2 Days 12 Days 5 Days

6 Days 7 Days 3 Days

Network Diagramming Analysis

Start Finish

A B C

D E F

2 Days 12 Days 5 Days

6 Days 7 Days 3 Days

0

0

0

0 2 2 14 14 19

6 6 13 13 16

19 19

Highest of predecessor’sEarly Finish Times

Early Start =

Critical Path Method (PDM), Forward Pass

Start Finish

A B C

D E F

2 Days 12 Days 5 Days

6 Days 7 Days 3 Days

0

0

0

0 2 2 14 14 19

6 6 13 13 16

19 19

Lowest of successor’s Late Start Times

Late Finish =

2 14

19

16

14 19

19

190 0

0 2

3 9 9 16

Critical Path Method (PDM), Backward Pass

StartFinish

A B C

D E F

2 Days 12 Days 5 Days

6 Days 7 Days 3 Days

المشروع تنفيذ من االنتهاء موعد تأخير دون المهمة تتاخرة ان يمكن الذى الوقت .مقدار

0

0

0

0 2 2 14 14 19

6 6 13 13 16

19 192 14

19

16

14 19

19

190 0

0 2

3 9 9 16

(0)

(0)

(0)

(3)(3)(3)

(0)

Float

Control ScheduleProcess of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints to create the project schedule.

Inputs

1. Project Management Plan

2. Project Schedule3. Work performance 

information4. Organizational process 

assets

Tools & Techniques

1. Performance reviews2. Variance Analysis3. Project Management 

Software4. Resource leveling5. What-if scenario 

analysis6. Adjusting leads & lags7. Schedule compression8. Schedule tooling

Outputs

1. Work performance  measurements

2. Organizational process assets updates

3. Change requests4. Project management 

plan updates5. Project document 

updates

1 Performance Reviews

measure, compare, and analyze

schedule performance such as

actual start and finish dates,

percent complete, and

remaining duration for work in

progress.

Network Diagrammingالتالية االنشطة من مكون مشروع لدينا

النشاط اسم النشاط وصف الموارد احتياجات االصلية المدةالمنطقى النشاط

السابق

Start   0 -------------

A   4 Start

D   6 Start

F   7 D&A

E   8 D

G   5 F&E

B   5 F

H 7 G

c 8 H

Finish   0 C & B

QUESTIONS?

1-fast tracking the project usually :

A-decreases project costs

B- decreases Project duration

C- decreases the amount of management

oversight needed

D-decrease the number of resources used

2- free float is the amount of time an activity can be

delayed without delaying the

A- Project

B- completion date required by the customer

C-early start of its successor

D- project completion date

3-What-if scenario analysis is done as a part of

which process:

A-Sequence Activities

B-Define Activities

C-Control Schedule

D-Estimate resource

4 -To crash a schedule you should:

A-Increase the time allowed on those tasks that have

float.

B-Try to increase expenditures of time only those

tasks that are behind schedule.

C-Replace those worker that are not performing up to

par with the busy.

D-Increase work efforts on those tasks that are

on the critical path

5-Resource leveling attempts to:

A-Reduce resource requirements by smoothing out period-

to period resource assignments.

B-Ensure that the budget abnormalities are overcome.

C-Reduce the amount of resources so that they can be

shared with on other endeavors.

D-Increase the amount of the project manager's

authority so that budget dollars can be appropriated

6-You are the project manager for the large Project.

You have identified and documented relationship

among the project activities and created project

schedule network diagram. What is your NEXT step ?

A. Define Activities

B. Sequence Activities

C. Develop Schedule

D. Control Schedule

7- you are a project manager for a new Product development

Project that has four levels in the work breakdown structure and

has been sequenced using the precedence diagramming method

the activity duration estimates have been received . What time

management activity would you do NEXT?

A-schedule compression

B- collect historical records from previous projects

C- create an activity list

D- update the work breakdown structure

8- as project process is tracked according to the Project Management plan the project manager discovers that final deliverables will be completed two months after the deliverable dates imposed by management

What should the project manager do?A- look for options with stakeholders using some combination of

scaling back work , re evaluating discretionary dependencies, and adding resources

B- evaluate the impact on the company of completing this project late

C- drive the project team to work faster to make up for lost timeD- recalculate the project schedule and distribute it according to

the communications management plan

9-an activity has been delayed and the project manager needs to deal with the situation. What is the NEXT thing he should do ?

A-report to management

B-crash or fast track

C- determine how much of a problem it is

D-use contingency reserves

Thank you