Applied Software Project Management(Andrew Stellman & Jennifer Greene)

Chapter 4 - Part 1Project Schedules

Presented by: Marek Hajek02/16/2012

[Majority of slides created by Marek Hajek for CS 709B classroom use at UNR, Spring 2012]

4-1

Outline

1. Project Schedule (PS) [+]2. PS Prerequisites [+]3. Steps in Building a PS [+]4. Gantt Chart [+]5. How to Reconcile a PS [+]6. Meetings [+]7. Critical Path [+]8. Don’t Abuse Buffers9. Summary [+]

4-2

Project Schedule

What is a project schedule?

• A calendar that links tasks with resources.

4-3

Building Project Schedule

Project Schedule Prerequisites

1. WBS – Work Breakdown Structure.

2. Estimate of effort for each task.

3. Resource list and their availability.

4-4

http://www.microsoft.com/global/project/en-us/RichMedia/demos/shifting/player.html?course=shiftingManaging Tasks In Project [0:00 – 0:40] [5:07]Managing Time in Project [4:30]Managing Resources In Project [0:00 - 1:45]

Building Project Schedule

Steps in Building a Project Schedule

1. Allocate resources to tasks.

2. Identify dependencies between tasks.

3. Create the schedule document.

4. Revise/reconcile schedule with organization needs.

4-5

Building Project Schedule

1. Allocate Resources to Tasks

1. Most difficult and time consuming part of effective

project management.

2. Assign 1 or more resources to each task.

3. Must account for overhead when more than 1 person

assigned to task.*

4-6http://www.microsoft.com/global/project/en-us/RichMedia/demos/shifting/player.html?course=shiftingManaging Resources In Project [1:45 – 2:00]

Building Project Schedule

Keep in mind…

1. Parkinson (1958): “Work expands so as to fill the time

available for its completion.”

2. Brooks: “Nine women cannot have a baby in one

month.”

3. Effort <> Duration.

a. Effort: amount of work spent on a task measured in person hours.

b. Duration: time from task start to completion.

4-7

Building Project Schedule

2. Identify Dependencies

Dependency:

a. One task requires a deliverable from another task.

b. Tasks share the same resource.

4-8

Building Project Schedule

3. Create the Schedule Document

1. Typically created using project management software

such as Microsoft Project.

2. Graphically represented as

a Gantt chart.

4-9

Building Project Schedule

Gantt Chart and its Elements

1. Task and its duration = bar

2. Milestone = black diamond

3. Summary task = black bar

that spans over tasks

4. Dependency = line with

arrow

4-10http://www.microsoft.com/global/project/en-us/RichMedia/demos/shifting/player.html?course=shiftingManaging Time In Project [4:39]

Building Project Schedule

4. Reconcile Schedule

1. Must reconcile when project

End date > Needed date

2. Reorganize/reallocate tasks and resources more

efficiently.

3. Add resources.

4. Release project in phases.

4-11

Project Schedule Maintenance

Meetings

1. Review meetings.

a. Should be part of project schedule.

b. Review whether schedule is accurate.

c. Take action if schedule drifted off track:

rearrange schedule, overtime, revise vision and scope

document.

2. Milestone review meetings.

a. Typically scheduled after last task of project phase.

4-12

Project Schedule Maintenance

Important!

Report serious problems to your project

manager immediately so that he can promptly

address issue and potentially rearrange

schedule!

4-13

Project Schedule Maintenance

Critical Path

1. Critical path consists of a sequence of tasks that

represent the minimum time required to complete the

project.

2. There is never slack in critical path.

4-14http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project-help/video-show-the-critical-path-VA101808853.aspxhttp://www.microsoft.com/global/project/en-us/RichMedia/demos/shifting/player.html?course=shiftingTracking With Project [0:00]

Project Schedule Maintenance

Don’t abuse buffers

• A buffer is a task added to the schedule with no specific purpose except to

account for unexpected delays.

– This practice involves either adding extra tasks or padding existing tasks at

strategic points in the schedule where overruns are “expected”.

– Buffers can be useful:

• On a year-long project, every programmer will take two weeks of vacation

• Buffers can be used to account for this known delay

– Buffers are often abused

• The idea that overruns are expected means that there is an implicit assumption that

the estimate is incorrect.

• Buffers should not be used to add time to compensate for an inaccurate estimate.

4-15*Stellman and Greene’s Chapter 4 slide content.

Part I Summary• Project Schedule Prerequisites

– WBS, Estimate of effort per task, resource list/schedule.

• Building Project Steps– Allocate resources to tasks, identify dependencies, create

the schedule document, reconcile schedule.

• Meetings.– Review & Milestone meetings.

• Critical Path– A sequence of tasks = minimum time required to

complete project.

• Don’t abuse buffers– Don’t pad extra space into project schedule for just-in-

case scenarios.

4-16

Chapter 4Project Schedules

Thank you for you attention.Questions?

Presented byMarek Hajek

4-17