What are the processes and their corresponding process groups in the Time Management knowledge area?
Define Activities: Planning
Sequence Activites: Planning
Estimate Activity Resources: Planning
Estimate Activity Durations: Planning
Control Schedule: Monitoring and Controlling
Decomposing "Work Packages" further results in what units?
Schedule Activities
When is Define Activities typically performed?
Immediately after scope baseline is created and placed under control
What is the key input to Define Activities?
Scope Baseline
What are the 4 tools used by Define Activites?
Decomposition
Rolling Wave Planning
Templates
Expert Judgement
How does "Rolling Wave Planning" work for Define Activities?
Some work packages are broken down into schedule activities now, while further off work packages are left un-decomposed until more detail is understood later in the project.
True or False: The project manager should handle Define Activites decomposition by himself
False. The PM should heavily involve the team members who will be doing the work
What are the 3 outputs from Define Activities
Activity List
Activity Attributes
Milestone List - maybe contractual/constraint related
True or False: The schedule activities are part of the Work Breakdown Structure
False. The WBS ends at the work package level of decomposition which is part of the scope baseline and is deliverable-focused. The schedule activites level of decomposition ties more closely to the schedule than the scope baseline.
Put these processes in order of execution: Develop Schedule, Define Activities, Sequence Activities
1. Define Activities
2. Sequence Activities
3. Develop Schedule
Which process is responsible for creating the initial network logic diagram?
Sequence Activities
What are the 4 key inputs to Sequence Activities
Activity List
Activity Attributes
Milestone List
Project Scope Statement
Why is the Milestone List used as an input to Sequence Activities?
The contractual obligations/constraints detailed in the milestone list may impact the order in which activities need to be performed.
Define "Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)"
A method of network logic diagramming that puts activites on nodes. Used as a tool in the Sequence Activities process.
What 3 types of dependencies may exist among activities?
This is a general tool that can refer to any and all tools used by Develop Schedule
What are the 3 key purposes of the Critical Path Method?
1. Calculate project's finish date
2. Identify how much individual activities can slip ("float" or "slack") and not delay the project
3. Identify highest risk activities that cannot slip without changing the project finish date
How is the Critical Chain Method different than the Critical Path Method?
The CPM uses realistic estimates and adds buffers to specific high-risk activities. The CCM, uses aggressive estimates and keeps a total project buffer (not known by the project team) to use at PM's discretion.
Describe Resource Leveling
Resource Leveling is used to adjust the initial critical path / schedule to take into account resource availability. The critical path may change based on the realities of resources.
What is What-If Scenario Analysis?
It uses Monte Carlo analysis to predict likely schedule outcomes and identify high risk areas of the schedule
What are the two most common forms of Schedule Compression?
Crashing
Fast Tracking
What is Crashing?
Crashing is adding resources (at a cost) to activities so the project finishes quicker. Generally the decrease in time is NOT linear to the number of resources added (diminishing returns).
What is Fast Tracking?
Rearranging tasks (by ignoring discretionary dependencies) to complete the project sooner. It may or may not increase costs, but almost always increases risk.
What are the 3 common forms to record/display the Project Schedule
Project Network Diagram
Bar Charts (aka Gantt Charts)
Milestone Chart
Which Project Schedule form is best suited for showing dependencies?
Project Network Diagram
Which Project Schedule form is best suited for calculating critical path?
Project Network Diagram
Which Project Schedule form is best suited for communication with management?
Bar/Gantt Charts
Which Project Schedule form is best suited for high-level presentations?
Milestone Chart
What are the 3 key inputs to Control Schedule?
Project Managment Plan - contains Schedule Mgmt Plan and Schedule Baseline
Project Schedule
Work Performance Information
What are the 7 tools used by Control Schedule?
Performance Reviews
Variance Analysis
Project Mgmt Software / Scheduling Tools
Resource Leveling (re-leveling as things change)
What-If Scenario Analysis
Adjusting Leads and Lags
Schedule Compression
What are the 3 key outputs from Control Schedule?
Work Performance Measurements
Change Requests
Project Management Plan Updates (particularly if scope or cost change)
What 2 key performance measurements are typically calculated as part of Control Schedule?
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
Schedule Variance (SV)
Define "Float" aka "Slack"
How much a project can slip before it will delay the project finish. Activites on the critical path have a zero float.
A "Forward Pass" is a technique for determining what 2 schedule activity metrics?
Early Start
Early Finish
What is the "Early Start" metric?
It's how early an activity could begin if everything goes according to plan
What is the "Early Finish" metric?
It's the earliest an activity could end if everything goes according to plan. Calculated as Early Start + estimated duration - 1 (don't forget the minus one).
A "Backward Pass" is a technique for determining what 2 schedule activity metrics?
Late Start
Late Finish
What is the "Late Start" metric?
It's the latest an activity could start and not delay the project's finish date. Calculated as early start + float.
What is the "Late Finish" metric?
It's the latest an activity can end and not delay the project's finish date. Calculated as late start + estimated duration - 1 (don't forget the minus one).
How can an activity's relationship to the critical path be determined if given Early Start and Late Start metrics?
If the activity is on the critical path, its early start and late start will be the same.
Also, its early finish and late finish will be the same.
When Early Start, Early Finish, Late Start, and Late Finish are shown on a project network diagram, which number appears where?
ES = upper left
EF = upper right
LS = lower left
LF = lower right
Define "Free Float"
How much could a particular activity slip without impacting the Early Start of a subsequent dependent activity. Note: free float is about delaying a subsequent activity. Float is about delaying the overall project.
Define "Negative Float"
Occurs if an activity's start date is BEFORE a preceding activity's finish date. This will force a delay until the preceeding activity finishes. If your schedule has negative float, it has problems.
What is the Delphi technique?
A means of gathering expert judgment where the participants do not know who the others are and therefore are not able to influence each other's opinion. Designed to prevent groupthink.
What are "Heuristics"?
Rules for which no formula exists. Usually derived through trial and error.
What is a "Lag"?
A delay between an activity and the subsequent one dependent upon it. For example, after pouring concrete, there is a 3-day "drying" lag before you can build on it.
What is a "Lead"?
Getting a head-start on a task before the predecessor task completes (e.g. beginning testing before coding completes)
What is "Monte Carlo Analysis"?
A computer simulation throws a high number of "what if" scenarios at a project schedule to determine probable results.
What is "Precedence Diagramming Method"?
Also called "Activity on Node", it's a type of network diagram where the boxes are activities and the arrows are used to show dependencies betweent the activities.
The most common types of reserve time (aka contingency) are: "Project %", "Project lump sum", "Activity %" and "Activity lump sum". Define these.
Project % - Add x% to the entire project schedule
Project lump sum - Add y calendar days to the project
Activity % - add z% to each activity (or to key, high-risk activities)
Activity lump sum - Add n hours to each activity (or to key, high-risk activities)
Define the Time planning processes (letters) and the key inputs/outputs (numbers) in the diagram above.