8 Tools And Techniques For Develop Project Schedule
In my previous article, I have looked at some of the inputs that are needed when organisations need to develop project schedule for there projects. In this article, I will be looking at some of the tools and techniques that can be used to develop project schedules. Follow me as we look at some of these tools and techniques in this article.
Here are the tools and techniques…
#1 Schedule Network analysis
Schedule Network Analysis is the overarching technique used to generate the project schedule model. It employs several other techniques such as critical path method, resource optimization techniques and modelling techniques. additional analysis includes: assessing the need to aggregate schedule reserves to reduce the probability of a schedule slip when multiple paths converge at a single point in time or when multiple paths diverge from a single point in time, to reduce the probability of a schedule slip.
It also includes reviewing the network to see if the critical path has high-risk activities or long lead items that would necessitate the use of schedule reserves or the implementation or risk response to reduce the risk on the critical path.
#2 Critical path method
The critical path is the path with the longest duration in a project. When you are calculating the critical path, it will give you a general idea of how long you can delay an activity or a distinct session of your project without affecting the finishing date of your project. I will talk more about the critical path in my subsequent articles.
#3 Resource optimization
This is also another aspect of developing a project schedule for projects that I am going to address in my next article. When you are doing resource optimization, you are doing all that you could to make sure that you can get the best out of your project. You might decide to make use of resource levelling or resource smoothing. I am also going to talk about this in my future articles.
#4 Data Analysis
As a good Project Manager, you need to analyse all the data that you have about your project in order to have an idea of how long it will take to execute the project. If you have a previous record of similar projects that you have carried out in the past that you can rely on for the one that you have at hand. You have to make use of it so that you can use it to plan the aggregate duration for your current project.
#5 Schedule compression
Schedule compression is used to reduce the time it will take to execute project activities. They are always employed when project managers need to hasten up the project. This can allow the project manager to consider the options that they have and decide on the best course of action that they need to take.
#6 Project Management Information System
Project Management Information System include scheduling software that expedites the process of building a schedule model by generating start and finished dates based on the inputs of activities, network diagrams, resources and activity durations.
#7 Agile Release Planning
Agile Release Planning provides a high-level summary of the release schedule based on the product roadmap and the product vision for the product evaluation.
Agile release planning also determines the number of iterations or sprints in the release and allows the product owner and team to decide how much needs to be developed and how long it will take to have a releasable product based on business goals, dependencies and impediments.
Since features represent value to the customer, the timeline provides more easily understood project schedule as it defines which feature will be available at the end of each iteration, which is precisely the depth of information the customer is looking for.
#8 Schedule baseline
A schedule baseline is an approved version of a schedule model that can be changed only through formal change control procedures. It is used as a basis for comparison to actual results. It is accepted and approved by appropriate stakeholders as the schedule baseline with baseline start dates and baseline finished dates. During monitoring and controlling, the approved baseline dates are compared to the actual start and finished dates to determine if variances have occurred. It is a component of the project management plan.
#9 Project Schedule
This document presents all activities and displays them in the exact way that they are going to happen. The focus of the project schedule is for the project manager, team members and other stakeholders to have an idea of how project activities will be carried out. It will also allow all relevant stakeholders to have a say as far as the project activity is concerned.
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