Series 2: Project Management Understanding and Using 6 Basic Tools 9/2013 From the CIHS Video Series Ten Minutes at a Time

Module 2: Setting up the Project Schedule Overview The project schedule guides day-to-day project execution and is used for exercising control and monitoring progress Lists Activities that are in scope (linked to milestones and deliverables) Steps to completing the Activities are broken out into Tasks with estimated start / finish dates, individual Task dependencis and a way to show progress towards completion Each Task has an identified owner called a resource who is responsible for ensuring the task is completed Schedule needs to be closely monitored and controlled, and corrective action taken when it goes off track

Specialized Software Free Online Project Management Tools: Commercially available Project Schedule and Gannt Chart (Excel): Additional Excel tools:

Activities and Tasks

Start/Finish Dates and Duration

Predecessors

Resources

Activity / Task Float

Percent Complete

Example of a Critical Path

Taking Corrective Action Reduce scope Review the project requirements and ensure that every activity in the schedule can be matched to a requirements. There are often several activities and tasks that are out of scope. Meet the project requirements, first Fast-tracking Activities in sequence that can be scheduled in parallel (must be on Critical Path or free up and re-assign resources to Critical Path) Crash the schedule Reducing duration through a carefully planned and targeted extra effort Improve internal processes Re-assess the Communication Plan, identifying inefficiencies and bottlenecks

Summary The Project Schedule is the most active part of the Project Plan. Specialized software is nice but not necessary. At a minimum it should identify project Activities and Tasks with Start and Finish Dates and Predecessors; a point person responsible for work completion; a way to indicate the progress towards completion; and the project Critical Path. To bring a Project Schedule under control, use effective interventions applied to Critical Tasks – these include reducing project scope; fast-tracking; crashing and evaluating the impact project team activities are having on getting the work done

We Have Solutions for Integrating Primary and Behavioral Healthcare Contact CIHS for all types of primary and behavioral health care integration technical assistance and training needs 1701 K Street NW, Ste 400 Washington DC Web: Phone: Prepared and presented by Colleen ODonnell, MSW, PMP, CHTS-IM for the Center for Integrated Health Solutions