Options for Adjusting an Impossible Project Schedule How to rework an impossible project schedule and meet a forced deadline.

Options for the Impossible-1 Change the scope (size) of your project. Add resources, keeping in mind that more people and materials will impact the bottom line. Do this with the approval of the appropriate stakeholders.

Options for the Impossible-2 Give a task more time. Split a task in two, modifying resource utilization to make the process work. You could also adjust the basic finish-to- start precedence relationships by adding lead or lag time to tasks to enable some work to occur in parallel.

Options for the Impossible-3 Move a task to a time when resources are free. –Recalculate the entire schedule to make sure the moved task doesn’t impact the critical path. Outsource the work. –Outsourcing reduces work done by the implementation team but adds new tasks for vendor management. –Outsourcing assumes that the required resource expertise is uncommitted and available.

Options for the Impossible-4 Negotiate for additional time in the schedule with a later completion date and a budget increase. –You’ll need stakeholder agreement for this. –Don’t negotiate the time required to complete the tasks. Instead, negotiate the balance among the time, resources and goals of the project.

Options for the Impossible-5 Reprioritize the goal and scope of the project. –Get stakeholder consensus. Reduce the number of project deliverables and goals. –Get stakeholder consensus.

Options for the Impossible-6 Deliver components of the project in a phased approach. –This will extend the total project schedule, but will still give the customer an acceptable product or service. Find resources that are more productive, better trained or have more experience. –This choice might increase the budget, but you might get most of the added employee expense back in the form of increased productivity.

Meeting a Force Deadline-1 Many projects have a forced deadline. –A customer may need a project completed by a certain date. –An event must take place on the day for which it is scheduled. A project with a forced deadline should begin as early as possible in case unforeseen delays slow things down.

Meeting a Forced Deadline-2 If you can’t meet a force deadline, here are your alternatives: –Reduce the scope of the project. –Add additional resources. –Work out some way to extend the completion date (good luck!).

Negative Float When the float has been used up on any project, you get negative float. When there is negative float, adjustments must be made: –To keep the schedule in line with the critical path, and –To ensure completion on the approved end date for the project. A project with negative float has a new critical path that is longer than the approved schedule. If you can’t make adjustments to realign tasks to schedule, you’ll need to renegotiate the cost- schedule-results balance with stakeholders.