1. Project Management in Practice
Scheduling The Project

2. Outline: Project network diagrams
Identifying critical paths and activities
Determining activity slack times
Gantt charts
Working with Microsoft Project
Uncertainty and risk management
Simulation approach to managing risk
Homework: 25, 27, 31

3. The Big Picture The Planning Process Scheduling Resource Allocation
Project
Conception
Launch
Meeting
Action
Plan
WBS
Project
Master
Schedule
Scheduling
Resource Allocation

4. The Big Picture Define Activities WBS Sequence Activities Estimate
Activity
Resources
Estimate
Activity
Durations
Develop
Schedule
Control
Schedule

5. Project Scheduling Terms
Activity
Event
Node
Milestone
Network
Path
Critical Path – The longest path through a network
Critical Time

6. Task
Predecessor a b c d e f
c,d g
Network Diagrams f g e

7. Network Diagrams

8. Immediate Predecessor(s)
Manual Network Example
Activity
Time
Immediate Predecessor(s) A 1
none B 4 C 3 D 7 E 6 F 2
C,D G
E,F H 9 I
G,H

9. Manual Network Deterministic Examples
Activity
Time
Pred(s) A 1 B 4 C 3 D 7 E 6 F 2
C,D G
E,F H 9 I
G,H
Activity
Time
Pred(s) A 6 B 13 C 8 D 7 E 3
C,D F 4 G
E,F H I 2 J

10. Project Description Notes: Project Table 5-3 Under View, Check Viewbar
Under Tasks, define general working times, use the wizard to
Standard time, 2) Select all 7 days use hours shown in preview, 3) omit, 4) Hrs/day=8, Hrs/wk=40, Days/month=30
Enter task names (a, b, c, etc.), durations, and predecessors as numbers.
Under Tasks, add columns of custom information, to add ES, EF, LS, LF, and Total Slack (MSP will calculate these automatically)
MSP Intro Example 1 of 4

11. Project Information & Network Layout
Notes:
Project
Project Information
Notes:
Diagram, Format, Layout
Allow manual box positioning
Link style = Straight
MSP Intro Example 2 of 4

12. Network Diagram Notes: Diagram, Format, Layout
Allow manual box positioning
Link style = Straight
MSP Intro Example 3 of 4

13. Gantt Chart
Notes:
Format
Gantt Chart Wizard
MSP Intro Example 4 of 4

14. Project Uncertainty & Risk Management
a, b certainty
denominator
99% 6
95%
3.3
90%
2.6
Probabilistic / Stat Examples

15. Probability of Completing a Path by Time D
Z = The number of standard deviations D is from m
D = Analyzed project or path completion time
m = the sum of the expected path durations Te along a particular path being investigated
s = path standard deviation
s2 = path variance
=NORMSDIST(D, m, s, TRUE), (left area) cumulative probability
Probabilistic / Stat Examples

16. Manual Network Probabilistic/Stochastic Example
99%
Activity a m b Te
Var 1 4 7
4.00
1.00 2 6
5.50
0.69 c 3
3.50
0.25 d 13 14
12.00
1.78 e 12
6.50
2.25 f 8 16
9.00
2.78 g 5
4.50
Paths
E-Dur SD Z
Prob
b-c-e-g
20.00
1.97
0.51
69.40%
a-d
16.00
1.67
3.00
99.87%
a-e-g
15.00
1.99
3.02
b-f-g
19.00
2.04
0.98
83.64%
57.89% D 21
Probabilistic / Stat Examples

17. c f d g a b h e Project Uncertainty & Risk Management
Example Chapter 5
Act
Pred a m b Te
Var 8 10 16
10.67
1.78 11 12 14
12.17
0.25 c 7 19
12.33
4.00 d 6
6.00
0.00 e 20
14.33
2.78 f
c,d
9.33
0.44 g 5 17
10.33 h
e,g 4
7.83
1.36 c f d g a b h e
Probabilistic / Stat Examples

18. Example Chapter 5
99%
Act
Pred a m b Te
Var 8 10 16
10.67
1.78 11 12 14
12.17
0.25 c 7 19
12.33
4.00 d 6
6.00
0.00 e 20
14.33
2.78 f
c,d
9.33
0.44 g 5 17
10.33 h
e,g 4
7.83
1.36
Paths
E-Dur SD Z
Prob
a-b-d-g-h
47.00
2.72
1.10
86.51%
a-b-c-f
44.50
2.54
2.16
98.47%
a-b-d-f
38.17
1.57
7.53
100.00%
a-b-e-h
45.00
2.48
2.01
97.80%
83.31% D 50
What is the probability the project critical path will complete within 50 days?
What is the probability the project will complete within 50 days?
Follow on question: There is a 95% probability we will complete the critical path in how many days?
Probabilistic / Stat Examples

19. Project Uncertainty & Risk Management
Probabilistic / Stat Examples

20. Simulation a b c d e f g h Potential Path Completion Times 1000 Trials
Act
Pred
min
likely
max a 8 10 16 b 11 12 14 c 7 19 d 6 e 20 f
c,d g 5 17 h
e,g 4
Paths
Time
a-b-d-g-h
a-b-c-f
a-b-d-f
a-b-e-h
Potential Path Completion Times
1000 Trials a b c d e f g h
Potential Project
Completion Time = ???

21. Simulation – Example Chapter 5 (Table 5-8)
Project completion time
for this particular step / trial

22. Simulation – Example Chapter 5

23. Simulation – Example Chapter 5
What is the probability the project will complete within 50 days?

24. Simulation – Example Chapter 5
There is a 95% probability we complete the project in about 54 days or less.

25. DynaTech Equipment Corp. case (45 minutes) Divide into small groups
Exercise
DynaTech Equipment Corp. case (45 minutes)
Divide into small groups
Read case (5 minutes)
Assignment: (40 minutes)
List the immediate predecessors and WBS number for each activity
Draw project network diagram (lowest level)
Draw Gantt chart
Determine project completion time