Any
project without a schedule understood by all
is doomed to failure. Thinking in terms of
sequential phases ensures that all decisions
are made and all resources are allocated for
efficiently moving into each succeeding phase.
The previous example was for a Construction
Phase schedule. The objectives of scheduling
are to:
Identify
calendar completion dates and constraints.
Identify
relationships among various parts of the
project.
Determine
resource requirements as a function of time.
Identify
key points (milestones) where approvals will
be needed.
Communicate
all of this to all participants and stakeholders.
Maintain
good project control.
Scheduling
is an iterative process, with a fixed overall
duration and adjustments applied to resources
and sequencing of tasks to achieve project
goals. It is important to note that developing
a project schedule often requires input
from others. Therefore, the schedule should
be a team document with which all participants
agree to comply. Simple schedules (with
under 25 activities and simple logic as
shown in the previous example) can be created
without the use of software.
Network diagrams can be used where the logic
relationships are not obvious, as in the
previous example.
Because networks and schedules are inter-twined,
network diagrams (tasks and deliverables
shown linked together in the order in which
they must be completed) show how the elements
of the WBS relate to one another.
Superimposing
a network on a calendar becomes the basis
for creating a detailed project schedule.
Here are some key steps to creating a schedule:
Identify
all major events and dates.
Decide
in detail and in what sequence WBS tasks need
to be done, and develop a network or interrelationship
of tasks.
Estimate
the duration of each separate activity. Activities
should be relatable to the WBS.
Use
the activity duration estimates to calculate
the estimated project duration.
Identify
the time constraints and relate the significance
of each activity to the timetable and major
events.
