MS4801 Project Management Week 4: Planning

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MS4801 Project ManagementWeek 4 Planning

• Planning is an essential part of project
  management.
• In essence, the plan is a roadmap.

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WebCT AssignmentFirst Principles of Project
Management

• All the principles make certain assumptions
  about the team players involved. For example
• Everyone is working towards the same or similar
  goals, whatever those might be.
• Everyone is being honest with one another.
• An appropriate level of skill or experience is
  available as needed.
• Everyone wants the project to succeed.
• Everyone is clear and agrees on who the customer
  is.
• First Principles of Project Management, By R. Max
  Wideman

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Step 1 Project Objective

• The first step is to define the project
  objective.
• The objective must be clear, attainable,
  specific, and measurable.
• The objective is usually defined in terms of
  scope, schedule and cost.

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Step 2 Work Breakdown Structure

• Determine what activities need to be performed.
• A list of all the activities must be developed.
• An activity is a piece of work that consumes
  time.
• The WBS is a hierarchical tree of end items to be
  accomplished.
• A work item is one small piece of the project.
• A work package is the lowest-level item.

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Step 3 Developing the Network Plan

• After all activities have been defined, they are
  graphically portrayed in a network diagram.
• Two network planning techniques were developed in
  the 1950s
• Program evaluation and review technique (PERT)
• Critical path method (CPM)

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Program Evaluation Review Technique
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Network Principals

• Different formats can be used to draw the
  diagram
• Activity in the box (AIB)
• a.k.a. activity on the node (AON)
• Activity on the arrow (AOA)

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Build a Project Network
Node
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3
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Branch

• A project is made up of a sequence of activities
  that form a network representing a project.
• Network consists of branches nodes

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Network Diagrams

• Activity Predecessor
• A None
• B None
• C A
• D A
• E B
• F B
• G C, D, E, F

A
B
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EXERCISE Network Diagram

• Activity Predecessor
• A None
• B None
• C A,B
• D A,B
• E A,B
• F C,D
• G E
• H F
• I F,G

Construct a network diagram
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Need Duration

• Activity Predecessor
• A None
• B None
• C A
• D A
• E B
• F B
• G C, D, E, F

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Need Duration for Activities

• Activity Pred Duration
• A None 5
• B None 10
• C A 15
• D A 10
• E B 5
• F C 20
• G E 20
• H D,E,F 5
• I G 15

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Critical Path Analysis (CPM)
C,15
F,20
A,5
H,5
D,10
B,10
E,5
G,20
I,15
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Work Breakdown
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Activity-in-Node
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Activity in the Box (AIB - NODE)

• Each activity is represented by a box.
• The activity description is written in the box.
• Each box is assigned a unique activity number.
• Activities have a precedential relationship.
• Some activities may be done concurrently.

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Activity on the Arrow (AOA)

• Each activity is represented by an arrow.
• The activity description is written above the
  arrow.
• The tail of the arrow designates the start of the
  activity.
• The head of the arrow designates the completion
  of the activity.
• Activities are linked by circles called events.
• An event represents the finish of activities
  entering it and the start of activities leaving
  it.
• Each event is assigned a unique activity number.

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Activity-on-Arrow
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Preparing the Network Diagram

• Ask the following questions regarding each
  activity
• Which activities must be finished immediately
  before this activity can be started?
• Which activities can be done concurrently with
  this activity?
• Which activities cannot be started until this
  activity is finished?

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Preparing the Network Diagram (Cont.)

• Should flow from left to right.
• Not drawn to a time scale.
• Can vary in how detailed the diagram should be.
• AIB vs. AOA is a matter of personal preference.
• AIB is the most common in project management
  software packages.

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County Engineers Design Department

• Activity Preceding Duration
• A) Application approval None 5
• B) Construction plans A 15
• C) Traffic study A 10
• D) Service availability check A 5
• E) Staff report B,C 15
• F) Commission approval B,C,D 10
• G) Wait for construction F 170
• H) Occupancy E,G 35

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Simple Activity on Node
Activity Preceding Duration A) Application
approval None 5 B) Construction plans A 15 C)
Traffic study A 10 D) Service avail check A 5 E)
Staff report B,C 15 F) Commission
apprvl B,C,D 10 G) Wait for construct F 170 H)
Occupancy E,G 35
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AON with Duration
Activity Preceding Duration A) Application
approval None 5 B) Construction plans A 15 C)
Traffic study A 10 D) Service avail check A 5 E)
Staff report B,C 15 F) Commission
apprvl B,C,D 10 G) Wait for construct F 170 H)
Occupancy E,G 35
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Forward Pass

• How soon can the activity start (ES)
• How soon can the activity finish (EF)
• How soon can the project be finished (TE)

Calculate Forward Pass
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Backward Pass

• How late can the activity start (LS)
• How late can the activity finish (LF)
• Which activities represent critical path (CP)
• How long can the activity be delayed (SL)

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TOOL Responsibility Matrix

• Displays in tabular format the individuals
  responsible for the work items.
• X can be used to indicate who is responsible.
• P indicates who has primary responsibility.
• S indicates who has secondary responsibility.

EXAMPLE
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Responsibility Matrix e.g., Frame, Page 190
? Responsible / ? Involved / ? Informed
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TOOL Gantt Charts

• Gantt charts, or bar charts, are popular due to
  their simplicity.
• Activities are listed down the left-hand side.
• A time scale is shown along the bottom.
• Do not display the interrelationships of
  activities.
• If one activity is delayed, it is not obvious how
  that will affect other activities.
• Most project management software can show
  interdependencies with arrows.

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