Planning and Scheduling for Projects

Introduction

The Planning and Scheduling for Projects Course addresses the widespread issue of delays affecting both public and private sector projects. These delays often stem from the insufficient application of advanced project planning and scheduling techniques. By mastering principles of project scheduling, planning, and control, participants will be equipped to overcome constraints related to scope, cost, and time, achieving organizational financial and strategic goals.

This course aims to develop advanced skills in project planning and scheduling, providing practical project management fundamentals and preparing participants for managerial and scheduling positions. Utilizing up-to-date standards and methodologies, this course offers essential tools and techniques for effective project coordination. It is ideal for those pursuing a career in project management or seeking advanced planning and scheduling.

Objectives

By the end of this Planning and Scheduling for Projects, participants will be capable of:

• Maintaining continuous project performance and delivery control.
• Forecasting and allocating project costs and resources accurately.
• Measuring, forecasting, and controlling project performance using earned value techniques.
• Accelerating schedules in response to adverse conditions.
• Managing and mitigating risks related to schedule, cost, scope, and resources.
• Developing line of balance schedules and velocity diagrams for repetitive tasks.
• Leveraging the learning curve to benefit recurring work financially.
• Creating a project recovery plan for budget and schedule overruns.
• Producing clear and concise progress reports.
• Preparing budget estimates for feasibility evaluations.
• Comparing costs of alternative strategies or technical approaches for optimal project outcomes.
• Structuring contract compensation to incentivize timely and budget-compliant project completion.
• Maintaining accurate control of the budgeting process through various design stages.
• Preparing accurate budget estimates across programming, schematic design, and development phases.
• Understanding effective contracting structures for desired project results.
• Applying risk analysis to mitigate risks cost-effectively and determine appropriate contingencies.
• Managing the bidding process with necessary skills.

Training Methodology

• Activity-Based Learning
• Problem-Based Learning
• Games
• Small Group Work

Course Outline

Unit 1: Scope Planning and Definition of the Project

• Planning for scope.
• Work decomposition structures.
• Bundles of work.
• Statement of Work (SOW) - technical scope.
• Execution of the scope of work.
• Project constraints: time, cost, and scope.
• Project quality and deliverables.
• Risk issues related to the project.
• Resource requirements.

Unit 2: Project Planning, Scheduling, and Using Critical Path Method

• Creating diagrams through precedence networks.
• Gender-based job relationship diagrams.
• Critical path and its analysis.
• Project float extent.
• Scheduling leads and lags.
• Estimation of activity duration.
• Milestone charts.
• Baseline for a schedule - Gantt chart.
• Estimation processes for projects.
• Planning, productivity, and production.

Unit 3: Resource Allocation and Resource Leveling

• Managing resources.
• Scheduling and controlling limited resources.
• Resource allocation optimization methods.
• Relief resource conflicts.
• Resource leveling for fixed project completion times.
• Brooks’ approach to resource management.
• Scaling up the number of employees.
• Minimizing disturbances to the schedule.
• Scheduling work on weekends or holidays.

Unit 4: Compressing the Project Schedule

• Situations necessitating schedule acceleration.
• Scope creep – time-cost trade-off.
• Reducing project duration.
• Direct and indirect project expenses.
• Methods to speed up the schedule.
• Handling schedule slips.
• Accelerating execution.
• Identifying the most effective thrust points.
• Shortened program Gantt chart.
• Risk profiles for network activities.
• Addressing further issues.
• Managing concurrent critical paths.
• Reducing project costs.

Unit 5: Planning Approach in Project Management

• Program Evaluation and Reporting Technique (PERT).
• Path convergence analysis.
• Thiessen problem resolution.
• Types of risk profiles on the network.
• Distribution normality.
• Subjective methods: PERT, probability, standard deviation.
• Standard deviation with respect to the critical path.
• Z-scores and project completion probability.
• Actual critical path.
• Network activity risk exposure graphs.

Unit 6: Scheduling by Line of Balance Method - A Control Management of Recurring Activities

• Preparing line of balance schedules.
• Studying crude velocity RBD and graphs.
• Velocity RBD – Production rate calculations.
• Linear activity rows and velocity diagrams.
• Rescheduling for even flow.
• Formulas for line of balance scheduling.
• Standard line of balance calculations.
• Expected output per unit.
• Required time for task completion.
• Time span of recurring activity.
• Balanced vs. unbalanced schedules.
• Measuring actual progress against schedule.
• Velocity diagram for expected environment.
• Performance and working conditions.

Unit 7: Project Execution Management, Control, and Reporting

• Tracking and monitoring progress.
• Managing project costs.
• Controlling earned value.
• Handling schedule delays and budget overruns.
• Monitoring progress with control charts.
• Labor and materials management.
• Earned value analysis.
• Projects as per earned value.

Unit 8: Project Recovery Plan Development

• Project variance analysis and quantification.
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI).
• Cost Performance Index (CPI).
• Fixing schedules and achieving cost control.
• Data analysis for project recovery.
• Schedule and cost recovery assessment.
• Time schedule and cost recovery strategy.
• Project recovery baselines and controls.