1
Q
Plan Schedule Management process
A
- Involves documenting how you will plan, manage, and control the project to the schedule baseline, and how you will manage schedule variances
Answers questions like:
- What approach will we take to plan the schedule for the project? Who will be involved?
- What processes and procedures will we use to create the schedule?
2
Q
Key output of the Plan Schedule Management process?
A
Schedule management plan
3
Q
Schedule management plan
A
- Part of the PMP
- Helps make the estimating and schedule development process faster by speciyfing how you will plan, manage, and control the project
4
Q
Define Activities process
A
Taking the work packages created in the WBS and decomposing them into the activities that are required to produce the work package deliverables
5
Q
When decomposing work packages, how do you know when you’ve decomposed enough?
A
Activities should be at a level small enough to estimate, schedule, monitor, and control
6
Q
What happens after you define acitivites, i.e., decompose work packages?
A
Sequence activities
7
Q
What do you need to define activities?
A
- Schedule management plan - gives info about approved methodology for scheduling
- Scope baseline - provides info about what is included in project scope
- OPAs
8
Q
When is decomposition used for Define Activities process in schedule management, and for Create WBS process in scope management?
A
Define Activities
When work packages are decomposed into activities to produce them
Create WBS
When deliverables are decomposed into smaller deliverables
9
Q
Rolling wave planning
A
- Plan to a higher level, and then develop more detailed plans when the work is to be done
- In other words, plan activities to the detail needed to manage the work just before you are ready to start the project
- Form of progressive elaboration
10
Q
What does the Define Activities process result in?
A
An activity list, which includes all activities required to complete the project, and details regarding project activities
11
Q
Sequence Activities process
A
Taking the activities and sequencing them in the order in which the work will be performed
12
Q
What does sequencing activities result in?
A
A network diagram
13
Q
What does a network diagram represent/show?
A
- In it’s pure form, it shows just dependencies, i.e., logical relationships
- If activity duration estimates and leads and lags are included, it also shows the critical path
- If plotted out against time, it shows a time scaled schedule network diagram
14
Q
How are most network diagrams created today?
A
- Using the Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
- Old method = Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT)
15
Q
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
A
- Nodes, a.k.a. boxes, represent activities
- Arrowsshowactivity dependencies
16
Q
Different types of logical relationships between activities
A
- Finish to start (FS)
- Start to start (SS)
- Finish to finish (FF)
- Start to Finish (SF)
17
Q
Finish to start (FS)
A
- An activity must finish before the successor can start
- MOST COMMON!
- Example: you must finish digging a hole before you can start planting the tree
18
Q
Start to start (SS)
A
- An activity must start before the successor can start
- Example: you must start desgining in order to have enough of the design completed to start coding
19
Q
Finish to finish (FF)
A
- An activity must finish before the successor can finish
- Example: you must finish testing before you can finish documentation
20
Q
Start to finish (SF)
A
- An activity must start before the successor can finish
- RARELY USED
21
Q
Types of dependencies
A
- Mandatory dependency (hard logic)
- Discretionary dependency (preferred, preferrential, or soft logic)
- External dependency
- Internal dependency
22
Q
Mandatory dependency (hard logic)
A
Inherent in the nature of work, or required by a contract
23
Q
Discretionary dependency (preferred, preferrential, or soft logic)
A
- The way an organization has chosen to have work performed
- You can change this type of dependency if necessary
- Important when analyzing how to compress the schedule to decrease project duration, i.e., fast track the project
24
Q
External dependency
A
Based on the needs or desires of a party outside the project (for example, government, suppliers, etc.)
25
Internal dependency
**Based on the needs of the project and may be something the team can control**
26
Who identifies what type of dependencies?
* **Project team = mandatory and discretionary**
* **PM = external and internal**
27
Lead
Used to indicate that **an activity** can **start before its predeccesor activity is completed**
28
Lag
**Waiting time inserted between a****ctivities**
29
Path convergence
When an activity has two or more activities **directly preceding it, i.e., two activities run into the same activity once complete**
30
Path divergence
When an activity has two or more **successor activities directly following it**
31
What do path convergence and divergence indicate?
**Greater risk within impacted activities**
32
Estimate Activity Durations process
When the activities have been **defined** and **sequenced**, the next step is to **estimate how long each activity will take**
33
What do resources need in order to come up with activity duration estimates?
1. **Activity list and attributes**
2. **Assumption log**
3. **Learned lessons register**
4. **Resource breakdown structure**
5. **Resource requirements**
6. **Project team assignments**
7. **Resource calendars**
8. **Risk register**
34
Resource breakdown structure
Represents **categories of resources**
35
Resource requirements
Indicates the **skill levels** of resources
36
Resource team assignments
Include the **number and experience level** of resources
37
Resource calendars
* Provide information on **when key resources with specialized skills will be available**
* **If resources aren't available within time frame, you may need to add extra time to some activity estimates to allow lesser experienced resources to do the work**
38
Padding
* **Extra time or cost added to an estimate because the estimator does not have enough information**
* **It's a blind guess!**
39
When there are many unknowns and info required to clarify the unknowns is unavailable, how should you address additional time or funds?
Additional time or funds should be addressed via **reserves**
40
One point estimating
* **Estimator submits one estimate per activity**
* **Problematic, as estimates may be based on expert judgment, historical information, or simply a guess**
* **Easy way to illustrate how to draw network diagrams and find the critical path**
* **Allows for quick calulation on the exam!**
41
Negative effects from one point estimating
* **Encourages padding**
* **Doesn't provide enough justification**
* **Produces a schedule that no one believes in**
* **Can make estimator look unreliable if activities take more or less time than orginally estimated**
42
Analogous estimating (top down)
* Using **expert judgment AND** **historical info** to predict the future
* **Can be done at various times throughout the project, and the level of accuracy depends on how closely the project or activity matches the historical data used**
43
Parametric estimating
* Involves creating a **mathematical equation** using data from **historical records** or other sources to **create estimates**
* **Analyzes** **relationships** between **historical data** and **other variables**
44
Regression analysis (scatter diagram)
* **A diagram that tracks two variables to see if they are related**
* **Diagram is then used to create a mathematical formula to use in future parametric estimatnig**
45
Three point estimating
**Estimators give an optomistic (O), pessimistic (P), and most likely (M) estimate for each activity**
46
What does a wide range between O and P estimates indicate?
Indicates **uncertainty, i.e., risk,** associated with the activity
47
Triangular distribution (simple average)
**Equal risk weighting**
**(P + O + M) / 3**
48
Beta distribution (weighted average)
Beta distribution gives **stronger consideration** to the **most likely estimate**
## Footnote
**(P + 4M + O) / 6**
49
When to use triangular distribution vs. weighted?
* **Minimal experience/historical info = triangular**
* **More info/historical info = beta**
50
Beta activity standard deviation
* **The possible range for the estimate, i.e., +/-X**
* **(P - O) / 6**
* **The GREATER the deviation, the GREATER the risk**
51
Bottom up estimating
* **Creating detailed estimates for each part of an activity or work package**
* **Requires an accurate WBS**
52
Contingency reserves
* **Allocated for the identified risks remaining after the Plan Risk Responses process (known unknowns)**
* **Expected values of each contingency plan are added together to create a schedule contingency reserve**
53
Management reserves
* **Additional funds and time to cover unforeseen risks that could impact the project's ability to meet the schedule (unknown unknowns)**
* **Require a formal change request in order to utilize**
54
Difference between padding and reserves
* **Padding** utilizes **broad guesses**
* **Reserves** utilize the **necessary info** to **reliably caclulate** what **additional time or funds** the project may need
55
Process to achieve a realistic schedule/budget
1. **Analyze the work needed to complete the project**
2. **Estimate the duration/cost of the work, and calculate an end date and budget**
3. **Optimize the date and budget, and compare results to schedule and budget constraints**
4. **If there's a difference, analyze the project and provide options on how to change it to meet constraints, i.e., balance constraints**
56
Schedule model
* **Includes all the project data that will be used to calculate the schedule, such as activities, duration estimates, dependencies, and leads and lags**
* **Project schedule is the output of the schedule model (consolidates all the data into one schedule)**
57
Critical path method
* Determining the **longest duration path** through the network diagram, the **earliest and latest** an activity can **start and finish**
* **The critical path is the longest duration path through a network diagram, and also has ZERO FLOAT**
58
Near critical path
* The path **closest in duration** to the **critical path**
* The **closer** the **near critical path** and **critical paths** are, the **GREATER** the **overall schedule risk**
59
Total float
* **The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project end date or an intermediary milestone, while still adhering to any imposed schedule constraints**
* **PRIMARY TYPE OF FLOAT**
60
Free float
**Amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the _early start date_ of its sucessor(s) while still adhering to any imposed schedule constraints**
61
Project float (positive total float)
**Amount of time a _project_ can be delayed without delaying the externally imposed project completion date required by the customer or management, or the date previously committed to by the project manager**
62
Float calculations
**"There is a start fomula and a finish formula, and we always begin late"**
**_Start formula (forwards pass)_**
**Float = LS - ES**
**_Finish formula (backwards pass)_**
**Float = LF - EF**
63
Draw a network diagram box (activity)
64
When dealing with path convergence in a forward pass, how do you decide which estimate to use?
**In forward pass, always use the _later EF_ of the _predecessing activities_ to use as the _ES_ for the _succeeding activity_**, since the succeeding activity can't start until both predecessing activities are complete
65
In order to begin the backwards pass, you first need to determine the LF for the last activity. How do you know what the LF is?
In a **backwards pass**, the **LF** is always the **duration of the critical path**
66
When dealing with path convergence in a backwards pass, how do you decide which estimate to use?
**In _backward pass_, always use the _earlier LS_ of the _succeeding activities_ to use as the _LF for the preceeding activity_,** since the preceeding activity must be finished before the suceeding activity can start
67
Calculation checks for finishes and starts
**_Forward Pass_**
**EF = D + ES**
**ES = EF - D**
**_Backward Pass_**
**LF = D + LS**
**LS = LF - D**
68
Fast Tracking
* **Adjusting the network diagram so critical path activities that were originally planned to be completed in a series are replanned to be done in parallel**
* **In other words, instead of performing activities A and B after one another, perform them at the same time to save time and money**
* **Often results in rework, increased risk, and requires more attention to comms**
69
Crashing
* **Adding or adjusting resources** in order to **compress the schedule** while maintaining the original project scope
* Results in **increased costs** and may **increase risk**
* **Trades time for money**
70
What is the first thing to do when there is negative float, i.e., your estimated completion date is after the desired date?
**Analyze what could be done** about negative float by **compressing the schedule**
71
What is the preferred method to deal with schedule compression?
**Review risks and re-evaluate!**
72
Impacts of fast tracking
* **Increased risk**
* **Added management time for PM**
73
Impacts of crashing
* **Increased costs**
* **May add management time for PM**
* **May add risk**
74
Impacts of reducing scope
* **May save cost, resources, and time**
* **May negatively impact customer satisfaction**
75
Monte Carlo Analysis
* Technique that uses **computer software** to **simulate the outcome of a project** based on the **three point estimates** for each activity
* Can help **deal with path convergence**
**Can tell you the following:**
* **Probability of completing the project on a specific day**
* **Probability of completing the project for a specific cost**
* **Probability of any activity actually being on the critical path**
* **Indication of overall project risk**
76
Resource leveling
* **Used to produce a resource-limited schedule**
* **Lengthens the schedule** and **increases cost** to deal with a **limited number of resources**
* **Results in a more stable number of resources used on your project**
77
Resource smoothing
* **Modified form of resource leveling**
* Resources are leveled **only within the limits of the activity floats**, so the **completion dates of activities** are **not delayed**
78
Outputs of Develop Schedule process
* **Project schedule**
* **Schedule baseline**
* **Schedule data**
* **Change requests**
* **PMP updates**
79
When to use different presentation formats:
Network Diagram
Milestone Chart
Bar Chart
**_Network Diagram_**
**To show *interdependencies* between activities**
**_Milestone Chart_**
**Report to senior management**
**_Bar Chart_**
**Track progress**
**Report to the team**
2 - RMC PMP Exam Prep
flashcards
Decks in class (14)
# Cards
-
Chapter 2 - Project Management Framework52
-
Chapter 3 - Project Management Processes39
-
Chapter 4 - Integration Management72
-
Chapter 5 - Scope Management46
-
Chapter 6 - Schedule Management79
-
Chapter 7 - Cost Management41
-
Chapter 8 - Quality Management57
-
Chapter 9 - Resource Management75
-
Chapter 10 - Communications Management13
-
Chapter 11 - Risk Management0
-
Chapter 12 - Procurement Management0
-
Chapter 13 - Stakeholder Management0
-
Chapter 14 - Professional and Social Responsibility0
-
Chapter 15 - The PMP Exam: Tips for Passing the Exam the First Time0
