Project
Planning & Scheduling
"Someone's
sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time
ago."
Warren
Buffett.
| Core
Papers: Roles of a Planner and Scheduler |
|
The question 'what makes a good planner?' and 'what should they do?'
are addressed in these papers:
- Attributes of a Scheduler
considers the personal skills and competencies needed by a person to be
an effective scheduler and describes the various 'roles' a scheduler
will have during the life cycle of a typical project. [ Open
the paper ]
- A Guide to Scheduling Good
Practice
describes the work undertaken by a scheduler to create an effective
'dynamic schedule' and is consistent with the
PMBOK Guide and PMI
Practice Standard
for
Scheduling.
[ Open
the paper ]
- Dynamic
Scheduling describes
the benefits derived from developing a 'good schedule' as
defined in a 'A Guide to
Scheduling Good Practice'. [ Open
the paper ]
| Schedule
Conformance Scoring Tool |
|
The new PMI Practice Standard for Scheduling
include a conformance scoring system that allows schedules to be rated
for conformance with accepted good practice. This version of the
Standards allows assessors to assess whether a schedule uses (ie
contains) a component correctly, not the way it is utilised (ie, its
usefulness). Mosaic plans to release a tool to facilitate the
assessment of schedules in accord with the Standard this year.
Manual assessments based on the standard are
available now. For a quotation email:
conformance@mosaicprojects.com.au
To purchase a copy of the PMI Practice Standard
for
Scheduling go to our [ books page
]
To register interest in this new tool
email: conformance@mosaicprojects.com.au
| Scheduling
Training and Certifications |
|
- PMI-SPsm
Scheduling Professional Credential - PMI
has announced a new certification for
schedulers and initial on-line applications are now
open.
PMI's near term objective is to secure at least 100 approved scheduling
credential candidates to take the examination during the pilot period
from 30 May – 31 July 2008. This will enable PMI to establish
an
official cut-score in a timely manner. For more information see
http://www.pmischeduling.com/Home.aspx. - visit our training page for
the latest information.
Email: training@mosaicprojects.com.au
to be kept up to date with developments.
- 5-STEPS™
(Five Steps To Effective Planning & Scheduling) - Mosaic's 'How
To' Develop an Effective Schedule (5-STEPS) workshop is designed
to build and maintain a positive stakeholder
consensus using the power of pro-active 'dynamic scheduling' to
build and
foster a strong team commitment. [See more on 5-STEPS
Training].
Scheduled workshops:
- Project
Planning and Control
- Mosaic's software based training courses focus on the optimum way to
use the software as a tool to assist in developing effective dynamic
schedules
to plan and control time, resources and costs on a project. [ See more on our Scheduling
Software Training ]
| Planning
& Scheduling Resources |
|
Mosaic's
Published Papers
- 5-STEPS,
Five Steps To Ensure Project Success
- The ‘5 Steps To Ensure Project Success’
methodology is a
proven process designed to focus the thinking of the key Stakeholders
onto the parameters required to achieve a successful project outcome.
[View Abstract]
- A
Brief History of Scheduling - Back to the Future
- A Brief History of the first 50 years of 'Critical Path'
Scheduling; and arguably the evolution of modern project management.
The suggestion is that the growth of modern project management is a
direct consequence of the need to make effective use of the data
generated by the schedulers in an attempt to manage the 'project' and
control the 'critical path'.
[View Abstract]
- (The)
Cost of Time - or who's duration is it anyway?
- Probably the most common action undertaken by schedulers
everywhere is assigning a duration to a task. This paper outlines the
factors influencing the choice of an optimum duration. Considers the
factors that can cause the duration to be modified during the planning
phase and then outlines some of the likely costs associated with
accelerating the project.
[View Abstract]
- Float
- Is It Real?
- The existence of a ‘critical path’ and
non-critical
activities (with their associated ‘float’) grew out
of the
science of ‘scheduling’ as defined by Critical Path
Analysis (CPA) and are barely 50 years old! This paper analyses the
factors creating the ‘critical path’ and
‘float’ within a schedule and then look at ways of
resolving the conflicting views of float encountered in the literature.
Potential solutions include the UK ‘Delay and Disruption
Protocol’, client led integrated teams and the use of
alternative
planning methods such as location based scheduling, trend analysis and
earned schedule.
[View Abstract]
- Managing
for Success - The power of regular updates
- Critical path scheduling techniques, supported by efficient
scheduling software have long been recognised as a standard component
in the overall project management process. This paper looks at the
interaction between the analytical and psychological processes involved
in schedule development and control systems to identify ways to deliver
major enhancements in the planning / scheduling process.
[View Abstract]
- Project Controls in the C21 – What works / What’s fiction
- This
paper takes a controversial look at the relevance of project control systems and suggests the changes in
skills, attitudes and practices needed to keep scheduling, cost control
and EV relevant in the coming years. [View
Abstract]
- Scheduling
in a Defence Environment -
The primary purpose of any schedule should be to help the project
manager and project team optimise the overall strategy for the delivery
of the project, coordinate workflows and assist in the decision making
processes needed to resolve dilemmas and issues on a day-to-day basis.
This paper identifies some of the symptoms of scheduling failure and
then addresses three topics; a discussion of the real purpose and
usefulness of scheduling. the current ‘state of
play’ in
the development of scheduling and some emerging trends that may
re-focus scheduling. [View
Abstract]
- Standardising
Quality in Project Scheduling -
The
publication by PMI of its ‘Practice Standard for
Scheduling’ in May 2007 goes a long way towards defining
‘good scheduling practise’
and providing a tool that for the first time allows the unambiguous
assessment of the technical competence of any schedule. Based on the
Practice Standard, PMI have also announced the development of a new
certification for schedulers.
This paper provides a detailed review of the standard, its use as a
conformance measurement tool and an outline of the PMI Scheduling
Credential.
[View Abstract]
Scheduling
Organisations and
Useful Links
Scheduling
Books and Standards
- Preview and buy PMI's Practice
Standard for Scheduling -a
systematic guide describing the hallmarks of an effective schedule
methodology and providing a quantifiable means for assessing the
maturity of a schedule model. For more information, see:
Mosaic's Book Shop
- Preview and buy Murray Woolf's 'Faster
Construction Projects with CPM Scheduling' - Written by
a 30 year scheduling veteran,
this book is packed with hundreds of 'tricks of the trade'. For more
information see:
Mosaic's Book Shop
Scheduling
Software, Tools and Techniques
- Tools we know and use:
- ACOS PLUS.1
is a sophisticated MIS and offers a range of progressive features such
as Milestone Trend or Cost Trend Analysis. Sophisticated layout options
allow compressed bar chart outputs and combined reports. [ See
more ]
- Deltek Open Plan -
Powerful Project Management software for project planners and
schedulers.
[ See
more ]
- Micro Planner X-Pert and Manager
- Microplanner has the best network diagram of any tool we know.
[ See
more ]
- Microsoft Project -
The ubiquitous project management tool found in every office.
[ See
more ]
- Pertmaster project
risk analyses your project risk in time and/or money.
[ See
more ]
- Primavera
provides a range of software for every aspect of project management
including project planning and scheduling, risk analysis, contract
administration.
[ See
more ]
- Methodologies
- 5-STEPS,
the ‘5 Steps To Ensure Project Success’ methodology
is a
proven process designed to focus the thinking of key Stakeholders onto
the parameters required to achieve a successful project outcome.
5-STEPS uses the development of the schedule as a central plank in its
approach to developing an effective project team and fostering positive
stakeholder involvement. [ See
more ]
- Other
interesting scheduling tools:
- AMS Realtime
solution-set with powerful scheduling, earned value management and
other functionality including an excellent report writing module and
multi resource management to effectively plan and control work, time
and resources in real time at project, programme and portfolio level.
Distributors for AMS Realtime in the Asia - Pacific Project Plus Ltd. Or see http://www.amsrealtime.com
- Asta Powerproject is
a professional project management software application for construction
and related industries. See http://www.astadev.com/software/powerproject/index.asp
- CASCAD-e a new
time-scaled precedence diagramming (TSPD) planning tool from CASCAD-e
Systems. Dr. J. Gordon Davis says "Showing
project status on a time-scaled precedence diagram (TSPD) is a very
unforgiving process. Behind-schedule activities and
out-of-sequence work stand out like a sore thumb. But the
recovery opportunities are also apparent." CASCAD-e imports
data from most standard scheduling applications. For more information
see http://www.cascad-e.net
- OpenProj™ is
a free, open source desktop alternative to Microsoft Project. It's
available on Linux, Unix, Mac or Windows, and it's free. See http://openproj.org
- Project Commander -
easy to use, low cost,
intuitive product with it's extensive use of the mouse and WYSIWYG
screens. See www.pmscsolutions.co.uk
- Spider - Integrated
schedule, cost and resource management - http://www.spiderproject.ru
- More tools
to be added........
