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By Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V. Project Schedule & Budget:. Project plan contains all of the details of the project’s schedule & budget. It will be used to guide the project team & monitor the projects progress throughout the project life cycle.
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By Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V
Project Schedule & Budget: • Project plan contains all of the details of the project’s schedule & budget. • It will be used to guide the project team & monitor the projects progress throughout the project life cycle. • The project budget is determined by the project schedule, the cost of resources assigned to each of the tasks & by any other direct or indirect costs. • Project cost management focuses on the progress procedures & techniques to develop & manage the project budget. PCM includes, • Cost estimating : - Based on the activities their time estimates & resource requirements an estimate can be developed. • Cost budgeting : - Once time & cost of each activity is estimated, an overall cost estimate for the entire project can be developed. • Cost control : - Ensuring that proper processor & procedures are in place to control changes to the project budget.
Developing the project schedule : • A schedule is the conversion of a project action plan into an operating time table. • It serves as the basis for monitoring & controlling project activity. • Taken together with the plan & budget, is probably the major tool for the management of projects. • The basic approach of all scheduling techniques is to form a network of activity & event relationship that graphically portrays the sequential relations between tasks in project. • Several project management tools & techniques are used to create a project network plan that defines the sequence of activities throughout the project & their dependencies. • These tools include Gantt charts, activity on node (AON) critical path analysis, PERT etc.
Project Network Diagrams : • Project Network diagrams include several useful tools for planning, scheduling and monitoring the project’s progress • Similar to Gantt Charts, project network diagrams use the WBS as a basis to provide a representation of workflow of activities & tasks. • Project network diagrams also provide valuable information about the logical sequence & dependencies among the various activities or tasks. • In addition project network diagrams provide information concerning when specific tasks most start & finish & what activities may be delayed without affecting the deadline target date.
Project Network Diagrams • The project manager can take decisions regarding scheduling & resource assignments to shorter the time required for those critical activities that will impact the project deadline. Following are the basic techniques used under Network diagrams. • AON • Critical path analysis • PERT
Gantt Charts : • Henry L. Gantt developed a visual representation that compares a project’s planned activities with actual progress over time. • Fig below shown a basic Gantt Chart used for planning • Estimates for the tasks or activities defined in WBS are represented using a bar across a Horizontal time axis. Other symbols e.g. Diamonds can be represent milestones to make the Gantt Chart more useful.
Gant chart • Gant chart above depicts the general sequence of activities or work task. • In fig there are five tasks of varying duration and the project should be completed in 15 time periods (15 days) • The two diamonds following tasks C & E indicate milestone events • Gantt charts can be useful for tracking and monitoring the progress of a project ; completed tasks can be shaded one can get an accurate picture of where the project stands for a given status or reporting date.
Gant chart • In above fig. tasks A & B have been completed but it looks like Task C in some what behind schedule. • Although Gantt chart are simple, straight forward and useful for communicating the project’s status, they do not shows the explicit relationship among tasks or activities. • E.g. in fig task C is somewhat behind schedules. However the Gantt chart does not tell us whether there will be an impact on tasks D & E & whether this impact will push back the project’s original deadline.
Activity of the Node ( AON) • An activity or task focuses on producing a specific project deliverable generally takes a specific amount of time to complete and requires resources. • Activity on the Node (AON) is a project network diagramming tool that graphically represents all of the project activities and tasks, as well as their logical sequence and dependencies. • Using AON , activities are represented as boxes ( i.e. nodes ) and arrows indicate precedence and flows
To construct an AON network diagram • one begins with the activities and tasks that were defined in the WBS. • Estimates for each activity or task defined in the WBS should have an associated time estimate. • The next step is to determine which activities are predecessors, successors or parallel. • Predecessor activities are those activities that must be completed before another activity can be started. • Successor activities are activities that most follow’ a particular activity in some type of sequence. • Parallel activity is an activity or task that can be worked on at the came time as another activity.
Activity analysis for AON • An activity can’t begin until all of its predecessor activities have been completed. • E.g. activity F can’t begin until activities C & D are done. • The activities time estimate and relationship for developing simple corporate intranet is shown above.
Critical path analysis • The time estimates for each of the activities determines the project schedule and tells us how long our project will take to complete. • This is determined by looking at each of the possible paths and computing the total duration for each path. • The critical path is the longest path in the project network and is also the shortest time in which the project can be completed. • Identifying the critical path is a major concern to the project manager because any changes in the duration of the activities or task on the critical path will effect the project’s schedule.
Longest path in AON network is 19 days. this number tells us tow things 1. project estimated to take 19 days 2. 4th path is also our critical path.Critical path has zero slack. i.e. amount of time an activity can delayed Critical path analysis
Calculating the critical path • It is the longest path through the network diagram • Fig below shows the AON network diagram for project X • We can use AON method to determine the critical path on projects. • Fig shows four paths where each path starts at the first node (1) & ends at the last node (8) on AON network diagram, • Since path (B-E-H-J )at 16 days has the longest duration it is the critical path for project
Precedence diagramming Method • Tool that is useful for understanding the relationship among activities is the precedence diagramming method (PDM) • This tool is also based on the AON project diagram technique and is based on four fundamentals relationship as below: Finish – TO –Start (FS) • A finish to start relationship is the most common relationship between activities implies a logical sequence. • Here activity or task B can’t begin until task A is completed. • E.g. A program is tested after it is written • This relationship is similar to the successor and predecessor relationship Used in the AON method.
Precedence diagramming Method Start –to – Start (SS) • A start-to-start relationship between tasks or activities occurs when two tasks can or must start at the same time. • Although the tasks stat at the same time, they don’t have to finish together. • i.e. the tasks can have different functions • - A start – to- start relationship would be one type of parallel activity that can shorten a project schedule. Finish-to- Finish (FF): • Another type of parallel activity is the finish-to-finish relationship. • Here, two activities can start at different times, have different durations, but are planned to be completed at he same time. • Once both of the FF activities are completed, the next activity or set of activities can be started, or if no more activities follow the project is complete.
Precedence diagramming Method Start To-Finish SF) • The start-to-finish relationship is probably the least common and can be easily confused with the finish-to-start relationship. • A relationship shown in fig below is exactly the opposite of a FS relationship. • A SP relationship means that task and can’t end until task B start • An example of SF relationship in real life might be a nurse working at a Hospital
Calculating the critical path • It is the longest path through the network diagram • Fig below shows the AON network diagram for project X • We can use AON method to determine the critical path on projects. • Fig shows four paths where each path starts at the first node (1) & ends at the last node (8) on AON network diagram, • Since path (B-E-H-J )at 16 days has the longest duration it is the critical path for project
Developing the project Budget • The project’s budget is a function of the project tasks or activities, the function of those tasks and activities, their sequence and the resources required. • In genera resources used on a project will have a cost and the cost of using a particular task or activity must be included in the overall project budget. • Unless these costs are accounted for, the project managers, and the organization will not know the true cost of the project. Cost Estimation : • Estimating the cost of a particular activity or task with an estimated duration involve five steps: 1. Defining what resources will be needed to perform the work. 2. Determining the quantity of resources that are needed. 3. Defining the cost of using each resource. 4. Calculating the cost of the task or activity. 5. Ensuring that the resources are leveled that is, resources have not been over allocated.
Developing the project Budget • E.g.> Let’s suppose that we have identified a particular task and estimated that it will take one day to complete and requires one project team members. • Let’s also assume, for simplicity that no other resources are needed. • If our team member earns $ 20 an hour, the organization , however, may also provide certain benefits to the employee (i.e. health, life insurance, and so on) that should be included in the cost for using this particular resource. • This costs are going to vary from organization to organization, let’s assume that the true cost of using this particular employee (i.e. Hourly wages and benefit) are $25 an hours. • if we pay our employee for one day’s work (i.e. an eight –hour-day), the cost of completing this particular task is : • Cost of task = Estimated duration * true cost of the resource = 8 hours * $25 hour=$200 • We can even estimate the cost of a salaried employee by prorating her or his salary.
Developing the project Budget • E.g: - Let’s say that the fully loaded, or true annual cost to the organization is $ 65.000 • If employee works a five –day work week , the associated true cost to the organization would be for 5* 52 = 260 days a year, therefore , cost for day would be $ 65,000 % 260 work days = $250 day. • The projects total budget is computed using a bottom-up approach by summing the individual costs for each task or activity. • As shown in fig below, the basic budget for the project is $5,203,85.
Finalizing the project schedule and budget: • The project schedule and budget may require several iterations before it is acceptable to the sponsor, the project manager and the project team • Once the project schedule and project plan are accepted, the project plan become the baseline plan that will be use as a beach mark to track the projects actual progress will original plan
Project Management Software Tools • A number of software tools are available to make project planning & tracking much easier. • Fig. below, the Gantt chart view integrates not only the Gantt, but also the project network diagram & PDM techniques. • Tasks A & B shows a finish-to-start relationship while tasks B & C shows a start-to-start relationship. • Tasks D & E shows a finish-to-finish relationship. • The task project complete has a duration of zero days & therefore, represents a milestone.
Monitoring & controlling the project: • A project needs an early warning system to keep things on track. • This early warning system allows the project manager to control & monitor the project’s progress, identity problems early, & take appropriate corrective action. • The baseline plan acts as an anchor, allowing project manager to monitor the project’s performance against planning expectations. • Project control ensures that processes & resources are in place to help the project manager monitor the project.
Monitoring & controlling the project: • It provides the capability to measure performance alerts of project manager to problem situations, & holds people accountable. • Controls also ensure that resources are being utilized efficiently & effectively while guiding the projects towards its objectives. • Controls can be either internal to the project (i.e. set by the project organization or methodology), or external (i.e. set by the government or military standards). • The control & monitoring activities of a project must be clearly communicated to all stakeholders. Everyone must be clear as to what controls will be in place & how data will be collected & information distributed.
Project Communications plan: • The project communications plan can be formal or informal, depending on the needs of the project stakeholders & the size of the project. • Regardless, communication is vital for a successful project. It is important that all of the project stakeholders know how their interests stand in relation to the project’s progress. • Developing a communication plan starts with identifying the various stakeholders of the project and their information needs. • Stakeholder analysis helps the PM and the project team determine the different interests and roles of each of the stakeholders. • Stakeholders analysis provides a starting point for identifying who needs what information & when.
Project Communications plan: • The project communications plan can be in the following format: • The idea behind this analysis is to determine: • Who has specific information needs? • What are those information needs? • How will a particular stakeholders information needs be met? • When can a stakeholder expect to receive this information? • How will this information be received?
Project Communications plan: • Stakeholders:-Stakeholders are individuals or group who have a ‘stake’ or claim in the project’s outcome & therefore, are the receivers of project information we send. • E.g.: In general, this group would include the project sponsor or client, the project manager, & project team because each would have a specific interest in the project’s performance & progress. • Other people, such as senior managers, financial & accounting people, customers & suppliers, may have a special interest in the project so well. Therefore, it is important that we keep these special interests informed. Information Requirements: • Identifying the information requirements of the various stakeholders allows the project manager & the project team to better determine the information reporting mechanisms, timings & delivery medium for each stakeholder. • Depending on the needs of the stakeholder, the requirements & level of detail may be different.
Project Communications plan: Type of report or metric: • Depending on the information needs of a particular stakeholder, a specific report or reporting mechanism can be identified. • These may include specific template, reports that are provided by project management software tool. • Reporting mechanisms may include formal or informal reviews of deliverables, milestones, newsletters, etc.
Project Communications plan: Timings/Availabilities: • The timings and availability of the reports set expectation for the stakeholders. • Some stakeholders may feel they need up-to-minute or real time access to the project's performance and progress. • Other stakeholders may have an almost casual interest. • They also allow the project manager and team to stay focused by minimizing demands for adhoc reports and status updates by powerful stakeholders. Medium or format: • The medium or format defines how the information will be provided. • Possible formats include paper reports, face-to-face , electronic files-mail or some other electronic format such as the web. • Defining the format also sets expectations and allow the project manager to plan the resources needed to support the communication plan.
Project Metrics • A Project metric system must be in place to support the information requirements for all of the stakeholders. • A project metrics may be defined as a qualitative measurement of some attribute of the project. • These metrics can be useful for developing a measurement program that allows the team & other stakeholders to gauge the efficiency & effectiveness of work being done. • In general, project metrics should focus on the following key areas: • Scope • Schedule • Budget • Resources • Quality • Risk
Project Metrics • Data to support these metric categories can be collected in a number of ways. • E.g.: project team members may be asked to submit periodic reports that describe what tasks they worked on, the time spent working on those tasks, & any other resources that they may have used on those tasks. • Data can be collected using expense reports, purchase orders, & so forth. • Information can be provided informally through day-to-day contacts with various individuals or groups. • Collection of this data allows the project manager to compile a set of metrics that can be used to create the various reports for the stakeholders defined in the communication plan.
Project Metrics • A good project metric must be: • Understandable: It should be easy to understand. • Quantifiable: A metric should have very little bias as a result of personnel influence or subjectivity. • Cost effective: Data must be collected in order to produce a metric, subsequently, a metric should be relatively easy & inexpensive to create. • Proven: A metric should be meaningful, accurate, have a high degree of validity in order to be useful. • High impact: Although the efficiency of computing a metric is important the metric must be effective.
Reporting performance & progress: • Once the project data have been collected the project manager can use it to update the project plan. • The project manager has a wide variety of s/w tools which includes, project management s/w, spreadsheets, database & so forth. • In addition, project reporting tends to fall under one of the following categories: Reviews: • Project reviews may be formal or informal meetings that include various project stakeholders. • These reviews may focus on specific, deliverables, milestones or phases. • The purpose of a review is to not only show evidence that the project work has been completed, but also that the work has been completed according to contain standards or agreed upon requirements. • Review meetings provide a forum for surfacing issues, problems and even opportunities that may require stake holders to negotiate or make decisions
Reporting performance & progress Status reporting :- • A status report describes the present state of the project. • In general, a status report compares the project’s actual progress to the baseline plan. Progress reporting :- • A progress report tells us what the project team has accomplished. • This report may compare the activities or tasks that were completed to the activities or tasks outlined in the original project network. Forecast reporting :- • A forecast reporting focuses on predicting the future status or progress of the project. • For e.g. it may include an analysis that tells us when the project is most likely to finish & how much it will cost
Reporting performance & progress Information distribution :- • To complete the project communication plans, the project manager & team must determine how & when the required information will be provided to the various stakeholders. • Even though a variety of media exist, most communication will involve. Face-to-face meetings :- • Face-to-face meetings may range from informal conversations to more formal meetings & presentations. • The advantage of face-to-face meetings is that one can see other people expressions & body language. • On the other hand, face-to-face meetings require arranging schedules & additional costs if travel is involved.
Reporting performance & progress Telephone, Electronic mail, & other wireless devices. • Now a days, cellular phones, pagers & other wireless devices are common place, & have increased our mobility & accessibility. • Although these communication devices are not as personal as face-to-face meetings, they certainly make communication possible when people cannot be at the same place at the same time. • The communications plan should also include electronic means for the project team & other stakeholders to communicate.
Reporting performance & progress Collaborative Technology :- • There are a variety of information technology tools to support communication & collaboration. • For e.g. A project team could use internet or web based technologies to develop an internet, intranet, or extranet application. • The difference between Internet, Intranet, or Extranet really depends on who has access to the information stored on the server. • For e.g. Internet application would be available to any who access to www. An intranet, on the other hand, may be developed using the same technology, but access is limited to the project team by means of passwords or firewalls. • An extranet may include others outside the immediate project team or organization, such as the project, sponsor or client.
Reporting performance & progress • The network diagram view in fig. below highlights the project’s critical path
Reporting performance & progress • One of the most useful tools for scheduling & planning a project is a simple calendar. Fig. below illustrates a calendar view of the project.
Reporting performance & progress • Fig. below shows how resources can be assigned to specific tasks on a project.