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About project schedule planning and management methods

   Mar 21, 2024     2 min read

This article discusses project schedule planning and management methods.

Tools and techniques such as Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), Critical Path Method (CPM), and Gantt Chart are used for effective project scheduling.

In this article, we will look at each concept and its characteristics.

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

PERT is a probabilistic methodology used for project scheduling and management.

Mainly applied to complex and non-linear projects.

PERT uses the following factors to plan and manage the project schedule:

  • Event: Represents a specific event or outcome that occurs in a project. For example, you might have events such as “System Design Completed” or “Coding Completed.”
  • Activity: Represents the unit of work performed in the project. Each activity is associated with a start and end event.
  • Time Estimation: Estimate the time required for each activity. PERT uses three time estimates: best time (the lower bound on the expected time), expected time (the average of the expected time), and worst time (the upper bound on the expected time).

PERT provides a probabilistic forecast of the project schedule based on these factors.

This helps project managers identify and prioritize risks.

CPM (Critical Path Method)

CPM is a simple yet powerful methodology used for project schedule planning and management.

CPM determines the minimum duration of a project by specifying the “Critical Path,” which is the longest path in the project.

CPM plans and manages project schedules in the following steps:

  • Activity Identification: Identify and record all activities performed in the project.
  • Precedence Relationship Definition: Defines the precedence relationship between each activity. This establishes a logical flow for the project.
  • Time Estimation: Estimate the time required for each activity. CPM typically uses one time estimate.
  • Create a network diagram: Create a network diagram based on activities and precedence relationships.
  • Critical Path Determination: Identify the project’s critical path through a network diagram. The critical path is the critical path that determines the minimum duration of the project.

CPM schedules projects around critical paths, allowing you to monitor project progress.

Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a tool that visually represents a project schedule.

A bar graph displays the activities included in the schedule and their start and end dates.

A Gantt chart includes the following elements:

  • Activity: Represents the unit of work performed in the project. Each activity is represented by a bar graph.
  • Time: Displays the start and end dates of each activity. This gives you a visual overview of your project schedule.
  • Milestone: Represents an important event or goal of a project. It is indicated by a special symbol that appears on the Gantt chart.

A Gantt chart is a tool that makes it easy to understand and manage your project schedule.

Through visual representation, you can understand the progress of the project and the relationships between tasks.

Conclusion

Project schedule planning is an important factor that determines the success and efficiency of a project. Knowing its characteristics can help you optimize it for the nature of the project.

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