Understanding a Project Management Plan Schedule
A project schedule integrates:
Time
Activities
Dependencies
Resources
Control mechanisms
It ensures the project is delivered on time, within scope, and with proper
coordination.
The schedule is one of the core components of project management, helping track
progress and predict delays. The following slides break down the required
competencies.
Applying Critical Path Methods (CPM)
Critical Path Method involves:
Identifying all project activities
Determining dependencies (what must come before what)
Estimating activity durations
Calculating the longest path through the project
Identifying activities with zero float/slack
Purpose of CPM:
Predict project duration
Identify tasks that cannot be delayed
Focus management effort on critical tasks
Critical Path shows the activities that directly affect the project’s end date. Any
delay in a critical activity delays the entire project.
Calculate Schedule Variance (SV)
Formula:
Schedule Variance (SV) = Earned Value (EV) – Planned Value (PV)
Interpretation:
SV = 0 → On schedule
SV > 0 → Ahead of schedule
SV < 0 → Behind schedule
Example:
If EV = $50,000 and PV = $60,000 →
SV = –$10,000 (behind schedule)
Schedule variance is essential for performance tracking. It uses Earned Value
Management (EVM) to measure schedule health. Negative SV indicates the project
is slipping.
Explain Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
WBS Definition:
A hierarchical decomposition of the project into smaller, manageable components.
Purpose of WBS:
Organizes all project work
Clarifies scope
Supports accurate estimation
Forms the basis for scheduling & budgeting
Levels of WBS:
1. Project
2. Major Deliverables
3. Sub-deliverables
4. Work Packages (lowest level)
The WBS is one of the most important documents in project management. It
visually maps the entire project, making planning and control much easier.
Explain Work Packages
Work Package Characteristics:
Lowest level of WBS
Contains clearly defined tasks
Assigned to a specific team/individual
Includes cost, time, and resource estimates
Provides measurable deliverables
Purpose:
Facilitate tracking
Improve accountability
Enable accurate scheduling and budgeting
Work packages break deliverables into manageable chunks. Each work package is
small enough to estimate but large enough to monitor meaningfully.
Apply a Quality Management Plan
Quality Management Plan Includes:
Quality Standards: What level of quality is required
Quality Assurance: Processes ensuring the standards are followed
Quality Control: Inspections and tests checking deliverables
Typical Activities:
Defining acceptance criteria
Creating checklists
Conducting audits
Performing root cause analysis
Quality plans ensure the project meets stakeholder expectations. The PM ensures
both compliance (QA) and correctness (QC).
Apply an Integration Management Plan
Integration Management ensures all components of the project work together.
Key Activities:
Develop project charter
Create and manage the project management plan
Direct and manage project work
Manage changes (Change Control Board)
Monitor and control overall performance
Close the project formally
Purpose:
Avoid siloed planning
Ensure consistent alignment across scope, schedule, cost, risk, quality,
procurement, and resources
Integration Management is the “glue” of the project. The PM ensures coordination
between all knowledge areas and that updates ripple through the entire plan.