Of course, there are tools that allow us to automate the process, but the tool is only as good as knowing who is using it. In general, project managers have the tool and method by which they can schedule a project. But there are also common mistakes, such as incorrect dependencies, excessive restrictions, an inadequate level of work decomposition structure, incorrect or too clear forecasts, redistributed resources, etc.
The most commonly used tool is MS Project (MSP). We will not cover this product from Microsoft - because the topic of the article is completely different. But it's worth mentioning that it can be used for both scheduling and resource planning.
Project managers differ only in the method they use. Next, we will give the required steps in the correct order.
Development of work decomposition structure
Most organizations have a hierarchical structure for breaking up work. Usually it looks like this: stage, stage, task / result / checkpoint. In this way, you can organize and define the overall scope of the project by decomposing the work into tasks that the project team can perform, and then provide the results of the implementation. Tasks, outcomes, or milestones are manageable and observable components that can be scheduled in a schedule, and the costs of implementing them can be calculated.
Establish dependencies
Dependencies are defined so that the work is done in the correct order. You should familiarize yourself with the types of dependencies between tasks provided below before you get down to business - incorrect dependencies affect the deadline of your schedule and create unnecessary restrictions:
- Mandatory (unchanging logic) - such dependencies are by their nature an integral part of the work performed. They often include physical limitations, for example, it is worth determining the set of test data before testing.
- Optional (flexible logic) - based on experience, desires or preferences, for example, the team decides that it is necessary to compile a manual for the software after the first cycle of testing, although this is not so necessary.
- External - based on the needs or desires of external parties to the project, for example, the server must be purchased before the configuration is made.
- A network diagram is used to display dependencies in a graphical format. MSP automatically creates a network diagram.
Work is the number of work units (often expressed in hours, days, or weeks) required to complete a scheduled job. Forecasting is equivalent to success. Duration is the total number of work periods (often expressed as days or weeks) required to complete a scheduled task. When forecasting, you should remember about the different types of tasks:
- Fixed Units (a standard in the MSP) – Allows a schedule to calculate the project completion time as soon as possible based on resource availability.
- Fixed duration - used in cases where the priority is set on the preservation of duration. To complete the work, you should allocate the resources necessary to meet the deadline (remember the phrase that the final deadline is known before planning begins).
Fixed Operation – Some project management systems, that are a level above MSP do not support this type due to the fact that their nature is driven by effort and they can create unpredictable results. So, I decided not to use them at all.
Here's how task types work:
| Task Type | Duration recalculation | Recalculation of work | Conversion of units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed units | The work is recalculated and the units are fixed. | The duration is recalculated and the units are fixed. | The duration is recalculated and the work is fixed. |
| Fixed duration | The work is recalculated and the duration is fixed. | The units are recalculated and the duration is fixed. | The work is recalculated and the units are fixed. |
Next, we should consider the limitations of the task. You should avoid using restrained and inflexible types. Incorrect restrictions increase the level of risk of the project and extend the timing:
- "As late as possible" (flexible; standard) - for projects planned based on deadlines. You should plan as late as possible to the start and end dates.
- "As early as possible" (flexible; standard) - for projects that are calculated from the start date. You should plan as early as possible start and end dates.
- "Complete no earlier than..." (restrained; avoid) - for projects planned from the start date. Indicates the earliest completion date for the job and cannot be completed before this date.
- "Complete no later than ... " (restrained; avoid) - for projects planned on the basis of the completion date. Indicates the latest date for the task to complete, and it cannot be completed later than that date.
- "The start is no earlier than..." (restrained; avoid) - for projects planned from the start date. Indicates the earliest start date of the task and the work cannot be started before the specified date.
- "The start is no later than ... " (restrained; avoid) - for projects planned on the basis of the completion date. Indicates the latest start date of the task, and work cannot be started after the specified date.
- "Must be completed in..." (not flexible; avoid) - indicates a specific date on the day of which you need to complete the task. Other scheduling options, such as dependencies, run time and latency, and resource usage, are secondary to this requirement.
- "We need to start in..." (not flexible; avoid) - indicates the exact date when the task should be started. Other scheduling options, such as dependencies, execution time and latency, and resource usage, are secondary to this requirement.
- Assign resources
- Resources (usually human) are assigned tasks, results, and checkpoints that need to be executed and followed. At the beginning of a project, when the specified resources are not yet known, roles are assigned that can later be replaced with names, for example, an Analyst is assigned a job during project planning, and then this role is replaced with the name John Doe when he is assigned as an analyst to run a job.
Assign resources
Resources (usually human) are assigned tasks, results, and checkpoints that need to be executed and followed. At the beginning of a project, when the specified resources are not yet known, roles are assigned that can later be replaced with names, for example, an Analyst is assigned a job during project planning, and then this role is replaced with the name John Doe when he is assigned as an analyst to run a job.
Resource Usage
Helps the constant allocation of resources in the project, protects against the redistribution of resources, helps the manager avoid delays caused by poor distribution, and also helps him to identify and get at his disposal unused time by analyzing dependencies. Microsoft Project can automatically allocate resources based on calendar, task type, dependencies, and constraints, but there is still no project manager who is happy with this solution. We recommend that you manually allocate resources through the Resource Usage window, but if you decide to use the automatic ability of the MSP, you should save a copy in advance. If you identify a conflict between resources (insufficient allocation or redistribution), you can:
- Postpone some tasks.
- Assign another resource.
- Change dependencies between tasks.
- Remove tasks.
- Add tasks (instead of using the task sharing functionality of an MSP that is not supported by many project management systems, such as Clarity).
Critical Path Definition
Helps the project manager identify tasks that should be under clear supervision. The critical path is the longest period in the network diagram and is the shortest path to completing the project. The goal of the planning process should be to identify the critical path of the project. The MSP counts the critical path automatically and uses the Gantt chart to display the tasks that are included in that path. You should remember that if the tasks in the critical path are completed earlier or later than the planned dates, then the path itself undergoes changes accordingly. There may also be more than one critical pathway, but this only increases the level of risk. If the critical path is too distant in the project completion date, there are several methods available to you to compress the schedule:
Acceleration - in this case, critical path tasks that were previously performed sequentially are performed in parallel. Often this increases the risk, and as a result, some kind of recycling may be required.
Reduction – Tasks in the critical path are assigned additional resources while maintaining scale. Almost always, the result will be an increase in costs.
As project managers, we often overlook a very important fact: the resource calendar affects the project schedule. Public holidays or vacations in the resource calendar turn working days into non-working days, and the MSP does not take this into account.
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