Lecture 7: Advanced Project Scheduling Techniques

Introduction to Advanced Scheduling Techniques

• Definition of scheduling in project management
• Purpose of advanced scheduling techniques
• Critical Path Method (CPM): an overview
• Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT): an overview
• Common objectives: efficiency and delay minimization

Key terms: Dependency

Understanding the Foundations of CPM

• Definition: Identifies longest path through dependent tasks
• Focuses on critical and non-critical activities
• Uses deterministic time estimates for planning
• Algorithm steps involve breaking down tasks, sequencing, and duration assignment
• CPM outputs include critical path, earliest start/finish times

Key terms: Critical Path, Float

Introducing Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)

• Definition: Probabilistic scheduling method
• Incorporates time uncertainty and estimation
• Used for complex projects with uncertain tasks
• Three time estimates: Optimistic, Pessimistic, and Most Likely
• Outputs include expected task times and potential project duration

Key terms: Expected Time

Applications and Benefits of Advanced Scheduling Techniques

• Optimize workflow and resource allocation
• Enhance project visibility and accountability
• Improve risk management through contingency planning
• Enable predictive insights for complex dependencies
• Revolutionized industries: construction, IT, aerospace

Key terms: Contingency Planning

Step-by-Step Critical Path Method (CPM) Analysis

• Identify all project activities and their dependencies
• Determine durations for each activity
• Construct an activity network diagram
• Calculate the earliest and latest start and finish times
• Identify the critical path in the network

Key terms: Critical Path

Advanced Applications of PERT in Uncertain Environments

• Estimates include optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely durations
• Allows incorporation of uncertainty into project scheduling
• Calculates expected task time using weighted average formula
• Analyzes variability in project timelines using standard deviation
• Generates confidence intervals for project completion

Key terms: Expected Time (TE)

Optimizing Schedules: Crashing and Fast Tracking Techniques

• Crashing focuses on reducing activity durations via additional resources
• Fast tracking overlaps dependent activities to save time
• Trade-offs between time and cost must be carefully analyzed
• Requires recalculating critical path post-schedule compression
• Crashing is applicable to tasks on the critical path only

Key terms: Fast Tracking

Using Software Tools for CPM and PERT Optimization

• Project management software integrates CPM and PERT analysis
• Automates critical path identification and float calculations
• Visual tools enhance clarity of task dependencies
• Provides risk prediction and timeline variability analytics
• Improves scenario testing through real-time adjustment simulations

Key terms: Scenario Testing

How Task Dependencies Impact Project Scheduling

• Task dependencies define relationships between activities
• Four types of dependencies: FS, SS, FF, SF
• Critical path influenced heavily by dependencies
• Lead time and lag time modify dependency relationships
• Understanding dependencies helps prevent bottlenecks

Key terms: Task Dependency, Lead Time, Lag Time

Probability in PERT: Optimistic, Pessimistic, and Expected Time

• PERT accounts for uncertainty with three time estimates
• Optimistic time (O) assumes best-case scenario
• Pessimistic time (P) includes worst-case scenario
• Most Likely time (M) reflects normal conditions
• Expected time (TE) calculated using weighted average formula

Key terms: Expected Time (TE)

Critical Path Method with Float: Free and Total Float Analysis

• CPM identifies paths with zero float as critical
• Float determines flexibility in scheduling non-critical tasks
• Free float is slack independent of successors
• Total float accounts for entire path flexibility
• Float measured in terms of day/time units

Key terms: Float, Backward Pass

Advanced Resource Allocation in CPM and PERT

• Resource management integrates directly with scheduling paths
• Over-allocation issues resolved using resource leveling
• Resource smoothing modifies demand curves
• Balancing resource demands ensures project flow
• Critical path heavily influences resource prioritization

Key terms: Resource Leveling, Resource Smoothing

References

• Kelley, J.E. and Walker, M.R. (1957) Critical Path Method: Resources allocation and project scheduling systems. Operations Research 5(5): 563-568.
• Malcolm, D.G., Roseboom, J.H., Clark, C.E. and Fazar, W. (1959) Application of PERT. Journal of the Operations Research Society of America 7(4): 487-505.
• Kelley, J.E. and Walker, M.R. (1957)
• Malcolm, D.G. et al. (1959)
• Lock, D. (2007) Project Management. 9th edn. Burlington: Gower Publishing.
• Kerzner, H. (2001) Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. 8th ed. Wiley.
• Klastorin, T. (2003) Project Management With PERT: A Statistical Approach. Academic Press.
• Lewis, J.P. (2007) Project Planning, Scheduling, and Control in Construction. Wiley.
• Haimes, Y.Y. (2004) Risk Modeling Assessment and Management. Wiley.
• PMI (2021) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide).
• Malcolm, D.G. et al. (1959) PERT system framework paper.
• Kelley, J.E., and Walker, M.R. (1959) Critical Path Method framework.
• Heerkens, G.R. (2015) Project management resource strategies.
• Kroese, D.P., et al. (2014) Monte Carlo methods textbook.
• Lock, D. (2020) Project Management. 11th edn. London: Routledge.
• Moder, J.J., Phillips, C.R., Davis, E.W. (1983) Project Management with CPM, PERT and Precedence Diagramming. 3rd edn. Van Nostrand Reinhold.
• Hajdu, M. (2013) Network Scheduling Techniques for Concurrent Projects. Springer Science & Business Media.
• Kerzner, H. (2017) Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. 12th edn. John Wiley & Sons.
• Project Management Institute (2021) PMBOK Guide and Standards. 7th edn. Newtown Square: PMI.