Project Schedule

Schedule is a time management tool that identifies tasks, events, or actions for an entire time frame with a scale and sequences of activities. The Schedule is a list of planned activities to be done showing the times or dates that is estimated by other information included resources, budgets, activities duration, and linkages of dependencies, etc.

Project Schedule is a time, cost and resource control and management tool that identifies activities for entire project with time scales, required budget and resources, and relations with dependencies. The Project Schedule is a plan for completion of a project, list of planned activities to be done within allowed time frame, usually with intended start and finish dates that serves as a tool to assist project management in achieving project goals through efficient use of available resources.

Control is a method or mechanism used as a standard rule or procedure that is to guide, check, verify or audit the operation of actions or behaviour.

Project Controls are a work process of the developing plans, measuring the actual performances, and creating reports for the project schedule, cost, and resources by data the gathering, status analysing, comparing actual performance with planned, and communicating with project teams to support a right and effective decision making. The Project Controls are needed a forecasting ability, developing corrective action plan, and proceeding change management process.

Schedule Control and Management is a work process to control and manage the timely completion of the project including develop various schedules; measure the progresses, analyse and generate reports; support trouble shooting; forecast completion dates; etc., that ensures the efficient operation of the project resources to meet the project target date.

Type of Schedule in development techniques is a Milestone Schedule; Bar Chart or Gantt Chart; PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique: to determine the time required to complete each element in terms of pessimistic, optimistic, and best guess estimates); Network or CPM (Critical Path Method), and Detailed Report Schedule (e.g., document issue schedule (deliverables), material delivery schedule, construction heavy equipment mobilisation schedule. etc.).

Level of Schedules are a Project Master Schedule (Level 1), Project Summary Schedule (Level 2), Control Level Schedule (Level 3), Detailed Network Schedule (Level 4), and Reports Schedule (Level 5). The Master or Project Summary Schedule is one of the contract documents, and the Control Level Schedule is a project baseline document.

Scheduling is the development of the schedule by evaluation activities of starting and finishing plan with each activity's duration, predecessor and successor activities, activity relationships (Schedule Logic), required resources, and target completion date. The Resource availability and cost usually are the critical considerations.

Bar Chart is a graphical representation of frequencies or magnitudes by the rectangles drawn with lengths proportional to the frequencies or magnitudes concerned or to compare the number of different things or groups. Bar Chart Schedule is a simple schedule and shows a graphic presentation of work activities by a time scaled bar line.

Critical Path Method (CPM) is a popular network schedule management and control tool that shows activity sequences (predecessor and successor) and relationships (finish to start, finish to finish, start to start, start to finish) of all activities. The longest path resulting from complete works or tasks is called the critical path. A CPM is a supporting tool for developing the shortest duration to complete the project and the best way considering all factors such as resource mobilisation to complete the project. A CPM was developed in the late 1950s by Morgan R. Walker of DuPont and James E. Kelley, Jr. of Remington Rand. A commonly used tool for CPM scheduling is the Primavera software.

Fast Track is the quickest way to complete a job or project by performing activities in parallel, but overlapping tasks in this way often increases risk that is a project execution strategy, start the procurement and/or construction work before the engineering work is finished. To develop the Fast Track Schedule by changing sequential activities to parallel activities (e.g., finish to start and start to start relationship with negative legs). (Refer to the Crashing)

Front End Schedule provides information of the project overall schedule that shows the starting and ending date, usually a bar chart schedule. The Front End Schedule is used for the status reporting and permits documentation.

Gantt Chart is one of the schedule control and management tools that shows bar charts with activities and time scale. The Gantt Chart schedule was invented in 1917 by the US engineer, Henry Gantt.

Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT) is a network analysis technique used in project management that allows probabilistic treatment both network logic and estimation of activity duration. A GERT is the most popular and accessible description of the method for the poorly defined and highly probabilistic R&D projects, where there can be many alternative paths and loops. A GERT technique was first described in 1966 by Dr. Alan B. Pritsker of Purdue University and WW Happ.

Look Ahead Schedule (or Window Schedule) is shown the present, previous and future time periods on one window. There is 3 weeks for a weekly Look Ahead Schedule and 3 months for a monthly Look Ahead Schedule.

Network Schedule (Scheduling) is a graphical display of logical order of activities and a method of scheduling work process where various related events are programmed into a sequential network on the basis of starting and finishing dates. The Network Schedule shows the project critical path (sequential activities have zero float). (Also, called as the CPM (Critical Path Method) Schedule)

Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) is one of the schedule control and management tools for the planning and evaluating progress of complex projects. A PERT shows graphical relations among activities, and time scale of each activity, and required total duration of the project that is to determine the time required to complete each element in terms of pessimistic, optimistic, and best guess estimates. A PERT was developed by US Navy in the 1950s.

Resource Loaded Schedule is a project schedule with the allocation resources (e.g., staffs, labours, cost, equipment, and materials, etc.) which are needed to complete the activities and project as per the schedule that explains how project resources are supposed to be consumed throughout scheduled project duration and whether allocation rules appear to be effective to ensure appropriate resource allocation. Resource Loaded Schedule is typically assigned a percentage of some project resources that is adjusted each resource assignments accordingly, and assigned additional project percentages until the resources are reached 100%.

Master Schedule (or Level 1 Schedule; Management Level Schedule; Major Milestone Schedule; Top Management Report Schedule) is a simplest detailed project schedule that shows and highlights major project activities and milestones on an entire project calendar, and usually developed on the one page and used a bar chart or Gantt chart technique.

Project Summary Schedule (or Level 2 Schedule) is a high level integrated project schedule for the entire project time frame that is used for high level internal and external management reporting by summarising to the management summary schedule (Master Schedule (Level 1 Schedule). The Project Summary Schedule shows the project milestones of engineering, procurement, construction, and start-up activities by network logic, identifies critical path, key deliverables divided by units and system facilities includes key critical activities and units or systems. The Project Summary Schedule is developed, usually, as a summarisation of the Level 3 Project Schedule (Project Control Schedule).

Control Level Schedule (Level 3 Schedule or Network Schedule) is an actual project schedule control and management tool for a work level. The Project Control Level Schedule is integrated detailed EPC activities for the entire project scope of work based on a Critical Path Method (CPM) used a network scheduling technology with detailed input all major milestones, major elements of design and engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, and commissioning activities. The Project Control Level Schedule shows detail and individual work tasks and clearly defined works by discipline or responsibility. This is a first level of detailed schedule that a meaningful critical path management can be performed to monitor and manage the overall project work accurately, and usually basis of a look ahead or window schedules for the project schedule control and management.

Detailed Network Schedule (Level 4 Schedule or Execution Schedule or Construction Detailed Schedule) is a detailed and discipline-wide working level network schedule that is the critical path method (CPM) management schedule displaying all detailed activities to be accomplished by the project workforce. The Detailed Network Schedule can be expanded of the Project Control Level (Level 3) Schedule. Sometime, the Detailed Network Schedule is developed by a construction subcontractor based on the Project Control Level (Level 3) Schedule.

Detailed Report Schedule (Level 5 Schedule) is a detailed report format schedule, covers detailed activities with work steps with dates (planned, forecast and actual date), normally used for the project documentation (plans, procedures, and reports, etc.), engineering deliverables, procurement items, and construction equipment election status, etc.

Activity is an identified individual task or work to be performed by a single or multi disciplines. The Activity in the network schedule is defined the start and finish dates, durations, and relations with other activities. The Activity is often subdivided into tasks.

Activity Dependence is a relation among series of work activities in the network schedule.

Actual Finish (AF) is a work actually ended on an activity which is the calendar date. An AF date must be prior to the time now date.

Actual Start (AS) is the work actually began on an activity which is the calendar date. An AS date must be prior to the time-now date.

AOA stands for Activity on Arrow. (Refer to the Arrow Diagram Analysis)

AON stands for Activity on Node. (Refer to the Arrow Diagram Analysis)

Arrow Diagram Analysis (or Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM)) is a network scheduling technique which the activity is represented by arrows. The arrow is connected by each Node (Predecessor or Former Activity; Base Activity; Successor or Follow Activity) that represents the start and the finish of the activity (Base), but the length of the arrow does not represent the expected duration of the activity. The Arrow Diagram Analysis shows the activities sequences in which the activities are to be performed in sequential order.

Branch Point is a node with two or more paths in an event tree or cause-consequence diagram in which the function may be discontinuous.

Constraint is 1) a specific limitation placed on the project schedule to regulate the start or finish dates of a task or activity. Any factor that affects when an activity can be scheduled. The Constraint can affect the start, completion, or duration of a scheduled activity. Schedule constraints are used to impose limits on the work items to prevent certain activities from being started too early or finished too late; 2) a degree of statistical dependence between or among variables that controls what to do by keeping within particular limits.

Crashing

Progress is 1) a moving forward that is an earned value or achieved performance; 2) development towards an improved or more advanced condition.

Measurement is a process of measuring that is used to discover or determine a value.

Progress Measurementation is a regular measurement of the performance or achievement which generates reliable data on the effectiveness and efficiency of programmes. The Progress Measurementation system is using the weight value (or weight factor) for the project phases and disciplines. The Progress can be calculated differently depending on the aspects of project cost, schedule, resource, or integration of cost, schedule, and resource such as work volume quantities, activity durations, budgeted cost, resource effort hours including labour hours and so on. There are many factors to account for accurate progress measurementation such as a type of measurement, accuracy of the input data, frequency of the collect and record, and change management, etc.

Construction Progress is the status of a construction project at a particular point in time that involves assessing and tracking the completion of various tasks, milestones, or phases within the project to determine how much work has been accomplished compared to the overall project timeline or schedule. A Construction Progress Report informs management of the overall field construction progress (physical percent complete), costs, performance, and manpower to a specific reporting cut-off date as well as major accomplishments, areas of concern, and other pertinent information necessary for proper management and control.

Actual Progress (AP) is the actual earned value that is the achieved performance or gained value with actual consumed resources. The Actual Progress is calculated based on an agreed upon the progress measurementation method or procedure.

Planned Progress is an original or initial plan, or baseline progress calculated based on an agreed and approved the project baseline schedule and progress measurementation method or procedure.

Progress Payment is one of the payment methods that is based on the percentage of the contract prices rather than providing a single lump sum. The detailed Progress Payment method is defined in the contract, and can be made at different stages. (e.g., based on planned progress, actual progress, or milestone achievement payment, etc.) Typically, payments are made periodically, a monthly basis with agreed the certain percentage of contract prices or agreed fixed amounts.

Progress Reporting is a development of the project progress reports that is the analysis, calculation, and evaluation of the actual physical progresses of a project comparing with the plan based on agreed the progress measurementation procedures.

Activity Classification is a set of categories and related definitions that is a logical framework allowing users to examine and use to the accomplishment of objectives.

Activity Delay is the period of time that requires additional time for the activity to complete.

Activity Plan (AP) is a detailed plan developed for each Individual activities performed by a discipline on a project that can be defined as a sequence of step activities. An AP provides a reference for the procedure to be followed in performing the activity including strategies for how to achieve goals and objectives of the Individual activity, and to provide the verification method to be used in the activity. (Refer to the Work Instruction)

Activity Priority is the arrangement items or activities to provide an ordering for activities.

Activity Splitting is a resource allocation planning process that splits an activity into segments with re-allocated resources.

Allocate is to distribute resources to the activities, tasks or works.

As of Date means timenow date or date when data is applied.

Backward

Primavera is a powerful network scheduling program that is the project portfolio management system, launched in 1983 by Primavera Systems Inc., and was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2008. Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management is the most powerful, robust, and easy-to-use solution for globally prioritizing, planning, managing, and executing projects, programs, and portfolios in asset-intensive industries.

Project Scheduling Software is a simple solution for scheduling work developed by PROJECTMANAGER that provide Create detailed project plans; View all upcoming work on task lists and calendars; Finish projects on time & under budget. (Refer to the ProjectManager.com)