Topic: Scheduling Scheduling:

A schedule is the conversion of the project action plan into an operating timetable The schedule are typically based on the WBS (work breakdown structure); as breaking down the job in to sub jobs followed by tasks. The basic approach of all scheduling techniques is to form a network of activity and event relationship that graphically portrays the sequential relations between the tasks in the project. Making network has following benefits for projects: 1. Consistent~ framework for (planning, monitoring, and controlling) 2. Illustrates~ interdependence of all (task, work packages and work elements) 3. Illustrates~ which task must be coordinated to avoid resource or timing conflicts 4. Illustrates~ which tasks (may be, must be run in parallel to achieve the predetermined project completion date) 5. Determine~ expected project completion date 6. Determine~ date on which (task may or must be started) 7. Identifies so-called critical activities (that cannot be delayed) 8. Identifies activities with slack (that can be delayed) 9. Provide proper communication

Networking techniques PERT and CPM

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique): Was strictly oriented to the time element of projects and used probabilistic activity time estimates to aid in determining the probability that a project could be completed by some given date. CPM (Critical Path Method): On the other hand, used deterministic activity time estimates and was designed to control both time and cost of the project, in particular, time/cost trade-offs. Here we considered PERT/CPM as Approximately same. Both techniques indentified a project s critical activities (the activities that cannot be delayed at any condition) and slack activities (that can be delayed without any loss.

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

Basic Terminologies: Activity: A specified task or set of tasks that are required by the project, use up resources and take time to complete. Event: The results of completing one or more activities. An identifiable end state occurring at a particular time, events use no resources. Network: The arrangement of all activities (and, in some cases, events) in a project arrayed in their logical sequence and represented by arcs and nodes. This arrangement defines predecessors and successor relationship
Predecessors: Past activities that have been completed previously. Successor: Future activities that have no yet being completed. Measured on a event An activity can be any of these conditions: p It may have successor but no predecessor p It may have predecessor but no successor p It may have both predecessor and successor

Path: The series of connected activities (or intermediate events) between any two events in a net work. Critical: Activities, events, or paths which, if delayed, will delay the completion of the project. A project s critical path is understood to mean that sequence of critical activities ( and critical events) that connects the project s start event to its finish event and which cannot be delayed without delaying the project.

The Act of Transforming Project Plan into a Network

There are basically two approaches that are used mostly to convert the project plan into hierarchical form diagram showing relationships and interdependencies of activities with activities. Before discussing those two approaches we should examine some basic rules/components of making project network. Rule for Making Project Net Work: 1. Activities are designed from left to right. 2. Initially start is represented which may have successors but have no predecessors. 3. In middle the process is continuous having both predecessor and successor. 4. In the last end of the activity is represented having predecessor but no successor.

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

Two Approaches are:  AON (activity on node)  AOA (activity on arrow) AON (activity on node)
As shown in figure 1.1: Example of AON

AOA (activity on arrow)

As shown in figure 1.2: Example of AOA

Solving the Network

In order to understand the concept of network we considered ten activities to elaborate network mapping, through this we make base of our concepts moving towards techniques uses in projects and learn how interestingly and effectively a PM control the overall activities in a project. Table 1: Showing Project Activity Time and Predecessors
Activity a b c d e f g h i j Optimistic time (a) 10 20 4 2 8 8 4 2 6 2 Most likely time (m) 22 20 10 14 8 14 4 12 16 8 Pessimistic time (b) 22 20 16 32 20 20 4 16 38 14 Immediate predecessor activities ------a b, c b, c b, c c g, h d, e

Note: all values are estimated

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

Explanation of activities: As starting from one side a, b and c has no predecessors (as starting point of the project is a, b, c) other d to j has their predecessors.
As In Figure 1.3: AON Net-Work from Table 1

Explanation of times: As shown in table 1 that two extremes are used, are taken by PM (project manager) as optimistic (time required by an activity 99% equals to a or greater than 99%) and pessimistic (time required by an activity 99% equals to b or 99% less) in between the most likely time exist, as project manager is estimating off and on having results off and on (it may due to past experience or some other related aspects). Note that some managers or workers may feel uncomfortable in making estimations with such level of precisions, on the way we do not deal with this problem Remember that these estimates are an expression of the risk associated with the time required for each activity.

Calculating Expected Activity Times

So from table 1 we can calculate our expected time in order to apply in project as formula given is; TE= (a+4m+b)/6 Don t confuse with the formula as why having 4 and 6 written in, it is just the weights given to the times estimates as here we use (1-4-1) weights 1+4+1=6 so as TE is an estimates of the mean of the distribution. a = Optimistic time estimates b = Pessimistic time estimates m = Most likely time estimates
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

Notes: Here we are using b-distribution in this project model

Reason: As a can be equals to m and b can also be equals to m and threes can also be same. As in e a=m and in a b=m and in g a=m=b respectively--- (m-a=b-m) ---So in order to solve this two extreme problem we use beta distribution due to its flexibility. As in figure 1.4: Distribution of All Possible Activity Times for an Activity

Table 2:
Expected Activity Times (TE), Variance ( ) and Standard Deviation ( )

Activity
a b c d e f g h i j

Expected Time(TE)
20 20 10 15 10 14 4 11 18 8

Variance ( )
4 0 4 25 4 4 0 5.4 28.5 4

Standard Deviation ( )
2 0 2 5 2 2 0 2.32 5.33 2

Assumption: Standard deviation= 1/6 of its range (b-a)/6

Formulas: Variance = ((b-a)/6)2 Standard deviation =

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

Determining Time
Taking TE (expected time) along with variance ( network. ) we can map out AON

As in figure1.5: The AON Network from Table 2 showing activity durations and variance

Time is expected and designated to every activity in project map but the question arises is how much time a project takes to complete, means in mapping the highest time taken by an Activity Path as shown in figure j taking 43 days followed by 20 + 15 + 8 so completion time=43 days.

Determining Critical Path

We know that critical activities are those activities that cannot be delayed at any cost. So as in determining time we find that the maximum value~ (in term of time) of an Activity Path in project is project completion time, it discriminates us to think that activity path cannot be delayed at any cost mean if we delay any activity along path then project completion data or time will be altered, so this path, we so designated as critical path as with the highest degree. A project may have more than one critical path with highest equal degree. Here we have only one critical path as it is a small project. Constructing:  We map the whole project activities from left to right in order to determine the highest time taking Activity Path  Two terminologies used ES (earliest start) and EF (earliest finish) written on the upper side of the nodes.

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

Explanation: From start the ES is on day 0 and EF will be the day an activity takes maximum time/ days to complete. Here we use the word maximum; mean if an activity has more than 2 predecessor than both predecessors should be necessarily completed within their highest range rather than lowest. As e has 2 two predecessors one take 20 other takes 10 days to complete, mean 20 days both activities will be completed. And so on. As in figure 1.5: Showing Network Mapping and Critical Path

Note: Critical Path Is With Bold Line

Determining slack activities

As previously defined that slack activities are those activities that can be delayed without delaying project completion date/days. Constructing:  We make slack, mapping from right to left, mean from end to start.  Two terminologies are used LS (latest start) and LF (latest finish) written on the lower side of the nodes. Explanation: As right to left taking end as a focus and solve activities deficiencies in order to find out Reserve time , we have for each activity. We start from end focusing its immediate predecessors. On end (ES=LS because of no reserve time as end is end) afterwards the following step will be applied gradually.
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan

1. LS(successor)-TE= LS predecessor 2. LS(predecessor)-ES= value difference 3. Value difference + EF= LF

Note: lowest value LS (successor) will be chosen as in case of more than one predecessor. And so on. We take lowest value because predecessor s successor s activity will start so as in case of c which having 4 successors and itself considering as a predecessor following to h on 14th day as compare to 21th, 29th, and 25th day of g , f , and e respectively as if we are late than 14th day the project completion will be late as only 4 days of slack. As in figure 1.6: Showing Critical And Slack Activities

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OKARA CAMPUS By: Muhammad Qaiser Ahsan