In the realm of project management priorities, project scheduling makes the top of the list. With so many moving parts from specific tasks and resources required to project progress, project managers need a defined project scheduling process to make sure things go off without a hitch.
As your partners in project success, we’re going to cover great methods for creating a project schedule visually and how project management tools can help your teams execute project tasks faster.
What is project scheduling?
Scheduling is a part of project management that involves listing activities, milestones, and deliverables within a project.
While the steps of project scheduling will look a little different depending on the type of project and the scheduling method chosen, there are some common actions taken. The order may vary as well, but the following will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Step 1: Make a work breakdown structure or WBS— you can start with this Work Breakdown Structure template from monday.com.
Step 2: Estimate duration for each phase of the project.
Step 3: Determine resources required such as budget, technology, and teammates.
Step 4: Identify predecessors or tasks that must be completed before another can start.
Step 5: Determine project milestones that signify progress.
Step 6: Identify task dependencies that could impact deliverables and collaboration.
Get startedWhat is the purpose of project scheduling?
Without project scheduling, teams would seldom finish their projects on time and projects would constantly exceed their budgets.
Project scheduling can be as simple or complex as it needs to be. Most companies do some form of project scheduling, even if it’s penciling in project information on a calendar and coordinating with teams via email.
In contrast, other organizations use spreadsheets to manage their projects, but many have moved to cloud-based project management platforms and other project tracking tools that make it easier to manage with the help of visual planning solutions. But more on that later.
What are some project scheduling techniques?
There are several different project scheduling tools and techniques that project managers use. Before you get overwhelmed with words like Kanban boards and Scrum, consider this: the right technique for you depends on your timeline, your goals, and your task list.
Below are four popular scheduling techniques used by project managers: Critical Path Method, Program Evaluation and Review Technique, Fast-tracking and crashing, and Gantt charts.
1. Critical Path Method (CPM)
The Critical Path method is a commonly used construction scheduling method that helps managers predict the project schedule based on its tasks. To do this, you need to:
- List all of the assignments required to complete your project in a Work Breakdown Structure
- Estimate the duration of each task
- Identify your task dependencies and deliverables for your project
Once the project is mapped out, the next step is to identify the longest stretch of dependent tasks within the project. This stretch is known as the “critical path.” You’ll likely have other tasks outside of the critical path, too: those are tasks that can be delayed without stopping the project (they’re called “float tasks.”). The critical path is the collection of tasks that must be finished in order to complete the project.
2. Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
PERT is another construction scheduling method that project managers use to estimate the duration of a project. PERT charts offer a visual representation of the major activities (and dependencies) in a project. The activities are displayed sequentially (like a project roadmap) and the tasks are connected via an activity line on the chart.
This technique requires creating a visual timeline known as a PERT chart, which you can do by using a Work Breakdown Structure and then mapping out your project and dependencies in a Gantt chart.
3. Fast-tracking and crashing
Fast-tracking and crashing in project management are known as duration compression tactics. They’re used to shorten the schedule of your project, but should be used cautiously as they can lead to bigger problems.
Fast-tracking in project management is essentially multitasking. It requires you to find your project’s critical path, and work on those activities while simultaneously working on your float tasks. The danger of this approach is that teams are often rushing through work, which lends itself to greater human error and the need to spend time fixing those mistakes later.
Crashing in project management is dumping extra resources into a project to finish it quicker. This is usually done when a project is in danger of running past a deadline. Crashing could be adding extra members to a team or having your members work overtime until they meet their goals. This technique raises the cost of the project, the potential for team member burnout, and could diminish the quality of expected returns.
4. Gantt charts
Employed across all industries, Gantt charts offer a graphical representation of your project timeline from start to finish. Using a Gantt chart can increase workflow transparency by allowing you to observe who’s working on what so you know where everyone is at in relation to the project schedule.
That way, you can measure progress and planning timelines, identify bottlenecks, and manage resources easier and more effectively.
How do I ensure projects are on schedule?
To ensure projects are on schedule, first and foremost we recommend that you move away from using Gantt charts in Excel for project scheduling. Spreadsheets are time-consuming and increase the chances of human error. Plus, they don’t act as a single source of truth because your teams and stakeholders could be using older versions of your project spreadsheet.
If you haven’t already, consider making the switch to a comprehensive work management platform like monday.com. Unlike other project management software that focuses exclusively on planning projects, monday.com is a Work OS. That means it’s able to accommodate all aspects of work within your projects in real-time, such as:
- Planning and scheduling projects
- Building teams
- Measuring team performance
- Sending status updates via email
Plus, it comes loaded with 200+ ready-to-go templates that let you plan projects in the blink of an eye. You can create Gantt charts and roll out a Work Breakdown Structure in seconds. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for you to customize templates to suit your unique needs and preferences, or update your project plan at a moment’s notice.
Try monday.com today to see just how easy it is to use for project scheduling and to ensure you’ve created a project workflow that will keep your team on track.
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