Project Scheduling &

the PMI-SP Credential

Christopher Talmont, PMP, PMI-SP

June 11, 2013

 About Me
• 8 years of experience as an instructor and consultant
of project scheduling software and best practices
• 5 years of experience developing / instructing PMP
preparation classes and other PM curriculum
• Strong interest in project management
methodologies & technology solutions.

Christopher Talmont, PMP, PMI-SP

Program Management Director,
Off Peak Training
 About Us
At Off Peak Training our goal is to have our clients pass the exam
the first time. Our mission is to ensure that they have the tools
they need to learn in a structured environment, with interactive
lessons, maximizing their learning potential in a minimal
amount of time – at their convenience.
• Local Virginia company specializing in project
management and IT security training.
• Serving the Washington DC / metro area.
• Registered Education Provider
 P M I - S P Va l u e
• Highlight subject matter expertise and
experience in project scheduling
• Increase marketability to existing and
potential clients and/or employers
(differentiator)
• Demonstrate commitment to professional
development and ongoing education
• Obtain PDU’s to maintain your PMP credential
 P M I - S P Va l u e
• Highlight subject matter expertise and
experience in project scheduling
• Increase marketability to existing and
potential clients and/or employers
(differentiator)
• Demonstrate commitment to professional
development and ongoing education
• Obtain PDU’s to maintain your PMP credential
 Exam Resources
• PMI-SP Credential Handbook – free
download and print
– Outlines the application requirements

• PMI-SP Examination Specification

($32 for PMI members)
– Outlines the knowledge and skills
needed by practitioners upon which
the exam has been designed
 Application / Exam

Domain Question Percentage

Schedule Mission Management 9%
Schedule Creation 23%
Schedule Maintenance 23%
Schedule Analysis 22%
Schedule Communication/Reporting 23%
 Study Material
• PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition ($50-
$65) – Free download and print

• The Practice Standard for

Scheduling ($38) or free download
for PMI members – no print

• Off Peak Training Course Guide

 Exam Change
Schedule

Credential Updated Exam

CAPM® July 1, 2013
PMP® July 31, 2013
PgMP® July 31, 2013
PMI-RMP® August 31, 2013
PMI-SP® August 31, 2013
 The Schedule
Model
• What is a project schedule? Is it the first
approved printout? Is it today’s hardcopy? Is
it the .msp file or other file type from our
scheduling tool?

• To better define the term ‘schedule’ the PMI

Practice Standard for Scheduling introduces
the Schedule Model
 The Schedule
Model

Defines the rules for that will be

used for project scheduling:
- Link Types
- Constraint Types
- Work Calendar requirements
- Effort / Duration based scheduling

Examples include:
- Critical Path Method
- Critical Chain
- Horse Blanket
- Butcher Paper
 The Schedule
Model

A scheduling tool must be selected

that follow the rules of the chosen
scheduling method. Tools can be
primitive such as a whiteboard or be
sophisticated software such as MS
Project, Primavera, or FastTrack
Schedule
 The Schedule
Model

Each Project has project specific

information:
- Activity Names
- Planned Activity Durations
- Logical Dependencies
- Resource Availability
- Assumptions & Constraints
- Project Start Date

- Project Actuals
 The Schedule
Model

The Schedule Model is a dynamic system that will change as the project
conditions evolve. As project actuals are entered, the model can recalculate
activity start and finish dates to help the project team conduct analysis and
forecasting.
 The Schedule
Model

Each Project Schedule instance

is unique and should be given a
version number or date / time
stamp
 Schedule Mission
• Development of the Project Management Plan
• Configuration Management Planning
• Establish Scheduling Methodology / Policy
• Train project team on project schedule model
• PM Software proficiency
 Schedule Creation
• Scope definition
• Work with SME to convert scope to activity
list
• Activity sequencing
• Estimate durations
• Resource assignments
• Resource leveling
• Baseline the schedule
 Schedule
Maintenance
• Establish reporting frequency
• Collect WPI (Work Performance Information)
• Update schedule with approved changes
• Maintain project history of schedule change
• Update resource pool information
• Update risk register
• Update schedule with project actuals
 Schedule Analysis
• Monitor and Control the schedule against the
baseline
• Analyze the schedule and issue change
requests
• Understand document storage and retrieval
standards
• Create parallel forecast schedule to analyze
feasibility of proposed changes
 Communication /
Reporting
• Create project schedules using the schedule
model / schedule tool
• Distribute standard reports in accordance with
the Communications Mgmt Plan
• Conduct schedule review meetings
 Key Concepts
• Schedule Model • Float
• PDM (Network • What-If Scenario
Diagrams) Analysis
• Leads / Lags • Gantt / Bar Charts
• Dependency Types
• EVM (SV & SPI)
• Critical Path
• Forecasting
• Critical Chain
• Resource Leveling • Schedule Compression
 Getting Started
• 30 hours of training in the domain of project
scheduling (additional 10 hours w/o bachelors
degree or equivalent). Includes time spent
learning project scheduling software.

• 3,500 hours of documented project scheduling

experience in the last 5 years (additional 1,500
hours w/o bachelors degree or equivalent).
 Exam
• Application processing takes 5 days
• A subset of applications are randomly audited
to verify experience and education
• 3.5 hours to answer 170 multiple-choice
questions
• $520 for PMI members ($670 for non-
members)
• Experience may overlap PMP application
 U p c o m i n g Tr a i n i n g
• Save 20% off our next PMI-SP training class (14 Contact Hours)
– PMI-SP – Thurs. / Fri. – June 20th and 21st (Reston, VA)
– PMI-SP – Thurs. / Fri. – September 5th and 6th (Reston, VA)
Offer valid for webinar attendees only

• Other Upcoming Off Peak Training Classes

– PMP – Bootcamps & Night / Weekend
– CISSP – Nights & Weekends
– PMI-RMP – 2 day Bootcamps and Weekends
– ITIL v3 Foundation –Bootcamps

• Education on Scheduling Tools

– Microsoft Project (training provided by office.microsoft.com)
– FastTrack Schedule (training provided by aecsoftware.com)
 Contact or Follow Us
• Contact:
[email protected]
866.661.2521
1818 Library Street, Suite 500 Reston VA
20190
Off Peak Training - About Us
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 Q / A

Thank you!

Questions?