AUD 1301

MODULE 3: PROJECT
MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
• Provide an overview of the most common project management
techniques
• Explain the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Explain the Gantt Chart and Milestone technique and discuss its
application to sample projects
• Explain the Network Analysis technique and discuss its application
to sample projects
• Discuss the Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Discuss the Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)
• Discuss and understand the differences between the two (2)
methods under Network Analysis technique

Learning Objectives
project management techniques

Unknown variables

PROCEDURES HELPS!

Project management techniques

are your procedure. They are your
roadmap.

•PROJECT MGT TECHNIQUES

WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Breaks the project into its parts (smaller and more

manageable pieces)
• A holistic view of all of the components within the
entire projects (tasks and sub-tasks)
• According to PMBOK, work decomposition needs to
be done “to accomplish the process objectives and
create the required deliverables
• All work within the WBS needs to be properly
identified, estimated, budgeted, and scheduled

A WBS transforms big project activities into chunks of

manageable tasks you and your team can easily understand
and complete.

Decomposing task and sub-task into work packages (lowest levels in the WBS)
 WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)

Who should use WBS?

WBS can be used as a project management technique, but it can also be a tool, regardless of
the technique you end up choosing. It will help you understand all the tasks and resources that
go into producing the final deliverable.

How to get started?

Start from the final deliverable defined by the project, and then define the tasks you and your
team will need to complete in order to finalize the project.
Divide the tasks into work packages. Stop only when you’re sure that you can’t break down the
lowest-level work packages into smaller chunks of work.
WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)
WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)
 GANTT CHART

• A Gantt chart is a bar chart that shows the tasks of a project, when each task must take
place, and how long each task will take to complete. As the project progresses, the
chart's bars are shaded to show which tasks have been completed.

• Also called milestones chart, project bar chart, activity chart.

- Visual representation of all the tasks the team has to complete in order to wrap up the
project, visualized together with time spans.
- Shows task dependencies, how long each task will take, as well as how its duration will
affect the start dates and deadlines.
- Tasks can be assigned to individual members and notifications can be automated
to ensure everyone on the team is on the same page and aware of upcoming deadlines.
 GANTT CHART

Who should use Gantt charts?

While you can use Gantt charts as a standalone project management

technique, you can also use them as an organizational tool, regardless of your
chosen method.

How to get started?

The majority of project management tools offer Gantt chart views, so all you
have to do is enter the data, and you’ll get a visualization immediately. It’s good
to have a Work Breakdown Structure prior to that, so you can accurately define
tasks you’ll add to your Gantt chart.
GANTT Chart
GANTT Chart
 NETWORK ANALYSIS

Network Analysis is a technique that is adopted in planning and controlling of unique and complex
projects.
- It is a system of planning project outline by analyzing different activities associated with it. In
network analysis, complex projects are broken down into smaller activities or tasks, which are
then organized according to a sequence.
- Then, the order of tasks/activities is also decided according to a logical sequence.

In the process, a network diagram is also prepared whereby all project activities are represented
visually. The diagram depicts the cost of various activities and establishes a relationship between
various tasks.

The process is helpful in different phases of project management from planning, controlling and
coordinating to decision-making. It ensures that the project is successfully completed economically
and much before the time while exploiting minimum resources. Hence, network analysis reduces
operational cost, total time, wastage of resources and conflicts in projects.
 NETWORK ANALYSIS - CPM

• The Critical Path Method is a scheduling algorithm for identifying critical tasks within the
longest sequence of tasks in a project — these tasks are crucial for beating the project
deadline and as such demand the team’s sharpest focus.

• Basically, the CPM is designed to calculate the shortest route to the

completion of the project and then identify the placement of tasks.

What is the Critical Path Method (CPM) best for?

• Projects with several interdependent tasks

• Projects with repetitive tasks
• Projects that have strict deadlines and timelines (e.g. software
development or construction projects)
 NETWORK ANALYSIS - CPM

How to use the Critical Path Method (CPM)?

Here is a step-by-step guide that you need to follow to find your project’s critical path:
1. First, you identify and categorize all project tasks
2. Next, you define the expected duration for each task
3. Then, define the dependencies between tasks
4. After that, determine the type of dependencies between tasks:
• You need to work on Task 1 and Task 2 simultaneously
• You need to finish Task 1 before you can start working on Task 2
• You need to start working on Task 1 to start working on Task 2
• You need to finish work on Task 1 to finish work on Task 2
5. Last, schedule and work on your tasks in the order dictated by their task dependencies type
CRITICAL PATH METHOD
 PROJECT EVALUATION AND REVIEW
TECHNIQUE (PERT)
• The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) in project management
entails visual tracking of complex, detailedly planned projects in specialized
PERT charts.

• The emphasis of this technique is on constant task analysis, estimating the time
and budget needed to successfully finish a project.

• Aids in scheduling and working out time estimates for the project.

• Allow the input of the optimistic time of competition, the pessimistic time of
completion, and the most likely time of completion, improving the overall accuracy
of the timeline of all tasks.
 PERT
How to use the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)?

To create a PERT chart, follow these steps (you can use software or draw it yourself):

1. Make a thorough list of your project’s activities, tasks, or milestones (you need to identify all the tasks
that you need to complete to achieve milestones i.e. deliverables)
2. Now that you have a list of the tasks and milestones needed to complete the project, carefully create a
sequence of tasks — which tasks go first — based on their dependencies.
3. This is a pivotal step since here you need to make time estimates for your tasks such as the earliest
start and finish date/time, and the amount of time needed to complete each task within a project.
4. Identify your project’s critical path which covers the most important (not all) steps to help you estimate
the minimum amount of time required to complete the project.
5. Just because you made this chart doesn’t mean you need to strictly follow it. Project management is
all about altering and effectively adapting to changes.

What is the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) best for?

• Complex projects with a large number of non-routine tasks

• Large projects with complex requirements
GANTT CHART
 REFERENCES
https://clockify.me/blog/productivity/project-management-techniques/

https://www.projectcentral.com/blog/project-management-techniques/

https://blog.mitsde.com/network-analysis-in-project-management/