MODULE 5 : Activity Planning

Activity Planning in Project Management

Activity planning in project management involves breaking down a
project into smaller, manageable tasks, organizing them
systematically, and scheduling components to meet specific
objectives efficiently. The primary goal is to ensure the project is
completed quickly and cost-effectively. Below are the detailed
components and objectives of activity planning:

Objectives of Activity Planning in Project Management

1. Systematic Task Breakdown: Divide the project into smaller,
manageable tasks to improve focus and simplify execution.
2. Clear Goal Setting: Define specific, measurable objectives for
each task to ensure alignment with overall project aims.
3. Time Management: Plan and schedule tasks to ensure timely
completion of the project, avoiding unnecessary delays.
4. Cost Efficiency: Optimize resource usage to minimize costs
while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines.
5. Feasibility Analysis: Assess the practicality and viability of the
project before implementation to avoid potential risks and
failures.
6. Resource Optimization: Allocate resources such as manpower,
materials, and budget effectively to maximize efficiency.
7. Improved Coordination: Enhance collaboration among project
teams through clear communication and synchronized
workflows.
8. Employee Motivation: Set achievable goals and track progress
to keep the team motivated and engaged.
9. Risk Management: Identify potential risks early and implement
strategies to mitigate their impact.
10. Comprehensive Documentation: Maintain thorough
records of decisions, changes, and lessons learned for improved
accountability and future reference.
When to Plan Activity Planning in Project Management
1. During the Initial Project Planning Phase
o Establish the project’s scope and objectives.
o Break down high-level goals into smaller tasks.
o Define the sequence and dependencies of activities.
o Create a preliminary timeline for execution.
2. After Feasibility Analysis
o Confirm the project is practical and achievable.
o Identify potential risks and challenges.
o Review the technical, economic, and operational aspects.
o Decide if the project should move to the planning stage.
3. Before Resource Allocation
o Identify the resources required for each task.
o Evaluate resource availability and constraints.
o Plan for efficient utilization of manpower and materials.
o Ensure alignment with the project schedule.
4. When Defining Project Milestones
o Set key milestones to track project progress.
o Assign deadlines to specific activities.
o Organize tasks around critical deliverables.
o Link milestones to project objectives.
5. While Preparing the Budget
o Estimate costs for labor, materials, and tools.
o Map costs to project phases or activities.
 o Account for contingencies in the budget.
o Align financial resources with the activity plan.
6. When Identifying Risks
o Assess potential risks that may affect activities.
o Develop contingency plans for high-risk areas.
o Include buffer time for unexpected delays.
o Address dependencies that may create bottlenecks.
7. During Team Formation
o Assign roles based on team members’ skills.
o Balance workload across the team.
o Communicate responsibilities clearly.
o Ensure team members are aligned with the activity plan.
8. After Stakeholder Approval
o Incorporate feedback from stakeholders.
o Update plans to reflect agreed-upon objectives.
o Clarify any ambiguities in project requirements.
o Finalize the activity plan for execution.
9. At Project Transition Points
o Reassess plans during phase completions.
o Adjust activities based on new requirements.
o Evaluate progress to refine subsequent steps.
o Prepare for the next project phase with updated tasks.
10. During Continuous Monitoring and Control
 Track real-time progress against the plan.
 Identify deviations from the original schedule.
 Revise activities to address unexpected challenges.
 Ensure alignment with project goals throughout execution.
Project Schedules
A project schedule is a timeline that outlines the start and finish
dates of tasks and activities within a project. It serves as a roadmap
for project execution and helps ensure that the project progresses
according to plan.
Key Elements of Project Schedules:
1. Task List:
 A comprehensive list of all tasks required to complete the
project.
2. Task Dependencies:
 Relationships between tasks that dictate the order in
which they must be completed.
3. Milestones:
 Significant points or events in the project timeline, such as
the completion of major deliverables or phases.
4. Start and End Dates:
 Specific dates for the initiation and completion of each
task.
5. Duration:
 The estimated time required to complete each task.
6. Resource Allocation:
 Information on the resources assigned to each task,
including personnel, equipment, and materials.
7. Critical Path:
 The sequence of tasks that determines the project’s
overall duration.
 8. Gantt Charts:
 Visual representations of the project schedule, showing
task durations, dependencies, and milestones.
Techniques for Creating Project Schedules:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
 A hierarchical decomposition of the project into smaller,
manageable components or tasks.
2. Critical Path Method (CPM):
 A technique used to identify the sequence of critical tasks
that determine the project’s duration.
3. Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT):
 A method for estimating task durations using optimistic,
pessimistic, and most likely time estimates.
4. Gantt Charts:
 Bar charts that visualize the project schedule, showing the
start and end dates of tasks along with their durations
and dependencies.
Sequencing and Scheduling Activities in a Software Project
Sequencing and scheduling activities in a software project involve
logically organizing and timing tasks to ensure smooth execution and
efficient resource use.

1. Define Project Tasks

 Identify all tasks required to complete the software project.
 Example: For an e-commerce website, tasks include
requirement gathering, designing the user interface (UI),
database design, coding, testing, and deployment.

2. Determine Task Dependencies

 Establish the order in which tasks must be completed based on
their dependencies.
 Example: Database design must be completed before coding
the backend, as the backend relies on database schema.

3. Identify Critical Tasks

 Pinpoint tasks that directly impact the timeline, known as the
critical path.
 Example: Critical tasks for the e-commerce website include
database design, backend coding, and integration testing, as
delays in these will affect overall delivery.

4. Use Network Diagrams for Sequencing

 Visualize task dependencies and relationships using diagrams
like PERT or CPM.
  Example: A PERT chart for the e-commerce project might show
that frontend development can start while database design is
underway but testing cannot begin until coding is complete.

5. Estimate Task Durations

 Assign realistic time estimates for each task based on
experience or data.
 Example: UI design is estimated to take 2 weeks, database
design 3 weeks, and coding 4 weeks.

6. Develop the Project Schedule

 Organize tasks into a timeline to reflect their durations and
dependencies.
 Example: A Gantt chart is created showing UI design starting on
Day 1, database design overlapping from Day 7, and backend
coding starting on Day 21 after database completion.

7. Allocate Resources
 Assign team members, tools, and other resources to each
scheduled task.
 Example: A designer is assigned to UI design, a database
administrator (DBA) to database design, and developers to
coding tasks.

8. Identify and Manage Slack or Float

 Calculate the slack time for non-critical tasks to understand
scheduling flexibility.
  Example: Content creation for the website can start later in the
schedule with a float of 5 days, as it does not impact the testing
or deployment timeline.

9. Monitor and Adjust the Schedule

 Track progress and make adjustments as needed for delays or
changes.
 Example: If backend coding takes an extra week due to
unforeseen complexity, adjust the testing start date
accordingly.

10. Use Scheduling Tools for Efficiency

 Employ project management tools to simplify scheduling and
tracking.
 Example: Tools like Jira or MS Project are used to update task
statuses, assign resources dynamically, and visualize progress in
real-time.

Example: E-commerce Website Development

1. Define Tasks: Requirements gathering, UI design, database
design, backend and frontend development, integration
testing, and deployment.
2. Determine Dependencies: Backend development depends on
database design; integration testing depends on both frontend
and backend completion.
3. Critical Tasks: UI design, backend coding, and testing form the
critical path.
 4. Network Diagram: A CPM diagram shows UI and database
design running concurrently but backend coding beginning only
after the database is ready.
5. Task Durations: UI design (2 weeks), database design (3
weeks), backend coding (4 weeks), integration testing (2
weeks).
6. Schedule: A Gantt chart reflects dependencies and task
timelines, ensuring testing starts as soon as coding finishes.
7. Resource Allocation: Assign designers, DBAs, and developers to
tasks based on expertise and availability.
8. Slack: Content creation tasks, with 5 days of float, can be
delayed without affecting deployment.
9. Monitor Progress: Weekly updates are used to track task
completion and adjust for any coding delays.
10. Scheduling Tools: Jira is used to assign tasks, track
progress, and ensure team collaboration throughout the
project lifecycle.
This structured sequencing and scheduling ensure the timely and
cost-effective completion of the e-commerce project while
maintaining quality and team efficiency.
Network planning model :

The Network Planning Model in software engineering is a project

management technique used to plan, schedule, and monitor tasks in
a project. It is commonly employed in methodologies like Critical
Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation Review Technique
(PERT). Two primary representations of network planning are
Activity on Arrow (AOA) and Activity on Node (AON) diagrams.

1. Activity on Arrow (AOA)

 In AOA, activities are represented by arrows, and the nodes
represent events or milestones.
 Arrows indicate tasks or activities and show dependencies
(precedence relationships).
 Nodes (circles or ellipses) mark the start or completion of one
or more activities.
Key Features:
1. Nodes indicate events like the start or end of activities.
2. Arrows show the flow of activities.
3. Dummy activities (dashed arrows) may be introduced to
maintain logical relationships.
4. Often used in CPM and PERT.
Advantages:
 Simple representation of activity dependencies.
 Highlights the sequence of tasks clearly.
Limitations:
  Adding dummy activities can complicate the diagram.
 Less intuitive when compared to AON.

2. Activity on Node (AON)

 In AON, activities are represented by nodes (boxes or
rectangles), and the arrows show the relationships
(dependencies) between activities.
 It is also known as the Precedence Diagramming Method
(PDM).
Key Features:
1. Nodes represent the tasks or activities.
2. Arrows indicate dependencies (finish-to-start, start-to-start,
finish-to-finish, etc.).
3. No dummy activities are required.
Advantages:
 Easier to understand and visualize dependencies.
 More flexible in representing complex relationships (e.g., start-
to-start dependencies).
Limitations:
 May become cluttered for large projects with many activities.
Steps in Network Planning (Common for AOA and AON)
1. List Activities: Identify all tasks in the project.
2. Define Dependencies: Establish the order and dependencies of
activities.
3. Draw the Diagram:
o For AOA, use arrows for activities and nodes for events.
o For AON, use nodes for activities and arrows for
dependencies.
4. Estimate Duration: Assign time estimates to each activity.
5. Determine Critical Path:
o Identify the longest path in the network to determine the
project duration.
6. Optimize Schedule: Adjust tasks to improve efficiency if
needed.
Constructing a precedence network involves creating a graphical
representation of project activities and their dependencies. This is
often done using the Activity on Node (AON) technique, where
nodes represent activities, and arrows represent dependencies.
Here’s a step-by-step guide with an example:

Steps to Construct a Precedence Network

Identify Activities: List all activities required to complete the
project.
Define Dependencies: Determine the order of activities,
specifying which tasks depend on the completion of others.
Assign Durations: Estimate the time required for each activity.
Draw the Network:
Represent activities as nodes (rectangles).
Use arrows to show dependencies between nodes.
Determine Critical Path:
Identify the longest path through the network.
This determines the minimum time required to complete the
project.
Precedence Network (AON Diagram)
The diagram would look like this:
1. Activity A (Start) leads to B (Plan requirements).
2. B leads to C (Design architecture).
3. C splits into two parallel paths:
o D (Develop module 1) → E (Test module 1).
o F (Develop module 2) → G (Test module 2).
4. Both E and G lead to H (Final review and close).

A fragment of a precedence network is a portion of the entire

network showing a subset of activities and their dependencies.
Below is a small fragment example for better understanding.
 In a precedence network, loops (also called cycles) represent an
impossible or invalid structure, as they suggest a circular
dependency where an activity indirectly depends on itself. Such
networks cannot exist in valid project scheduling because tasks
must have a definitive start and end with a clear flow of
dependencies.

Why Loops Are Invalid

1. Circular Dependency: A loop implies that an activity cannot
start or complete until it completes itself, which is logically
impossible.
2. No Critical Path: The critical path and overall project duration
cannot be determined if there’s a loop.
3. Logical Flaws: Loops violate the fundamental principles of
network planning, where tasks should flow sequentially or in
parallel without returning to an earlier state.

In a precedence network, a dangle occurs when an activity does not

lead to any subsequent activity or is not connected to the rest of the
network. This creates an incomplete or undefined flow and needs
resolution to ensure proper project scheduling.

What is a Dangle?
 A dangle is an unconnected node or activity in the network.
 It represents a task that either:
o Starts without a preceding activity.
o Ends without leading to any subsequent activity.
Problems Caused by Dangles
1. Logical Inconsistency: It suggests incomplete dependencies in
the project.
2. Difficulty in Scheduling: Makes it hard to compute the critical
path and project timeline.
3. Poor Representation: Causes confusion in project planning and
execution.

Resolving a Dangle
To resolve a dangle, you must:
1. Identify Missing Dependencies: Connect the dangle to the
correct preceding or succeeding activity.
2. Redefine Relationships: Ensure all activities are part of the
logical sequence.
3. Review the Network: Check for errors or missing connections.