Project Work

Planning and
Scheduling
LECTURE 5
Learning Objectives
•Describe the importance, use, and design approaches of a Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS).
•Understand task relationships and factors that impact task and project timing.
•Describe the Gantt chart's use as a tool to help visualize planned project tasks or
task schedule status.
•Acquire basic familiarity and skills with the use of project management software.
The Work Breakdown Structure
A work breakdown structure (WBS) organizes project
work into manageable tasks which are necessary to
carry out and complete the project.
The WBS focuses on the work activities, completion
of defined deliverables, and the timing of tasks
(considering all factors and constraints that impact
the start and end dates of tasks).
The Work Breakdown Structure
The WBS is the "meat" of the plan because it describes the work
required to meet project objectives.

There is saying: "a problem well-stated is half-solved".

The same can be said about a project--clearly stating objectives

and defining an approach for project work gets much of the way
toward a successful project.
Terminologies:
The WBS presents project tasks in a hierarchy, with major (top-level) level tasks and
subtasks.
1. A summary task is any task in a WBS that has subtasks below it. In Table 5-1 above,
the top-level Task #4 is a summary task as are Task #s 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4.
2. A subtask is any task below a summary task in a WBS hierarchy.
3. The bottom level subtasks in a WBS hierarchy (no subtasks below them) are
called work tasks or work packages.
It is important to understand that these work tasks are where the work actually
occurs--all summary tasks at upper levels in the WBS hierarchy just serve as
headings (like outline headings) to organize the project work.
Terminologies:
•a recurring task is a work task in which a work activity occurs according
to a fixed schedule (e.g., planned project status meetings that occur
on a specific day at 2-week intervals);
•a milestone task is a work task that either occurs at a single point in
time (e.g., submittal of a deliverable) or is presented as a single end
point in a task duration;
•a split task is a work task in which there is a defined interval, within the
overall task duration, during which no project activity occurs.
The trick in preparing a work plan (WBS) for any project is first to see the whole
picture (i.e., project objectives and deliverables) and then to figure out how to
organize the work in the way that is most efficient.
TOOLS for WBS:
A WBS for a project may be created as a table (e.g., using
Office software like Word or Excel).
It has become increasingly popular for project planners to
use automated project management software (e.g.,
Microsoft Project or Project Libre).
which provide efficient tools to enter tasks, set the WBS
hierarchy, establish timing relationships among tasks, and
present the WBS in different types of report or "views" such
as a Gantt chart (with bars showing task duration)
WBS Approaches:
The WBS is created by three approaches.
With each approach, project planning requires some subject matter
understanding about the work being planned and, most often, some
research, review of past projects, and communication with other
project managers, to estimate time requirements.
The choice of approach depends on factors such as the project's
complexity, the organization's familiarity with similar projects, and
the level of detail required
1. Analogy Approach
The analogy approach uses a similar WBS (prepared for
another project) as a starting point.
If you are working for a consulting firm that does similar
projects for the same client, this approach may be simple
and effective.
Such an approach is greatly facilitated if the consulting firm
keeps good records and has archives of past projects.
1. Analogy Approach
•Advantages:
• Saves time by not starting from scratch, especially if the projects share
common elements.
•Considerations:
• The effectiveness of this approach depends on the similarity between the
current and past projects.
2. Top-down Approach
The top-down approach begins with the final or largest
deliverables. Then, all the components that make up these
deliverables are identified.
This process continues to greater and greater detail until all
work packages are identified.
2. Top-down Approach
•Advantages:
• Aligns project planning with overall project goals and objectives.
•Considerations:
• Collaboration with technical team members is crucial to map activities
accurately.
3. Bottom-up Approach
The bottom-up approach involves intense team participation. Members
begin by identifying as many specific tasks as possible, and then
group these tasks into larger project activities.
These project activities may then be grouped into more and more
comprehensive activities, until the final deliverables for the project are
planned.
3. Bottom-up Approach
•Advantages:
• Encourages team involvement and input, promoting a sense of ownership
and commitment.
• Allows for a detailed and comprehensive understanding of project tasks and
requirements.
•Considerations:
• Can be time-consuming due to the level of detail involved.
• Requires effective communication and collaboration to avoid overlooking
important tasks.
Consideration:
Whichever basic approach is used (including some
combination of the above), work planning and scheduling
demands some serious attention because the efficiency of
work and the way in which resources are allocated depend
on this.
Project work planning gets easier if the organization and the
project manager has an experience in similar projects.
Consideration:
If only one individual is working on a project, time management for
the project is pretty simple. However, if a team of individuals is
working on the project, timing becomes more complex due to
dependencies of work tasks with multiple people contributing to
many of the tasks.
In projecting timing for tasks, it is important to understand the
difference between duration time and resource time.
Duration Time:
Duration refers to the calendar time required to complete a task from
start to finish, including any breaks, waiting periods, or time when
work is not actively being performed.
Example: If a geodatabase design task has a duration of 10 workdays,
it means it will take two weeks on the calendar, considering weekends
and any non-working days, from the initiation to the completion of the
task.
Resource Time:
Definition: Resource time, also known as labor time, identifies the
actual amount of time that a resource (such as a person on the project
team) spends actively working on a task.
Example: Even though the geodatabase design task may have a
duration of 10 workdays, the total resource time might be only 36
hours (equivalent to 4.5 workdays) when considering the actual labor
expended by all participants involved in the task.
Duration and Resource Time:
•Planning Perspective: When creating a project schedule, it's essential
to focus on the duration of tasks to determine the overall timeline and
dependencies between tasks. This provides a high-level view of when
tasks start and finish.
•Resource Management: Understanding resource time is crucial for
effective resource management. It helps project managers allocate
resources efficiently, ensuring that team members are utilized
effectively without overloading them with tasks.
Key factors:
•Relationships among tasks ( "linkages", "dependencies", "predecessors"): For
example, one task cannot begin until another task is completed.
•Fixed dates and date constraints: for example, because of project or external
factors, certain tasks might need to start or end on specific dates (e.g., fixed dates
for aerial image acquisition).
•Resource loading: depending on the type of project, task timing may be influenced
by the number of resources (e.g., person-hours) that are assigned to a task (e.g.,
timing may be accelerated by adding more staff time).
•Expected "wait time" or delays associated with certain types of tasks (review and
comment period for a document or technical specifications).
•Risk events (e.g., bad weather, technical problems) that have a good probability of
occurring and impacting work progress.