Completing a project on time is one of the key factors that determines the success of a project and is a major beneficiary to utilizing a well-executed project schedule. When creating a project schedule, a Project Manager needs to establish the:
- full scope of work that needs to be performed
- resources that will be responsible for performing the identified work
- duration of the total work required to complete the project on time
We have identified some of the top recommendations for the creation of a comprehensive project schedule below.
Utilize Project Management Tools
Project schedules work best if they are created using project management tools such as Microsoft Project, JIRA, Smartsheet, etc. This is because they have features that factor in all data points so that when one input is changed, e.g., a resource departing the team mid-project, it reflects the impact on all other areas of the project based on the available data.
Identify the Full Scope of Work
The Project Manager must ensure that all possible tasks have been identified so that they have a better control of the project schedule. Any tasks that go without being identified earlier could impact the on-time delivery of the project since they will instead be identified at later stages after all the planning activities has already been completed.
Set Realistic Task Estimates
When performing task estimates, use expert judgment and review lessons learned documents to get a realistic idea of how long certain tasks take to complete, specifically around technical development areas that you do not possess an in-depth level of insight. In addition, ensure the resources that will be performing the tasks are accounted for because a senior resource will likely take a shorter duration to complete tasks as compared to junior or newer resources.
Account for Task Dependencies
A task dependency is whereby a task cannot be performed until another task or milestone is completed. Any misalignment on the dependency setup will unquestionably misrepresent the project schedule and lead to missed deadlines and milestones that, if not immediately addresses, will affect the project scope. A Project Manager should work with other teams whose resources will be involved in their project so that they are included in estimating task durations for their assignments – these estimates will then be used to plan for all the upcoming task dependencies.
Prioritize the Critical Path
A critical path represents the longest sequence of activities through a project from start to finish that must be completed so that the project is finished on time. It is also used to determine the shortest possible duration that it will take for a project to be completed because all the tasks that are critical to the success of a project are on the critical path. Most of the existing project management tools can be used to find the critical path on a project, which helps makes the job of the Project Manager much easier.
At PM Imperative, we cover the latest trends in Project Management and Product Management. As PM practitioners, we understand the value the Project Managers and Product Managers bring to each organization and that’s why we focus on the most practical strategies that Project and Product Managers can implement immediately. If you found this post useful, be sure to check out our latest book: The PM Imperative – Guide for Leading & Managing Projects, People & Delivering Value. https://pmimperative.com/shop/
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