Advanced Project Management

Tools and Techniques of Project Planning

Ms. Ghazala Amin

Slides Courtesy: Dr. A Z. Khan

Project Planning

Project Planning lays the foundation for organizing, implementing, closing as well as monitoring, evaluating and controlling a project with a view to realizing the project goal and objectives within the constraints of time, budget, given requirements and stakeholder expectations.

Project Planning

Project Planning reduces uncertainty and increases understanding of the project as well as boosting efficiency in the way it is being carried out.

Many project failures are attributed to mistakes and shortcomings which occurred in the project’s planning phase.

Project Planning: A Sentence to Remember

Project Planning

On simple projects, planning may be undertaken by a few individuals within a short period of time at little cost.

On complex projects, project planning may require weeks and months of costly work input by the project team and involved stakeholders.

Project Planning

The quality of the project plan is determined primarily by the quality of the information used, the knowledge and experience of the stakeholders who are assigned the responsibility of developing the plan and the resources and time frame made available for it.

Project Planning

Project plans are not static entities. They must be periodically updated as and when new information which warrants a modification or revision of the project scope, requirements and specifications, cost, schedule, risks, stakeholder informational needs and so forth comes to light.

Ideally, anything that may have an impact on the project should be considered in developing the project plan.

Project Planning

The Project Management Plan is the key deliverable output of the project planning phase.

The Plan will include, inter alia, specific information on the individual project activities and tasks that need to be performed, why they need to be done, when they will be done and who will do them, what resources are needed and what criteria must be met in order for the project to be considered successful.

Project Planning

Project Scope Plan

Project Communication Plan

Project Cost Plan

Project Time Plan

Project Quality Plan

Project Risk Plan

Project Human Resource Plan

Project Procurement Plan

Project Integration Plan

PMI Standard

Project Stakeholder Management

Selected Tools in Project Planning

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Project GoalProject Goal

Work ElementWork Element Work ElementWork Element Work ElementWork Element Level 1Level 1

Work ElementWork Element Work ElementWork Element Work ElementWork Element

Work ElementWork Element

Work Packages

Level 2Level 2

Level NLevel N

The WBS divides the whole project into work elementsthat represent singular work units, assigned either to theorganization or to an out-side agency, such as, a contractor or project partner

The underlying philosophy ofthe WBS is to divide the project into assignable “work packages” for whichaccountability can be expectedProjects are planned, organizedand controlled around the lowestlevel of the WBS, i.e., the workpackages

Work Breakdown Structure Visualization

12

Work Breakdown Structure: Example 1

13

Work Breakdown Structure: Example 2

14

Work Breakdown Structure: Example 3

15

Work Breakdown Structure: Example 4

16

Work Breakdown Structure: Example 5

17

Work Breakdown Structure: Example 6

Project ManagerProject Manager

Project Team Member Deliverable 1

Project Team Member Deliverable 1

Project Team MemberDeliverable 2

Project Team MemberDeliverable 2

Project Team MemberDeliverable 3

Project Team MemberDeliverable 3

WPM 1WPM 1 WPM 2WPM 2 Project Team MemberSub deliverable 2A

Project Team MemberSub deliverable 2A

WPM 2AAWPM 2AA

WPM 2ABWPM 2AB

Project Team MemberSub deliverable 2B

Project Team MemberSub deliverable 2B

WPM 2BAWPM 2BA

WPM 2BBWPM 2BB

WPM 2BCWPM 2BC

Example of a Project Organization Chart

19

RACI ChartRACI Chart Project Team MembersProject Team Members

ActivityActivity AliyahAliyah SarfrazSarfraz QaisarQaisar FarhanFarhan AmjadAmjad

DefineDefine AA RR II II II

DesignDesign II AA RR CC CC

DevelopDevelop II AA RR CC CC

TestTest AA II II RR II

RACI (R = Responsible; A = Accountable; C = Consult; I = Inform)

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI)

20

1=Actual Responsibility; 2=General Supervision; 3=Must be Consulted; 4=May be Consulted; 5=Must be Notified; 6=Approval Authority

Project Linear Responsibility Chart

Gantt Charts: Example 1

Gantt Charts: Example 2

Gantt Charts: Example 3

ACTIVITYDESCRIPTION

ACTIVITYIDENTIFIER

ACTIVITYDURATION

ES EF

LS LF

SLACK

The CRITICAL PATH of a project is the sequence of activities that determine the project completion date – any delay in an activity or activities comprising the critical path will delay the project by a corresponding amount of time

The CRITICAL PATH of a project is the sequence of activities that determine the project completion date – any delay in an activity or activities comprising the critical path will delay the project by a corresponding amount of time

EARLY START: When can the activity start at the earliest?EARLY START: When can the activity start at the earliest?

EARLY FINISH: When can the activity finish at the earliest?EARLY FINISH: When can the activity finish at the earliest?

LATE FINISH: When can the activity finish at the latest?LATE FINISH: When can the activity finish at the latest?

LATE START: When can the activity start at the latest?LATE START: When can the activity start at the latest?

Project Network Diagrams: The Node

Koll Business Information Center

Activity Description Preceding Activity

Activity Duration

A Approval of Application None 5

B Construction Plans A 15

C Traffic Study A 10

D Service Availability Check A 5

E Staff Report B, C 15

F Commission Approval B, C, D 10

G Wait for Construction F 170

H Occupancy E, G 35

Activity Description Preceding Activity

Activity Duration

A Approval of Application None 5

B Construction Plans A 15

C Traffic Study A 10

D Service Availability Check A 5

E Staff Report B, C 15

F Commission Approval B, C, D 10

G Wait for Construction F 170

H Occupancy E, G 35

Project Network Diagram Example(Network Components and Details)

The BasicNetworkStructure

The BasicNetworkStructure

MergeActivities

MergeActivities

BurstActivities

BurstActivities

A Approval of Application

A Approval of Application

C Traffic Study

C Traffic Study

D Service Avail-ability Check

D Service Avail-ability Check

EStaff Report

EStaff Report

F Commission

Approval

F Commission

Approval

B Construction

Plans

B Construction

Plans

HOccupancy

HOccupancy

G Wait for

Construction

G Wait for

Construction

Project Network Diagram Example(Graphical Depiction of the Network Components)

ApplicationApproval

ConstructionPlans

Traffic Study

ServiceCheck

CommissionApproval

StaffReport

Wait forConstruction

Occupancy

A

B

C

D

F

E

G

H

5

15

10

5

10

15

170

35

50

205

155

105

3020

3520

20030

235200

Forward PassES + Duration = EF

Forward PassES + Duration = EF

2020

1515

1010

2020

1515

200200

3535

55

55

55

3030

Project Network Diagram Example(Determining the Forward Pass)

ApplicationApproval

A

5

ConstructionPlans

B

15

Traffic Study

C

10

ServiceCheck

D

5

CommissionApproval

F

10

StaffReport

E

15

Wait forConstruction

G

170

Occupancy

H

35

50

205

155

105

3020

3520

20030

235200

Backward PassLS + Duration = LF

Backward PassLS + Duration = LF

50 10 20

205

2015

3020

200185

20030

235200

2020

2020

2020

200200

55

1010

1515

3030

200200185185

185185

Project Network Diagram Example(Determining the Bckward Pass)

ApplicationApproval

A

5

ConstructionPlans

B

15

Traffic Study

C

10

ServiceCheck

D

5

CommissionApproval

F

10

StaffReport

E

15

Wait forConstruction

G

170

Occupancy

H

35

50

205

155

105

3020

3520

20030

235200

50 10 20

205

2015

3020

200185

20030

235200

Slack = LS – ESSlack = LF - EF

Slack = LS – ESSlack = LF - EF

0

0

5

10

0

165

0

0

Project Network Diagram Example (Determining Slack and the Critical Path)