| Copyright 2005 Most projects are composed of | | | | from baking a turkey to building a nuclear power |
| multiple steps, and often these steps are performed | | | | plant can all be planned and tracked. |
| by more than one person. In the art/science of | | | | And, as you might imagine, there are herds of |
| scheduling for project management, these steps are | | | | software vendors galloping to help you. Try a word |
| called activities. | | | | search on "scheduling software" and see what I |
| When an activity is completed, it is said to have | | | | mean. In construction, where I spend most of my |
| attained its milestone. One might simplistically think of | | | | time, I see people using Microsoft Project for |
| a project as a succession of activities which, laid | | | | medium sized projects and Primavera for the |
| end-to-end, eventually complete the project. | | | | mega-projects. But even Microsoft Project can be |
| But when is life ever that simple? Projects are rarely | | | | overkill for a smaller project with only a few handfuls |
| so linear that when one activity reaches its milestone | | | | of activities. |
| the next starts. | | | | A key factor in scheduling, and keeping your project |
| In the real world there are many activities which | | | | on track is the analysis of previous performance |
| interact in different ways. For instance, there are | | | | data, observation and gut-instinct. |
| "independent" activities which can run simultaneously | | | | If you have inaccurate estimates of activity |
| and apart from each other. However they almost | | | | durations, project performance will obviously be |
| always come together at a certain point, that is to | | | | affected. Use data from past projects to make your |
| say they share a common milestone. The shared | | | | current schedule better and more realistic. |
| milestone could be the project endpoint, or it could | | | | Spending the time to actually watch the work and |
| also be a waystation along the path to completion. | | | | talk to people will help tremendously in not only |
| Similarly, there are also "dependent" activities which | | | | planning but also the successful implementation of the |
| can't even start until the previous activity reaches its | | | | schedule. On the ground, hands-on "subjective" data |
| milestone. | | | | is at the core of any project and should not be |
| Most projects contain a macrame of interweaving | | | | ignored. |
| activities, both independent and dependent. It is a | | | | Training of workers to spot bottlenecks will yield |
| task of project management to discern and manage | | | | great results. When terms such as "bottleneck" and |
| the "critical path", that chain of activities within the | | | | "roadblock" become a part of every meeting, they |
| weave which truly drives, or delays the project. | | | | become absorbed into team thinking. Your most |
| Charting these activities, showing anticipated time | | | | effective project will be the one in which all |
| durations and dependencies is a first important step | | | | participants have the tools to be scheduling experts. |
| toward getting your project under control. There are | | | | Mark Meshulam, of Northbrook, IL owns a software |
| numerous charting systems which all have the same | | | | company , and a construction company . |
| basic elements. Some search words for you to | | | | He holds a masters degree from the University of |
| explore further: "Gantt", "PERT", "CPM chart". | | | | Illinois in group dynamics. |
| These systems can also add other levels to your | | | | He draws upon this background, which includes over |
| analysis such as the allocation of resources to each | | | | 27 years in business, in the writing of articles which |
| activity, early and late starts, and also progress | | | | cover a wide range of topics loosely revolving around |
| reporting. They are scalable so that projects ranging | | | | people & processes in the workplace. |