Focus on CPM and Resp Matrix

The Project Cycle Part 2The Project Cycle Part 2

Session 8Session 8

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

To Get to a Plan….You Need a Network Diagram

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

The Network Diagram

Essentially the sequencing of activities

A tool for planning, scheduling and monitoring project progress

Developed from the WBS

A chart that graphically depicts the sequence, interdependencies, and start and finish times of the project job plan of activities that is the critical path through the network

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

The Network Diagram

Provides the basis for scheduling labor and equipment

Enhances communication among project participants

Provides an estimate of the project’s duration

Provides a basis for budgeting cash flow

Highlights activities that are “critical” and cannot be delayed

Help managers get and stay on plan.

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

The Network Diagram

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Activity On Arrow

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Activity On Node

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Relationships/Dependencies

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Relationships/Dependencies

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Relationships/Dependencies

• Networks typically flow from left to right

• An activity cannot begin until all of its preceding activities are complete

• Arrows indicate precedence and flow and can cross over each other

• Identify each activity with a unique number this number must be greater than its predecessors

• Looping is not allowed

• Conditional statements are not allowed

• Use common start and stop nodes.

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 1

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 2

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 3

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 4

Create Sequence!

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 5

• A Forward Pass through the network determines the earliest times each activity can start and finish

• Forward Pass:• How soon can the activity start? (early start—ES)

• How soon can the activity finish? (early finish—EF)

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 5

• Add activity times along each path in the network (ES + Duration = EF)

• Carry the early finish (EF) to the next activity where it becomes its early start (ES) unless…

• The next succeeding activity is a merge activity, in which case the largest EF of all preceding activities is selected.

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 5

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 6

• A Backward Pass through the network determines the latest times each activity can start and finish without delaying completion of the project

• Backward Pass :• How late can the activity start? (late start

—LS)• How late can the activity finish? (late

finish—LF)

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 6

• Subtract activity durations along each path in the network (LF - Duration = LS)

• Carry the late start (LS) to the next activity where it becomes its late finish (LF) unless…

• The activity is a merger activity, in which case the smallest LS of the previous activities is selected.

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Network Diagram: Step 6

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Important Concepts

• Slack (or Float):• The duration an activity can be delayed after

the start of a longer parallel activity or activities• Total slack:• The duration an activity can be delayed without

delaying the entire project• The critical path is the network path(s)

that has (have) the least slack in common- normally Zero.

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Important Concepts

• Utilization of Slack:• If slack in an activity on a path is

used, the ES of all activities that follow in that chain will be delayed and their slack reduced. Use of total slack should therefore be coordinated with all participants in the activities that follow in that chain

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Important Concepts

• Free slack:• Free slack, however is unique because the

activity can be delayed without delaying the ES of activities following it. Free slack is defined as the difference between the EF of an activity and the ES of the activity that follows. Only activities where that occur at the end of a chain of activities (usually where you have a merge activity) can have free slack – Free slack does not affect the activities following it.

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

The Network Diagram In MS Project

JANUARY 2007

FINAL DELIVERABLEFINAL DELIVERABLE

SUB DELIVERABLESSUB DELIVERABLES

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Schedule Bar Chart (Gantt)

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Responsibility Matrix

r

a

m

responsibility

assignment

matrix

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Responsibility Matrix

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Responsibility Matrix

One and only one person can be accountable. Multiple people can be responsible and certainly

others can be informed and consulted. Source: Glen B Alleman, (2007) Responsibility Assignment Matrix, Herding Cats

http://herdingcats.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/02/responsibility_.html retrieved 2/8/08

The Project CycleThe Project Cycle

Responsibility Matrix