Project Management ToolBox: Tools and Techniques for the Practicing Project Manager

6

Schedule Development

You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.

Miyamoto Musashi

Major topics in this chapter are schedule development tools:

• Gantt Chart
• Milestone Chart
• Critical Path Method Diagram
• Time-scaled Arrow Diagram
• Critical Chain Schedule
• Hierarchical Schedule
• Line of Balance

Figure 6.1 The role of schedule development tools in the standardized project management process.

These tools will help successfully develop a calendar-based project schedule. Schedule development tools are deployed in coordination with scope and cost planning tools to culminate in an integrated project plan (see Figure 6.1). A significant role in that effort belongs to tools of the facilitating processes such as team, quality, and procurement planning, and risk response development. This chapter seeks to help practicing and prospective project managers accomplish the following:

• Become familiar with various schedule development tools.
• Select a schedule development tool that fits their project situation.
• Customize the tool of their choice.

These are critical skills in project planning and building the standardized PM process.

Gantt Chart

What Is the Gantt Chart?

Using bars to represent project activities, the Gantt Chart shows when the project and each activity start and end against a horizontal timescale (see Figure 6.2). Although the ...