Project Management Framework
Execution - Schedule and Task Plans Management

How to use the Schedule and Task Plans

The results from the Schedule and Task Plans are the project task definitions & dependencies, milestones, task duration estimates, start and finish dates, and resources assignments.

As the project proceeds, the Schedule and Task Plans may need to be revised. Changes may occur to the requirements and scope, resulting in additional tasks and the need for more resources. Resource availability may change once the project is underway, resulting in changes in task durations or start dates. External factors may impact the project in many ways. Estimated completion times for the project tasks may be significantly different than actual times.

Status Reports describe these changes and the Change Management Plan describes how to make changes to schedule and tasks.

Changes to part of the Schedule and Task Plans will likely result in changes to other parts. When changing the Schedule and Task Plans, analyze future tasks to see impacts.

For Best Results

• Make sure team members clearly understand assignments and completion dates.
• Communicate schedule status with key stakeholders through appropriate means (e.g., Status Reports). Provide early warnings when problems occur.
• Create a baseline at the start of the project and update in case of major changes. Track actual duration and effort against the baseline estimates.
• Use milestones to identify significant project events and to gauge if the project is on schedule. Review your schedule and task plan at key milestones.
• Incorporate contingency into modified schedule estimates.
• Use automated project-scheduling tools to help analyze and understand schedule status.
• Monitor the critical path. Analyze impacts and make immediate corrections if possible.
• Do not create tasks with durations greater than two reporting periods long.
• Manage consultants and contractors using documented deliverables, schedules and acceptance criteria.

Also Consider

• Monitoring the scope triangle - resources, time, and quality. Changes to one part of the triangle results in changes to the others. If a project is getting behind schedule, it is very difficult to get back on schedule without increasing resources or reducing scope.
• Examining relationships and linkages before rescheduling tasks to make up time in the schedule (e.g., do not begin coding before requirements are completed).
• Using statuses of "0% complete" or "100% complete" rather than a partial "percent complete". It is hard to verify that a task is "45% complete".
• Rolling out deliverables in phases to mitigate schedule problems. Produce the high priority deliverables in the first version and the non-mandatory deliverables in the next version.
• Verifying resource availability periodically. Personnel schedule changes (e.g., vacations or other priority assignments) may impact the project.
• Communicating the project schedule with a tool that can be read by all project participants and stakeholders.

Related Links:
Schedule and Task Plans
Work Breakdown Structure Examples
Scheduling and Task Plans Template

Checklists

SCHEDULE & TASK PLANS MANAGEMENT CHECKLIST
Do team members know their task assignments and completion dates?
Have changes to the Schedule and Task Plans been communicated to everyone who needs to know?
Does the project have a baseline set of estimates to measure actuals against?
Are there sufficient milestones in the project schedule to help gauge project progress?
Does the project manager or someone on the team know how to use the automated project scheduling and tracking tools proposed for the project?
Do any tasks have a duration longer than two status reporting periods?
If there are contractors on the project, are there milestones for tracking deliverables, schedules, and acceptance?