Project time management

"Completing projects on time and with quality assurance" is probably what every project manager wants most. However, the delay of the construction period often occurs. Therefore, reasonable arrangement of project time is a key part of project management. It aims to ensure that the project is completed on time, resources are allocated reasonably, and the best work efficiency is realized. Its main tasks include defining project activities, tasks, sorting activities, estimating the reasonable construction period of each activity, developing a complete project schedule, allocating resources, and monitoring the project progress.

Sharpen your skills

Before the start of time management, you should first complete the Scope Management Section in the project management work. If you only save time and omit the preliminary work, the subsequent work will inevitably take a detour, but will delay the time. At the beginning of a project, you must first have a clear project goal, a scope definition document for deliverable products, and a project's work breakdown structure (WBS ). Some of the work is obvious and necessary for the project, while others are concealed. Therefore, we need to list the work required to complete the project based on experience, at the same time, a feasible project time plan can be developed based on the expert approval process and reasonable time management can be conducted.

How to "break down" the time "?

1. Project activity Definition
Splitting project work into smaller and easier-to-manage work packages is also called activities or tasks. These small activities should be detailed tasks that can be implemented to ensure the delivery of products. During project implementation, all activities should be listed as a clear list of activities, and each member of the project team should be able to understand how much work needs to be done. The activity list should be documented to facilitate the use and management of other project processes. Of course, with the deepening and refinement of project activity decomposition, the work breakdown structure (WBS) may need to be modified, which also affects other parts of the project. For example, the cost estimation may increase after more detailed consideration of the activity. Therefore, after the activity definition is completed, the project work breakdown structure should be updated.

2. Sort activities
Based on the product description and activity list, we need to find the dependencies between project activities, dependencies between special fields, and work order. Here, we need to consider the special sequence and priority logical relationship that the team wants, we also need to consider the various internal and external dependencies and some work to complete the project, such as testing software in the final hardware environment.
Project milestones are an important part of sorting. Milestones are key events and key target time in the project, and are important factors for project success. Milestone events are an integral part of the sequence of activities that ensure the completion of project requirements. For example, in a development project, key tasks such as final confirmation of requirements and product handover can be regarded as milestones of the project.
When defining the relationship between project activities, a set of Project Network diagrams is formed by four methods: Priority Chart Method, arrow Chart Method, condition Chart Method, and network template. The commonly used method is the preferential display method, also known as the single-code network diagram method.

3. activity period Estimation
Project duration estimation lists the duration required for project activities based on the project scope and resource status plan. The estimated construction period should be realistic and effective, and ensure quality. Therefore, when estimating the construction period, you must fully consider the list of activities, reasonable resource requirements, personnel capacity factors, and the impact of environmental factors on the project duration. In the estimation of the construction period of each activity, the impact of risk factors on the construction period should be fully considered. After the project period estimation is completed, you can obtain the quantified period estimation data, document the data, and complete and update the activity list.
Generally, the following methods can be used to estimate the construction period:
1) Expert Review Form. Analysis and evaluation by experienced and competent personnel.
2) Simulated estimation. Use similar activities in the past as the basis for estimating the future activity period, and calculate and evaluate the period.
3) Quantitative basic construction period. When the product can use quantitative standards to calculate the construction period, the overall estimation is based on the measurement unit.
4) Retention Time. A certain proportion is reserved in the period estimation as the redundancy time to cope with project risks. As the project progresses, the redundancy time can be gradually reduced.

4. Schedule
The project schedule clearly defines the start and end dates of the project activity, which is a process of repeated validation. The schedule should be determined based on the project network diagram, estimated activity period, resource requirements, resource sharing, calendar of work executed by the project, schedule restrictions, earliest and latest time, risk management plan, and activities features.
The progress restriction defines how to define the progress relationship between activities based on the sort of activities. Generally, there are two forms: one is to strengthen the date form, and the progress of the activity is limited by the relationship between the activities, such as an activity not earlier than the beginning or not later than the end of an activity; the other is critical events or major milestones. The events defined as milestones are the decisive factors for the required time schedule and the corresponding time plans are formulated.
When creating a project schedule, calculate the earliest start and end time of each activity and the latest start and end date by mathematical analysis to obtain the time progress network diagram, adjust the activity time through resource, activity time, and redundancy to form the optimal activity schedule.
The Key Path Method (CPM) is a very practical method in time management. Its working principle is as follows: calculate the construction period for each minimum task unit, define the network logic diagram of the earliest start and end dates, latest start and end dates, and form the sequence of activities to find the longest path, that is, the Key Path.
Time compression is a pointer to optimize the Key Path and adjust the entire plan based on cost factors, resource factors, working time factors, and feasible progress factors of the activity, the optimal time schedule is obtained until the time used by the key path cannot be compressed.

5. Progress Control
Progress control mainly monitors the implementation of progress and promptly discovers and corrects deviations and errors. In the control, we should consider the factors that affect the change of project progress, the factors that affect the change of project progress to other parts, and the actual measures that should be taken when the change of schedule. I have discussed this issue in the previous few issues and will not go into details here.

Use tools to help

Currently, project management software is widely used in project management, especially in its clear expression. It is more convenient, flexible, and efficient in project time management. In the management software, enter the activity list, estimated activity period, logical relationship between activities, human resources and costs involved in the activity, the project management software can automatically perform mathematical computing, balance resource allocation, and calculate costs. It can quickly solve the problem of progress crossover, and display the schedule. In addition to the project progress preparation function, the project management software also has strong project execution records, tracking project plans, and actual completion records, real and potential impact analysis can be provided in a timely manner.