Project Time Management is the third knowledge area of project management.
It is concerned primarily with deadlines—how to set realistic ones and how to meet them.
Based on chapter 6 of PMBOK® Guide 5th Edition, here you will find:
must-know tips to avoid common mistakes during your PMP certification exam—by Project Time Management processes
all-in-one graphic of Project Time Management, a quick reference guide to its definition, processes, and key terms
transcript of the key terms from the all-in-one graphic, for printing purposes
The 7 Processes of Project Time Management
1. Plan Schedule Management
What Plan Schedule Management Is
The Plan Schedule Management process makes clear how the project schedule will be developed, executed, and controlled as well as how changes will be integrated into the project schedule.
Why Plan Schedule Management Is Important
The schedule management plan guides the project manager and the project team by means of oversight, standardization, and best practices ensuring that the project schedule is well developed, monitored, and controlled.
When Plan Schedule Management Is Executed
A project manager should perform the Plan Schedule Management process before the other six processes of the Project Time Management knowledge area.
How Plan Schedule Management Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Project management plan
Project charter
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Expert judgment
Analytical techniques
Meetings
Schedule management plan
Tips on Plan Schedule Management
Schedule Management Plan Vs. Schedule. The project’s schedule management plan describes how the project’s schedule will be developed, managed and controlled. The project’s schedule describes the planned start and finish dates for project activities.
Key Terms of Plan Schedule Management
Schedule Management Plan. A component of the project or program management plan that describes how to estimate the project work, track the project progress, and report on it.
Project Schedule Model Development. The methodologies and tools used to develop the schedule, along with the data they contain.
Accuracy Levels. The rounding used when deriving activity duration estimates for different life cycle phases.
Units of Measure. The rules for how estimates should be stated, such as staff hours, days, materials tons, and cubic yards.
Control Thresholds. The level of variance the schedule can experience before taking action, typically expressed as a percentage of time.
2. Define Activities
What Define Activities Is
The Define Activities process is all about determining how the project work breaks down into activities.
Why Define Activities Is Important
When performing the Define Activities process, a project manager breaks the work packages into smaller, more manageable units of work—activities— that she/he can easily assign, estimate, schedule, and control.
When Define Activities Is Executed
The Define Activities process is often implemented after the Work Breakdown Structure is in a stable form. However, project managers can create a WBS and define activities in parallel, taking the WBS down one more level to show activities, instead of work packages.
How Define Activities Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Schedule management plan
Scope baseline
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Decomposition
Rolling wave planning
Expert judgment
Activity list
Activity attributes
Milestone list
Tips on Define Activities
Work Breakdown Structure Vs. Activity List. The Work Breakdown Structure is the output of Create WBS process and is made up of deliverables—nouns. The activity list is the output of define activities process and is made up of activities—verbs.
Task. The terms activity and task can be used interchangeably.
Key Terms of Define Activities
Activity. A unique, scheduled task that must be executed to complete work on the project.
Rolling Wave Planning. A form of progressive elaboration that focuses on planning the imminent project activities in more detail than activities further in the future.
Activity list. A list of all the activities that must be accomplished to deliver the work packages.
Activity attributes. A complete description of the activity, such as activity codes, predecessor activities, and successor activities.
Milestone list. A list of significant points or events in the project.
3. Sequence Activities
What Sequence Activities Is
The Sequence Activities process builds project schedule network diagrams that visualize the logical order between all the activities and milestones already defined and point out their dependences.
Why Sequence Activities Is Important
If a project manager sequences correctly the interactivity of logical relationships among activities, then the network diagrams generated during the Sequence Activities process will facilitate the development of a realistic, achievable project schedule.
When Sequence Activities Is Executed
A project manager uses the Sequence Activities process once she/he has identified the schedule activities that he/she will chain together.
How Sequence Activities Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Schedule management plan
Activity list
Activity attributes
Milestone list
Project scope statement
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Precedence diagramming method (PDM)
Dependency determination
Applying leads and lags
Project schedule network diagrams
Project documents updates
Tips on Sequence Activities
Discretionary Dependencies Schedule. Usually performed in sequence, discretionary dependencies can be executed in parallel—but with additional risk.
Sequence Vs. Duration. The Sequence Activities process does not establish how long activities will take, only the sequence in which they will occur.
Key Terms of Sequence Activities
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM). Also called “activity-on-node” (AON), a graphical representation of activities in the project with nodes to represent them and one or more logical relationships to graphically link them, showing the sequence in which these activities are to be performed.
Dependency. A relationship between two or more activities where one activity must be started or completed before another related activity may be started or completed.
Lag. In a finish-to-start relationship between two scheduled activities, the amount of time a dependent activity must wait after its predecessor finishes before it can start.
Lead. In a finish-to-start relationship between two scheduled activities, the amount of time a dependent activity can be advanced with respect to its predecessor.
Project schedule network diagrams. A graphical representation of the logical relationships between all the activities to be completed on a project.
4. Estimate Activity Resources
What Estimate Activity Resources Is
In the Estimate Activity Resources process a project manager forecasts the number of all the resources—human and materials—needed to complete each activity of the project.
Why Estimate Activity Resources Is Important
The activity resource requirements, output of the Estimate Activity Resources process, are necessary to decide the length of time each activity will take to complete.
When Estimate Activity Resources Is Executed
Estimate Activity Resources should be closely coordinated with the Estimate Costs process and the project manager should perform both after he/she has in hand activity list and activity attributes.
How Estimate Activity Resources Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Schedule management plan
Activity list
Activity attributes
Resource calendars
Risk register
Activity cost estimates
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Expert judgment
Alternative analysis
Published estimating data
Bottom-up estimating
Project management software
Activity resource requirements
Resource breakdown structure
Project documents updates
Tips on Estimate Activity Resources
Physical Vs. Financial Resources. The activity resource requirements include only physical resources, not financial ones.
Breakdown Structures. At the exam you will find the following four breakdown structures:
work breakdown structure (WBS)
organizational breakdown structure
resource breakdown structure
risk breakdown structure
Key Terms of Estimate Activity Resources
Resources. People, equipment, locations, or anything else that project manager needs in order to do all of the activities planned.
Resource Calendars. A calendar that shows the days that a particular resource is available to be used on the project and the days when it will not be used.
Risk Register. The documented list of all identified risks on the project and their characteristics.
Alternative Analysis. Figuring out all the possible different ways that a potential outcome may be achieved and then making a decision about which method is best.
Published Estimating Data. A database of known quantities or costs relating to completion of activities in the project.
Bottom-up Estimating. The process of breaking down the activity into smaller pieces, then rolling up the estimates upwards to the level of the original activity to arrive at a total cost.
Activity Resource Requirements. The resources required to complete the activities in the activity list.
Resource Breakdown Structure. A breakdown of the resources required to complete the project, by category and type.
5. Estimate Activity Durations
What Estimate Activity Durations Is
The Estimate Activity Durations process tries to estimates work effort, work resources, and number of work periods required to complete each activity, with progressive elaboration.
Why Estimate Activity Durations Is Important
The activity duration estimates are a paramount input into creating the project schedule model.
When Estimate Activity Durations Is Executed
A project manager performs the Activity processes in this order: Define Activities, Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Resources, and Estimate Activity Durations. So, she/he estimates activity durations after knowing what resources are available and before developing the schedule of the project.
How Estimate Activity Durations Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Schedule management plan
Activity list
Activity attributes
Activity resource requirements
Resource calendars
Project scope statement
Risk register
Resource breakdown structure
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Expert judgment
Analogous estimating
Parametric estimating
Three-point estimating
Group decisionmaking techniques
Reserve analysis
Activity duration estimates
Project documents updates
Tips on Estimate Activity Durations
Duration Estimate Vs. Effort Estimate. The duration of an activity is the amount of time that activity takes, while the effort is the total number of person-hours expended.
Contingency Reserves Vs. Management Reserves. Contingency reserves are meant for known unknowns and are included in the schedule baseline, whereas management reserves are meant for unknown unknowns – unforeseen work that is within the scope of the project—and are not included in the schedule baseline.
Leads and Lags. The activity duration estimates do not include leads and lags, only the estimates for each project activity.
Estimators. For small projects the estimators are those who will be doing the work; for larger projects, the estimators should be members of the project team.
Key Terms of Estimate Activity Durations
Analogous Estimating. An estimating process that bases estimates upon similar activities with similar resource category and types from a similar type of projects executed earlier.
Parametric Estimating. An estimating technique that uses statistical techniques to calculate cost or duration values for activities based on data from similar earlier projects.
Three-point Estimating. A formula that takes into consideration uncertainty factor when it calculates a weighted average of the optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic estimates.
Reserve Analysis. An analytical technique that takes care of uncertainty by adding extra time—also called buffers or time reserves—to the schedule or extra cost.
Work Periods. The activity duration estimates, usually expressed in hours or days—smaller projects— or in weeks or months— larger projects.
Activity Duration Estimates. Quantifiable estimates expressed as the number of work periods needed to complete a schedule activity.
6. Develop Schedule
What Develop Schedule Is
The Develop Schedule process is the core of Time Management. It’s the process where a project manager takes all the information gathered in the previous processes—Define Activities, Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Resources, and Estimate Activity Durations—and combines them into one final schedule for the whole project.
Why Develop Schedule Is Important
Once the project schedule is approved into the schedule baseline for the project, a project manager can track against the latter in later processes and measure the project success against it.
When Develop Schedule Is Executed
The Develop Schedule process is performed after the processes:
estimate activity resources
estimate activity durations
sequence activities
How Develop Schedule Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Schedule management plan
Activity list
Activity attributes
Project schedule network diagrams
Activity resource requirements
Resource calendars
Activity durations estimates
Project scope statement
Risk register
Project staff assignments
Resource breakdown structure
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets
Schedule network analysis
Critical path method
Critical chain method
Resource optimization techniques
Modeling techniques
Leads and lags
Schedule compression
Scheduling tool
Schedule baseline
Project schedule
Schedule data
Project calendars
Project management plan updates
Project documents updates
Tips on Develop Schedule
Buffer Time. Questions in the exam about buffer time refer to the critical chain method.
Mathematical Analysis of Different Scenarios. In the exam the correct answer to a question about mathematical analysis of different scenarios it’s probably what-if scenario analysis or Monte Carlo analysis.
Project Baselines. At the exam you will find the following four baselines, all part of the project management plan:
scope baseline
time or schedule baseline
project budget
quality baseline
Key Terms of Develop Schedule
Schedule Network Analysis. A group of techniques that develops the project schedule, such as critical path and critical chain method, what-if analysis, and resource leveling.
Critical Path Method (CPM). A schedule network analysis method that calculates the theoretical early start, early finish, late start, and late finish for each activity on the project schedule. These theoretical numbers tell us how much flexibility we have on the schedule and also the minimum project duration.
Float—or Slack. The amount of time an activity may be delayed without delaying the project finish date.
Critical Chain Method. A critical path that accounts for limited or restricted resources, where a project manager places buffers to any schedule path.
Resource Leveling. A technique to optimize resource assignments that adjusts the start and finish dates of schedule activities based on the availability of resources. Critical path usually gets longer.
Resource Smoothing. A technique to optimize resources that ensures demand for resources does not exceed certain limits. Critical path is not allowed to change.
Crashing. A schedule compression technique that adds more resources to the critical path activities, from either inside or outside the organization.
Fast Tracking. A schedule compression technique that overlaps activities or phases that a project manager would prefer to complete in sequence.
Schedule Baseline. The developed and approved schedule, result of several iterations. Changeable only through formal change control process.
Project Schedule. The working timeframe the project will take, living document. Changeable by the project manager with no formal change control.
7. Control Schedule
What Control Schedule Is
The Control Schedule process is a monitoring and controlling process that keeps all of the documents elaborated during the Develop Schedule process up to date and turns Work Performance Data into Work Performance Information.
Why Control Schedule Is Important
In the Control Schedule process, a project manager determines the current schedule status of the project and responds appropriately to any observed and measured variance.
When Control Schedule Is Executed
A project manager uses the Control Schedule process until all project activities are completed, that is until the end of the project life.
How Control Schedule Operates
Inputs
Tools and techniques
Outputs
Project management plan
Project schedule
Work performance data
Project calendars
Schedule data
Organizational process assets
Performance reviews
Project management software
Resource optimization techniques
Modeling techniques
Leads and lags
Schedule compression
Scheduling tool
Work performance information
Schedule forecasts
Change requests
Project management plan updates
Project documents updates
Organizational process assets updates
Tips on Control Schedule
Odds of Fast-track and Crashing. Crashing is expensive and fast-tracking is risky. They might work sometimes but they always add both risk and cost to a project.
Schedule Change Vs. Schedule Revision Vs. Schedule Update.
A schedule change must be approved via the Perform Integrated Change Control process.
A schedule revision, such as a change to the start and finish dates within an activity’s float, doesn’t impact the baseline schedule.
A schedule update enters status into your project schedule.
Key Terms of Control Schedule
Work Performance Data. Data—actual raw information—on what is occurring related to the schedule.
Work Performance Information. The refined work performance data that shows a comparison of the data with the schedule baseline.
Schedule Forecasts. Updated projections of future performance based on actual performance.
Other articles in the series PMP® Certification Exam Prep
Project Management Process Groups 101
Project Management Knowledge Areas 101
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Integration Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Scope Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Time Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Cost Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Quality Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Human Resource Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Communication Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Risk Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Procurement Management
PMP Certification Exam Prep — Project Stakeholder Management
References
Crowe, Andy. The PMP® Exam: How to Pass On Your First Try. 5th ed. Velociteach, 2013.
Ellis, Aileen. PMP® Exam Simplified. 5th ed. Colorado Springs: AME Group, 2016.
Greene, Jennifer and Andrew Stellman. Head First PMP®. 3rd ed. Sebastopol: O’Reilly Media, 2013.
Heldman, Kim. PMP: Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide. 8th ed. Indianapolis: John Wiley & Sons, 2016.
Mulcahy, Rita. PMP® Exam Prep. 8th ed. RMC Publications. 2015.
Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). 5th ed. Newtown Square: Project Management Institute, 2013.
Snyder Stackpole, Cynthia. PMP® Certification All-in-One for Dummies. 2nd ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
Ward, J. LeRoy and Ginger Levin. PMP® Exam: Practice Test and Study Guide. 9th ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013.
Whitaker, Sean. PMP® Training Kit. Sebastopol: O’Reilly Media, 2013.
Whitaker, Sean. PMP® Rapid Review. Sebastopol: O’Reilly Media, 2013.
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