Project Scheduling and Time Management

This document discusses project scheduling and time management, including the basics of project planning, alternative scheduling software tools and techniques, and the challenges faced in project scheduling. It also explores the importance of customer needs analysis in effective project planning and the use of project management software throughout the project life cycle. Additionally, it covers how project managers can ensure that knowledge and lessons learned from previous projects are not lost and can be shared for the benefit of future projects. The document concludes with a discussion on the biggest challenges in project scheduling, with a focus on design variation.

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Project Scheduling and Time Management
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
1. Project Failure, and Basics of Project Planning Alternative Scheduling Software Tools and
Techniques............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 What are the main reasons why projects are delayed...................................................................5
1.2 Why is a customer/client needs analysis, important in terms of developing more effective
project planning?...............................................................................................................................6
1.3 Propose how the effective use of project management software can help an organisation manage
its projects throughout each stage of the project life cycle.................................................................6
2. Discuss the tools and techniques that project managers can use to ensure knowledge and lessons
learned from previous projects are not lost and can be shared for the benefit of future projects............7
2.1 What you believe are the biggest challenges in project scheduling and why...............................7
2.1.1 Design Variation...................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................8
References.............................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
Recent studies show that delay and cost overrun have become characteristic parts of
many projects regardless of a lot of knowledge gain in project management. Even though
some researchers argue that cases of delays are negligible it is significant to note look for
reasons as to why many project are facing delays and cost overruns. In this sense, this paper
will discuss reasons for project delays and ways on how to mitigating these delays such as
project planning and scheduling tools and techniques and challenges facing schedule
planning.
1. Project Failure, and Basics of Project Planning Alternative Scheduling Software
Tools and Techniques
Kerzner (2018) define project failure as a project that fails to be delivered as it was
planned and anticipated, in the sense that it is not in line with the expectations. The prosperity
of a project is to ensure that it is accomplished on time, on budget, and it has to be quality
(Harrison, & Lock, 2017). The project fails because of several aspects such as poorly defined
scope, lack of effective communication at all levels, poor risk management, and ineffective
leadership, among others.
Prior to the start of any project, project planning is the vital in ensure its success. A
competent project manager knows the significance of planning as the most appropriate
manner before it kicks off (Kerzner, 2019). In this sense, a well-planned project takes into
consideration essential elements of a project such as communication, milestone, tasks, quality
and scheduling among others by providing a plan that the project team has to refer to in the
course of project execution. Importantly, the project plan involves the expression of supplies
and goals of the project in terms of scope, resource requirement, project quality, project
schedule and project risk management. Therefore, a project plan allows the project manager

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to transform the requirements of the project into Gantt charts, risk register, work breakdown
structure task lists and resource assignment. Once the project has been planned it each task is
supposed to be scheduled so that it can be accomplished at a specified period using a project
schedule (Kerzner, & Kerzner, 2017). A project schedule is an instrument that communicates
the type of tasks that are supposed to be completed and the organisational resources that
should be allocated to complete a given task in a specified timeframe. In this essence, a
project program is a document that assembles all the work that is to be accomplished to
complete the project on time.
Scheduling of tasks of a project involves the use of scheduling tools and techniques.
When it comes to developing, monitoring and controlling a project schedule, the project
manager can use several devices as well as techniques where most project leaders use
programs like Microsoft Project and Excel, which are the most common. Other scheduling
tools include Gantt chart and schedule network analysis. The Gantt chart is a level bar chart
that is intrigued over time. Every task is represented as a bar with the length of the bar based
on the approximated time. According to the task reliance and accessibility to resources, these
bars can be displayed in a successive or parallel manner (McBride, & McBride, 2016).
On the other hand, the schedule network analysis is a graphical illustration that runs
from left to right across a page. It is used to display the logical relationships between works
elements in a chronological order starting for the initial planning until the time of project
closure. Schedule network analysis tool helps observe the project to make sure that its
progress is on track.
On the hand, scheduling techniques used in project management include Critical Path
Method (CPM) and program evaluation and review technique (PERT). The critical path
method is a series of string activities which takes the most extended period to complete by

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acknowledging any decencies between tasks in the sequence where another job cannot
begging until the predecessor has to be accomplished. The critical path method is determined
by summing up the number of times all activities located on the critical path
PERT is different from the CMP chart in the manner in which time for events is
calculated to allow for better uncertainty. The time for each occasion is determined using
three time estimates that is the shortest time (ST), the lengthiest time (LT) and most probable
time (MT). Therefore, the estimated time allocated for every action is determined by getting
an average of the three approximations.
1.1 What are the main reasons why projects are delayed
The main reasons for delay in the delivery of project is existence of unrealistic project
deadlines, budget misappropriation and poor communication. Unrealistic deadlines arise from
poor visibility into the project capacity, the project manager not being able to manage the
project by identifying project risks (Amoatey, Ameyaw, Adaku, & Famiyeh, 2015). On the
same note, lack of prioritisation and insufficient scheduling tools and techniques to provide
the project time estimate results in delayed project delivery. Budget misappropriation results
in the contractor misquoting the work estimate. Consequently, budget misappropriations lead
to early exhaustion of resources before the project closure time, which leads to shutting down
of the project while on course to look for resources to finance the project to completion. In
the process of seeking resources, time is wasted; hence, the project ends up being delivered
past the deadline (Larsen, Shen, Lindhard, & Brunoe, 2015). Additionally, poor
communication is another cause of project delay. Poor communication results in confusion
among project teams and even conflict that in the end, delay the project.

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1.2 Why is a customer/client needs analysis, important in terms of developing more
effective project planning?
Project planning cannot be realised minus understanding the needs of a client since
the project is carried out for the client. The primary objective of project planning is to make
sure that it meets the requirements of the client (Adelakun, Garcia, Tabaka, & Ismail, 2017).
In this sense, the needs of the client are critical towards solving the customer’s problem. The
customer takes charge to communicate the project needs to ensure that the requirements are
attained at the project completion.
1.3 Propose how the effective use of project management software can help an
organisation manage its projects throughout each stage of the project life cycle
In the initiation phase of a project, the software can be utilised to perform the
contingency planning as well as the “what if analysis” to enable the project manager to
comprehend the effects of dissimilar activities (Harrison, & Lock, 2017). In this case, the
software allows the calculation of various activities in a relatively quick and easy way, unlike
when it could have been done manually. In the planning stage, the software helps to make the
project simpler in the sense that it allow the project manager to describe diverse practices,
which need to be performed. The use of software can aid in the generation of in-depth project
preparation certification and other operations that are helpful to the project manager in the
planning of work schedules.
In the execution stage, the software can be significant in various ways. For instance,
the software can be relevant in handling complex projects where, in the case of re-planning
the software can quickly generate a revised project schedule (Costantino, Di Gravio, &
Nonino, 2015). In the project control stage, and budget control, a project management
software can aid in checking and regulating the project. For instance, the project manager can

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easily compare the real cost with the budget costs for each activity and the entire project,
which motivates the project manager to perform constant tracking of the project progress.
2. Discuss the tools and techniques that project managers can use to ensure
knowledge and lessons learned from previous projects are not lost and can be
shared for the benefit of future projects.
Knowledge management is all about developing organisational intelligence by
grasping and utilising the knowledge acquired by project teams. Tools and techniques that
can be shared for benefits in future projects include case studies, and rapid evidence review.
A case study offers project descriptions and their results. This helps other project members to
understand the impact of benefit as well as the possibility to replicate a similar strategy like
that used in the case study to reinvent the entire project (Kerzner, 2018). Rapid evidence
review is a systematic strategy used to review the knowledge data points and providing an
overview of the same. Indeed, this plays a significant role to others by establishing a basis,
which can be improved on while considering the inputs used in the previous project and the
results learned afterwards.
2.1 What you believe are the biggest challenges in project scheduling and why.
2.1.1 Design Variation
Design changes greatly influence performance in project management. For instance,
the construction of Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) is a project that was
greatly affected due to design changes whereby by these changes led to late delivery of the
plan (Abdul-Rahman, Wang, & Yap, 2015). The original completion date and opening of the
airport project were September 2011. Nonetheless, because of design changes, the project
was forced to be moved ahead several times, and it was at last accomplished in May 2014.
Design changes lead to the project incurring additional costs and time. In the case of KLIA2

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project, it was initially budgeted for 1.7 billion RM, but because of design changes, the cost
skyrocketed to four billion RM.
Conclusion
In conclusion, project planning plays a key role in ensuring successful delivery of any
project. Project planning depends on the client’s needs. Project planning is made easier when
the project manager utilise scheduling tools and techniques. Project planning can only be
realised when the client’s needs clearly known. Therefore, project planning should critically
evaluate the client’s needs to ensure that the plan does not leave out any of the client’s
requirement for successful project completion. Project management Software helps in the
appropriate planning of each project activity leading to successful delivery of each activity
and the entire project. Lastly, design variation is the most challenging part of project
scheduling; hence, the project director should carefully design the project by allocating each
task enough resources and time during initial project planning to avoid design variations.

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References
Abdul-Rahman, H., Wang, C., & Yap, J. B. H. (2015). Impacts of design changes on
construction project performance: Insights from a literature review. In 14th
Management In Construction Researchers’ Association (MiCRA 2015) Annual
Conference and General Meeting.
Adelakun, O., Garcia, R., Tabaka, T., & Ismail, R. (2017). Hybrid Project Management:
Agile with Discipline. In CONF-IRM (p. 14).
https://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=confirm2017
Amoatey, C. T., Ameyaw, Y. A., Adaku, E., & Famiyeh, S. (2015). Analysing delay causes
and effects in Ghanaian state housing construction projects. International Journal of
Managing Projects in Business, 8(1), 198-214.
Costantino, F., Di Gravio, G., & Nonino, F. (2015). Project selection in project portfolio
management: An artificial neural network model based on critical success
factors. International Journal of Project Management, 33(8), 1744-1754.
Harrison, F., & Lock, D., (2017). Advanced project management: a structured approach.
London: Routledge.
Harrison, F., & Lock, D., (2017). Advanced project management: a structured approach.
London: Routledge.
Kerzner, H., (2018). Project management best practices: Achieving global excellence. New
York: John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H., (2019). Using the project management maturity model: strategic planning for
project management. New York: Wiley.

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Kerzner, H., & Kerzner, H. R., (2017). Project management: a systems approach to
planning, scheduling, and controlling. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Larsen, J. K., Shen, G. Q., Lindhard, S. M., & Brunoe, T. D. (2015). Factors affecting
schedule delay cost overrun, and quality level in public construction projects. Journal
of Management in Engineering, 32(1), 04015032.
McBride, M., & McBride. (2016). Project Management Basics. Apress.
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-1-4842-2086-3.pdf