Synopsis:

1. What is Scheduling?

2. Objectives of Scheduling

3. Steps of Scheduling

4. Methods of Scheduling

5. Bar Chart

6. Network Diagram

What is Scheduling?
Project schedule is written presentation of various parts of a project with specific activities and duration.

• [Link], “A schedule depicts the expected starts and finish time of each job. It is produced
by allocating resources upto the limit of availability according to the requirements given by the
plan.”

• Punmia and Khandelwal, “ Scheduling is the determination of time required for execution of
each operation and the time order in which each operation has to be carried out to meet the
plan objectives.”

The project schedule should reflect all of the work associated with delivering the project on time.

Example of scheduling:
Objectives of scheduling:
1. Proper use of project lifetime;

2. Reduction of project’s excess cost;

3. To balance between inputs and outputs flow of a project

4. Optimum use of allocated resources

5. To ensure the process of achieving objectives and goals;

6. To follow the formulated time schedule;

7. To establish control on estimated resources for the project according to plan.

8. To run the project more smoothly.

9. Scheduling will give you a clear picture of the requirements of the project.

10. Project scheduling is helpful for project team.

11. To prevent project risk.

Steps of Project Scheduling

1. Planning for schedule management

2. Identify the project activities

3. Define the project activities

4. Determine dependencies

5. Sequence activities

6. Estimate resources

7. Estimate durations

8. Develop the project schedule

9. Monitor and control

Methods of Scheduling
1. Bar Chart/Gantt Chart/Milestone Chart

2. Network Diagram

1. Bar Chart:

A bar chart is a way of summarizing a set of categorical data/work package. The bar chart displays data
using a number of bars, each representing a particular category.

• In a bar chart, activities or work packages, are listed vertically as per their sequence and each of
them is allocated a strip denoting the estimated time to complete that job as calendar
days/months.

• Various types of colors are used to indicate different tasks and their progress.

In 1910 Henry L. Gantt firstly used some bar chart for developing the US army’s war/arms strategies.
This is the most commonly used techniques of scheduling for small and medium size projects

Various symbols of bar chart are-

[-Starting/ Beginning of a work

]-Ending

[ ------ ] Real progress

status of a certain period V

Advantages:

1. One can find the ideas of a project through bar chart at first sight;

2. This is very easy to make and use and no need of any specialized training;

3. Real progress can be evaluated through bar chart;

4. Manpower also be shown through this methods.

Disadvantages:

1. There is no scope to show relationship between various works;

2. It is not easy to use in a large project;

3. This is difficult and time consuming for adjusting with changeable situation;

Network Diagram Technique

In 1950-60, network diagram technique was developed in USA. This is very popular and widely used
modern technique. This technique is able to remove all the barriers of bar chart methods.

This is a technique to present the relationship between/among various works and its completion time
with a diagram.

Network diagrams show interconnections between a set of entities. Each entity is represented by

a Node (or circle). Connections between nodes are represented through links.
Symbols used in NT

1. Arrow: →. This is arrow. It indicates a distinct work, which goes from left to right.

2. Circle(Node): O. This denotes the time of event.

3. Dotted arrow: ……. →. It indicates damy work.

4. Pathway: →0→0→0→.

Development of a network diagram

1. Identification of a work package and activities;

2. Listing of work packages and activities;

3. Determination of activity duration;

Rules for developing NT

• Every activity has to be a preceding and a scheduling next event ;

• Every activity should be identified by a letter or no. of events;

• Before a particular activity begins, if any preceding work must be completed;

• Every event should be mentioned by a number;

• One arrow indicates link between two tasks, similarly one node indicate one task and duration;

• Arrow and node indicate the path of left to right way not right to left;

• Length of arrow is not meant length of a work.

• Damy should be used for logical relationship between one task to another task;

• A network diagram can represent one or more critical path. Critical path means the longest
path.
Examples of NT:

Example1:

P-1:A+B+D+F=5+4+6+4=19 Days

P-2:A+C+E+F=5+5+3+4=17 Days

Here CP=P1=19 days

Example-2

P-1:A+B+E+H=3+6+13+6=28 Days

P-2:A+C+E+H=3+7+13+6=29 Days

P-3:A+C+F+G=3+7+8+11= 29 Days

P-4:A+D+F+G=3+5+8+11= 27 Days

P-5:A+D+G=3+5+11= 19 Days

CP: P2 and P3=29 days

The following table indicates some information of a construction project.

1. Draw a network diagram

2. Identify the critical path(CP)

3. If the time of ‘F’ activity shifted 7 to 9 then have any change in critical path?

Solution-
Paths:

4. A+B+E+G+1=6+9+11+12+9=47 Weeks(CP)

5. A+C+F+G+H+I=6+8+7+12+9=42 Weeks

6. A+D+F+G+I=6+12+7+12+9=46 Weeks

7. A+D+H+I=6+12+14+9= 41 Weeks

Here, CP = P=1=47 days.

If F=9 then CP would be,

2. A+C+F+G+H+I=6+8+9+12+9=44 Weeks

3. A+D+F+G+I=6+12+9+12+9=48 Weeks(CP)

Therefore, CP=P-3=48 weeks.

Advantages/Purposes
• Planning a project structure

• Tracking the project progress

• Defining the project workflow

• Identifying blockage and risks

• Selling a project proposal to stakeholders

• Assistance in justifying the time estimate for the project

• Identifying activity interdependencies

• Showing the progress using a report

• Identify ‘critical’ activities, also activities where ‘float’ exists

• Set deadlines to work towards.

• Helps plan ordering of stocks/ materials or equipment.

• It helps cash flow

• Network can help solve problems that arise during the project

Disadvantages
• It takes time to produce

• It costs a lot to produce

• It can become very complex- could be misinterpreted

• Reliability of data, e.g timescales, who has produced it and errors, e.g missing tasks

• Threat of external factors that cause problems, e.g weather