BUS1040

Introduction to Project Management

Week 5
Remember:
-Please Sit with Your Project Teams
-Hand-in your teams “Signed” Team Contract at the end of the class

Dr. Farhad Shiri

[email protected]

Farhad Shiri Project Management

@ George Brown College
Some Key Dates
Date Course Progress Group Project Progress
Week 2 Participation Assignment Finalize Groups (5-6 ppl) & Proposal
Week 3 Participation Assignment Team Contract
Week 4 Participation Assignment First Draft – Project Definition
Week 5 Participation Assignment First Draft - WBS
Week 6 Midterm Exam Review First Draft – Project Plan
Week 7 Midterm Exam Mid-Point Peer Evaluation
Week 8 *No Class – Intersession Week
Week 9 Participation Assignment Status Report (Progress of Assignment)
Week 10 Participation Assignment In- Class Group Project Workshop
Week 11 Coaching Final Draft: Complete Report
Week 12 Written Reports Due
Week 13 Videos Due
Week 14 Final Exam Review
Week 15 Final Exam
Week 5 Objectives
Summary: What did we do last week
1. Define the elements of a project plan
2. Overview an approach for creating a project plan
3. Learn how to use Work Breakdown Structure as a
means of organizing project activities
4. Work through a step-by-step example so that everyone
gains experience in putting a work breakdown structure
together

In this weeks class, we aim to achieve the following;

1. Learn about “Critical Paths” and how they drive the
overall timeline of a Project
2. Gain experience calculating critical path using actual
project data
3. Kahoot Game!
4. In-class assignment on Critical path
5. Have an opportunity to work in your group project
teams and check in with the instructor on progress
 How To Create a Plan

Step #1 - Planning Kickoff Meeting

A project launch meeting is an initial coordinating meeting that
• Reviews requirements/charter defined in the previous project definition phase
• Communicates a well-defined set of objectives
• Identifies key project stakeholders and clarifies roles within the team
• Shows senior level support for project
• Informs and secures buy-in from team members
• Gets consensus around high level approach and next steps

Step #2 - Initiate the Process of Breaking out “Work Packages”

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) - The process of listing out the sequence of
activities required to carry the project from start to completion
LEVEL 1 - Make a list of the project deliverables that need to be completed
LEVEL 2 - Within each Level 1 deliverable, list out necessary activities to complete
LEVEL 3 - Within each Level 2 activity, list out necessary tasks to complete

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
 How to Create a Plan - Continued
Step #3 - Creating the Action Plan
• Ensure that the deliverable or output for each work package is defined
• For the tasks in each work package, identify the relevant data (I.e. time, equipment, materials)
• List the personnel and organizations responsible for each task

Step #4 - Map Interdependencies

• When multifunctional teams are used to plan complex projects their work must be integrated
and coordinated.
• Look for dependencies between tasks (i.e. what task must be finished before another can
start)
• Interface maps are a useful way of identifying the interdependencies that must be managed

Step #5 - Review with Team

• All work package information should be reviewed with the individuals or organizations who
have responsibility for doing or supporting the work in order to verify its accuracy

Step #6 - Aggregate Information

• Consolidate effort required for all work packages
• Milestones from each work package are consolidated into the master schedule
• Total budget should include;
• Direct budgets from each work package
• Any indirect costs (I.e. cost of sale)
• A “Contingency” reserve for unexpected emergencies
• Project Residual (Targeted profit margin)

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
The Project Planning Phase
Project Project Goal:
Definition Planning Create a plan for WHO,
“WHAT” Will We “HOW” Will We
is doing WHAT,
Achieve? Deliver The “WHAT”? by WHEN
• Needs Assessment •Deliverables
•Value Proposition •Work Packages
(WBS)
•Authorization
(Charter) •Project Plan Deliverables:
•Stakeholders •Timeline •Project Plan
•Requirements
(Schedule) •Product Plan
(Stakeholder Goals) •Budget
(Schematic)
•Project Scope •Final Budget
•Documentation:
Project Definition
Document
Approaches to Planning
1. Waterfall Planning
Sequential Process, where progress is seen as flowing steadily
downwards (like a waterfall) through the project phases
Approaches to Planning

Waterfall method – Pros and Cons

• Pros: Is your project mission-

critical? Do you need an
exceptionally high level of fault
tolerance? Waterfall is for you.
– Ease of use: This model is easy to
understand and use.
– Structure: The clear demarcation
between stages helps organize and
divide work.
– Documentation: The sharp focus on
gathering and understanding
requirements makes the Waterfall
model heavily reliant on
documentation.
Approaches to Planning

Waterfall method – Pros and Cons

• Cons: Waterfall can be quite a rigid

system, and can lack the flexibility to
deal with faced-paced and changeable
projects.
– Higher risk: The rigidity of this
methodology means that if you find an
error or need to change something, you
have to essentially start the project from the
beginning. This substantially increases the
risk of project failure.
– Front-heavy: The entire Waterfall
approach depends heavily on your
understanding and analyzing requirements
correctly. This lack of flexibility makes it a
poor choice for long and complex projects.
 Approaches to Planning
2. Agile Planning
Recognizes that not all information about the project can be known at one time, and
aims to minimize delays between starting next project stages. It highlights an Iterative
process, which allows the team to proceed through the project lifecycle for pieces or
requirements of a project that are completely understood, while other undefined aspects
of the project get further definition

The following video helps explain Agile Development http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJflDE6OaSc&feature=related

Additional Supplementary Resources: Watch the following video that explains and compares the 3 Project Planning
Approaches (Waterfall, Sashimi, and Agile)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r-BNaR_TDc&feature=related
Approaches to Planning
2. Agile Planning

• Agile was designed with the tech

industry in mind, and like its name
suggests, it focuses on a speedy
turnaround and an ability to adapt
to changing parameters throughout
the project’s timespan.
• The other advantage of Agile is the
way it focuses on people and
collaboration within the team. Many
teams find Agile helps them to both
improve productivity while allowing
them to boost creativity and create
unique solutions.
Let’s play Kahoot!
Visit www.Kahoot.it or Download Kahoot app
 Critical Path

http://project-management-knowledge.com/definitions/c/critical-path/
Calculating the Length of a Project
Assuming a project involves 3 tasks, all starting on the same day

Task A takes 5 days

Task B takes 4 days

Task C takes 3 days

How long will this project take to complete?

Calculating the Length of a Project
Assuming a project involves 3 tasks, all starting on the same day

Task A takes 5 days

Task B takes 7 days (Critical)
Task C takes 4 days
Calculating the Length of a Project

What if task C can start ONLY if task A finishes? Does it change

Critical path?
Network Diagram
Schedule Network Analysis
A technique that helps identify the critical path, generates the
project schedule, and defines activity “slack” time.
Activity - An activity is a physically identifiable part of a project, which
consumes both time and resources. Activity is represented by an arrow in a
network diagram.

Dependencies - All those activities, which must be completed before the

start of activity under consideration, are called its predecessor activities. All
those activities, which have to follow the activity under consideration, are
called its successor activities.
Network Diagram
Schedule Network Analysis
A technique that helps identify the critical path, generates the
project schedule, and defines activity “slack” time.
Event - An event represents the accomplishment of some task. In a network
diagram, beginning and ending of an activity are represented as events. Each
event is represented as a node in a network diagram. An event does not
consume any time or resource.
 Network Diagram
Schedule Network Analysis
A technique that helps identify the critical path, generates the
project schedule, and defines activity “slack” time.
Network - combination of all activities and events define the project
and the activity precedence relationships

Path - series of connected activities (or intermediate events)

between any two events in a network

Duration – The time that each activity will take to completion

Critical "critical“ activities are those activities which are on the

longest path(critical path) and cannot be delayed

Float (slack) Float activities are non-critical and can be delayed

without making the project longer

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
 Example: Constructing a Network Diagram
The Data: (Collected after completing your Work Package or Work Breakdown Structure)

Task Precedence Time

A None 5 days
B None 4 days
C A 6 days
D B 2 days
E B 5 days
F C,D 8 days

Step #1 –From the “Start”, identify the Tasks that do not have any Predecessor Activities

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
 Example: Constructing a Network Diagram

Step #2 –Build on the tasks that depend on the completion of these tasks.
Continue to build on the tasks that depend on the completion of these tasks.
When completed, make sure that the project is closed off at a single “END”

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
 Example: Constructing a Network Diagram
Step #3 – Add in the times required to complete each task.
The Critical Path is then defined as the path with the longest duration from Start to End

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
Example: Constructing a Network Diagram
Example:
How many weeks do we have to open this business?
 Example: Constructing a Network Diagram

Step #4 – Calculate Slack for activities which do not appear along the Critical Path

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
Example: Constructing a Network Diagram
 “Slack” or “Float” Time
Total float is the duration of delay allowed within the project which
will not interfere with the projected completion date

To calculate, compare the difference between the earliest start time

(EST) and latest start time (LST) for a specific task, in each path for
which it is a part.
Rule: The lowest calculated slack time for a task, in each of these
paths, is the total slack time for that task
For Example ADE is the critical path at12 days
ABC = 10 days Find slack for “B”?
ADE = 12 days The Slack
BFG = 9 days ADE – ABC = 2 days Time of B is
Critical path? ADE – BFG = 3 days 2 days

http://project-management-knowledge.com/definitions/t/total-float/
Participation Assignment (2%)
The following is an actual previous midterm exam question that focused on networks, critical paths and
slack times. Complete individually and hand-in before the end of class

Question #4 (Total 14 marks) Show all your work

a)Given the following activities, predecessors, and times, draw a critical path
network diagram (5 marks)
b)What is the critical path? (3 marks)
c)How long will it take to complete the project? (2 marks)
d)What is the slack time for activity C? (2 marks)
e)What is the slack time for activity I? (2 marks)

Activity Immediate Predecessor Time (days)

A - 3
B - 2
C - 6
D B 5
E A 3
F A 5
G E&D 4
H C 2
I F&G 4
 Scheduling
What is it?
• A schedule is the conversion of a project action plan  an
operating timetable
• Is the basis for monitoring and controlling project activity
• Scheduling is more important in a project environment than
in ongoing operations

Why is it important?
• Consistent framework for planning, scheduling, monitoring,
and controlling the project
• Illustrates the interdependence of all tasks, work packages,
and work elements
• It indicates the times when specific resources must be
available to work
• It determines an expected project completion date
• It identifies so-called critical activities that, if delayed, will
delay the project completion time
• It identifies activities with slack that can be delayed for
specific periods without penalty

Project Management: A Managerial Approach – Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. & Jack R. Meredith. Fourth Edition
For Next Week

• Review all the Week 5 “Weekly Lesson”

materials on Blackboard

• Team Project: Start to draft elements

1. Needs Assessment
2. Stakeholder Requirements
• Consider Primary & Secondary Data
(Surveys, Research)
3. Project Scope – What is & is not included
4. Value Proposition & Benefits to
Stakeholders
5. Project Definition Document