Common Elements of

Project Plan
1. Scope Statement, Charter, or SOW
2. Detailed requirements
3. Detailed work definition (WBS and work
package details)
4. Responsibility for work tasks
5. Detailed schedules and milestones
1. Gantt charts
2. Networks
6. Project budget and cost accounts
Gantt Chart
 Gantt Chart
 What is effect of
 C starting 2 weeks late?

 C starting 6 weeks late?

 E taking 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks?

 E finishing a week early?

A
B

C
D
Tasks

E
F
G

1 3 8 10 11 12 16
Time
Scheduling Using Network
Methods
 AON method: “Activity on Node”
 Each activity (work package or task) in project is
represented by a “node” (a circle or box)
Activity A
A or A

 A project is represented by a network of nodes

connected with arrows arranged in sequence as
specified by immediate predecessors
Example
Activity Immediate Time
Predecessors
A A -- 1
B Gantt Chart B A 2
C B 3

C D B 1
D E C, D 2
E
F E 3
F

1 3 4 6 8 11
Time
AON (cont’d)
 Example
Activity Immediate
Predecessors
A --
B A
C B
D B A B
E C, D
F E
AON (cont’d)
 Example
Activity Immediate
Predecessors
A --
B A
C
C B
D B A B
E C, D D
F E
AON (cont’d)
 Example
Activity Immediate
Predecessors
A --
B A
C
C B
D B A B E F
E C, D D
F E
AON (cont’d)
 When a network has “dangling” nodes at the start or end
of the project, cannot tell where project starts or ends.
B
A
I
C
H

G K
D
J
F
L
E
AON (cont’d)
 The network should have one “start” node and one “end”
node
B
A
I

start C
H

K end
G
D
J
F
L
E
Activities in the network should
be based upon work packages
from the WBS
PDM Networks
 AON presumes a finish-to-start relationship
(immediate predecessors must finish before
successors can start)
 PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method) shows
kinds of relationships in projects
 Start activity when predecessors are only partially

completed
 Start activity n days after start of predecessor

 Start activity n days after predecessors are

completed
 Finish activity n days after finished predecessor

 Etc.
PDM Networks
FS = 1
A B
 Examples
Start B 1 day after finish A

FF = 5
A B
Finish B 5 days after finish A

SS = 3
A B
Start B 3 days after start A
 With most project management software, you can
schedule using PDM method
Computer generated network
diagrams
Scheduling Using a Network
 How do we schedule activities on the network?

C, 3
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
D, 1
Creating the Schedule
 Assume project starts at time 0.
 Start at first node, work left-to-right, adding
duration times.

start = 3
finish = 6
Project
start C, 3
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
start = 0 start = 1
D, 1 start = ?
finish = 1 finish = 3
start = 3
finish = 4
Creating the Schedule

 If an activity has multiple immediate predecessors

(activity E), must wait until all are finished before
starting.
start = 3
finish = 6

C, 3
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
start = 0 start = 1 start = 6 start = 8
D, 1
finish = 1 finish = 3 finish = 8 finish = 11
start = 3
finish = 4
Creating the Schedule
 Note: Here, ignore fact that in reality an activity
will finish on one day or week and the next
activity will start on following day or week.
 To simplify, assume that when an activity is
finished, its successors start immediately.
Creating the Schedule
Note: Results are same if had created a Gantt chart.
start = 3
finish = 6

C, 3
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
start = 0 start = 1 start = 6 start = 8
D, 1
finish = 1 finish = 3 finish = 8 finish = 11
A start = 3
finish = 4
B
C
Tasks

D
E

1 3 4 6 8 11
Creating the Schedule: Early
Times
 These times are called “Early Times”—
the earliest activities can be started and
finished
 Early times give only half the time
information needed to create a realistic,
feasible schedule
 Early times do not consider potential
constraints
 Creating the Schedule: Early Times
(cont’d)
Suppose
1. Contractor for D cannot start in week (has prior
commitment); must wait until week 5
2. E cannot be completed in 2 weeks (shortage of
personnel); will require 3 weeks to complete
 What affect will these have on project?
start = 3
finish = 6

C, 3
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
start = 0 start = 1 start = 6 start = 8
D, 1
finish = 1 finish = 3 finish = 8 finish = 11
start = 3
finish = 4
Creating the Schedule: Early Times
(cont’d)
A
B
C
Tasks

D
E

1 3 4 5 6 8 9 11 12

 Answers
1. No affect. However, if D’s start were delayed until week 6, it
would delay project completion date.
2. If E exceeds 2 week duration by any amount, project will be
delayed
Creating the Schedule: Early Times
(cont’d)
 To quickly answer questions like these, need to
know more than Early Times
 Need also to know “Late Times”
Late Times
 Late times: latest times activities must be started or
finished in order to complete project by target date
 To compute late times, start at last node in project,
specify target completion, and work backwards

Start here:
finish = 6
start = 3 Target Completion = 11
finish = 8 finish = 11
finish = ? C, 3
start = 6 start = 8
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
D, 1
finish = 6
start = 5
Late Times (cont’d)
 Notice, the late finish for an activity is based on late start for its
successor.
 If an activity has more than one successor, late finish is based on
earliest of its successors. Hence, late finish for B is 3, which is
late start for earliest of its successors, C.
 Were B to finish any later than 3, C would be delayed, as would
E and F
finish = 6
start = 3
finish = 1 finish = 3 finish = 8 finish = 11
start = 0 start = 1 C, 3 start = 6 start = 8
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
D, 1
finish = 6
start = 5
Early and Late Times

 To simplify presentations from here on use

ES EF
LS LF
 Where
 ES = early start
 EF = early finish
 LS = late start
 LF = late finish
Early and Late Times (cont’d)
ACTIVITY, TIME

ES EF
LS LF

3 6
0 1 1 3 3 6 6 8 8 11
0 1 1 3 C, 3 6 8 8 11
A, 1 B, 2 E, 2 F, 3
D, 1
3 4
5 6
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)
 Another example
ES EF
LS LF
C, 2

A, 1 E, 2 G, 6

Start D, 7
End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)

ES EF
1 3
LS LF
0 1 ?
C, 2
1 8
A, 1 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 ?
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)

ES EF
1 3
LS LF
0 1 8 10 10 16
C, 2
1 8
A, 1 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)
Suppose target date is 16 weeks
ES EF
1 3
LS LF
0 1 8 10 10 16
C, 2
16
1 8
A, 1 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
16
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)

ES EF
1 3
?
LS LF
0 1 8 10 10 16
C, 2
8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 ? E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
? 12 15 15 16
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)

ES EF
1 3
6 8
LS LF
0 1 8 10 10 16
C, 2
? 8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 1 8 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
5 8 12 15 15 16
 Early and Late Times (cont’d)

ES EF
1 3
6 8
LS LF
0 1 8 10 10 16
C, 2
0 1 8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 1 8 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
5 8 12 15 15 16

 In project management software this information is

displayed in tabular form
Early and Late Times (cont’d)
Start Finish Late Start Late Finish
Project Duration:
How Long Will the Project Take?
 Quick way to determine duration of project:
Identify longest path through network from
the start node to the end node
 Project Duration (cont’d)
ES EF (Can ignore these!)
1 3 LS LF
6 8
0 1 8 10 10 16
C, 2
0 1 8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 1 8 E, 2 G, 6

Start D, 7
End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
5 8 12 15 15 16
 Project Duration (cont’d)

C, 2

A, 1 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End

B, 3 F, 3 H, 1

 Longest path is A-D-E-G, 16 weeks,

thus, project duration is 16 weeks
Slack Times

 Difference between early and late times

represent “slack” (or “float”) of an activity
 LS – ES = slack
 or LF – EF = slack
 Slack Times  Slack represents scheduling flexibility
 How much an activity can be
LS – ES = slack
or LF – EF = slack
delayed
 How much activity can exceed

m = slack time expected duration

1 3
5
6 8
0 1 8 10 10 16
0 C, 2 0 0
0 1 8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 1 8 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End
B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
5 4 4
5 8 12 15 15 16
 Slack Times
 Activities F and H both have slack of 4 weeks.
 However, both are on same sub-path, hence, 4 weeks represents
combined slack for both activities.
 (If F is delayed 1 week, H has 3 weeks of slack remaining)
1 3
5
6 8
0 1 8 10 10 16
0 C, 2 0 0
0 1 8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 1 8 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End
B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
5 4 4
5 8 12 15 15 16
Early and Late Times (cont’d)
Start Finish Late Start Late Finish Slack
 Critical Path
 Notice the path with 0 total slack
 This path is also the “Critical Path”
1 3
5
6 8
0 1 8 10 10 16
0 C, 2 0 0
0 1 8 10 10 16
1 8
A, 1 1 8 E, 2 G, 6

D, 7
Start End
B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3 8 11 11 12
5 4 4
5 8 Critical Path 12 15 15 16

CP = A-D-E-G
 Critical Path (cont’d)

 CP has least slack

 Also, CP is the Longest Path

C, 2

A, 1 E, 2 G, 6

Start D, 7
End
B, 3 F, 3 H, 1

• Activities on CP are called critical activities

• Activities not on CP are called “non critical activities”
• Any delay on any activity on CP will delay project.
 Critical Path (cont’d)
 CP has least slack in project (though not always
0. If, e.g., target of project is 18 weeks, slack on
CP will be 2, but 2 more everywhere else).

1 3
7
8 10
0 1 C, 2 8 10 10 16
2 2 2
2 3 10 12 12 18
1 8
A, 1 2 G, 6
3 10 E, 2 Target
Date = 18
Start D, 7
End
B, 3 F, 3 H, 1
0 3
7 8 11 6 11 12 6
7 10 14 17 17 18
CP = A-D-E-G
Sample problem
Specify ES, EF, LS, LF, critical path, and slack
times ES EF
LS LF

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1

Assume
L, 2 M, 3 LF = EF

Q, 6
J, 3

R, 2
Early times

2 5 5 10 ?

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1
0 2
5 11
L, 2 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
5 7
Early times

2 5 5 10 11 12

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1 ?
0 2
5 11
L, 2 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
5 7
Early times

2 5 5 10 11 12

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1 12 15
0 2
5 11 ?
L, 2 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
5 7
Late times

2 5 5 10 11 12
3 6 6 11 11 12

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1 12 15
0 2
5 11 12 15
L, 2 5 11 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
? 5 7
10 12
Late times

2 5 5 10 11 12
3 6 6 11 11 12

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1 12 15
0 2
? 5 11 12 15
L, 2 5 11 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
2 5 5 7
10 12
Critical path?

2 5 5 10 11 12
3 6 6 11 11 12

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1 12 15
0 2
0 2 5 11 12 15
L, 2 5 11 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
2 5 5 7
10 12
Critical path, slack times

2 5 5 10 11 12
1 0
3 6 1 6 11 11 12

D, 3 F, 5 C, 1 12 15
0 2
0 0
0 2 5 11 12 15
L, 2 5 11 0 M, 3
Q, 6
J, 3
R, 2
2 5
0
2 5 5 7
5
10 12