Time Management

Project Time Management
Study Notes

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

Points to Note

Please read chapter 6 from PMBOK® Guide Fourth Edition (pages 129-164).
The study notes explain topics that are important for PMP exam preparation, and you can
expect several questions from these topics.
Pay close attention to all the terms used. It is very important to understand all theconcepts discussed in this chapter.
Try to relate the concepts to real life examples.
After reading the study notes, please answer the chapter test questions in this knowledge
area. The chapter questions improve your understanding of the concepts discussed in the
study notes.

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

2

What is Project Time Management?
Processes required to manage timelycompletion of the project.
Processes involved in the project time management include:
Define Activities
Sequence Activities
Estimate Activity Resources
Estimate Activity Durations
Develop Schedule
Control Schedule
Each of these processes occur at least once in every project and in one or more project
phases (if the project is divided into phases).
Please refer to figure 6-1, PMBOK® GuideFourth Edition, page 131. This provides an
overview of the processes in project time management.

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

3

Define Activities
Process to identify specific actions that need to be performed to produce project
deliverables
Activities are smaller decomposed components of the project work packages, which
represent the work necessary to complete the workpackage.
Tools and Techniques used in Define Activities process:
Decomposition
Rolling wave planning
Templates
Expert judgment
Outputs of Define Activities process are:
Activity list
Activity attribute
Milestone list

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

4

Decomposition
Subdivides the project work packages into activities
Provides better management control
Leads toactivities, the lowest level of the work packages in the Define Activities process
Leads to the work package, the lowest level in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in the
Create WBS process, where the deliverables are identified
Process can involve team members. This can lead to better and more accurate results.

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

5

Sequence Activities
Identifies anddocuments relationships among project activities
Uses logical relationships
Can be performed by using manual or automated techniques or project management
software
Tools and Techniques used for the Sequence Activity process are:
Precedence diagramming method (PDM)
Dependency determination
Applying leads and lags
Schedule network templates

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

6Types of Dependencies
Mandatory dependencies:
Also referred to as hard logic
Required as per contract or inherent in the nature of the work
Usually involve physical limitations (e.g., you cannot build the ceiling until walls are
constructed)
Are determined by the project management team during the activity sequencing
process
Discretionary dependencies:
Also referred to as preferred logic,preferential logic, or soft logic
Are determined by the project management team during the activity sequencing
process
Should be used with care and well documented, since they may limit later scheduling
options
External dependencies:
Are determined by the project management team during the activity sequencing
process
Involve a relationship between project and non-project activities such asactivities
outside the project team’s control (e.g., dependence on external sources for
deliveries, environmental factors governed by statutes, etc.)

© 2009 PMstudy.com. All rights reserved

7

Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)
Used in the Critical Path Methodology (CPM) for constructing the project schedule network
diagram
Uses nodes to represent the activities and connects them...