PMGT3623 Scheduling: Week 1 Overview

PMGT3623 Overview

• Course name: PMGT3623 Scheduling
• Course instructor: Dr Shahadat Uddin
• Course overview: Introduction to scheduling, course resources, and assessment components

Week 1: Introduction to Scheduling, Course Resources and Assessment Components

• Topics Covered: Course outline, assignment descriptions, Microsoft Project, e-Tendering NSW
• Learning Materials: What is Scheduling?, Different approaches to Scheduling, Importance of Scheduling, Steps in developing Scheduling for a given project

Course Materials Availability

• PowerPoint Slides: Student version available Monday/Tuesday, Solution version available Thursday afternoon by 5 PM
• Tutorial Problems: Problem sets (without solution) available Monday/Tuesday, Problem sets (with solution) available Thursday afternoon by 5 PM
• Sample Knowledge Test question: Available in Week 4
• Sample Final Examination question: Available in Week 10
• Supplementary questions: Without solution (Week 1-6) available now, With solution (Week 1-6) available in Week 3, Without solution (Week 7-11) available in Week 10, With solution (Week 7-11) available in Week 12
• Group Assignment details: Available now

Review Questions and Uploaded Supporting Materials

• Review questions provided weekly, based on lecture slides, for Knowledge Test and Final Examination (at least 20% of questions) which will be based on lecture slides and tutorial problems
• Solutions will not be uploaded separately; answers can be found in lecture slides

Formula (Knowledge Test and Final Exam)

• Complex formulas will be provided, while simple ones (e.g., average, probability, and early-start) will not be
• Z-table will be provided if a question relies on it

A Reference Book

• Project Management: Planning and Scheduling Techniques by Vijay Kumar Bansal available at OneDrive (sharepoint.com)

PMGT3623 Assessments

• Weekly Participation (10%): Best 6 out of 7 weeks (Weeks 2–6; 9–10)
• Knowledge Test (20%): Week 7
• Group Assignment Presentation (Part A) (10%): Weeks 12 and 13
• Group Assignment Report Submission (Part B) (20%): Friday of Week 13, 11:59 PM
• Final Exam (40%): Exam Week

Weekly Delivery Plan and Structure

• Blended learning approach (face-to-face, except for week 1)
• First hour of each workshop: explanation of materials and concepts in Project Scheduling, including in-class problems
• Second half of each workshop: in-depth problem discussions and solutions
• Students should review weekly materials before each lecture, and solve given problems in class

Microsoft Project Software

• Microsoft Project is the software for the course.
• Downloadable via USyd website (https://sydneyuni.service-now.com/sm?id=kb... ) or Canvas
• Software use demonstrated in Week 3 (short) and Week 8 (comprehensive)

e-Tendering NSW

• Website (https://www.tenders.nsw.gov.au/) for tender details regarding various projects: excellent resource for various scheduling methods and approaches in different contexts

Canvas Announcement and Communication

• Crucial course announcements made on Canvas
• Course-related queries answered through email ([email protected])
• Direct communication with the instructor (15-20 minutes before/after lectures)

Emergency Procedures (on campus)

• Evacuation procedures will be followed
• Physical distancing whilst waiting
• Potential lockdown/shelter-in-place scenarios

Keeping Our Community Safe

• Following good hygiene practices
• Adhering to government and public health recommendations

Academic Honesty and Integrity

• Students responsible for honest and authentic participation
• Understanding of academic honesty policies, codes, and procedures from University of Sydney

Types of Academic Dishonesty

• Cheating: Copying answers, using unauthorized aids, etc.

• Plagiarism: Submitting someone else's work as your own

• Facilitation: Allowing a student to copy from you, sharing questions, taking tests for another person

• Zero tolerance for academic dishonesty.

Disability

• Students with disabilities should register with Disability Services
• https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/disability-support.html

About the Teaching Team

• Teaching staff details.

What is Scheduling?

• Defining tasks and setting timelines
• Creating detailed timetables for project activities
• Considerations of dependencies and resource allocation for project completion
• Two categories: Static and Dynamic

Key Components of Project Scheduling

• Activities/Tasks: Detailed list of tasks
• Dependencies: Sequencing of activities
• Durations: Estimated times for each activity
• Resources: Allocation of resources (e.g., people, equipment)
• Milestones: Key points for project progress tracking
• Timeline/Gantt Chart: Visual representation of the schedule
• Critical Path: Sequence of activities that determine project duration

Why Scheduling?

• Time management: Deadlines and efficient resource use.
• Resource management: Optimal resource allocation
• Cost management: Better cost estimations & budget control.
• Risk management: Risk identification, mitigation, & avoidance

Static Scheduling

• Fixed timeline: unaffected by changes during project execution
• Detailed planning: requires comprehensive breakdowns of tasks
• Limited flexibility: changes can make the schedule complex
• Predictable scheduling: offers a transparent plan for the entire project
• Use Cases: Well-defined scopes and requirements
• Advantages: Clear expectations, straightforward progress tracking and management, control on budget
• Disadvantages: Inability to adapt to changes, risk of obsolescence, limited responsiveness to issues

Dynamic Scheduling

• Flexible timeline: adjusts to changes and uncertainties
• Adaptable and responsive: reacts quickly to unexpected events & changes
• Continuous monitoring & adjustment
• Optimized resource usage: reallocation of resources as needed
• Use Cases: Evolving requirements, uncertain outcomes, Agile project management environments
• Advantages: adaptable to change, proactive risk management, greater resource utilization
• Disadvantages: complex to manage, risk of uncertainty and unpredictability, requires advanced tools

Steps in Developing Project Schedule

• Define Tasks and Milestones: Detailed list of individual tasks and overarching milestones, potentially broken down further
• Sequence Tasks: Determining the logical order of tasks to be completed
• Estimate Task Durations: Assessing the time required for each task
• Assign Tasks to Team Members: Allocating appropriate team members to specific tasks
• Develop the Schedule: Creating a schedule outlining the sequence, durations, and assigned tasks
• Share and Monitor: Sharing the schedule with stakeholders and tracking project progress against the schedule
• Manage Changes: Procedure for handling schedule changes and deviations arising due unforeseen circumstances
• Review and Update the Schedule: Reviewing and amending the schedule regularly to accommodate new information and reflect actual project performance

Exercise on 'Steps in Project Scheduling'

• Practical application example to illustrate the practical application of scheduling steps

Review Questions

• Comprehensive set of questions to aid in assessing understanding of scheduling concepts and practices

This quiz focuses on the introduction to scheduling, covering the course outline, assignment descriptions, and essential tools like Microsoft Project. Gain insights into various approaches to scheduling and the steps involved in developing a project schedule. Prepare to familiarize yourself with the course resources and assessments.