PMGT3623 Scheduling: Week 1 Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the weight of the Final Exam in the overall assessment scheme?

20%

40% (correct)

50%

30%

Which weeks do students need to participate for the Weekly Participation assessment?

W1-W7

W2-W6; W9-W10 (correct)

W1-W6

W2-W8

When is the Group Assignment Report Submission due?

At the end of W12

At the beginning of the exam week

At the end of W13

Friday of W13 by 11:59 pm (correct)

What should students review before the weekly lecture?

Weekly materials Signup and view all the answers

What can result in a score of 0 marks for the Weekly Participation assessment?

Inappropriate effort or wrong method used Signup and view all the answers

What is the weight of the Knowledge Test in the overall assessment?

20% Signup and view all the answers

During which week is the Group Assignment Presentation (Part A) due?

Week 12 Signup and view all the answers

What is the total number of weeks dedicated to assessments in PMGT3623?

7 weeks Signup and view all the answers

Which software is mentioned for use in the implementation of project network diagrams?

Microsoft Project Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the weekly participation assessment?

To evaluate understanding of each week's topic Signup and view all the answers

What is the final exam's weight in the overall assessment structure?

40% Signup and view all the answers

Which week includes the Mid-Semester Break?

Week 8 Signup and view all the answers

What topics are covered in Week 1 of the course?

Introduction to Scheduling and Course Resources Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of scheduling in project management?

Time, cost, and resource management Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a learning outcome of the unit of study?

Develop negotiation skills Signup and view all the answers

What is a key element of a well-defined project schedule?

Clarity in task assignments Signup and view all the answers

Which scheduling format is commonly used in project management?

Precedence diagrams and Gantt charts Signup and view all the answers

The integration of scheduling involves managing which of the following?

Activities, time, and costs Signup and view all the answers

Which step is essential in developing a project schedule?

Identifying task interdependencies Signup and view all the answers

What role do scheduling tools play in project management?

They facilitate the tracking of task progress and costs Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of effective project scheduling?

Timely and cost-effective completion Signup and view all the answers

When are the student version PowerPoint slides available for download?

Monday/Tuesday of the same week Signup and view all the answers

What type of problems will be solved in the second half of the weekly workshop?

More in-depth problems based on the first half materials Signup and view all the answers

How are supplementary questions presented for the first week?

Available without solutions at the start of the week Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the Knowledge test and Final examination will consist of questions from the review questions?

20% Signup and view all the answers

Which type of formula will not be provided during the Knowledge test and Final Exam?

Simple formulas like averages Signup and view all the answers

When will students receive the solutions for supplementary questions for Weeks 1 to 6?

Week 3 Signup and view all the answers

What is the availability of group assignment details?

Available now in Week 1 Signup and view all the answers

What will not happen with the sample Knowledge test and Final examination questions?

They will be uploaded with solutions Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

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

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Description

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.