Project Management Basics

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Questions and Answers

What are the components of project management?

Planning, scheduling, resources

Quality, resources, risk

Scope, budget, schedule

Knowledge, skills, tools & techniques (correct)

What are the project management processes?

Design, development, implementation, testing, deployment

Initiation, planning, executing, controlling, closing (correct)

Requirements gathering, analysis, design, development, testing

Research, design, prototyping, testing, production

What is the purpose of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?

A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) provides a hierarchical decomposition of the project scope into smaller, manageable tasks or work packages, helping to define and organize the work required to achieve project objectives.

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) presents the project activities in a chronological order.

False Signup and view all the answers

What are the two basic rules of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?

The 100% rule states that all work must be accounted for at every level of the WBS (ΣΑ; = Project). The no-overlap rule requires that work elements at a given level should not overlap or be duplicated (A₁ = 0). Signup and view all the answers

What are the criteria for breaking down work in the WBS?

100% rule, no overlapping, clear outputs, quality monitoring, progress monitoring, defined activities Signup and view all the answers

What are the differences between an activity and an event in project management?

An activity is a work task that consumes time, resources, and has a defined start and end. An event is a milestone that marks a point in time and does not consume time or resources. Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of an activity?

Consumes time, consumes resources, assignable to a responsible person, measurable progress Signup and view all the answers

What is a milestone in project management?

A milestone is a significant point in the project timeline that marks a major accomplishment, a change in status, or a key decision point. It does not consume time or resources. Signup and view all the answers

What are the different types of constraints in project management?

Project constraints can include physical limitations, resource availability, safety requirements, financial considerations, environmental restrictions, management decisions, contractual obligations, productivity factors, and regulatory guidelines. Signup and view all the answers

What are the various types of project schedules?

Bar chart (Gantt), network chart (AoN, AoA), linear scheduling, line of balance Signup and view all the answers

Which schedule type is considered the simplest to understand?

Bar chart Signup and view all the answers

The critical path method (CPM) is a technique to determine the shortest possible duration to complete a project.

False Signup and view all the answers

Match the following schedule types with their descriptions:

Bar Chart (Gantt) = A simple visual timeline representing activities with bars indicating start and end dates. Network Chart (AoN) = A network diagram where activities are represented by nodes and dependencies are shown by connecting arrows. Network Chart (AoA) = A network diagram where activities are represented by arrows and dependencies are shown by connecting nodes. Linear Scheduling = Used for projects with sequential activities, where the activities are performed in a linear fashion. Line of Balance = Used for projects with repetitive tasks, where progress is tracked along a planned line of work, with balanced resources and time. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Project Planning and Scheduling

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.
Project requirements include scope, budget, quality, resources, risk, safety, and sustainability
Project management processes include initiation, planning, executing, controlling, and closing.
Before planning, essential questions include "What?", "How?", "Where?", "When?", "Who?", "How many?", and "How much?".
Planning-control feedback involves establishing project objectives and scope of work, work breakdown structure, scheduling, organizing the project team, resource allocation, estimating, implementing corrective actions, assessing deviations, comparison with the baseline, and measurement of work progress.
Project planning encompasses scheduling but also includes organizing the team, allocating resources (and leveling them), and estimating costs.

Importance of Project Planning

Project planning explores objectives in-depth.
Project planning reduces uncertainty.
Project planning improves efficiency.
Project planning establishes a baseline for future control.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

WBS is a schematic description of the scope of work.
It is a top-down approach (from top to bottom).
It uses a tree diagram with "parent" and "child" nodes.
WBS hierarchically decomposes into physical products, deliverables, or work packages.
The highest level is the project itself; the lowest level details construction activities.
The lowest level is defined to the highest degree of detail required for managing and controlling construction processes (discrete work elements).

WBS Example

Presents a sample WBS for a construction project.
Shows different levels (e.g., level I: Building, level II: Site, etc.).
Demonstrates how a project can be broken down into component activities.

WBS Example: A Small House

Shows a visual example of a WBS structure for a small house.

WBS elements are not presented in a chronological sequence.
WBS is used to develop a schedule that shows the logical sequence of when different tasks should be completed.
A systematic WBS allows compiling detailed information of work, resources, duration calculations, and cost calculations.

Two Very Basic Rules on WBS

100% Rule: All work at each level must be accounted for (ΣAᵢ = Project).
No Overlaps: No overlapping activities at any level (Aᵢ = 0).

WBS Degree of Detail

WBS should be broken down to meet certain criteria.
It needs to conform to the 100% rule (All work included).
No overlap of tasks at the same level is expected.
Clearly defined outputs and deliverables are needed for tasks at the lowest level.
Quality can be tracked through completion criteria.
Breakdown of the project to the level for progress monitoring is important.
Sub-tasks should be well defined ensuring short and easily controllable durations.

Example: WBS - A Small Bridge

This example describes a small bridge project.
It details the key components like the deck, abutments, and supports
The example also details how to determine the first three breakdown levels.

Basic Definitions of Planning & Scheduling

Activity: A sub-set of a project (the lowest level of WBS), which uses time.
Event: An occurrence of significance (not using time).
Milestone: A point in the project timeline without consuming time or resources; used to mark achievements or set points.

Activity Characteristics

Activities consume time (definable start and finish).
Activities consume resources.
Activities are assignable to a responsible party.
Activities are measurable.

When should Milestones be used?

Used to mark work accomplishment.
Serve as intermediate reference points.
Indicate completion of target dates set by the owner and the contractor.
May mark instances when monthly payments are due.
Indicate project start and finish.

Constraints

Constraints limit activities.
Constraints drive the order of activities.
Without constraints, activities might start on the first day.
Constraints can impact single activities, groups of activities, or even the entire project.

Types of Constraints

Physical (common sense construction logic).
Resource availability (certain activities need the same resources and cannot be done simultaneously).
Safety requirements
Financial (cash flow and taxes).
Environmental restrictions and mitigation.
Management driven (prioritization).
Contractual (phasing requirements).
Productivity
Regulatory

Types of Schedule

Bar Chart (Gantt): Shows tasks over time.
Network Chart:
- Activity on Node (AON): Nodes represent activities, arrows connection represents dependencies.
- Activity on Arrow (AOA): Arrows represent activities, while nodes represent events.
Other:
- Linear Scheduling: For linear or simple projects.

Types of Schedule: Probabilistic vs. Deterministic

Selecting between deterministic (predictable methods if you have good data) or probabilistic methods (using other methods if detailed estimation of certain events is needed - e.g., PERT, Monte Carlo).
Linear vs. non-linear projects decision-making.
Other categories such as AOAs or AON and BAR CHARTS to identify the most appropriate method

Additional Scheduling Diagrams

Gantt charts.
Network diagrams (AOA and AON).

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Description

Test your knowledge on the fundamental principles of project management and the essential processes involved in project planning and scheduling. This quiz covers key concepts such as project scope, resources, risk management, and planning-control feedback. Evaluate your understanding of how to effectively manage a project from initiation to closure.