yields an estimate of when each activity is scheduled for com-
pletion and how long the entire project should take.
The principal output of this portion of the planning process
is a control schedule—an activity-based timeline that the team
will use as a map for executing the work and that you’ll use as
a guide for verifying that work is getting done on time.
Some Basic Definitions
Time management and scheduling involve certain terms that
you need to understand. Here are some basic definitions:
Critical Activity An activity that has no latitude in start time
and finish time. In other words, if a critical activity does not
finish by the prescribed time, the overall project timeline will
be impacted.
Critical Path The longest path through the network (logic) dia-
gram. All activities on the critical path are critical activities.
Duration The window of time within which an activity is expect-
ed to be completed.
Effort The number of labor hours to be spent on an activity.
Float (or Slack) Flexibility, or latitude, with regard to when a
specific activity can (or must) be worked on.
Forward Pass/Backward Pass Techniques for analyzing the
amount of float in the execution of individual activities.
Activities with no float are referred to as critical activities.
Milestone A point in time, typically marking an important
event, usually the completion of a project phase, a decision
point, or the completion of a major project deliverable.
Milestones are not activities: they don’t take time or consume
resources.
Network (or Logic) Diagram The model of the proper
sequence of activities. It graphically depicts which activities
must be completed before others can begin.
Preparing a Detailed Project Plan: Step by Step 121