To maximize your understanding of the final product—your
project control schedule—I recommend following process steps
4-6 as outlined above. Begin by creating a calendar-based
timeline that assumes unlimited resources and the full-time
commitment of all task performers. Real-world experience tells
us that it’s very unlikely that these assumptions will hold true.
However, preparing a version of your project schedule using
these assumptions willprovide you with a very useful piece of
information—the optimum schedule, that is, the shortest possi-
ble overall project duration, assuming no use of overtime or
other extraordinary tactics. Having this knowledge at hand
could prove helpful if you’re working in an organizational envi-
ronment where constant schedule pressure, arbitrary schedule
reductions, or imposed deadlines are the norm.
It will also provide you with a starting point for negotiating
resource assignments. You can provide resource providers with
a rough idea of when a particular resource may be needed and
begin examining resource availability.
Developing your final project schedule development may
require several iterations, as there are many factors you’ll have
to juggle before your schedule comes into balance, becomes
feasible, and has the buy-in of all affected parties. Each of these
factors will have the effect of extending the baseline schedule
you’ve just developed:
- The general availability of resources (e.g., half-time, quar-
ter-time, etc.) - Specific periods of resource availability (e.g., vacations,
other assignments, etc.) - Adjustment of durations, due to resource shifts (a different
task performer is assigned) - Potential “spill-over” into major holiday periods as the
schedule is extended - External constraints (limited access to the job site, for
example)
One other important factor must be addressed as specific
130 Project Management