Schedule Management

 The Plan Schedule Management process involves documenting

how you will plan, manage, and control the project to the schedule baseline, and how you will manage

schedule variances. Many project managers just work on the project and hope the project meets the deadline, but proper schedule management requires you to develop and follow a plan, measuring progress along the way. So as part of planning, you need to determine in advance what the measures of performance will be, how and when you will capture the data you need to evaluate schedule performance, how you will use the data to keep the project on track, and what you will do when variances occur. Plan Schedule Management answers questions such as: “Who will be involved, and what approach will we take to plan the schedule for the project?” and “What processes and procedures will we use to create the schedule?”

The project life cycle and development approach agreed on in the Develop Project Management plan process (in integration management) will influence the level and type of schedule management planning you will do on a project. You will also consider existing enterprise environmental factors. Is there a work authorization system in place for the project to use? Does the organization have a preferred project management software to use for scheduling? If not, will the work of the project include creating a work authorization system or selecting a scheduling software product? How does the company culture and the overall structure of the organization impact the work of scheduling the project?

Also keep in mind that expert judgment and data analysis techniques, such as alternatives analysis, may be used in planning the methodology you will use to arrive at a final schedule. To plan the schedule, you might also need to review the project charter or hold meetings that include the project sponsor, team members, and other stakeholders.