MetaPro Systems Inc.

The How, When and Why of Project Scheduling

Having an accurate project schedule is the key to a project coming in on time and within budget.

Before a project can be scheduled its scope must be well defined. This is accomplished by interviewing the users about the requirement of the project and developing a design. The design will show what the product will do upon completion. For more details, see our two prior issues

If you are hiring a firm for software services and you are being given an estimate before the scope is defined, you will probably be in for a cost overrun, or you are being overcharged in the case of fixed price bid.

To estimate the development portion of a project either a complex tool such as Microsoft Project or a simple tool such as a spreadsheet can be used.

Important points to keep in mind when estimating a project:

	Keep the size of the tasks small in terms of time needed to complete. Larger tasks should be broken down.
	Keep the task dependencies in mind. If one task cannot be completed before another one begins, be sure to schedule them that way.
	Take into account the staff’s available time. Plan for vacation and sick time. Do not schedule people for overtime initially.
	Allow extra time for unexpected events.

A well estimated project will allow you to accurately determine your delivery date and the cost involved.

Despite best efforts, some projects do fall behind their schedules. This is due to added scope, tasks that were overlooked or individual tasks that were estimated too optimistically.

Close monitoring of your progress will detect problems at an early stage. You can then add more resources, cut back on scope, change the date or schedule overtime. The project manager should always consult with the client to discuss any changes and get their approval.

The later problems are discovered, the more time and money will be needed to fix them. Often, you will have no option except to move the completion date forward.