STUDENT

GUIDE

BSBPMG531
MANAGE PROJECT TIME
First published 2021

Version 1.0

RTO Works
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 Contents

Overview 4
Topic 1: Project scheduling 5
Topic 2: Implementing the project schedule 19
Topic 3: Reviewing the effectiveness of time management 25

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 Overview

The Student Guide should be used in conjunction with the recommended reading and any further
course notes or activities given by the trainer/assessor.

Application of the unit

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to manage time during projects. It involves
determining and implementing the project schedule and assessing time management outcomes.
The unit applies to individuals responsible for managing and leading a project in an organisation,
business, or as a consultant.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of
publication.

Learning goals
Learning goals include:

 You are able to undertake activities to determine a project schedule and communicate to
stakeholders.

 You are able to implement the project schedule using mechanisms and analysis to review its
progress through the project lifecycle.

 You are able to assess time management outcomes by undertaking a review of its
effectiveness and recommending improvements.

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 Topic 1: Project scheduling

Ensuring that a project meets set timelines is essential for successful outcomes. Processes need to
be put in place at the start of a project to ensure that milestones and deadlines and are met
throughout all of the project phases.
In this unit you will learn about all aspects of meeting project timelines from planning to
implementing and then assessing project timing.
Before we look at project scheduling, it is important to understand the project life cycle phases as
this is the path that a project takes from beginning to end. It describes the high-level process and
the steps you take to accomplish the project objectives. Time management plays an important part
in each of these phases.
A project typically has the following four major phases (each with its own agenda of tasks and
issues): initiation, planning, implementation, and closure.

Initiation phase

During the initiation phase, the project objective or need is identified; this can be a business
problem or opportunity. An appropriate response to the need is documented in a business case
with recommended solution options. A feasibility study is conducted to investigate whether each
option addresses the project objective and a final recommended solution is determined.

Planning phase

The next phase, the planning phase, is where the project solution is further developed in as
much detail as possible and the steps necessary to meet the project’s objective are planned. In
this step, the team identifies all of the work to be done. The project’s tasks and resource
requirements are identified, along with the strategy for producing them. This is also referred to as
“scope management.” A project plan is created outlining the activities, tasks, dependencies, and
timeframes. The project manager coordinates the preparation of a project budget by providing
cost estimates for the labour, equipment, and materials costs.

Implementation phase

The project plan is put into motion and the work of the project is performed. It is important to
maintain control and communicate as needed during implementation. Progress is continuously
monitored, and appropriate adjustments are made and recorded as variances from the original
plan.

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 Closing phase

The emphasis is on releasing the final deliverables to the customer, handing over project
documentation to the business, terminating supplier contracts, releasing project resources, and
communicating the closure of the project to all stakeholders. The last remaining step is to
conduct lessons-learned studies to examine what went well and what didn’t.

Project management tools, activities and techniques are applied at every stage of the project
lifecycle:

 Initiation stage

o Project scope statement

 Planning and development

o Activity definition

o Activity sequencing

o Activity resource estimation

o Activity duration estimation

o Schedule development

 Implementation

o Schedule implementation

 Project close

o Reviewing time management activities.

Project management lifecycle (PMBOK)

Project management methodologies are a series of different processes designed to assist project
managers and those overseeing or involved with projects. The goal of using these methodologies
is to complete the tasks required for the project faster and with strategies in place to handle
problems should they arise.

Time management in PMBOK: This deals with the ability to plan and finish the project in a timely
manner. The time management processes deal with defining activities, estimating the durations
of activities, scheduling activities and ensuring adherence to the schedule. Time management is
a crucial part of any successful project. Without careful planning, projects are set up to fail.

Activity: Research and discuss

Research a further framework or methodology that can be used for project time
management.
Why is the project scope statement important?

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Time management methodologies
There are also best-practice time management methodologies, each with their own capabilities,
limitations, applications and outcomes. The following table outlines common methodologies:

The 20/80 rule The Pareto Principle which states that roughly 80% of the outputs will be
generated by only 20% of the inputs. In other words, a few elements
create the most impact. Project managers can capitalize on this principle
with the use of a Pareto Chart, a vertical bar graph that identifies in rank
order the most important elements or factors in a project, so that attention
can be directed to the things that matter the most.

Develop a solid risk In addition to budgeting for unexpected draws on time and money, project
management managers need to have a solid risk management strategy in place so that
strategy a project recovery plan can be quickly implemented if problems arise. This
strategy is only limited by the how ell risks can be identified prior to the
project starting.

Effectively delegate Project managers must be available to oversee the various elements of
tasks the project and make key decisions. When they are being bogged down
by tasks that can be done by others, then it compromises their ability to
manage. Delegating tasks to others frees up the project manager to co-
ordinate the whole project efficiently.

Conduct productive When project personnel are brought together, it is vital that there be a
team meetings clear and focused agenda to the meeting. Otherwise, the time of the
project manager as well as all those attending the meeting will be
compromised. Experienced project managers are adept at determining
which information must be discussed in a face-to-face meeting and which
information can be disseminated via other mediums.

Maintain an A system for effective communication of project information among project

effective personnel as well as project clients and senior executives is a must. Not
communication only must the project manager ensure that he or she is presenting
system information in a clear, logical, and understandable way, but also that the
right tools are in place, such as file- sharing programs, networks, and
collaboration tools. This way, all of the people involved will know what
they have to do, and by when. This ensures that the team is working to its
full potential.

The fudge factor When creating the project budget and setting the project schedule,
experienced project managers will always include a cushion in their
estimates. These over-estimates of time and money are meant to
compensate for any small, unexpected problems that may come up
throughout the course of the project and will ultimately help the project to
stay on course.

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Project scheduling
Now let’s define project scheduling and look more at what it involves.
To communicate the tasks that need to be completed for a project, the order of completion, task
dependences and start and end dates, a project schedule should be drawn up at the start of a
project. This schedule can also be used to determine what resources should be allocated to tasks,
ensuring these are done within the timeframe and budget allocated.
As highlighted in the project
lifecycle, a project schedule can
include the following main activities
that relate to time management:

 Project scope statement

 Activity definition

 Activity sequencing

 Activity resource estimation

 Activity duration estimation

 Schedule development

 Schedule implementation
Image by Campaign
 Monitoring and controlling the schedule Creators on Unsplash

 Reviewing time management activities.

It is the project manager’s responsibility to ensure that these activities are managed and controlled.
It includes ensuring the project is on time but also being able to implement time management tools
and techniques. For example:

 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

 Critical Path Analysis

 Gantt charts

 Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT).

These are discussed further in the unit.

Activity: Read

Best time management tips for project managers:

https://www.brighthubpm.com/resource-management/103493-ten-time-management-
best-practices-for-project-managers/
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

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Work breakdown structures (WBS)
The work breakdown structure provides a common framework for the natural development of the
overall planning and control of a project.
It is the basis for dividing work into definable increments from which the statement of work can be
developed and technical, schedule, cost, and labour hour reporting can be established. This
information is then used to define the project schedule.
A well-designed WBS makes it easy to assign each project activity to one and only one terminal
element of the project schedule.
It includes:

 a breakdown of work to be carried out by the project team

 defining the total scope of the project.

Anything not included in the WBS is not in the project.

The following activities should be included in planning and development of a WBS:

 Activity definition o Gantt charts

o Writing an activity list  Activity resource estimation

o Identification of milestones o Resources such as equipment,

materials, etc.
o Decomposition
o Human resources
o WBS
 Activity duration estimation
 Activity sequencing
o Whether its most likely or what the
o Critical path analysis
worse case scenario would be.
o PERT

Once the project activities have been defined along with sequencing, estimates and relationship
between tasks have been checked then the WBS can be completed.

Activity: Read

Read more about work breakdown structures at the following links:

http://www.workbreakdownstructure.com
http://entangled.com/how-to-make-a-work-breakdown-structure-wbs/
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Achieving project deliverables on time

To achieve project deliverables on time, a project manager will need to estimate duration and
effort, sequencing and dependencies of tasks.

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The estimation of duration and effort will be dependent on a number of factors such as, the
availability of resources, skills and competencies available, past projects undertaken, and the level
of accuracy required.
It can also make allowances for contingency and risk or be restricted to regulations and standards
governing resource performance.
There are estimation techniques that can be used to determine task duration and resource effort.
These are outlined in the following table:

Analogous Estimating

This technique uses the experience from previous projects and extrapolates that onto the current
project. It is based on the assumption that task duration and resource effort will be similar to
previous, similar projects.

Parametric Model Estimating

The formula is usually based upon a great deal of historical experience. A classic example from
construction projects is the parametric model for estimating resources and time based upon the
number of square feet of new construction.

3 Point Estimating

In this technique, three estimates are generated for the project activity using three different sets
of assumptions. The first estimate is a best case or optimistic estimate. The second estimate is a
worst case or pessimistic estimate. The third estimate is between the other two and is the most
likely estimate. Those estimates are developed using one of the other techniques such as
Analogous or Parametric Model.

Expert Judgment Estimating

An expert creates an estimate based upon their understanding of the project duration and
resource effort required. Many, if not most, project estimates are created in this fashion.

Vendor Bid Analysis

The analysis considers the assumptions vendors work with, and does a sensitivity assessment
on those assumptions. An evaluation can be made on each vendor bid in order to determine the
range of costs associated with task duration and resource effort.

Reserve Analysis

This technique considers the level of uncertainty and risk in the project and establishes a reserve
pool of time, resources, or possibly performance that can be drawn upon to offset any issues
that arise that were not estimated for.

The sequencing and dependencies of tasks may include the milestones for deliverables, the
preferred or required order for task completion, and finally the relationship between tasks impacting
on start and finish times and dates.

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If project management software is being used for adding tasks then dependencies can be
integrated to show visually what activities are dependent and also provide restrictions on making
changes to durations.

Activity: Read

Further tools that can be used for estimation include top down and bottom-up
estimating:
https://www.projectengineer.net/top-down-estimating-for-the-pmp-exam/
Task dependency explained:
https://www.zoho.com/projects/task-dependency.html
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Project scheduling tools and techniques

A schedule should be created after the WBS has been developed and agreed upon or approved. A
number of techniques can be used to develop a project schedule that manages the timing of a
project, the resources, costs and risks.

Critical path method

This is the process of looking at all of the activities that must be completed and calculating the 'best
line' – or critical path – to take so that you'll complete the project in the minimum amount of time.
The method calculates the earliest and latest possible start and finish times for project activities,
and it estimates the dependencies among them to create a schedule of critical activities and dates.
The procedure for identifying the critical path is:

Step 1 Specify Each Activity

Step 2 Establish Dependencies (Activity Sequence)

Step 3 Draw the Network Diagram

Step 4 Estimate Activity Completion Time

Step 5 Identify the Critical Path

This is further broken down as follows:

 Step 1: Specify Each Activity

The first step is to identify the main deliverables of a project. A work breakdown structure breaks
down projects into manageable sections. This can then be used to look at each activity separately.

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 Step 2: Establish Dependencies (Activity Sequence)

Some activities will depend on the completion of others. Listing the immediate predecessors of
each activity will help you identify the correct order. To correctly identify activities and their
precedence, ask yourself these three questions for each activity on your list from step one.
Which task should take place before this task happens?
Which tasks should be finished at the same time as this task?
Which tasks should happen right after this task?

 Step 3: Draw the Network Diagram

The network diagram is a visual representation of the order of your activities based on
dependencies.

 Step 4: Estimate Activity Completion Time

Estimate the time required to complete each activity.

 Step 5: Identify the Critical Path

Look for the longest path in terms of longest duration in days, not the path with the most boxes or
nodes.

Gantt charts
The tool uses graphic representations to show start, elapsed, and completion times of each task
within a project. Gantt charts are ideal for tracking progress. The number of days actually required
to complete a task that reaches a milestone can be compared with the planned or estimated
number. The actual workdays, from actual start to actual finish, are plotted below the scheduled
days.

Activity: Watch

How to draw a Gantt chart in Excel. If you are using Excel for your assessment, try to
do a walk through with the video. If you are using different software, try to find a
similar type of tutorial that you can use to help you with creating a Gantt chart.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u_jm1211D4 (08:13)
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate any practical activities where possible.

Schedule Network Analysis

This is a graphic representation of the project's activities, the time it takes to complete them, and
the sequence in which they must be done. Project management software is typically used to create
these analyses – Gantt charts and PERT Charts are common formats.

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Maintain a To Do List
Make a list of ALL actions that you need to take in the near- to mid-term to meet your commitments
and goals. sort their list by Due Date or Task Priority. But the main point is to make sure you are
using one.

Schedule Compression
This tool helps shorten the total duration of a project by decreasing the time allotted for certain
activities. It's done so that you can meet time constraints, and still keep the original scope of the
project.

Software programs
There are a number of software programs used for project management such as Microsoft Project,
Trello or Basecamp.

A project schedule may need modifications or changes during the project lifecycle in order to
meet new deadlines, activities, changes in schedules, budget issues, client requests, project
activity issues, resource issues or external reasons. Techniques such as what-if scenarios are
sometimes used to refine a project’s schedule.

Activity: Read

Project schedule examples: Different ways to represent the project schedule:

https://www.brighthubpm.com/templates-forms/49745-examples-of-project-
schedules/
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Activity: Read

What is project scheduling:

https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/what-is-project-scheduling
Software programs used for project scheduling:
https://technologyadvice.com/project-management/
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

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 Activity: Research and discuss

Research the following project scheduling techniques:

 Schedule Compression

 Resource Levelling

 What-if scenario

Write down a brief definition of each and how it works.

Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion after the activity where you can
share your findings.

Costs
Effective time management can keep a project’s cost down. Ineffective time management can
result in project time overruns, which need to be overcome, for example, by paying for more
expensive material, or more staff.
An example of this would be having deliverables prepared and delivered on schedule rather than
last-minute so they can be sent by normal courier rather than an express service; therefore, if you
wanted the project to be delivered faster than scheduled, it would then cost more.
Ultimately the longer a project goes on the more expensive it will be. Keeping to deadlines,
milestones and timelines can reduce costs and ensure that the project is on schedule.

Activity: Read

8 tips for managing project costs:

https://www.susannemadsen.co.uk/blog/8-tips-for-managing-project-costs
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Resources
Organisations typically have limited resources, so trade-offs are made on which project resources
are expended. The project’s resources are one of its constraints, as are time and scope, so a
project that has effective time management will make the best use of available resources.
This relationship can be seen clearly when the resource is personnel. Effective time management
means that all available personnel are being used to their full capacity: there are no overlaps, with
too many staff working at a task, but there are enough personnel to get every task done.

Risks
Effective time management can minimise the chance of a risk occurring. Project risk is an important
element of project management and should be considered when establishing schedules. A
project’s schedule should allow for contingencies, and the management plan should include how to

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deal with risks when they eventuate. Therefore, effective time management of a project will
minimise the chance that risks occur and, if they do occur, minimise their effect on the project.
An example of this is, when planning a congress, ensure that at least one replacement speaker has
been briefed beforehand. If a speaker is ill or cannot attend, the prepared substitute will step in and
minimise the disturbance to the congress program.

Activity: Read

Read more on risk and time management:

https://www.valuetransform.com/risk-time-management/
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Schedule baselines
A schedule baseline is the approved project schedule mapped out and agreed by stakeholders at
the project initiation. It includes the milestones, activities, resource allocations, responsibilities, and
dependencies. This remains unchanged and used as a basis for comparison to actual results.
The procedure is broadly:

 All active stakeholders involved in the execution side will meet to develop the baseline, key
assumptions, clarifications and any key exclusion.

 This process is normally facilitated by the project controls team.

 During the process, the project management organisation and respective department leads
provide input and perspective in order to develop such documents as staffing plans,
schedules, risk registers and cost break down basis.

 The end product should be a baseline that the entire organization can stand behind and
realistically execute the project to.
A schedule baseline can be used to determine any changes, corrective action or preventative
action that may be necessary.
Initial duration estimates may include buffers into the project schedule to account for any schedule
uncertainty.
If changes are to be made to the scheduled baseline then these may be need approval through
formal change requests as it may have an effect on the project scope, resources, or duration
estimates.

How to you manage adjustments to a project baseline if there is a major change to scope or
cost?

Ideally, once the project baseline is created it should not be changed anymore. The best solution
is to keep the initial baseline and to save the adjusted schedule as a new baseline. This way
there will be several interim baselines that can be used to remember the potentially bad project
management or the team members that did not deliver as promised.

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 A project variance can be a schedule, technical or cost deviation. How can project variance be
effectively managed?

The most important thing about project variances is not to wait until the task is completed to
identify a variance. Project managers get information from their team members’ status reports.
They take the information about the actual results versus the plan and they forecast variances
from that. That allows the project manager to start corrective action before the task is actually
finished.

Ideally, once the project baseline is created it should not be changed anymore. The best solution is
to keep the initial baseline and to save the adjusted schedule as a new baseline.
This way there will be several interim baselines that can be used to remember the potentially bad
project management or the team members that did not deliver as promised.
If schedules are created in project management software, then baselines may be locked to avoid
risks to unapproved changes.

Activity: Read

Read further information on baselines:

https://www.skillmaker.edu.au/schedule-baseline/
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Activity: Project work

Work in small groups for this activity. Divide the work equally and remain in these
groupings for this project.
Meet with your group and discuss the following scenario and complete the tasks that
follow:
Cabins4Life is a cabin business. Recently they have been awarded a contract for the
local community gardens to construct a small garden shed. They have three weeks
to complete the project and have been given a budget of $10,000. The shed will just
be a shell to begin with so it will only involve the following:

 Obtaining planning and permits

 Preparation of the construction site

 Finalising design

 Undertaking the construction

 Cleaning

The community garden representative, Shanti, is keen that as much recyclable

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products are used as possible. Cabins4Life is a strong advocate for supporting the
community.
The amount in your team and the names of group members can be used as a basis
for your team.

 Assume that each team member has one or two of the skills need to undertake
the project and assign each member an activity.

 List any assumptions required then create a breakdown of work to be carried out
by the project team using a WBS.

 Each member of the group is to develop a schedule for the project.

Type up and document outcomes from the meeting.

Discuss how each person in the team developed the WBS. Compare how you
developed the WBS and why there may be differences. Decide on one WBS to be
used.
Type up your responses in report format, using appropriate headings and using clear
and concise English.
Submit your report to your trainer/assessor for feedback.

Activity: Project work

Refer to the Cabins4Life scenario.

Meet again with your group and discuss the following:

 Each member of the group is to create a baseline schedule which shows each
activity, timings, schedule and dependencies. Assume that each person in your
project team can be allocated chunks of activity.

 Discuss the activities and how it should be scheduled.

 Create a Gantt chart which shows the baseline schedule.

 Discuss how each person in the team developed the Gantt chart. Compare how
you developed the Gantt chart and why there may be differences. Decide on
one Gantt chart to be used.
Submit all work as professionally written documents within the timeframe allocated.
Your trainer/assessor will provide your group with feedback.

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Activity: Group work

Refer to the Cabins4Life scenario.

Meet again with your group and discuss the following:

 The client has telephoned Shanti and asked if they would be able to include
painting the shed with a theme that will blend in with the garden. She has asked
for a garden mural on one side of the shed.

 What will be the impacts of the changes to the project?

 Using the Gantt chart created earlier, incorporate the changes into your
schedule.
Write a professionally structured and written email to the client explaining the impacts
and affect to the schedule. Ask for approval to continue.
Submit all work as professionally written documents within the timeframe allocated.
Your trainer/assessor will provide your group with feedback.

Activity: Quiz and review

Undertake the following quiz to check your understanding. If you are unsure of the
answers, conduct further research, look back through the topic or ask your
trainer/assessor.
1. What deliverables can make up the project requirements documentation?
2. Explain the importance of a WBS and when it is created?
3. What other deliverables are produced by the create WBS process?
4. What is the schedule baseline and why is it used?
5. What are the other two critical project baselines?
6. Why is change control important in project time management?
Your trainer/assessor will go through each question providing feedback and asking
for your contribution.

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 Topic 2: Implementing the project schedule

Next, we will be looking at implementing the project schedule. This is where you will need to
implement measures to keep track of the project timings, identify variances, address any impact of
changes to the schedule and review its progress, responding to any changes appropriately.

Keeping track of activities

After the schedule has been developed and approved it is then implemented and this is called the
implementation phase.
The first thing is to implement are the mechanisms that will be used to measure and report on the
progress of project activities, according to the schedule.
Various tools and techniques are used to record, document and report on the progress of the
activities being undertaking and how they are affecting the schedule.
Software programs such as MS Project can be used to track projects.
Tracking progress of a project helps project team members to stay focused and meet goals, as well
has managing activities. This can include:

 Tracking that goals, deadlines and milestones are being met.

 Holding regular team meetings to evaluate overall progress

 Using project management software to track progress including software tools or scheduling
techniques to track progress

 Using techniques to measure, record and report progress of activities such as critical path
analysis to identify how long a project will take to complete.

 Using project baselines to control scheduling.

 Project variance: analysing actual results versus the initial schedule and forecasting variances
allowing the project manager to start corrective action before the task is actually finished.

Activity: Read

Read the following article on using tools to track progress:

https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/how-to-measure-project-progress
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

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 Activity: Research

Conduct research on two different applications used for project scheduling and
provide a brief evaluation of each. If possible, undertake to register with a demo and
use the application to find out its functional ability. (You could work in pairs for this
activity with members from your project team.)
Create a typed document with an overview of each, include:
 Name of the software

 Some of its features

 The platform it uses (i.e. online/Microsoft/Apple)

 A link or screen shot of the software

 A brief overview of how the software would help you in undertaking project
scheduling
Consider the Cabins4Life Shed project. Which software would be the most suitable
and why?
Your report should be between 1–2 pages long and be written in clear and concise
English. Submit your report to your trainer/assessor for feedback.

Identifying baseline variances

As mentioned earlier, the baseline is the benchmark used to identify any variances. It is therefore
important to carry out ongoing analysis to ensure that these are identified early on.
Project managers have to keep track of any delays or variances that occur within the project to
ensure that the end date of the project is not affected.
Any decisions on changes for critical activities requiring modification in scheduling will need
discussion and approval between all stakeholders.
Recording the baseline variance between actual and planned progress can support a project to
stay on schedule. Variance tracking can determine if a project is on time, to schedule, ahead of
time or behind schedule.

Activity: Read

Responding to variances: Change control:

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/integrate-variance-tracking-into-your-project-
change-management-process-58908699-6304-4fde-ae72-0c26b4e4d927
Earned Value analysis:
http://www.wbdg.org/resources/earned-value-analysis
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

BSBPMG531 Manage project time | 20

 Activity: Discuss

Divide into your project groups.

What would happen in the case of the Cabins4Life Shed project if the following
occurred:

 It starts raining 4 weeks into the project and the build is delayed due to flooding
by 7 days.

 One of your team members as injured their shoulder and won’t be able to attend
work for 4 days as it needs rest.

 Some of the materials that you are sourcing for the shed roof are not available
until the end of the project scheduled date.

 The volunteer who is painting the shed only has 2 free days and will need to
start work asap as they are going away on holiday.
Q. Are any of the above changes to the project activities critical? What would be the
impact of the changes to the schedule?
Q. What is the variance between the actual and planned progress of the project?
Your trainer/assessor will facilitate a discussion.

The impact of changes

As you can imagine, if not addressed, the impact of changes to the schedule could be disastrous!
Analysing and forecasting any impacts can allow a project manager to lessen the risks.
The impact of changes on the schedule can be from:

Controlled and uncontrolled Unpredictable Impacts on variations

changes variations or events to the schedule

The types of impacts can be cost overrun, not meeting deadlines, quality of deliverables may be
compromised, knock on effects such as losing project team members to other projects or task
dependency issues. Broadly speaking, a project may be either time-constrained or cost-
constrained. Various options are available to reduce these throughout the project by:

 adding further resources  using a float time

 outsourcing  re-scoping by extending deadlines or

obtaining additional resources.
 scheduling overtime
 reducing the scope
 increasing output
 reducing the quality.
 fast tracking

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Project management software can also support forecasting impacts by using what-if analysis to
identify the impact of schedule changes.
If changes are implemented then these will also need to be added into the schedule and any other
relevant documentation. Communication of changes should be made to all stakeholders and the
progress of the project continually monitored and reviewed by the project manager in case of
further changes that may arise or issues due to the changes made.

Reviewing progress
It is critical to continually review the progress of a project throughout its life cycle and if necessary,
implement any agreed schedule
changes, within the scope of the
project.
Reviewing a project’s progress
may be carried out by:

 Reviewing a project progress

in a regular project meeting

 Analysing reports

 Receiving updates from

project managers on
activities

 Using project management

software to track milestones, Image by Jo Szczepanska on Unsplash
deliverables and project team members
work activities.

Responding to changes
If, when reviewing a project’s progress, you have had to implement schedule changes, then you
will also then need to work out how you will respond to them. These could be potential or actual
changes; for potential changes a project manager may respond by conducting a what-if analysis to
pre-empt what may happen; or for actual changes, then they will need to respond in a timely
manner so that they will maintain the project objectives, it may include rescheduling other activities,
responsibilities and money so that the overall project baseline is not affected.
For example, a schedule change may be that a particular task is going to take longer than
expected. Implementing the change may not affect any other part of the project or indeed the final
deadline, however, it still needs to be incorporated to show how it affects the overall schedule.
Updates should be recorded and any agreed changes integrated, to maintain the currency and
accuracy of schedule.

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Activity: Read

Read the following articles on making updates to project schedules:

An example for MS project:
https://www.senseiprojectsolutions.com.au/2017/04/15/best-practices-for-processing-
updates-in-the-project-schedule/
MS Project professional: Update work on a project:
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/update-work-on-a-project-9b5d4dfa-b4c2-
4e37-bce3-c9b59f196f78
Take any notes to summarise what you have read and keep for future reference.

Activity: Project work

The Cabin4Life project is going to be delayed due to a Covid-19 isolation period of

10 days. Meet with your group and discuss the following:

 In order to maintain the project schedule, what changes will need incorporating
and where?

 Can you avoid making some of the changes?

 Do all the changes have an affect on the schedule?

Make any required changes on your Gantt chart and list any assumptions made.
Record the variance between the actual and planned progress of the project.
Send an email to the client (your trainer/assessor), outlining the forecasted impact of
the changes, attaching the revised schedule.

Activity: Quiz and review

Undertake the following quiz to check your understanding. If you are unsure of the
answers, conduct further research, look back through the topic or ask your
trainer/assessor.

 What are the major inclusions in the schedule baseline?

 Explain the benefits of having a schedule baseline?

 How is the hierarchical work breakdown developed in scoping converted into the
project schedule?

 What factors determine the sequence of activities and task interdependencies?

 What is the start-to-finish logical relationship between activities and why is it

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 rarely used?

 How is the critical path constructed and during which process group?

 Why is the critical path important when monitoring progress against the baseline
schedule?

 When is the schedule baseline and what circumstances lead to a revised

schedule baseline?

 What is critical for parametric estimating to be possible?

 What are the primary outputs of the control schedule process group?

 What tools and techniques are used to refine the project schedule?

 What is the three-point estimating technique and what equation is used to

determine the outputs of this technique?

 How are variances to the project schedule identified and rectified?

Your trainer/assessor will go through each question providing feedback and asking
for your contribution.

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 Topic 3: Reviewing the effectiveness of time
management

Every project should be evaluated upon completion. Part of this evaluation will be to review how
well time was managed throughout the lifecycle of the project.

What changes
Were all milestones
affected the
reached?
schedule?

Were estimations of
Did it overrun? duration and effort
accurate?
Time
management

Reviewing schedule performance records

A project manager should keep accurate and up to date records relating to every aspect of a
project throughout its lifecycle and ensure that the project team are continuously updating their own
schedules as well. These records are then used to conduct reviews and make recommendations
for improvements.
Reviewing schedule performance records can determine how well the time management activities
were carried out.
You can do this by reviewing the WBS, which details the project deliverables and how these were
scheduled. For example, by looking at the start and end dates or milestones reached for each
activity on the project you would look at the schedule and then the actual timings.
A Gantt chart can also be used to review progress by viewing planned dates for completion of
activities, compared to actual dates.
Schedule performance data could also be analysed from project management software reporting
tools, providing information on how well each activity achieved its schedule.
Performance records generally help to monitor and control performance on a project and to ensure
that it stays on track. Reviewing these records will also enable a project manager to assess areas
such as:

 The project expenditure vs the budget

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 The way in which work progressed v the schedule

 How many working hours was spent on the project against the estimation given at the start of
the project
As performance records are kept throughout a project, they can then be compared at the end of a
project to identify where things went wrong and to help make any improvements, or to celebrate
what was successful so that it can be used as a precedent for future projects.

Issues and improvements

At the end of the project, the outcomes of scheduling should be assessed and reviewed. A project
manager should be able to identify time
management issues that have occurred
throughout the lifecycle of a project through
the records and documentation kept.
It is important to evaluate how well a project
was able to keep to its schedule. Broadly
this will include:

 A review of time, cost and resources

 Documenting lessons learned

 Making recommendations
Image by Icons8 Team on Unsplash

When evaluating the effectiveness of a project’s performance, the scheduling should be reviewed
and questions asked:

 Was the project kept to the original timeline?

 Was the schedule updated regularly?

 Did the milestones fall on the same dates originally agreed?

 What impacts occurred for delays in the schedule and why.

Project management software tools can also be used to provide evidence of any time management
issues.
A project manager may need to address certain aspects of the project before making any
recommendations for improvements. This may be done using an organisational template such as a
Project Evaluation Report or Lessons Learned Report.

Project evaluation report

A project evaluation report could include a breakdown of each phase of the project with a final
review and any recommendations for future projects. It could broadly include:

 how each team member performed and their own conclusions

 any relevant stakeholder information

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 achievement of project objectives, milestones, schedules and deliverables

 documentation, progress reports and software files

 evaluation of how the project was completed against the baseline schedule (ie on time or
delayed and the reasons why)

 an assessment of what went well and what didn't work

 a list of recommendations.

Activity: Research

Find an example of a project review report or a sample template.

Examine the type of information that is addressed in the report.
Keep a copy or link to the example for future reference.

Lessons learned
The purpose of documenting lessons learned is to share and use knowledge derived from the
project experience to:

 promote the recurrence of desirable outcomes

 preclude the recurrence of undesirable outcomes.

Lessons learned should draw on both positive and negative experiences. Every documented
lesson learned should contain at least these general elements:

 Project information and contact information for additional detail.

 A clear statement of the lesson.

 A background summary of how the lesson was learned.

 Benefits of using the lesson and suggestions for how the lesson may be used in the future.

At any point during the project life cycle, the project team and key stakeholders may identify
lessons. The lessons learned can be compiled, formalised, and stored through the project's
duration.
The purpose of documenting lessons learned is to provide future project teams with valuable
experience and information that can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of future projects.

Activity: Project work

Hold a lesson’s learned meeting with your team and discuss the outcomes of the
project scheduling and time management.
Based on your project activity, documentation and progress throughout the project,
consider the final schedule and any time-management issues that occurred.

BSBPMG531 Manage project time | 27

 What evaluations can be made with regard to the scheduling of the project?

 What lessons can be learned with regard to the time-management of the

project?
Write a review of the project performance to determine the effectiveness of:

 Time-management

 Recommendations for future projects

Structure your response in a project review report, include any documentation used
for your project.
Your report should be between 1–2 pages long and be written in clear and concise
English.
Submit your report to your trainer/assessor for feedback.

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