SCHEDULE MODELING

This is what people think of when they think of scheduling. Task naming conventions, duration estimating, network logic, leads and lags, constraints, milestones; this is the nuts and bolts of scheduling. A schedule model is useful if it does three things:

  1. Describes what needs to be done before the next thing can be done

  2. Provides a realistic timeline for accomplishing each task within the model

  3. Shows which resources are needed when

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Too often, teams tend to “back in” to a predetermined date. A good schedule model helps to surface a realistic idea of when project milestones can be accomplished, and helps set stakeholder expectations. Bottom line: the schedule provides the data a Project Manager needs to negotiate with whoever is providing the money.