Project Schedule and Estimating Activity Duration
One of the most crucial tasks in project management is project scheduling. Kerzner (2013) says scheduling is the first significant activity after program approval. Several project planning websites will tell us the critical things to consider when scheduling, including identifying tasks, resources, dependencies, timelines, constraints, and costs. I identified two sites to assist me in planning my project. These are the Kissflow site, which walks me through eight steps in project scheduling, and the Monday project planning software.
This site
was selected because it breaks down the steps in the project scheduling process
and provides essential information on concepts associated with project
scheduling. Based on the process outlined by Kissflow (2024), I would be at the
second step in my project scheduling. Some critical concepts are explained here,
defining the tasks and their dependencies, sequencing the activities,
estimating resources and task timelines, and providing a detailed breakdown of
the critical path model. These are recognized project planning activities are
essential to project scheduling, as recognized by authors worldwide, including Kerzner
(2013) who says that specific guidelines must be followed when preparing
project schedules regardless of the project complexity, task sequence,
timelines, task identification are included. This is my first time transforming an
educational program online in the role of the project manager; therefore, it is
a big deal for me. With little historical data on this exact program and its
scope, I will have to rely on historical data of similar projects. Still, the
information on Kissflow makes me feel comfortable and confident about
undertaking this project.
Cicibas et
al. (2010) say that “using automated software tools is essential for successful
planning and managing projects; the tools are mainly used in planning,
monitoring, and controlling projects.” I started using the monday.com project
management board. Getting started was easy. Finding resourceful software tools
is the way to go when I think about project management. Monday.com is free, user-friendly,
easy to customize, has several templates for the project manager to choose
from, collaborates with team members, and can attach files, allowing it to
integrate with other software, for example, Google Docs. The Gauntt chart
template is also available to its users. My takeaway is that the tool creates a
template that maps out the information needed that will add to my
organizational skills as I progress to monitoring and controlling project activities
in the future. The templates are customizable, as I can shuffle information as I
progress in the planning and share information with other team members. I also like
how the software manages the budget and timelines and keeps an update on the project's
progress and what is to come. Cost management is critical in project management,
and from the initial phase, the tool affixes a cost to each task so that the
budget will be managed throughout the project. In closing, many project
management tools are available at our fingertips. We must compare these tools
well to suit the scope of our projects for the tools to be well used by its
consumers.
Take a
look:
References
Cicibas,
H., Unal, O., & Demir, K. A. (2010, July). A Comparison of Project
Management Software Tools (PMST). In Software Engineering Research and Practice
(pp. 560-565).
Kerzner, H.
(2013). Project management. A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling (11th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
8 Essential
steps to project scheduling for beginners. (2024, August 13). https://kissflow.com/project/basics-of-project-scheduling/
Hi Teika,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading through our blog post this week. Your post offers an insightful and detailed breakdown of two powerful tools for project scheduling: Kissflow and monday.com. Up until your post I had not heard of these resources. You highlighted the ease of use and costumizable templates in monday.com as well as the structed step-by-step guidance that Kissflow offers. These aspects can really help project managers, particularly with those who are transitioning into new roles, navigate complex scheduling challenges.
I love that you yourself are already using monday.com for budgeting and tracking project progress. Tools like monday.com not only save time but also help to make sure you stay on top of cost management, which is essential for avoiding budget overruns (Cicibas et al., 2010). Your point on customizing templates to fit your project needs is on point. Customization is a must when it comes to a tool working effectively.
How do you plan to integrate the critical path model that you mentioned from Kissflow into your projects?
Thanks again for bringing these resources to my attention!
Noelle
References
DeleteCicibas, H., Unal, O., & Demir, K. A. (2010, July). A Comparison of Project Management Software Tools (PMST). In Software Engineering Research and Practice (pp. 560-565).
Hello Noelle,
DeleteI also enjoyed reading our blogs this week, as I always do. I found the Critical Path Model (CPM) intriguing because of the details of how it breaks down project tasks. Kissflow outlines and describes how tasks are to be identified and defined, as well as it explains other key concepts affecting scheduling, such as task dependencies. However, the CPM gives even greater detail in breaking down those tasks. I understand from further reading that the model is usually used primarily for complex projects, but I think it can be simplified to suit my needs when designing my project schedule. CPM is “not difficult to apply, and when applied, it improves inter-departmental communications and gives a clear definition of responsibilities” (Aliyu, 2012). What I appreciate about the CPM is that it differentiates tasks into what is more critical than others. I want to share with you this website, which I believe is a great example of how it can be applied to less complex projects, such as preparing an omelet. Here goes:
Link: https://www.workamajig.com/blog/critical-path-method
Reference
Aliyu, A. M. (2012). Project management using critical path method (CPM): a pragmatic study. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 18(3-4), 197-206.
Cohen, E., & Cohen, E. (2024, July 30). How to Use Critical Path Method for Complete Beginners (with Examples). Workamajig. https://www.workamajig.com/blog/critical-path-method
Hello Janice,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about Jira. I started exploring it but did not find the registration as easy as I hoped, so I looked into other sites. But I liked what I saw so far. Thanks for the heads-up about Jira and Trello. I will look at these. All the best with your project, Janice.