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What is Project Scheduling? Your Definition

5 replies [Last post]
M Colon
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Joined: 8 Feb 2001
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As we are planning professionals, I often get ask the following question: "What does a scheduler do?"
I want to find out what are your thoghts on what scheduling is and the responsibilities associated with this title.
Thanks

Replies

M Colon
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Joined: 8 Feb 2001
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I like these definitions. With regards to the WBS, is the best standard the Contruction Division listed under CSI or are there any other standards that can be followed?
Rodel Marasigan
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Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 1699
Hi Clive,

A Work Breakdown Structure is a results-oriented family tree that captures all the work of a project in an organized way. It is often portrayed graphically as a hierarchical tree, however, it can also be a tabular list of "element" categories and tasks or the indented task list that appears in your Gantt chart schedule.

A proper planner knows the meaning of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and every concept behind of it. Successful project management relies on thorough planning and this begins by defining project objectives with sufficiently detail information. WBS provides the foundation for defining the work as it relates to project objectives.

To have an accurate/ meaningful schedule of project and made more manageable a planner/ scheduler and or a project manager breaking it down into individual components which defines unique work elements that can be arrange and completed in the order defined by the network diagram: sequentially, in parallel, or in the specific order necessary to accomplish project outcomes that together are known as (WBS) work breakdown structure.

It helps other project management process such as estimating, scheduling, resource allocation, risk analysis, and measurement and control of a project. WBS organizes and define total scope of a project in terms of deliverables and to further decompose that these deliverables into components. WBS subdivides the project work into smaller, more manageable pieces of work, with each descending level of the WBS representing an increasingly detailed definition of the project work. It is use to provide the project management team with a framework on which to base project status and progress report and facilitate the communication between the project manager and client throughout the life of the project.

I hope these gave you a fruitful meaning of WBS and why it is important to a project.

Regards,
Rodel
Clive Randall
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Dear Rodel
I see that you believe WBS is important
And that planners should have an understanding of it
Can you explain what you consider to be WBS and why you feel its important?
Thanks
Clive
Alex Wong
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Joined: 12 Feb 2003
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What did a good schedule do

Here is some thought
1. Help to breakdown works involved in a project
2. Help understand dependency between works
3. Help to predict/manage outcome (Crystal Ball)
4. Help to predict/manage cost
5. Help to predict/manage Resource
6. Help to predict/manage time
7. Enable to have a breakdown the works into a smaller pieces so that the worker can understand
8. Produce Pretty Chart - Reporting

Al
Rodel Marasigan
User offline. Last seen 14 hours 14 min ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 1699
Hi,
My view of “what does a scheduler do?” is very simple.

In project management, a schedule consists of a list of a project’s terminal elements (task) with intended start and finish dates.

A Gantt chart can provide a graphical representation of a project schedule.

In project management, scheduler is a person who is responsible of preparing/ putting all this together usually know as “Planner”, “Planner/ Scheduler” or “Scheduler”.

Before a project schedule can be created, a project manager and or a “planner/ scheduler” should typically have a work breakdown structure (WBS) based on the type of project, an effort estimate for each task, and a resource list with availability for each resource. If these are not yet available, it may be possible to create something that looks like a schedule, but it will essentially be a work of fiction. They can be created using a consensus-driven estimation method. The reason for this is that a schedule itself is an estimate: each date in the schedule is estimated, and if those dates do not have the buy-in of the people who are going to do the work, the schedule will be inaccurate.

He or she is also a driver/ operator of any project scheduling software products used by the company on a project which can do much of the tedious work of calculating the schedule automatically, and plenty of books and tutorials dedicated to teaching people how to use them. However, before a planner/ scheduler can use these tools, he or she should understand the concepts behind the WBS, dependencies, resource allocation, critical paths, Gantt charts and earned value. These are the real keys to planning a successful project.

The rest of responsibilities are depends on their contractual agreement between the employer and the employee.


Regards,
Rodel