Schedule Management

Definition

Schedule Management

the endeavor management task of properly managing the schedule of an endeavor or center

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Schedule Management is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Abstract
• Superclass: Endeavor Management Task
• Subclasses:
  • Endeavor Schedule Management
  • Center Schedule Management

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of Schedule Management are to:

• Either:
  • Ensure the timely achievement of milestones including the completion of the endeavor.
  • Ensure the on time delivery of work products or services.
• Minimize risk due to schedule overruns.

Preconditions

Schedule management typically may begin when the following preconditions hold:

• Either the:
  • Endeavor has started or the
  • Center exists.
• The management team is adequately:
  • Staffed.
  • Trained in schedule management.

Completion Criteria

Schedule management is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• Either the:
  • Endeavor has been completed or the
  • Center has been retired.

Steps

Schedule management typically involves the management team performing the following steps in an incremental, iterative, parallel, timeboxed, and ongoing manner:

• Collect schedule estimates from members of the development team.
• Develop, document, communicate, and maintain the schedules and associated work breakdown structure (WBS).
• Maintain and control changes to the schedules and WBS.

Techniques

Schedule management typically involves the following techniques:

• Time estimation
• Close collaboration with stakeholders.
• Use of schedules and work breakdown structures.
• Documentation iteration.

Work Products

Schedule management typically results in the production of the following work products:

• Management Set:
  • Master Schedule
  • Component Schedules
  • Team Schedules
  • Work Breakdown Structure

Guidelines

• Schedules for individual tasks should be estimated by those responsible for performing those tasks. Unrealistic schedules should not be mandated on developers because of business reasons (e.g., time to market) unless scope, resources or quality can be adjusted accordingly. If schedules are fixed, it is better to change scope than quality. One cannot always decrease schedule by adding resources (e.g., the "nine women taking one month to produce a baby" scenario).
• Management is responsible for ensuring that scheduling is performed, but most of the schedule information is provided by developers who will actually perform the work.
• Schedules should be updated on a regular (e.g., weekly) basis.
• Schedules should be reviewed at each milestone.