Project Planning and Scheduling
Plan before you schedule
A schedule is only as good as the plan behind it. Start with a work breakdown structure (WBS) that decomposes scope into manageable work packages. Sequence activities with logical relationships (finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-finish), then assign durations, resources, and calendars. The critical path method (CPM) identifies the longest path through the network; activities on that path have zero total float. Total float is how long an activity can slip without delaying the project; free float is how long it can slip without delaying its successor. Near-critical paths matter because a small delay can shift the critical path.
Update from actual progress, not hope. Compare baseline to current schedule, record variances, and forecast completion. Resource leveling smooths peaks and may extend duration; crashing adds resources or overtime and usually adds cost; fast-tracking overlaps activities and adds risk.
Traps: treating float as free time for any trade, forgetting calendar and weather effects, confusing duration with effort, and assuming the critical path never changes. Multiple critical paths can exist.
Worked example: Activities A (3 days), B (4 days), C (6 days), and D (2 days). B and C follow A; D follows B and C. Paths: A-B-D = 9 days; A-C-D = 11 days. The critical path is A-C-D, and the project duration is 11 days. B has 2 days of total float. Rule of thumb: manage the critical path first, then protect near-critical paths.