Schedule Management for PMP

Schedule management is one of the most heavily tested topics in the Process domain. This guide covers estimation, sequencing, compression, and control — the PMI way.

The Schedule Management Process

1. Plan Schedule Management — define policies and procedures
2. Define Activities — break work into schedulable tasks
3. Sequence Activities — determine dependencies
4. Estimate Activity Durations — how long each will take
5. Develop Schedule — create the project schedule
6. Control Schedule — monitor and adjust

Estimation Techniques

Analogous Estimating

• What: Uses historical data from similar past projects
• Pros: Fast, low effort
• Cons: Less accurate
• When: Early in the project, limited detail

Parametric Estimating

• What: Uses statistical relationships (e.g., hours per unit)
• Pros: More accurate than analogous
• Cons: Requires reliable data
• When: Repetitive, measurable work

Bottom-Up Estimating

• What: Estimate each activity, roll up to total
• Pros: Most accurate
• Cons: Time-consuming
• When: High-detail planning, critical projects

Three-Point Estimating (PERT)

• What: Uses three estimates — Optimistic (O), Most Likely (M), Pessimistic (P)
• Formula: (O + 4M + P) / 6
• When: High uncertainty, research projects

Dependency Types

Four types of logical relationships:

Type	Description	Example
Finish-to-Start (FS)	Predecessor must finish before successor starts	Pour foundation before framing
Start-to-Start (SS)	Successor starts after predecessor starts	Write code after design starts
Finish-to-Finish (FF)	Successor finishes after predecessor finishes	Testing finishes after coding finishes
Start-to-Finish (SF)	Successor finishes after predecessor starts	Rarely used

Mandatory vs. Discretionary

• Mandatory dependencies — required by the work or contract (hard logic)
• Discretionary dependencies — preferred based on best practices (soft logic)

Schedule Compression

Fast Tracking

• Do activities in parallel that were originally sequential
• Pros: No added cost
• Cons: Increases risk, rework
• When: Time is critical, budget is fixed

Crashing

• Add resources to shorten duration
• Pros: Reduces time
• Cons: Increases cost
• When: Budget allows, time is critical

Schedule Control

Once the schedule baseline is set:

• Monitor progress against the baseline
• Identify variances early
• Use EVM to track schedule performance (SV, SPI)
• Implement corrective actions
• Update the schedule baseline only through change control

Critical Path

The longest path through the network determines the project duration. Activities on the critical path have zero float. (See our deep dive: Critical Path Method for PMP.)

Resource Optimization

Resource Leveling

• Adjust start/finish dates to resolve resource constraints
• May extend the project schedule
• Used when resources are limited

Resource Smoothing

• Adjust activities within float
• Does not extend the project schedule
• Used to optimize resource usage without delaying the project

The PMI Mindset for Scheduling

1. Engage the team — they know real durations
2. Document assumptions — estimation basis matters
3. Update baselines through change control — never silently
4. Communicate delays early — stakeholders need to know
5. Analyze before compressing — understand impact

Common Schedule Exam Traps

• Choosing crashing when fast tracking fits (budget-constrained scenario)
• Forgetting that fast tracking increases risk
• Confusing mandatory and discretionary dependencies
• Mixing up resource leveling (extends schedule) and resource smoothing (doesn't)

Final Thoughts

Schedule management rewards structured thinking: estimate carefully, sequence logically, compress based on constraints, and control through the baseline. Master estimation techniques and compression strategies, and you'll handle schedule scenarios with confidence.