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Utilizing project management software in project scheduling: a case study

Suci Miranda 1 and M Sugarindra 1

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering , Volume 528 , 11th ISIEM (International Seminar on Industrial Engineering & Management, "Technology and Innovation Challenges Towards Industry 4.0 Era" 27–29 November 2018, Makasar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia Citation Suci Miranda and M Sugarindra 2019 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 528 012037 DOI 10.1088/1757-899X/528/1/012037

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1 Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Project scheduling is the application of skills, techniques, and intuition acquired through knowledge and experience to develop effective schedule models. It is integrated with various project components, such as activities, resources, and logical relationships. This is a case study of project scheduling under resource-constrained in an aircraft industry. In order to successfully run a project should focus on the project accomplishing effort related to the deadline. When the schedule execution of activities does not meet the project scheduling plan, the entire project may take longer duration to achieve the deliverables. This paper presents a rearranged schedule compared to the current set. Utilizing project management software (PMS), the project can be finished in 91 days employing 12 operators. Microsoft Project is preferred for further evaluating and managing project scheduling solution. The data is treated automated and the leveling method is applied to compress the completion project time related to the scope of the study is the limited resources allocated. Leads and lags have been identified regarding the new schedule results. The project can be accomplished quickly enough using the rearranged schedule.

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10. Project Schedule Planning

Adrienne Watt; Merrie Barron; and Andrew Barron

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.

In order to develop our schedule, we first need to define the activities, sequence them in the right order, estimate the resources needed, and estimate the time it will take to complete the tasks.

Defining Activities

The activity definition process is a further breakdown of the work package elements of the WBS. It docu­ments the specific activities needed to fulfill the deliverables detailed in the WBS. These activities are not the deliverables themselves but the individual units of work that must be completed to fulfill the deliverables. Activity definition uses everything we already know about the project to divide the work into activities that can be estimated. You might want to look at all the lessons learned from similar projects your company has done to get a good idea of what you need to do on the current one.

Expert judgment in the form of project team members with prior experience developing project scope statements and WBS can help you define activities. If you are asked to manage a project in a new domain, you might also use experts in that particular field to help define tasks so you can understand what activities are going to be involved. You may want to create an activity list and then have the expert review it and suggest changes. Alternatively, you could involve the expert from the very beginning and ask to have an activity definition conversation with him or her before even making your first draft of the list.

Sometimes you start a project without knowing a lot about the work that you’ll be doing later. Rolling-wave planning lets you plan and schedule only the portion that you know enough about to plan well. When you don’t know enough about a project, you can use placeholders for the unknown portions until you know more. These are extra items that are put at high levels in the WBS to allow you to plan for the unknown.

A Case Study

Susan and Steve have decided to tie the knot, but they don’t have much time to plan their wedding. They want the big day to be unforgettable. They want to invite many people and provide a great time. They’ve always dreamed of a June wedding, but it’s already January. Just thinking about all of the details involved is overwhelming. Susan has been dreaming of the big day since she was 12, but it seems that there’s so little time for all the tasks to be completed. When they were choosing the paper for the invitations, the couple realized that they needed help.

Much work has to be done before June. First, Sally figures out what work needs to be done. She starts to put together a to-do list:

• Invitations
• Wedding cake
• Dinner menu

Since many different people are involved in the making of the wedding, it takes much planning to coordinate all the work in the right order by the right people at the right time. Initially, Sally was worried that she didn’t have enough time to make sure that everything would be done properly. However, she knew that she had some powerful time management tools on her side when she took the job, and these tools would help her to synchronize all the required tasks.

To get started, Sally arranged all the activities in a work breakdown structure. The next exercise presents part of the WBS Sally made for the wedding.

WBS Exercise

Arrange the following activities into the WBS (Figure 10.1) to show how the work items decompose into activities.

• Shop for shoes
• Create guest list
• Have the tailoring and fitting done
• Shop for dress
• Find caterer
• Cater the wedding
• Wait for RSVPs
• Mail the invitations
• Finalize the menu
• Print the invitations
• Choose the bouquet

Solution to Exercise:

Activity List

Now that the activity definitions for the work packages have been completed, the next task is to complete the activity list. The project activity list is a list of everything that needs to be done to complete your project, including all the activities that must be accomplished to deliver each work package. Next you want to define the activity attributes. Here’s where the description of each activity is kept. It includes all the information you need to figure out plus the order of the work. Any predecessor activities, successor activities, or constraints should be listed in the attributes along with descriptions and any other information about resources or time that you need for planning. The three main kinds of predecessors are finish-to-start (FS), start-to-start (SS), and finish-to-finish (FF). The most common kind of predecessor is the finish-to-start. It means that one task needs to be completed before another one can start. When you think of predecessors, this is what you usually think of; one thing needs to end before the next can begin. It’s called finish-to-start because the first activity’s finish leads into the second activity’s start (Figure 10.3).

The start-to-start predecessor is a little less common, but sometimes you need to coordinate activities so they begin at the same time (Figure 10.4).

The finish-to-finish predecessor shows activities that finish at the same time (Figure 10.5).

It is possible to have start-to-finish (SF) predecessors. This happens when activities require that another task be started before the successor task can finish. An example might be that the musicians cannot finish playing until the guests have started leaving the ceremony. In addition, there are some particular types of predecessors that must be considered.

External Predecessors

Sometimes your project will depend on things outside the work you’re doing. For the wedding, we are depending on the wedding party before us to be out of the reception hall in time for us to decorate. The decoration of the reception hall then depends on that as an external predecessor.

Discretionary Predecessors

These are usually process- or procedure-driven or best-practice techniques based on past experience. In the wedding example, Steve and Susan want the bridesmaids to arrive at the reception before the couple arrives. There’s no necessity; it is just a matter of preference.

Mandatory Predecessors

You can’t address an invitation that hasn’t been printed yet. So printing invitations is a mandatory predecessor for addressing them. Mandatory predecessors are the kinds that have to exist just because of the nature of the work.

Leads and Lags

Sometimes you need to give some extra time between activities. Lag time is when you purposefully put a delay between the predecessor task and the successor. For example, when the bride and her father dance, the others wait awhile before they join them (Figure 10.6).

Lead time is when you give a successor task some time to get started before the predecessor finishes (Figure 10.7). So you might want the caterer preparing dessert an hour before everybody is eating dinner.

All of the important checkpoints of your project are tracked as milestones. Some of them could be listed in your contract as requirements of successful completion; some could just be significant points in the project that you want to keep track of. The milestone list needs to let everyone know which milestones are required and which are not.

Some milestones for Susan and Steve’s wedding might be:

• Invitations sent
• Menu finalized
• Location booked
• Bridesmaids’ dresses fitted

As you figure out which activities will need to be done, you may realize that the scope needs to change. When that happens, you need to create a change request and send it through the change control system.

Some things that could go wrong:

The Activity Sequencing Process

Now that we know what we have to do to make the wedding a success, we need to focus on the order of the work. Sally sat down with all of the activities she had defined for the wedding and decided to figure out exactly how they needed to happen. That’s where she used the activity sequencing process.

The activity attribute list Sally created had most of the predecessors and successors necessary written in it. This is where she thought of what comes first, second, third, etc. Sally’s milestone list had major pieces of work written down, and there were a couple of changes to the scope she had discovered along the way that were approved and ready to go.

Creating the Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart, developed by Henry Gantt, that illustrates a project schedule. Gantt charts are easy to read and are commonly used to display schedule activities. These charts display the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project. Terminal elements and summary elements comprise the work breakdown structure of the project. Some Gantt charts also show the dependency relationships (i.e., precedence network) between activities.

Gantt charts show all the key stages of a project and their duration as a bar chart, with the time scale across the top. The key stages are placed on the bar chart in sequence, starting in the top left corner and ending in the bottom right corner (Figure 10.8). A Gantt chart can be drawn quickly and easily and is often the first tool a project manager uses to provide a rough estimate of the time that it will take to complete the key tasks. Sometimes it is useful to start with the target deadline for completion of the whole project, because it is soon apparent if the time scale is too short or unnecessarily long. The detailed Gantt chart is usually constructed after the main objectives have been determined.

In this example in Figure 10.8, key stage K (Organize distribution) starts at week 23 so that its end point coincides with key stage L (Distribute directory). However, K could begin as early as week 17, as soon as key stage J is completed. Key stage K is therefore said to have “slack.” Key stage H (Agree print contract) has been placed to end at week 12. However, it could end as late as week 22, because key stage I (Print directory) does not begin until week 23. Key stage H is therefore said to have “float.” Float time can be indicated on the chart by adding a line ahead of the bar to the latest possible end point. Slack and float show you where there is flexibility in the schedule, and this can be useful when you need to gain time once the project is up and running.

You can add other information to a Gantt chart, for example:

• Milestones could be indicated by using a symbol such as a diamond or triangle.
• Project meetings could be indicated by another symbol such as a circle.
• Reviews of progress could be indicated by a square.

For a complex project, you may decide to produce a separate Gantt chart for each of the key stages. If you do this shortly before each key stage begins, you will be able to take any last-minute eventualities into account. These charts provide a useful tool for monitoring and control as the project progresses.

Gantt charts are relatively easy to draw by hand, but this doesn’t offer the same level of flexibility during monitoring that you would get from a software package. Various programs are available to assist project managers in scheduling and control. Once the data have been entered, a program helps you to work on “what if” scenarios, showing what might happen if a key stage is delayed or speeded up. This is more difficult if you are working manually.

Creating the Network Diagram

Many project managers use network diagrams when scheduling a project. The network diagram is a way to visualize the interrelationships of project activities. Network diagrams provide a graphical view of the tasks and how they relate to one another. The tasks in the network are the work packages of the WBS. All of the WBS tasks must be included in the network because they have to be accounted for in the schedule. Leaving even one task out of the network could change the overall schedule duration, estimated costs, and resource allocation commitments.

The first step is to arrange the tasks from your WBS into a sequence. Some tasks can be accomplished at any time throughout the project where other tasks depend on input from another task or are constrained by time or resources.

The WBS is not a schedule, but it is the basis for it. The network diagram is a schedule but is used primarily to identify key scheduling information that ultimately goes into user-friendly schedule formats, such as milestone and Gantt charts.

The network diagram provides important information to the project team. It provides information about how the tasks are related (Figure 10.9), where the risk points are in the schedule, how long it will take as currently planned to finish the project, and when each task needs to begin and end.

In our wedding planner example, Sally would look for relationships between tasks and determine what can be done in parallel and what activities need to wait for others to complete. As an example, Figure 10.10 shows how the activities involved in producing the invitations depend on one another. Showing the activities in rectangles and their relationships as arrows is called a precedence diagramming method (PDM). This kind of diagram is also called an activity-on-node (AON) diagram.

Another way to show how tasks relate is with the activity-on-arrow (AOA) diagram. Although AON is more commonly used and is supported by all project management programs, PERT is the best-known AOA-type diagram and is the historical basis of all network diagramming. The main difference is the AOA diagram is traditionally drawn using circles as the nodes, with nodes representing the beginning and ending points of the arrows or tasks. In the AOA network, the arrows represent the activities or tasks (Figure 10.11).

All network diagrams have the advantages of showing task interdependencies, start and end times, and the critical path (the longest path through the network) but the AOA network diagram has some disadvantages that limit the use of the method.

The three major disadvantages of the AOA method are:

• The AOA network can only show finish-to-start relationships. It is not possible to show lead and lag except by adding or subtracting time, which makes project tracking difficult.
• There are instances when dummy activities can occur in an AOA network. Dummy activities are activities that show the dependency of one task on other tasks but for other than technical reasons. For example, one task may depend on another because it would be more cost effective to use the same resources for the two; otherwise the two tasks could be accomplished in parallel. Dummy activities do not have durations associated with them. They simply show that a task has some kind of dependence on another task.
• AOA diagrams are not as widely used as AON diagrams simply because the latter are somewhat simpler to use, and all project management software programs can accommodate AON networks, whereas not all can accommodate AOA networks.

The Critical Path

The critical path describes the sequence of tasks that would enable the project to be completed in the shortest possible time. It is based on the idea that some tasks must be completed before others can begin. A critical path diagram is a useful tool for scheduling dependencies and controlling a project. In order to identify the critical path, the length of time that each task will take must be calculated.

Let’s take a look at an example. The length of time in weeks for each key stage is estimated:

We have given the key stage “Secure funds” an estimated time of zero weeks because the project cannot start without the availability of some funding, although estimates would provide detail at a later stage. The stages can now be lined up to produce a network diagram that shows that there are three paths from start to finish and that the lines making up each path have a minimum duration (Figure 10.12).

If we now trace each of the possible paths to “Distribute directory” (the finishing point), taking dependencies into account, the route that has the longest duration is known as the critical path. This is the minimum time in which it will be possible to complete the project.

In this example, the critical path is A–B–C–D–E–F–I–L, and the earliest completion date for the project is the sum of the estimated times for all the stages on the critical path – 28 weeks – from the point of securing the funding. All the key stages on the critical path must be completed on time if the project is to be finished on schedule.

If the projected total time is much longer than the project sponsor’s expectations, you will need to renegotiate the time scale. Mapping the critical path helps to identify the activities that need to be monitored most closely.

Image Descriptions

Figure 10.2 image description:

0.0 Wedding

• 1.1 Create guest list
• 1.2 Wait for RSVPs
• 1.3 Mail the invitations
• 1.4 Print the invitations
• 2.1 Find caterer
• 2.2 Cater the wedding
• 2.3 Finalize the menu
• 3.1 Shop for shoes
• 3.2 Tailoring and fitting
• 3.3 Shop for dress
• 3.4 Choose the bouquet

[Return to Figure 10.2]

Text Attributions

This chapter adapted and remixed by Adrienne Watt from the following sources:

• Text under “Defining Activities”, ” A Case Study”, “Activities List”, “Milestones” and “Creating the Network Diagram” was adapted from “ Project Planning ” in Project Management by Merrie Barron and Andrew Barron. Licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence .
• Text under “Creating the Gantt Chart” was adapted from “ Gantt Chart ” by Wikipedia. Licensed under a CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike) licence and Planning a Project  by OpenLearn Labspace. Licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) licence .

Media Attributions

• Wedding WBS Exercises © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• Wedding WBS Exercises Solution © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• FS Predecessor © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• SS Predecessor © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• FF Predecessor © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• WBS Lag © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• WBS Lead © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• Gantt Chart © Open University is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license
• WBS and Network Diagram © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• AON Diagram © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• Activity arrow diagram © Barron & Barron Project Management for Scientists and Engineers is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• Critical Path Diagram © Open University is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license

10. Project Schedule Planning Copyright © 2014 by Adrienne Watt; Merrie Barron; and Andrew Barron is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Case Study: Schedule Development - 5 Steps to Success

• 19 August 2019
• Automotive & Transportation , PMO & Project Delivery

The railway industry has been growing over the past few years.  With increasing investments in new rail lines supporting increased tourism and manufacturing, along with upgrades to existing lines supporting enhanced mobility, the future for rail is rather optimistic . And with a focus on new rail lines, there is a renewed focus on schedule development.

Watch our case study:

The future is looking quite optimistic for our client as well – a mid-sized company making a big impact.  After delivering several local projects successfully, our client had grown by 400%, expanding in reach to become a global manufacturer of rail systems

In recognition of their quality and commitment to delivery, they have seen record levels of orders.  Over 80% of orders are with repeat customers; 40% are due to extensions on existing orders.

Getting Organized

In the face of mounting orders, it was time to get organized.  Or in Project Management terms, any increase in the level of delivery, requires an equal increase in the level of project management maturity.

Read also: PMO Best Practices

So, our client made the decision a few years ago to move to a project-based organization.  A project-based organization is typical for organizations that have long-range, large-scale complex projects, like building new trains.  Dedicated teams of the right resources are put together to work on projects.  By realigning the organization against the delivery of products, our client could focus on ensuring they had a standard, repeatable way of doing business that scaled along with the growth of their business.

Success, if not handled properly, can lead to the demise of a project.

Was this really necessary?

Yes – by keeping the organizational teams focused on delivering their commitments 100% of the time, and in turn keeping their customers happy, they now have an engine primed for continued growth.

What could go wrong?  Well luckily in our client’s case, nothing.  They had the right team and the right management processes in place.  However, another program was not so lucky. 

In early 2019, a  California high speed rail program went off the rails  – with current projections putting the program 13 years behind schedule, with costs at twice the original estimate.  While we cannot go into all the details that led to the demise of the California high speed rail program, we can go into one specific detail:  The importance of a quality schedule.

The planning that goes into large complex projects is just that – large and complex.  It requires a great deal of effort from the team to break down the list of activities and estimate the size of effort.  However, no one wants to take the time to develop a detailed schedule anymore.  That is, until the parts are missing and by then it’s too late.  Your project is off the rails.

But,  creating a detailed schedule  doesn’t have to be difficult, or even that time consuming.  The steps are quite intuitive, can be applied regardless of the type of project and have not changed over time.  Here are 5 simple steps for successful schedule development.

What are the steps for project schedule development?

1. define your project goals and outcomes.

Everyone on the team needs to know where you are going if you are going to get there.  In cases where you have a signed contract, this will list out key requirements, delivery dates and quantities.  Use this information to formulate the backbone of your project plan.

As Eric Singleton explains in his article on  Effective Program Planning , a good plan tells a story of where the project is going.  This keeps the team and management focused on specific, measurable, and communicable outcomes which will then drive the overall scope of the program, its component projects and work packages.

2. Define the Activities

This step involves detailing the scope of the program / project / components / work packages so that you can clearly estimate the effort and resources involved in securing your desired outcomes.

With the advent of agile planning – a common question asked is whether a ‘WBS’ or Work Breakdown Structure is still relevant. 

Cliff notes version, it is.

A WBS is a method of taking a large piece of work and breaking it down into smaller, more manageable chunks, that can be more effectively and reasonably estimated and resourced.  While tied to more traditional project management methods, this exercise is equally applied cross functionally with epics, features and stories.

Interested in our PMO & Project Delivery services?

3. sequence the activities.

Once you have detailed out the work to be done, the next step is to sequence the activities, paying careful attention to other related tasks, or interdependencies.  Basically, what order does the work need to be done in?

In development, many times you will not know the work to be done in follow-on phases of work, as it is dependent upon successful completion of a previous phase.  One should not go into production until you have finished testing; just as one cannot board the train until it arrives.

In the 2018  PMI Pulse of the Profession Report , the leading causes of project failure are due to a change in an organization’s priorities or objectives.  To mitigate this risk, the project management organization needs to be more flexible in the way that they plan, otherwise all effort invested upfront in fully detailing the project schedule could be wasted.  The key is finding the right balance.

One planning concept picking up steam is ‘rolling wave’ planning.  Rolling wave planning, while not new, is the process of detailing out the more immediate phases of work, while leaving later phases for when you have more information at hand.  This is very similar in planning for increments or sprints.

In another engagement, this time for an Oil and Gas major, our team revised the existing practice of fully scheduling a 256-line project template at the start of the program, to a  progressive elaboration process .  This required changing their milestone acceptance process for Program Approval to include a lean schedule as a deliverable.  By having the project team detail the schedule as they came to each phase, the team saved time, simplifying the upfront planning while simultaneously driving improved Resource and Schedule Management capability.

4. Estimate Resources & Durations

In our previous example, as the team had delivered those types of projects before, the schedule was created from a template, along with resource estimates and durations based on their historical performance.  This was a huge benefit in estimating future program resources and durations, as well as a great way to share knowledge with new employees.

With our rail client, although 80% of the orders were repeat customers, the teams had not scheduled at that level of detail before.  Our project managers worked with the teams and suppliers to break down the work into more detail, and then defined estimates to support the added or decreased complexity.  This 5-step process works whether you are creating a schedule from scratch or creating a schedule from a template. 

By populating the information into templates, the client has a solid footprint to estimate and plan new work going forward, improving the speed at which they can respond to tenders.  In addition, schedule templates serve as useful information for onboarding new team members as they continue to grow.

5. Integrate the Schedule

The last step is to integrate your schedule – moving from a high-level plan to a detailed one.   While you can pull together a project schedule in Excel, it is much easier to link it all together in a tool built for schedule development and management like Primavera or Microsoft Project. 

With the right toolset, you can easily see whether you’re able to fit your delivery windows and if you’re within your resource capacity.  Essentially, it answers the question: “does your schedule make sense?”

If the answer is no, well then, it’s better that you know that ahead of time, before your delivery is put at risk, knowing this means you can start the hard work of mitigating it.  The art of crashing a schedule is best served for another article.

As specialists in project and program management, we have scheduled many large-scale programs like High Speed Rail and the Olympics.  We understand that you while cannot anticipate every hurdle that your schedule will need to overcome, regardless of the project management methodology being used by the organization, successful delivery requires successful planning.

In conclusion, with a Project Management Office in place, our client has a team of project managers as the focal point for proper planning and control, ensuring that no project goes off the rails.

Additional Reading: What is PMO? A Complete Guide.

You might also like:

Using PMO KPIs to Measure Performance

Security Compliance PMO

Types of PMO

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Budgeting and Scheduling Projects

This course is part of Project Management Principles and Practices Specialization

Taught in English

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Instructor: Margaret Meloni, MBA, PMP

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What you'll learn

Define milestones and create a milestone schedule

Identify the resource needs of the project

Estimate the quantities and costs of resources needed for project activities

Use a responsibility assignment matrix to assign responsibilities

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There are 5 modules in this course

A good project schedule helps all team members’ work together to meet project objectives. A project budget with realistic cost constraints is also an essential bedrock of any project. In this course you’ll learn to plan and stick to time and cost constraints in order to ensure the success of your projects.

Upon completing this course, you will be able to: 1. Identify the resource needs of the project 2. Decompose work packages into activities 3. Define what is needed to estimate activity durations 4. Define milestones and create a milestone schedule 5. Determine the critical path and calculate float 6. Describe the purpose of using leads and lags in a project schedule 7. Estimate the quantities and costs of resources required to perform project activities 8. Select one of three common cost estimating techniques to determine a project budget 9. Use a responsibility assignment matrix to assign responsibilities 10. Recognize the components of a project’s quality management plan

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Get started in this module by reviewing the course overview and participating in the course survey.

What's included

2 readings • total 20 minutes.

• Course Overview • 10 minutes
• Course Survey • 10 minutes

Resource Needs & Quality Management

In this module, we will decompose work packages into activities, identify the resource needs of the project, and use a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) to assign responsibilities. In addition, you will have a lesson on Quality Management.

3 videos 3 readings 1 quiz

3 videos • Total 16 minutes

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Top 15 Project Management Case Studies with Examples 2024

Home Blog Project Management Top 15 Project Management Case Studies with Examples 2024

Having worked for more than 9 years in the dynamic field of project management, I would strongly refer to real-world case studies as invaluable resources for both budding and experienced professionals. These case studies provide critical insights into the challenges and triumphs encountered in various industries, illustrating the application of project management principles in practical scenarios.   I have curated the project management case studies as a part of this article in such a way that it delves into a selection of compelling case studies, ranging from the healthcare sector to infrastructure and technology. Each case study is a testament to the strategic planning, adaptability, and innovative problem-solving skills necessary in today's fast-paced business environment. These narratives not only highlight past successes but also offer guidance for future projects, making them essential tools for anyone eager to excel in project management.

What is Case Study?

A case study refers to an in-depth examination of a specific case within the real-world context. It is a piece of content that sheds light on the challenges faced, solutions adopted, and the overall outcomes of a project. To understand project management case studies, it is important to first define what a project is . A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end, aimed at achieving a specific goal or objective. Case studies are generally used by businesses during the proposal phase. However, they are also displayed on the websites of companies to provide prospects with a glance at the capabilities of the brands. It can even serve as an effective tool for lead generation. In simple words, case studies are stories that tell the target audience about the measures and strategies that the organization adopted to become successful.

What is Project Management Case Study?

A project management case study is a piece of content that highlights a project successfully managed by the organization. It showcases the challenges that the organization faced, the solutions adopted, and the final results. Keep reading in order to explore examples of successful project management case studies.

Top 15 Project Management Case Studies and Examples 

Are you looking for some project management case study examples? If yes, here are some of the best examples you can explore. Let’s dive in! Before diving in, here is the list of top 15 project management case studies: 

• Mavenlink Helps Improve Utilization Rates by 15% for BTM Global
• Boncom Reduces Billing Rate Errors by 100%
• whyaye! Reaches 80% Billable Utilization
• Metova Increases Billable Utilization by 10%
• Appetize Doubles Length of Forecasting Outlook
• RSM Improves Client Satisfaction and Global Business Processes
• CORE Business Technologies Increases Billable Utilization by 35%
• Health Catalyst Improves Business Processes and Increases Consistency in Project Delivery
• Optimus SBR Improves Forecasting Horizon by 50%
• PlainJoe Studios Increases Projects Closing Within Budget by 50%
• RPI Consultants Decreases Admin Time by 20%
• CBI's PMO Increases Billable Utilization By 30%
• Butterfly Increases Billable Time by 20%
• TeleTracking Increases Billable Utilization by 37%
• Taylors Improves Utilization Rates by 15%

1. Mavenlink Helps Improve Utilization Rates by 15% for BTM Global

The case study is all about how Mavenlink helped BTM Global Consulting to save hours of work and enhance utilization with resource management technology. BTM Global Consulting offers system development and integration services to diverse clients. The challenges that the company faced were that tools like Netsuite OpenAir and Excel spreadsheets were not able to meet the customization needs as the company grew. It impacted their overall productivity.

BTM Global saw the following benefits: 

• 15% increase in utilization for project managers
• 10% increase in companywide utilization
• 4-hour resource allocation work reduced to 10 minutes
• 100% Company-wide time tracking adoption

In order to overcome the challenge, the solution they adopted was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was that it increased the utilization of the company by 10% and enhanced project manager utilization by 15%. It also reduced resource allocation work from 4 hours to just 10 minutes.

2. Boncom Reduces Billing Rate Errors by 100% With Mavenlink

Boncom is an advertising agency that collaborates with different purpose driven brands to create goods worldwide. The challenge was that the company relied on several-point solutions for delivering client-facing projects. However, the solutions failed to offer the required operational functionality. An ideal solution for Boncom was to adopt Mavenlink. The result was that the billing rate error got reduced by 100%. Accurate forecasting became possible for Boncom, and the company could generate reports in much less time.

3. whyaye! Reaches 80% Billable Utilization with Mavenlink

Here are the top benefits whyaye got: 

• 6% increase in utilization
• Tripled company size
• Doubled in number of new clients every quarter
• Support through constant business scaling

whyaye is a digital transformation consultancy delivering IT transformation solutions to businesses operating in diverse sectors. The challenge was that whyaye used to manage resources and projects using tools such as emails, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel. However, with the growth of the company, they were not able to access project data or gain insights for effective management of the projects . The ultimate solution to this challenge was to make a switch to Mavenlink. The result was an increase in the utilization by 6%, doubling of new clients, tripling of the company size, and seamless support through business growth.

4. Metova Increases Billable Utilization by 10% With Mavenlink

If you are looking for a project planning case study, Metova can be the right example. Metova is a technology firm, a Gold Partner of Microsoft, and an advanced consulting partner of AWS. The challenge was that the company handled several projects at a time. However, its heavy dependence on tools like Google Sheets limited the growth capabilities of the organization. So, the company looked for a solution and switched to Mavenlink. The result was that it was able to increase its billable utilization by 10%, increase its portfolio visibility, and standardize its project management process.

5. Appetize Doubles Length of Forecasting Outlook with Mavenlink

Here the the benefits Appetize got with Mavenlink: 

• Forecasting horizon increases to 12 weeks
• Management of 40+ major projects per quarter
• Support for rapid companywide scaling
• Salesforce integration supports project implementation

Appetize is one of the leading cloud-based points of sale (POS), enterprise management, and digital ordering platform that is trusted by a number of businesses. The challenge of the company was that its legacy project tracking systems were not able to meet the growing needs of the company. They experienced growth and manual data analysis challenges. The solution they found was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was an increase in the forecast horizon to 12 weeks, support for effective companywide scaling, easy management of over 40 major projects, and Salesforce integration for project implementation.

6. RSM Improves Client Satisfaction and Global Business Processes with Mavenlink

RSM is a tax, audit, and consulting company that provides a wide array of professional services to clients in Canada and the United States. The challenge of the company was that its legacy system lacked the necessary features required to support their work- and time-intensive projects and delivered insights relating to the project trends. An ideal solution to this challenge was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was better to risk mitigation in tax compliance, improved client-team communication, templatized project creation, and better use of the KPIs and project status.

7. CORE Business Technologies Increases Billable Utilization by 35% with Mavenlink

Here are the top benefits CORE Business Technologies got with Mavenlink: 

• Simultaneous in-progress projects doubled
• 100% company-wide time entry compliance
• 35% Increase in Billable Utilization
• 50% Increase in Team Productivity

Another top project management case study is the Core Business Technologies. CORE Business Technologies is a reputed single-source vendor self-service, in-person, and back-office processing to the clients. It offers SaaS-based payment solutions to clients. The challenge faced by the company was that its tools like spreadsheets, Zoho, and Microsoft Project led to a hectic work schedule owing to a huge number of disconnected systems. The solution to the challenge was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was the enhancement of team productivity by 50%, time entry compliance by 100%, and enhancement of the billable utilization rate by 35%.

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8. Client Success: Health Catalyst Improves Business Processes and Increases Consistency in Project Delivery with Mavenlink

Here are the top benefits Health Catalyst saw with Mavenlink:   

• Consistency in Successful Project Delivery 
• Improved Interdepartmental Communication 
• Deeper Resource Data Insights 
• Stronger Resource Forecasting

Health Catalyst is a company that delivers data and analytics services and technology to different healthcare organizations. The firm provides assistance to technicians and clinicians in the healthcare sector. The challenge of the company was that the tools like Intacct and spreadsheets that is used for project management were not able to provide the required data insights and clarity for better project management. It also limited effective resource management. The solution was to embrace Mavenlink. The result was better resource forecasting, enhanced interdepartmental communication, consistency in project delivery, and better resource data insights .

9. Client Success: Optimus SBR Improves Forecasting Horizon by 50% with Mavenlink

Optimus SBR is a leading professional service provider in North America. It offers the best results to companies operating in diverse sectors, including healthcare, energy, transportation, financial services, and more. The challenge was that legacy software tools that the firm used gave rise to project management issues. The company was not able to get a real-time revenue forecast or gain insights into its future financial performance. The solution that the company adopted was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was better data-driven hiring decisions, efficient delivery of remote work, and enhancement of the forecasting horizon by 50%.

10. Client Success: PlainJoe Studios Increases Projects Closing Within Budget by 50% With Mavenlink

Here are the benefits how Mavenlink helped PlainJoe: 

• Improved data insights for project success
• Enablement of fast shift to remote work
• Improved budgeting
• Increased rates in billing

PlainJoe Studios is an experimental design studio that focuses on digitally immersive and strategic storytelling. The company has a team of strategists, architects, and problem solvers to create value for the clients. The challenge of the company was that the manual processing of the company affected its ability to grow and manage the diverse project effectively. They lacked clarity about their project needs and profitability. The solution to deal with the challenge was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was an enhancement in the billing rates by 15%, better project closing within budget by 50%, better data insights for the success of different projects, and a faster shift to remote work.

11. Client Success: RPI Consultants Decreases Admin Time by 20% With Mavenlink

If you are looking for an example of one of the best software project management case studies, then RPI Consultants can be the ideal one. RPI Consultants offer expert project leadership and software consulting services for enterprise-level implementation of solutions and products. The challenge was that the task management solutions adopted by the company gave rise to a number of complications. It resulted in poor interdepartmental transparency and time-consuming data entry. The ultimate solution that the company embraced was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was a rise in the utilization rate by 5%, lowing of admin time by 20%, better forecasting and resource management, and a single source for gaining insights into the project data.

12. Client Success: CBI's PMO Increases Billable Utilization By 30% With Mavenlink

CBI is a company that is focused on protecting the reputations, data, and brands of its clients. The challenge that the company faced was that the solutions used were unable to meet the growing needs of the organization. The systems were outdated, data sharing was not possible, and time tracking was inconsistent. The solution to the challenge was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was better interdepartmental alignment, enhancement of time tracking to support business growth, an increase in the billable utilization rate by 30%, and detailed insights for a greater success of the projects.

13. Client Success: Butterfly Increases Billable Time by 20% with Mavenlink

Butterfly is a leading digital agency that provides digital strategy, website design and development services, and ongoing support to businesses across Australia. The challenge was that the different legacy systems used by the agency limited its capability of effective project management and reporting. The systems were time consuming and cumbersome. In order to deal with the challenge, the solution was to make a switch to Mavenlink. The result was the enhancement of billable time by 20%, fast reporting insights, enhancement of productive utilization by 16%, and better Jira integration.

14. Client Success: TeleTracking Increases Billable Utilization by 37% With Mavenlink

TeleTracking Technologies is a leading provider of patient flow automation solutions to various hospitals in the healthcare sector. The challenge of the company was that it used different systems such as Microsoft Excel, Sharepoint, MS Project, Jira, and Netsuite. The use of a variety of solutions created a number of challenges for the company. It had poor forecasting capability, an insufficient time tracking process, and unclear resource utilization. The solution was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was the enhancement of time tracking compliance by 100%, rise in hours to date by 18%, and enhancement of billable utilization by 37%.

15. Client Success: Taylors Improves Utilization Rates by 15% with Mavenlink

This is a perfect example of a construction project management case study. Taylor Development Strategists is a leading civil engineering and urban planning organization in Australia. The challenge that the company faced was that the systems that it used were not able to support the growth of the business. There were a lot of inefficiencies and limitations. The solution to the challenge was to switch to Mavenlink. The result was better global collaboration, an increase in the utilization rate by 15%, consistency of timesheet entry, and in-depth insights relating to utilization and project targets.

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Start Creating Your Project Management Case Study

Not that you have a detailed idea about project management case studies, it is time to prepare your own. When doing the project management case study exercise, make sure to focus on covering all the important elements. Clearly stating the challenges and the solutions adopted by the company is important. If you want to get better at project management, getting a PMP Certification can be beneficial.

Case Study Best Practices and Tips 

• Involve your clients in the preparation of the case study. 
• Make use of graphs and data. 
• Mix images, texts, graphs, and whitespace effectively.

Project Management Case Studies Examples

Hospital el pilar improves patient care with implementing disciplined agile.

If you are looking for an example of one of the best hospital related project management case studies, then Hospital El Pilar can be the ideal one. Hospital El Pilar is a private hospital in Guatemala City, Guatemala, that provides comprehensive care to patients in various medical specialties. The challenge was that the hospital’s application development team faced several obstacles in managing and delivering projects, such as unclear priorities, a lack of visibility, little interaction with users, and competing demands. The solution that the team adopted was to use Disciplined Agile® (DA™), a flexible and pragmatic approach to project management that optimizes the way of working (WoW). The result was improved project outcomes, increased user satisfaction, greater transparency, and more trust from stakeholders and customers.

British Columbia’s Ministry of Technology and Infrastructure (MoTI) gets its principal corridor for transportation up in 35 days

Reconnecting Roads After Massive Flooding (2022) is a case study of how the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) used a project management approach based on the PMBOK® Guide to restore critical routes after a catastrophic weather event. It is one of the examples of successful project management case studies you can look into. The challenge was that an atmospheric river caused severe flooding, landslides, and bridge collapses, cutting off the lower mainland from the rest of Canada2. The solution was to prioritize the reopening of Highway 5, the principal corridor for transportation of goods and people, by creating scopes, work breakdown structures, and schedules for each site3. The result was that Highway 5 was reopened to commercial traffic in 35 days, despite additional weather challenges and risks4. The construction project management case study we discussed demonstrated the benefits of flexibility, collaboration, and communication in emergency response.

Project Management Case Study Template 

To create a well-crafted and highly informative case study template in the realms of project management, you should start by providing a brief overview of the client's company, focusing on its industry, scale, and specific challenges. Follow with a detailed section on the challenge, emphasizing the unique aspects of the project and obstacles faced. Next, you might want to describe the solution implemented, detailing the strategies, methodologies, and tools used. Then, you would need to present the results, quantifying improvements and highlighting objectives achieved. Finally, please conclude the case study with a summary, encapsulating key takeaways and emphasizing the project's success and its implications for future endeavors. By following this structure, you can present a comprehensive yet concise analysis that is ideal for showcasing project management expertise and insights. You can also refer to the template for crafting a better case study on project management – Template for writing case studies.

By now, you must have gained a comprehensive knowledge of preparing a project management case study. This article elaborately explains the significance of real life project management case studies as vital tools for demonstrating a company's expertise in handling complex projects. These case studies, showcasing real-world scenarios, serve as compelling evidence of a firm's capability to navigate challenges and implement effective solutions, thereby boosting confidence in potential clients and partners. They are not only a reflection of past successes but also a lighthouse guiding future project endeavors in the discipline of project management within the fields of construction, pharmacy, technology and finance, highlighting the importance of strategic planning, innovation, and adaptability in project management. If you are aspiring to excel in this field, understanding these case studies is invaluable. However, you would also need to learn from project management failures case studies which would provide a roadmap to mastering the art of project management in today's dynamic business landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In order to write a project management case study, keep everything brief but mention everything in detail. Make sure to write it with clarity and include graphs and images. 

A project study must include information about the client, how your company helped the client in resolving a problem, and the results.

The best-case studies on project management have been listed above. It includes BTM Global, Butterfly, Boncom, and more.

Kevin D.Davis

Kevin D. Davis is a seasoned and results-driven Program/Project Management Professional with a Master's Certificate in Advanced Project Management. With expertise in leading multi-million dollar projects, strategic planning, and sales operations, Kevin excels in maximizing solutions and building business cases. He possesses a deep understanding of methodologies such as PMBOK, Lean Six Sigma, and TQM to achieve business/technology alignment. With over 100 instructional training sessions and extensive experience as a PMP Exam Prep Instructor at KnowledgeHut, Kevin has a proven track record in project management training and consulting. His expertise has helped in driving successful project outcomes and fostering organizational growth.

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Project scheduling with resource capacities and requests varying with time: a case study

• Published: 11 February 2012
• Volume 25 , pages 74–93, ( 2013 )

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• Sönke Hartmann 1  

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This paper discusses an extension of the classical resource-constrained project scheduling problem in which the resource availability as well as the resource request of the activities may change from period to period. While the applicability of this extension should be obvious, we provide a case study in order to emphasize the need for the extension. A real-world medical research project is presented which has a structure that is typical for many other medical and pharmacological research projects that consist of experiments. Subsequently, we provide a mathematical model and analyze some properties of the extended problem setting. We also introduce a new priority rule heuristic that is based on a randomized activity selection mechanism which makes use of so-called tournaments. Finally, we report our computational results for the original data of the medical research project as well as for a set of systematically generated test instances.

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Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Thies Fitting for providing the relevant data of the medical research project (and for noticing that he had to deal with a difficult OR problem).

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Hartmann, S. Project scheduling with resource capacities and requests varying with time: a case study. Flex Serv Manuf J 25 , 74–93 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10696-012-9141-8

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Published : 11 February 2012

Issue Date : June 2013

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10696-012-9141-8

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Top 20 Project Management Case Studies [With Examples]

Project management case study analyses showcase and compare real-life project management processes and systems scenarios. These studies shed light on the common challenges that project managers encounter on a daily basis. This helps project managers develop effective strategies, overcome obstacles, and achieve successful results. 

By leveraging project management case studies , organisations can optimise their operations by providing insights into the most effective approaches. With effective implementation of these case studies, strategies, and methodologies, ensuring successful project completion is achievable.

Criteria for Selection of Top 20 Case Studies

The top 20 case studies are selected based on significance, impact, challenges, project management strategies, and overall success. They provide diverse insights and lessons for project managers and organisations.

1. The Sydney Opera House Project

The Sydney Opera House Project is an iconic example of project management case studies as it faced multiple challenges during its construction phase. Despite facing leadership changes, budget overruns, and design failures, the project persevered and was completed in 1973, a decade later than planned. The Opera House stands as a symbol of perseverance and successful project management in the face of humankind.

2. The Airbus A380 Project

The Airbus A380 Project is a project management case study showcasing the challenges encountered during developing and producing the world’s largest commercial aircraft. The project experienced massive delays and impacted costs of more than $6 billion, with several issues arising from the manufacturing and delivery process, outsourcing, and project coordination. 

However, the Airbus A380 was successfully launched through carefully planned project management strategies, delivering a world-class aircraft that met customer expectations.

3. The Panama Canal Expansion Project 

The Panama Canal Expansion Project serves as a compelling case study, illustrating the management’s encounters in expanding the capacity of the Panama Canal. The project included multiple stakeholders, technological innovations, environmental concerns, and safety challenges. 

4. The Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project

The Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project serves as a project management case study of a large-scale underground tunnel construction project. It successfully addressed traffic congestion and was completed in 2007. The project was completed in 2007, with numerous hurdles delaying progress like complexity, technology failure, ballooning budgets, media scrutiny, etc.

5. The London 2012 Olympics Project

The London 2012 Olympics Project stands as a successful project management case study, showcasing the management of a large-scale international sporting event. This project involved the construction of a new sports infrastructure, event logistics and security concerns. The project was successfully accomplished, delivering a world-class event that captivated the audience.

6. The Hoover Dam Bypass Project

The Hoover Dam Bypass Project was a construction project in the United States of America that intended to alleviate traffic from the Hoover Dam by building a new bridge. Completed in 2010, the bridge spans across the Colorado River, connecting Arizona and Nevada and offers a safer and more efficient route for motorists.

7. The Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project

The Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project is a case study example constructed in San Francisco, California. Its objective was to enhance the bridge’s resilience against earthquakes and aftershocks. Completed in 2012, the project included the installation of shock absorbers and other seismic upgrades to ensure the bridge’s safety and functionality in the event of a major earthquake.

8. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Project

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Project is a massive case study that intends to connect Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau with a bridge-tunnel system of 55 kilometres. Completed in 2018, the project required massive funds, investments and innovative engineering solutions, providing a new transport link and boosting regional connectivity.

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9. The Panama Papers Investigation Project

The Panama Papers Investigation Project is a global case study of journalistic investigations into offshore tax havens. It involved leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm. Coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the project resulted in major political and financial repercussions worldwide, garnering widespread media attention.

10. The Apple iPhone Development Project

The Apple iPhone Development Project started in 2004, aiming to create a groundbreaking mobile device. In 2007, the iPhone transformed the industry with its innovative touchscreen interface, sleek design, and advanced features. This project involved significant research, development, marketing, and supply chain management investments.

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11. The Ford Pinto Design and Launch Project

The Ford Pinto Design and Launch Project was a developmental project intended to create an affordable, fuel-efficient subcompact car. Launched in 1971, because of its fuel tank design, it became infamous for safety issues. The project was rigged for ethical and safety concerns, lawsuits, and recalls.

12. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response Project

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response Project was a response to the largest oil spill in US history, caused by an offshore drilling rig explosion in 2010. This crisis response project utilised a waterfall project management approach, where the project team followed a pattern of planning, executing, monitoring, and closing phases. 

13. The NASA Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster Project

  The NASA Challenger Disaster Project was a tragic space exploration mission in 1986, resulting in the loss of all seven crew members. Extensive investigations revealed design and safety flaws as the cause. This disaster prompted NASA to address decision-making processes and improve safety cultures.

14. The Three Gorges Dam Project

  The Three Gorges Dam Project was a large-scale infrastructure project developed in China that aimed to build the world’s largest hydroelectric dam on the Yangtze River. Completed in 2012, it encountered environmental, social, and engineering challenges. The dam currently offers power generation, flood control, and improved navigation, but it has also resulted in ecological and cultural consequences.

15. The Big Dig Project in Boston

The Big Dig Project was a transportation infrastructure project in Boston, Massachusetts, intended to replace an old elevated highway with a newer tunnel system. Completed in 2007, it serves as one of the most complex and costly construction endeavours in US history. Despite facing many delays, cost overruns and engineering challenges, the project successfully improved traffic flow and urban aesthetics but also resulted in accidents, lawsuits, and financial burdens.

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16. The Uber Disruptive Business Model Project

  The Uber Disruptive Business Model Project was a startup that introduced a new ride business model that disrupted the taxi-cab industry by connecting riders with drivers via a mobile app. Launched in 2010, this project required innovative technology, marketing and regulatory strategies and faced legal actions and ethical challenges related to labour, safety, and competition. Uber has since then dominated the market with its ride-sharing business plan.

17. The Netflix Original Content Development Project

The Netflix Original Content Development Project was an initiative created to launch its original content for its platform. This launch by the online streaming giant in 2012 was a huge success for the company. The project required huge investments in content creation, distribution and marketing and resulted in award-winning shows and films that redefined the entire entertainment industry’s business model.

18. The Tesla Electric Car Project

The Tesla Electric Car Project was a revolutionary project that aimed to compete for its electric vehicles with gasoline-powered vehicles. The project required a strong project management plan that incorporated innovation, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement, resulting in the successful launch of the Tesla Roadster in 2008 and subsequent models. Tesla has one-handedly revolutionised the entire automobile industry on its own. 

19. The Johnson & Johnson Tylenol Crisis Management Project:

The Johnson & Johnson Tylenol Crisis Management Project was a case study in crisis management in 1982. The project required quick and effective decision-making skills, stakeholder communication, and ethical leadership in response to the tampering of Tylenol capsules that led to deaths. 

20. The Airbnb Online Marketplace Platform Project  

The Airbnb Online Marketplace Platform Project was a startup that created an online platform which connected travellers with hosts offering short-term rental accommodations in flights. The project required innovative technology, user experience design and stakeholder management. Airbnb’s success has led to the disruption of the hospitality industry and inspired many other project case study examples of sharing economy platforms.

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Future developments in project management.

Future developments in project management include all the insights on the increased use of artificial intelligence, agile methodologies, hybrid project management approaches, and emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility, along with many more developing ideas that will address the evolving market innovations. 

Key Takeaways from the Case Studies

The project management case study examples illustrate real-life examples and the importance of project management in achieving project success. The cases show the use of innovative technologies, tools, techniques, stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and agile methodologies. 

Project Management also highlights the role of ethical leadership and social responsibility in project management. To learn more and more about case studies, upGrad, India’s leading education platform, has offered an Advanced General Management Program from IMT Ghaziabad that will equip you with in-demand management skills to keep up with the changing trends!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Project Management is extensive planning, executing, monitoring and closing of a project before its deadline. Project management ensures accuracy and efficiency across all organs of a project, right from its inception to its completion.

Project Management case studies are real-life examples of projects to put an insight into all the tools, techniques and methodologies it provides.

The role of a project manager is to ensure that all day-to-day responsibilities are being met by the resources deployed in a certain project. They have the authority to manage as well as lead the functioning members as well.

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Project Scheduling in Project Management: 5 Steps to Success

How do you define project scheduling? 

Project scheduling in project management can be defined as creating a list of objectives, deliverables, and milestones for a project and using them to prepare a comprehensive project plan.

What are the types of schedules in project management? 

Scheduling in project management can be very granular, depending on its purpose. Consequently, we can divide such plans into three categories: 

• General project scheduling that provides an overview of all the activities needed to complete the project. 
• Milestone project scheduling that focuses on the main objectives for each stage or period of the project. 
• Detailed project scheduling that delves into the details of each part of the work, showing consecutive tasks and the people responsible for each of them. 

5 Steps to Create a Perfect Project Scheduling Process

Project scheduling does not have to be a chaotic experience fueled by an inconsistent information flow and wishful thinking. In fact, the whole process can be organized in just a few steps, shown below.

1. Identify the Scope of the Project

Before you start project scheduling, you need to know what you are scheduling your resources for. Therefore, you have to identify the project scope. 

Many sources define the project’s scope as a list of objectives for a project to fulfill. However, it’s not that simple.

How to Create a Detailed Description of the Project

To execute the project correctly, you need to have a very detailed description of the operation. It is necessary to identify a critical path for the project. The outline should include: 

• A list of specific goals and deliverables for the entire project and its subsequent stages.
• An overview of tasks and skills necessary to complete them. 
• The estimated cost of every operation included in the project. 
• Preferred deadlines for the entire project and each of its stages. 
• Acceptance criteria. 
• Project constraints. 

How to Improve the Accuracy of the Project Scope 

For all these conclusions to be accurate (and for the project schedule to be accurate, too), identification of the project scope requires constant communication with stakeholders, excellent documentation, and an open-minded approach. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that many project managers find this part of the project scheduling process very burdensome. 

However, the critical path method and work breakdown structure are essential for identifying the key objectives of the project schedule, and it is one of the major project success factors. Therefore, we highly recommend focusing on that part of the process for the sake of your team members! 

2. Prepare the Estimates

Using the information you gathered in the previous steps with both the critical path method and work breakdown structure, you can now put the milestones and main objectives on the timeline, creating the very first draft of the project schedule.  

Determining the Right Timeline

Still, creating a project schedule requires some more analysis. To complete it, first take a look at the existing operations and:

• Determine when the project should begin and end, if possible. This is mostly applicable to waterfall projects that have a definite end date. 
• Determine how many hours a month your specialists will spend working on a customer’s project. 
• At the same time, try to define the milestones both for the project and its finances, as they are the key to creating accurate estimates for project scheduling. 

Move on to Forecasting

Having done that, create a forecast of the cost of all the operations on your part and compare them to the estimated income from the project. Remember to monitor the profit margin — otherwise you may end up with no additional revenue. 

Based on the forecast, you will know exactly what resources and skills are required to complete the project, or a part of it. Therefore, it will be easier for you to complete the resource management process. 

3. Resource Management 

Having finished with resource forecasting, you can also see what skills and, consequently, what specialists are necessary to bring the idea to life, and when they are necessary. That means you can start allocating resources. 

Resource Management: Key Factors

However, resource planning is not an easy task. To complete it successfully, you need to take numerous variables into account. These include:

• Public holidays 
• Individual absences 
• Pre-existing allocations in other projects 
• Specialists’ capacity and utilization 

Allocation of Resources

After obtaining the information, you can assign team members to the consecutive stages of the project. We highly recommend you use Gantt charts or calendars to do so, as they are perfect for displaying dependencies and connections between projects — even with some more complex data, such as part-time allocations and tracked hours.

4. Create the Final Timeline

If you allocated the resources successfully with our project scheduling techniques and made no mistakes, you can then take a look at the final project timeline.

If you use resource management software , the timeline will automatically be generated in the project calendar. If you don’t use such tools, you can test them manually using Excel. Read our blog, How to Create a Project Timeline for more information on this topic. 

5. Track Progress and Make Necessary Changes

Naturally, things don’t always go according to plan, and we can’t avoid that even with the best scheduling techniques. Fortunately for you, with project scheduling included in your work, you can easily manage any changes to the project schedule and use them to your advantage. 

The first step to do that is time tracking. As simple as it sounds, time tracking allows project managers to stay on top of the planned work and see whether everything is going as planned. When worked hours appear in the system, you will be able to identify significant problems, such as overtime or lack of resources for the job. 

Monitor the Progress

Then, on a more general level, you can monitor the project’s progress and compare it to the project schedule. You can do that by analyzing both tracked and scheduled hours. Additionally, we recommend you do the same for the budget included in the project schedule — that may help you avoid losing profits due to mishaps. 

Project Scheduling Examples 

All right, you know the theory — now it’s time for examples you can use in your project management right away. 

Project scheduling examples by methodology

Project schedules may, of course, differ depending on various circumstances. The type of methodology used for the project is one of them. Let’s take a closer look at that. 

Project Scheduling for Waterfall Projects 

Waterfall projects have their start date and end date set by the project managers even before they start. Therefore, they can be planned from start to finish as a whole. 

To successfully complete project management for a waterfall project, you need to start with a detailed project scope. Then, estimate the time needed to complete each project stage, from start to finish — Gantt charts are a perfect tool for that. 

Having done that, allocate team members and calculate their costs (including company and project overheads as well). 

Estimates for Waterfall Project Scheduling

This will result in a comprehensive project schedule with a budget. With that in hand, you can check whether the project’s profitability is good enough for your business and make changes accordingly. 

Project Scheduling for Agile Projects 

Agile projects are divided into sprints that mark its completion with the development of new features or other increments. Therefore, project management for them looks a bit different than for waterfall projects. 

Project Scope vs. Agile Project

Just like in any other type of project scheduling, your company needs to start off with a project scope. Then, you should divide the scope into periods corresponding to developing new features or any other milestones customers may find crucial. These are usually determined by using a critical path. 

After that, the project scheduling process focuses on the given periods instead of the entirety of the operations. Then, you can assign team members to particular sprints and calculate the budget for each consecutive phase, creating numerous smaller project schedules. After that, you can use that information to estimate the financials and timeline of the entire project. 

Project Scheduling Examples by Billing Type 

But what if the methodology is not the only problem? What if the budget also gets in the way? 

Project schedules can be adjusted to such a case. Let’s look at some example below.. 

Project Scheduling for T&M Projects 

Time and material projects may sound simple: calculate the number of hours worked and bill the customer for them. However, how does this approach affect project scheduling? 

For these projects, the scheduling process is the same as the one we introduced to you above. There is only one difference: the project schedule is created once every billing cycle, whatever it might be. 

Project Management for T&M Project

For a time and material project that is paid for every month, the project schedule starts before the month begins. Just like in previous cases, it begins with determining the critical path for the project and its key objectives. This results in an outline of the work that needs to be done during that time, including people and their costs. Then, that information is combined with overheads to create a comprehensive timeline with budgeting that can be used as a project schedule.

Project Scheduling for Fixed-Price Projects 

Fixed-price projects have a limited budget that has to be enough to cover the work and leave the company with decent profits. Still, it’s easier said than done. 

A typical scheduling process for a fixed-price project starts with the project’s scope. However, in this case, project managers have to pay even more attention to it. 

That’s because the project’s price needs to cover all the expenses included in the scope. We recommend a detailed description of the operations for that purpose. 

The estimations and resource planning process are even more important for project scheduling in fixed-price projects. That’s because as people are assigned to the project, its costs rise, putting the profit margin at risk. 

Additionally, many project managers put their operations in jeopardy because they fail to include overhead costs in their project budget. This also needs to be done during project scheduling.

Therefore, to avoid the expenses going through the roof, the estimations should be done with real-time reports at hand. This is the best way to identify any obstacles or, worse, underpriced operation.! 

Project Scheduling for Retainer Projects 

Retainer projects usually involve slow-paced development. In terms of finances, they are just like a subscription: a customer pays a sum of money every month to get a range of services included in their package. 

But how is this package reflected in the project timeline? 

On a very general level, project scheduling for retainer projects work just like scheduling for T&M projects. However, instead of calculating the data for the entire project, project managers just need to focus on estimates for a single billing period. 

Project Scheduling Techniques: How to Succeed 

The base of project scheduling in project management is always the same. But what if you wanted to be even more certain that everything will work out? 

Here are some techniques you can use to improve the schedule management process even further and avoid additional problems: 

• Rely on relevant stakeholders from the start. Do not negotiate with dozens of people vaguely interested in cooperation; find a single person responsible for the project on the customer’s side to improve communication. 
• Use historical data to improve plans and estimates. Collect the information in planning and scheduling tools as you go and draw conclusions to improve in the future. 
• Include all stages, tasks, and milestones in the plan. Don’t assume that you can ignore certain parts of the project. Use Kanban boards or Gantt charts to create transparent task dependencies and project plans.
• Don’t assume that things will go 100% according to the plan. Book 80% of your specialists’ capacity, add some time to every stage of the project, and leave some more room for unexpected events. 
• Define critical objectives. Some tasks are simply much more important than others. Identify them and keep them in mind throughout the project to achieve better results. 
• Include the organization’s overheads in profitability calculations. Costs of technologies, office equipment, and support staff affect your margins, too. 
• Take the costs of people and resources into account. In the end, profit is what you are looking for, and to achieve that, you need to take the finances into consideration while preparing a resource management plan . 
• Use tools capable of visualizing the data such as timelines, workload, and progress. 

Can project scheduling tools help me do all of that? 

The answer is yes, of course!

Project scheduling tools offer dozens of features that are perfectly suited to the needs of project managers. These include: 

• Resource planning 
• Skill management 
• Project portfolio management 
• Project accounting 
• Time tracking 
• Business intelligence

Benefits of Project Scheduling in Project Management 

Project scheduling offers several advantages that can be used not only to complete the project but also to improve the quality of work in the entire company. These benefits include: 

• Improved project portfolio management. Better planning, better resource allocation, and better reliability for every project is guaranteed. 
• Easy project progress monitoring . If a comparison of the actuals with the project schedule shows some changes, you can react to them and find the problem before it affects the project. 
• Transparent communication for all the parties involved. A project schedule helps all the stakeholders stay on the same page as the provider. 
• Better risk management. With project scheduling software based on the critical path, you can easily identify any inconsistencies, delays, or lack of resources and resolve them before they threaten the company’s operations. 
• Simpler project allocation. Availability of resources is no longer an enigma when you can see all the information in a single plan. 
• Clearly defined profitability . Budgeting is always a challenge, but with a project schedule, it is much more predictable — and beneficial.

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Housing | Santa Cruz County a case study on pandemic Project Roomkey

The two-year statewide assessment of Project Roomkey’s outcomes was commissioned jointly by the nonprofit philanthropy organization California Health Care Foundation and the family philanthropic trust of Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, via Abt Associates and was released May 6.

The assessment comes little more than a month after Santa Cruz County’s Housing for Health Division released its second three-year strategic homeless framework as part of a late-March study session with the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

According to the “ Project Roomkey Evaluation Final Report ,” the state-funded Project Roomkey was created in response to the coronavirus outbreak and initially was designed to move medically vulnerable individuals with complex needs off the streets and into their own rooms, with meals and laundry service.

The program offered an alternative to traditional “congregate” shelters, which typically grouped individuals in the same rooms, dorm-style. Before its conclusion, the program’s mission expanded to move sheltered individuals into more permanent housing.

During its operations, Santa Cruz County set up six Project Roomkey shelters at local motels — four in Santa Cruz and two in Watsonville — and 257 rooms with the help of three rounds of state program funds, according to the report. Initially, county employees were repurposed as “Disaster Service Workers” to staff the sites, roles later filled out with new community hires. Some 1,385 individuals were housed during the program’s more than two-year run, according to the report. The outcomes of another 44 individuals were unaccounted for in the report.

Of the Roomkey participants, about 27% exited to permanent housing and nearly 6% to temporary housing, according to the report. About 25% entered congregate shelters and 15% to an unsheltered location. More than 5% went into short- or long-term institutional settings and 18% departed to unknown or “other” locations.

“PRK (Project Roomkey) staff reported closing sites before all participants had been connected to housing was difficult, knowing that some participants would return to homelessness,” the report noted.

The report highlighted some of the county’s struggles in meeting program participants’ behavioral health needs and those with acute health conditions called for a higher level of care that neither the available public health nurses nor hotel staff were able to regularly provide.

Those interviewed for the case study, however, generally gave high ratings to the accommodations, basic services and staffing, according to the report.

“When reflecting on their time in the program, most participants reported feeling positively about the experience,” the study. noted. “Many appreciated the privacy and safety in comparison to a more traditional shelter.”

Santa Cruz County’s new three-year framework , retroactive to January, aims to: lower the average time spent homeless by 10% each year; reduce the number of people returning to homelessness each year by 20%; ensure community partners are collecting outcome and community needs data; and increase outreach and access to services countywide.

The initial three-year framework, in effect from January 2021 to January 2024, called for a 25% reduction in households experiencing homelessness and a 50% drop in households living outside and in their vehicles.

During that period, Santa Cruz County supported the successful applications for three state-funded Project Homekey applications, saw a single-year homeless count reduction of 21.5%, the lowest annual point-in-time count tally since its local inception in 2007, and counted 911 people who moved from homelessness to permanent housing between July 2022 and June 2023. Last year, the Housing for Health Partnership also launched a redesigned Coordinated Entry System, tracking relevant data regarding county homelessness, and considered a factor — along with increased Housing Authority vouchers — in the number of housing placements.

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Event-Driven asyncio: A Case Study of Trio's API(PyCon US 2024)

Event-Driven asyncio: A Case Study of Trio's API(PyCon US 2024)

Description Asyncio is highly efficient in operating within a single thread, making it exceptionally well-suited for environments with limited resources. In our product, we leverage Python's asynchronous capabilities to streamline the decision-making processes of our robots. I will individually introduce trio and trio-util, as well as anyio and asyncio, in the presentation.

Session: https://us.pycon.org/2024/schedule/presentation/142/ X: https://x.com/JunyaFff linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junya-fukuda-4622a863/

Junya Fukuda

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Event-Driven asyncio: A Case Study of Trio's API Junya Fukuda

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What It’s Like Inside the Courtroom at Trump’s Manhattan Criminal Trial

The courtroom where Donald J. Trump’s trial is being held is on the large side, but still too small to contain the vast interest in the case.

• Share full article

Witness stand

Reserved seating for

district attorney’s office

Prosecutors

Donald Trump

usually sits here

Secret Service and defense

Jury box as shown does not include temporary seating brought in for alternates.

Charlie Smart / The New York Times

By Jonah E. Bromwich and Charlie Smart

• Published May 14, 2024 Updated May 16, 2024

A dimly lit room on the 15th floor of an Art Deco courthouse in Lower Manhattan is the stage for the mostly closely watched legal drama in decades: the first criminal trial of an American president.

Former President Donald J. Trump’s trial on 34 felony counts is being held in a large courtroom that has the air of a grand structure gone to seed: The floors are grimy, the wooden benches unforgiving and the temperature swings from frigid to sweltering.

Members of the public and reporters get 14 rows, seven on each side, inside the wood-paneled courtroom, behind the prosecution and defense tables. Those seats provide a view of the judge — the bench sits directly under burnished letters spelling out “In God We Trust” — and the witness stand. The jurors sit on the right side and are usually focused on the witness stand or the lawyer speaking at the lectern.

Four large closed-circuit television screens also make it possible to see the faces of those at the prosecution and defense tables, including Mr. Trump. The former president usually sits in the second chair, with the defense lawyer who is handling arguments or questioning a witness occupying the first. When lawyers approach the bench for a sidebar, Mr. Trump is sometimes left alone at the table. Other times, a lawyer who is not taking part moves to sit beside him briefly.

Despite its size, the courtroom is nonetheless too small to contain all those wanting to catch a glimpse of the trial. Additional members of the news media and the public can follow along in the so-called overflow room, where the same video feed is shown.

The feed is not shared beyond the overflow courtroom; New York State generally does not permit trials to be broadcast. The only glimpses of the courtroom available to the broader public come from courtroom sketch artists and images from photographers who are permitted inside for 45 seconds, just before court goes into session.

The New York Times usually has two reporters inside the main courtroom and several others in the overflow area to provide a steady stream of updates on arguments, testimony, evidence and Mr. Trump’s disposition — sometimes with the help of binoculars to get a better look at the screens.

The prosecution and defense get two rows each. On the prosecution side, those benches have seated members of the Manhattan district attorney’s office, including the district attorney himself, Alvin L. Bragg . On the defense side, Secret Service agents take up some of the seats, along with supporters of the former president. Mr. Trump’s son Eric has been seen in the courtroom repeatedly.

The temperature inside is often a step behind New York’s shifting spring weather: Frequently too hot or too cold, it seems to lag the outside temperature by a day or two.

The chill that pervaded during jury selection at one point prompted the judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan , to apologize to prospective jurors. When Mr. Trump’s lead lawyer, Todd Blanche , inquired about raising the temperature, Justice Merchan said the only alternative to shivering was sweating — and he’d rather be cold.

Mr. Trump has also groused about the cold, remarking during his arrival one morning that he thought the temperature was being kept low “on purpose.” And departing the courtroom for a break at another point, he remarked to reporters in the last row: “Is it cold enough?”

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misstated the number of rows on either side of the courtroom that are reserved for members of the public and reporters. There are seven, not five.

How we handle corrections

Jonah E. Bromwich covers criminal justice in New York, with a focus on the Manhattan district attorney’s office and state criminal courts in Manhattan. More about Jonah E. Bromwich

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

The judge in Donald Trump’s trial said that the case would take longer than anticipated to wrap up, with closing arguments now not expected until next week .

Will Trump campaign this fall as a convicted felon? The verdict in his trial could be a deciding factor in a tight presidential race .

Although the crowds outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse have been smaller than the police prepared for, each day has featured someone creating a spectacle .

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.