Are project timings are a source of confusion and conflict for your team? Shine a light on the plans and demystify deadlines with a project master schedule.
We're all familiar with the phrase "fail to plan, plan to fail". And without thorough planning, it's true that work on projects can be exceptionally - indeed, needlessly - challenging.
Poor planning causes miscommunication, improperly distributed resources, and scattered workflows. This, in turn, leads to delays and sometimes even failure.
If you are a project or resource manager and would like to avoid this outcome, there is a tool that you can try: a master schedule.
By unifying the efforts of all the key stakeholders and putting them on the same page, master schedules can ensure a smooth and successful work process - helping you deliver high quality project outcomes on time. To see how, read on.
A master schedule (or a project master schedule) can be defined as a document that contains all the information about the project activities, deliverables, and key milestones.
In a master schedule, all work is broken down into structural components, and these components are presented along their start and end dates. This way, master schedules reflect individual smaller schedules, combining them into a single unified picture.
The purpose of master scheduling as a project scheduling technique is to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within the budget. This is achieved by creating a logical order of activities, effective resource management, and maintaining effective communication.
Master scheduling can significantly drive a project’s success thanks to the following:
Despite its benefits for production planning, a project master schedule is still not a perfect tool as it does have a couple of limitations:
Here is a sequence of steps for you as a project manager to create a master production schedule:
Project objectives must contain a desired outcome that reflects the customer’s request. It must be achievable, measurable, and time-constrained. By stating an objective, you set a clear direction for your team to follow.
First of all, break down the project into its structural components – tasks and the associated activities. This way, you will make sure that no part of the work process will be omitted.
Then, add the other important elements - project milestones and deliverables.
Point out the resources needed to complete a project. In particular, create a budget (finances) and decide who will be in charge of what activity (human resources).
For each activity, estimate time duration, determining their due dates.
In a project, cross-functional dependencies are inevitable as the work of one person directly affects the work of another one. To prevent bottlenecks, make sure that all activities are performed in the correct order, so that no one has to waste time waiting for their colleagues to complete their part and let them proceed with theirs.
To make the process even smoother, it sounds like a good idea to point out the time delay between the predecessor and successor activities.
After the master schedule has been finished, you should double-check it to see if anything needs to be changed. For example, you might find out that your activity time calculation needs to be revised, or that your resource allocation is not perfect. Reconsider your decisions and include the changes on the schedule.
This is the basics of making a master schedule. However, to create an effective project schedule, you could also use the following advice:
That’s why it makes sense to assign a person who would have this process under their control.
As a bare minimum, we recommend that you include the following information in your master schedule:
Here is an example of how you could lay out your master schedule:
Changes can cause a lot of stress but they are inevitable in any project. Improper change and risk management, which often result from poor planning, can lead to delays – and, consequently, to customer’s dissatisfaction.
Let’s take a look at the most common risks one might face while making a master schedule:
So how can you solve all these potential problems? Here are some effective practices you could use to mitigate risks and handle changes while making a master schedule:
Like we mentioned earlier, software planning tools make it easier to manage the master schedule. By creating a unified picture of the project to which everybody has access, you can make changes without confusion and keep everyone on the same page.
For example, Runn can make resource management (which is an essential component of project scheduling) a piece of cake: it allows you to assign the right people to the right tasks based on their skills, keep track of the project, and even predict possible scenarios.
For example, in addition to a master schedule, you could also create a separate milestone chart or a project management calendar to keep important information in a written form.
While making a master schedule, stick to the principle “better safe than sorry.” By giving yourself some extra time, you prevent possible delays caused by various factors.
The same, by the way, can also apply to financial resources.
Uninterrupted and open communication among different stakeholders ensures project smoothness. Constant updates on the project status, transparency around the risks, and exchange of input make a big difference in the project’s success and help deal with challenges.
By creating a master schedule, project managers can make a big step to your project’s progress and success. Your team will not have to struggle with multiple schedules that are not compatible with each other. You will not run out of resources all of a sudden.
Instead, you will be able to track each and every stage of your project, successfully perform project control, and focus on delivering a product that would satisfy your customer.
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