Schedule Barcharts

Schedule Barcharts

1. one ofthe most widely used planning and control documents for communicating schedule information

2. used on projects because they provide an effective presentation which is not only easy to understand and assimilate by a wide range ofpeople

3. The terms planning and scheduling are often used interchangeably.

4. can either be developed on its own for a simple project, or linked to the critical path method to present the schedule of a complex network

5. should be used in conjunction with your daily diary

6. The scheduling ofeach activity is represented by a horizontal line or bar, from the activity's start to finish

7. will now be further enhanced with the introduction ofactivity float

   • The accepted presentation is to show the float at the end ofthe activity from early finish
     • By implication it may be assumed that any activity without float is on the critical path

8. Select and Sort Functions

   • functions that are available on software packages, enable the planner to select which activities are included in the barchart and determine the order they are presented
     • Select: The select function indicates where the schedule information can be found in the project's data base
     • Sort: Once the data has been selected the next step is to arrange the data into a suitable order for presentation:
       • Numerical, Alphabetical and Date

9. Hammocks

   • is used to gather together a number ofsub-activities into one master activity

10. Events, Keydates and Milestones

    • The principle difference between an activity and an event is that an event has zero duration
      • An event, also called keydate or milestone represents a happening on a particular day, this could be when the order is placed, the plans are approved, goods are received or even the start and finish dates ofan activity

11. Revised Barchart

    • Baseline Plan: For effective control the project's baseline plan must be frozen - accepting only approved changes. Without a baseline plan it would be difficult to calculate progress variances and control would be lost.
    • Data Capture: To draw the revised barchart the planner needs to capture progress information

12. Gantt Chart

    • Inter-Relationships
      • If an activity is accelerated or delayed it is not always possible on a complex project to see the effect this will have on the other activities.
    • Multiple Decision-Making
      • Before an activity can be placed on the Gantt chart a number offactors have to be considered and decided on simultaneously
        • The logical sequence ofthe activities
        • The activity's duration which depends on procurement delivery, availability of resources and funds available.