3.1 Researching Time Management Skills
Project Management/PMBOK/Time Management
1
Project Management/PMBOK/Time Management
“
Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what clearly lies at hand.
”
—Thomas Carlyle
Time management is another key aspect of managing a project. As such, it is considered to be a core knowledge area, and is closely knit to scope and cost areas. The main purpose of this knowledge area, as it name suggests, is to build processes and outputs into the project that assist the manager and team to complete the project in a timely manner. During the planning process, outputs are created to illustrate how project tasks will be sequenced and allocated. The controlling and monitoring process is concerned with tracking and reporting on the progress of work, as well as adjusting time outputs to address shifts and changes in the project plan. Finally, the closing process includes an audit of time targets. Project managers reflect on what contributed to time estimates being accurate, too liberal, or conservative. This reflective process helps them to build better time plans for future projects. Time management can be divided into following: • • • • • • Control schedule Develop schedule Define activities Sequence activities Estimate activities resources Estimate activities duration
Planning
Time Management is also among the first processes to be completed. It is necessary because a team needs to be organized to meet deadlines and to streamline collaboration. Past experience is one of the best guides to creating a plan. Objectives are taken from the project charter and subdivided down into manageable subsections and deadlines are attached. They are prioritized and given the amounts of time needed to complete the objective with extra time added for troubleshooting. The objectives are then put together and each team member is assigned to the different subsections. The team uses time management tools to focus priorities, and give clear,
1
Project Management/PMBOK/Time Management
“
Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what clearly lies at hand.
”
—Thomas Carlyle
Time management is another key aspect of managing a project. As such, it is considered to be a core knowledge area, and is closely knit to scope and cost areas. The main purpose of this knowledge area, as it name suggests, is to build processes and outputs into the project that assist the manager and team to complete the project in a timely manner. During the planning process, outputs are created to illustrate how project tasks will be sequenced and allocated. The controlling and monitoring process is concerned with tracking and reporting on the progress of work, as well as adjusting time outputs to address shifts and changes in the project plan. Finally, the closing process includes an audit of time targets. Project managers reflect on what contributed to time estimates being accurate, too liberal, or conservative. This reflective process helps them to build better time plans for future projects. Time management can be divided into following: • • • • • • Control schedule Develop schedule Define activities Sequence activities Estimate activities resources Estimate activities duration
Planning
Time Management is also among the first processes to be completed. It is necessary because a team needs to be organized to meet deadlines and to streamline collaboration. Past experience is one of the best guides to creating a plan. Objectives are taken from the project charter and subdivided down into manageable subsections and deadlines are attached. They are prioritized and given the amounts of time needed to complete the objective with extra time added for troubleshooting. The objectives are then put together and each team member is assigned to the different subsections. The team uses time management tools to focus priorities, and give clear,