Sharing some methodologies. Here is the system for capital projects.
1) Develop the scope 2) Break down the scope into steps (WBS) 3) Estimate each step and/or resource as far as cost 4) Establish which steps from WBS are sequentially connected or dependant. 5) Put these on paper and look at which are longest lead items, or immovables (example, even with 9 women, a pregnancy is still 9 months) 6) Look at the critical path, and schedule other tasks to fall in step with them, or manage the critical path different. 7) Establish a baseline, milestones, and PERT scenarios 8) Manage project according to project plan, including changes, scope slip, burn rate, money flow(s), expenditure vs accomplishments, equipment deliveries, resource availability, permitting issues. 9) Finish project accoring to the plan. Enjoy On Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 11:01 AM, XO <[email protected]> wrote: > Hmm I can do the same with setting up a baseline Gantt and running a Pert > Analysis. As I get closer to the end of the project I get more accurate. > > > On Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 10:47 AM, Mark Levison < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >> On Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 12:25 PM, James Murphy <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> 2009/3/13 Mark Levison [email protected] >>> >>>> >>>> It boils down to the question - do you think that humans are good at >>>> absolute estimation? My research says were not. You may believe >>>> differently. >>>> >>> But the question arises why do you feel that a gantt chart represents >>> something that is cast in stone and immutable? If you're talking about >>> software development then agile makes sense for all kinds of reasons and the >>> kind of dynamic and flexible scheduling you've got works - in fact is >>> necessary because the goalposts are often being moved on you. But in other >>> kinds of project whilst there is still a need for flexibility and >>> adaptability in how one progresses toward a goal the objectives and the >>> tasks to be complete can be far more clearly defined and at least some >>> elements can be tightly and accurately estimated (subject of course to the >>> required preconditions being met). >>> >>> For any methodology being able to get a picture of where you are now is >>> useful... for any useful methodology a realisation that things may change is >>> a necessity (-: >>> >> >> I understand the point but my thesis is that a Gantt chart does tell you >> what you think it does. Since I believe that abolute estimates are a false >> promise then I think that Gantt charts are just a way of fooling yourself. >> The only way people normally make these work is by adding lots of padding >> etc. >> >> Attached is a burndown chart with Uncertainty cones drawn in. Note in this >> case their hand drawn but it gives you an idea. At the start of a year long >> project we can tell you what quarter we will finish in. Half way though >> we'll have the month nailed, .... >> >> Anything else and either you've padded the plan a lot or your making a >> promise that you can't prove. >> >> Cheers >> Mark >> >> Blog: http://www.notesfromatooluser.com/ >> Recent Entries: Agile/Scrum Smells: >> http://www.notesfromatooluser.com/2008/06/agilescrum-smells.html >> Agile Games for Making Retrospectives Interesting: >> http://www.notesfromatooluser.com/2008/10/agile-games-for-making-retrospectives-interesting.html >> >> >> >> > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MyLifeOrganized" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/myLifeOrganized?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
