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Schedule control is concerned with:
Determining the current status of the project schedule
Influencing the factors that create schedule changes
Determining that the project schedule has changed
Managing the actual changes as they occur.
Schedule control is a portion of the Integrated Change Control process (Section 4.6).
.1 Schedule Management Plan
The project management plan (Section 4.3) contains the schedule management plan (Chapter 6 introductory material) that establishes how the project schedule will be managed and controlled.
.2 Schedule Baseline
The project schedule (Section 6.5.3.1) used for control is the approved project schedule, which is referred to as the schedule baseline (Section 6.5.3.3). The schedule baseline is a component of the project management plan (Section 4.3). It provides the basis for measuring and reporting schedule performance as part of the performance measurement baseline.
.3 Performance Reports
Performance reports (Section 10.3.3.1) provide information on schedule performance, such as which planned dates have been met and which have not. Performance reports may also alert the project team to issues that may cause schedule performance problems in the future.
.4 Approved Change Requests
Only approved change requests (Section 4.4.1.4) that have been previously processed through the Integrated Change Control process (Section 4.6) are used to update the project schedule baseline or other components of the project management plan (Section 4.3).
.1 Progress Reporting
The progress reporting and current schedule status includes information such as actual start and finish dates, and the remaining durations for unfinished schedule activities. If progress measurement such as earned value is also used, then the percent complete of in-progress schedule activities can also be included. To facilitate the periodic reporting of project progress, a template created for consistent use across various project organizational components can be used throughout the project life cycle. The template can be paper-based or electronic.
.2 Schedule Change Control System
The schedule change control system defines the procedures by which the project schedule can be changed. It includes the paperwork, tracking systems, and approval levels necessary for authorizing changes. The schedule change control system is operated as part of the Integrated Change Control process (Section 4.6).
.3 Performance Measurement
Performance measurement techniques produce the Schedule Variance (SV) (Section 7.3.2.2) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI) (Section 7.3.2.2), which are used to assess the magnitude of any project schedule variations that do occur. An important part of schedule control is to decide if the schedule variation requires corrective action. For example, a major delay on any schedule activity not on the critical path may have little effect on the overall project schedule, while a much shorter delay on a critical or near-critical activity may require immediate action.
.4 Project Management Software
Project management software for scheduling provides the ability to track planned dates versus actual dates, and to forecast the effects of project schedule changes, real or potential, which makes it a useful tool for schedule control.
.5 Variance Analysis
Performing the schedule variance analysis during the schedule monitoring process is a key function of schedule control. Comparing target schedule dates with the actual/forecast start and finish dates provides useful information for the detection of deviations, and for the implementation of corrective actions in case of delays. The total float variance is also an essential planning component to evaluate project time performance.
.6 Schedule Comparison Bar Charts
To facilitate analysis of schedule progress, it is convenient to use a comparison bar chart, which displays two bars for each schedule activity. One bar shows the current actual status and the other shows the status of the approved project schedule baseline. This shows graphically where the schedule has progressed as planned or where slippage has occurred.
.1 Schedule Model Data (Updates)
A project schedule update is any modification to the project schedule model information that is used to manage the project. Appropriate stakeholders are notified of significant modifications as they occur.
New project schedule network diagrams are developed to display approved remaining durations and modifications to the work plan. In some cases, project schedule delays can be so severe that development of a new target schedule with revised target start and finish dates is needed to provide realistic data for directing the work, and for measuring performance and progress.
.2 Schedule Baseline (Updates)
Schedule revisions are a special category of project schedule updates. Revisions are changes to the schedule’s start and finish dates in the approved schedule baseline. These changes are generally incorporated in response to approved change requests (Section 4.4.1.4) related to project scope changes or changes to estimates. Development of a revised schedule baseline can only occur as a result of approved changes. The original schedule baseline and schedule model are saved before creating the new schedule baseline to prevent loss of historical data for the project schedule.
.3 Performance Measurements
The calculated schedule variance (SV) and schedule performance index (SPI) values for WBS components, in particular the work packages and control accounts, are documented and communicated (Section 10.3.3.1) to stakeholders.
.4 Requested Changes
Schedule variance analysis, along with review of progress reports, results of performance measures, and modifications to the project schedule model can result in requested changes (Section 4.4.3.2) to the project schedule baseline. Project schedule changes might or might not require adjustments to other components of the project management plan. Requested changes are processed for review and disposition through the Integrated Change Control process (Section 4.6).
.5 Recommended Corrective Actions
A corrective action is anything done to bring expected future project schedule performance in line with the approved project schedule baseline. Corrective action in the area of time management often involves expediting, which includes special actions taken to ensure completion of a schedule activity on time or with the least possible delay. Corrective action frequently requires root cause analysis to identify the cause of the variation. The analysis may address schedule activities other than the schedule activity actually causing the deviation; therefore, schedule recovery from the variance can be planned and executed using schedule activities delineated later in the project schedule.
.6 Organizational Process Assets (Updates)
Lessons learned documentation of the causes of variance, the reasoning behind the corrective actions chosen, and other types of lessons learned from schedule control are documented in the organizational process assets (Section 4.1.1.4), so that they become part of the historical database for both the project and other projects of the performing organization.
.7 Activity List (Updates)
Described in Section 6.1.3.1.
.8 Activity Attributes (Updates)
Described in Section 6.1.3.2.
.9 Project Management Plan (Updates)
The schedule management plan (Chapter 6 introductory material) component of the project management plan (Section 4.3) is updated to reflect any approved changes resulting from the Schedule Control process, and how the project schedule will be managed.
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