Putting tasks in time.
WHAT A SCHEDULE SHOWS
What happens when What depends on what Who is doing it When things must finish
WHAT TO BUILD IT FROM
The task breakdown, with dependencies and estimates.
WHAT THE CRITICAL PATH IS
The longest chain of dependent tasks.
WHY IT MATTERS
It determines the project duration, and delays on it delay everything.
WHAT TO DO WITH IT
Identify it, and protect it.
WHAT PROTECTING IT MEANS
Assigning your most reliable people Watching it most closely Removing obstacles first
WHAT TASKS OFF THE CRITICAL PATH HAVE
Float: room to slip without affecting the end date.
WHY THAT IS USEFUL
It tells you where delays matter and where they do not.
WHAT TO AVOID
Scheduling people at full capacity.
WHY
Nobody is productive every hour, and the first interruption destroys the plan.
WHAT TO ALLOW
A realistic proportion of available time.
WHAT TO ACCOUNT FOR
Leave Public holidays Existing commitments Time on other projects
WHAT TOOLS TO USE
Whatever the team will actually update.
WHY THAT MATTERS MORE THAN THE TOOL
An unmaintained schedule is worse than none, because it is trusted and wrong.
WHAT TO REVIEW
The schedule, at a regular cadence.
WHAT TO UPDATE
Actual progress, not intended progress.
