After the project planning has been completed, we enter project monitoring and controlling phase. In this phase we:

• Collect and update status of activities (e.g. when started, how much progressed). We also make changes requested internal or external of the project. This process is called Schedule Model Maintenance. In general project management, this is also often called as the execution phase or the progress update phase.
  
  
• Collect and update resource information (e.g. how many man-hours consumed, how much equipment and material used)
  
  
• Monitor schedule and control as required.
  
  
• Incorporate risk control activities to avoid, mitigate, transfer or accept risk.
  
  
• Change baseline if required
  
  
• Document changes.

The purpose of project schedule analysis is to understand how good or bad we are going in the project schedule. Schedule analysis involves identification of deviations of duration, start/finish dates, costs, resource allocation from the baseline schedule model.  Schedule analysis is performed on in-house developed schedule as well as on contractor schedule.

• The primary objective of the analysis is the early identification of threats and opportunities to the project objectives. We also forecast the impacts (negative and positive) of any changes to the project. 
  
  
• Reserve left and used is analyzed.
  
  
• Schedule model analysis is the responsibility of the entire project team. (e.g. civil works can be analyzed by civil engineers, IT works by IT engineers)

Schedule Analysis Methods

Schedule analysis can be performed through different methods. The methods to use were selected in Schedule Strategy:

• Analyze plan vs actual data (e.g. planned and actual duration, start, finish date)
  
  
• Analyze critical path activities to see if they changed and their effects.
  
  
• Forensic schedule analysis.
  
  
• Earned Value Management.
  
  
• Analyze Total Float and Free Float. 
  
  
  • Total float: Number of days an activity can be delayed without delaying project end date.
    
    
  • Free float: Number of days an activity can be delayed without delaying successor activity.
    
    
• Changes to Total Float is threat to project completion. Changes to Free Float is threat to successor activity’s start and finish dates.

Things to Do After Schedule Analysis

• After analysis, we determine which activities and conditions require further analysis and action. 
  
  
• Schedule analysis reports will be generated. Format of reports to use were selected in Schedule Strategy.

Tags: project schedule analysis, schedule analysis methods, how to analyze schedule

During the monitoring and controlling phase, one of the main activities is to update the schedule (also called schedule maintenance). 

These are the steps that are performed when updating activity and resource status:

• Entering actual activity duration in decimal.
  
  
• Entering remaining activity duration.
  
  
• Entering actual activity duration in percentage.
  
  
• Entering physical percentage complete.
  
  
• Entering actual human-resource hours, material quantity used (usually this is updated automatically, proportion to actual activity duration / percentage)