Project Time

The management of  Time for a project goes into three (3) distinct phases. It will help  with the organizing of  your project if you create a clear distinction between the three.

1.       Time Management: Planning

This is where you make the decisions on what is to be done and when they are to be completed by. Here the concept is explored and broken down into activities that will result in the accomplishment of the project's goals.

2.      Time Management: Scheduling

This where you decide on the sequence and priority of those activities.

What is the order in which the work has to be completed to allow the engagement to run smoothly?

3.     Time Management: Controlling

After the schedule has been created and execution phase has begun. You will now have to manage the time allocated to the different activities to keep the project on track to meeting its completion date.

The schedule of activities to be completed we be dependent upon:

How each activity is completed

The time it will take to complete each specific activity in relation to
preceding and following activity.

These two factors as the project progresses will determine whether the project's completion time will be delayed or not.

The four (4) phases of the project

The Total Time allocated to a project is the measure of how long it will take to complete the four phases of the project.

Conceptualization Phase

In this phase of the project, you consider the goals that the customer wishes to be accomplished and make assumptions as to how the services you provide can achieve those goals.

This is the starting point with the seed of an idea. It covers four subjects:

1. Identification of the Product to be completed

2. Feasibility

3. Evaluation

4. Approval

Through exploring the above areas  you will be able to identify the Clients Desired Future State (CDFS) and the metrics of success. Depending on the results, you are now able to create the estimates of the resources needed to complete the project and how it will be used to achieve the goals outlined.

Planning Phase

In this phase, the project structure is planned based on earlier assessments and approvals.

Detailed plans for activity, financing, and the resources necessary to complete the project are developed, reviewed and approved.

This is accomplished by identifying keys tasks required to complete the Project. Once the tasks are identified they are used to create the timeline, which will allow the creation of Estimates/Budget. The estimate or budget is used to identify funding required and to determine the appropriate crew.

Execution Phase

This phase of the project is where the plans are implemented and production begins.

The concept is taken through the activities outlined in your workflow, while reviewing the progress with stakeholders, monitoring resources used, and making revisions and changes necessary to keep the project on target.

Termination Phase

This phase marks the completion of  production and the project is able to go into operation. The Results are tested and anyalized to determine if the agreed deliverables have been met.

The completed project is reviewed next to the original outlined goals to determine its success or failure. If required, arrangements for follow-up and further evaluations are also scheduled. After the completion of the review process, the client will receive a report of the project's performance and the internal files are logged and archived.

The aim is to never go backward for these phases. While concessions will have to be made for errors throughout the different phases of the project; having a better understanding of the allocation and mangement of time, will ensure that the project's activities and contingency time can be better planned. This will allow for greater chance of the team adhering to the schedule and milestones as they were originally outlined.