In the planning fundamentals article, we discussed the main concepts of project planning and scheduling. In this tutorial, I’ll go through a demo project to practically show you how to apply these concepts to create a project schedule using MS Project.
The reason for choosing MS Project is it is one of the most common scheduling tools on the market. This is not to say it is the only tool out there. However, if you know how to use it, you can easily use any other planning and scheduling software.
Step 1: Define the Project Scope
In this example, I will assume the project scope is the design and construction, including the supply of manpower, tools, materials, and equipment to build a new warehouse.
That statement above is an introductory scope statement, but as explained previously, the scope definition can be covered by many different documents, including:
- Drawings
- Specifications
- Deliverables List
- Scope inclusions
- Scope exclusions
Step 2: Create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
In this step, we need to break the scope into discrete scope elements that can be used to control the schedule and cost. Each of these elements, or WBS, can include several activities.
In our example, the WBS would be the site investigation, design development and construction. The reason I choose this WBS is because each of its elements represents a discrete scope. In the same example, we can also include procurement or final testing of the facility.
Note: The full project scope must be represented in the WBS. Ask yourself if a scope element can’t be covered in one of these WBS, then think of creating a new WBS to include it.
Tip: Try this AI-powered tool to generate the WBS.
Step 3: Identify the Project Tasks
As we developed the project WBS, we needed to start generating the activities within each. For example, the site investigation WBS includes the site survey, geotech study and service location.
There is no limit on the number of activities that can be developed or the level of detail to add to each WBS, but as a rule of thumb, they should be proportional to the project duration and complexity.
The project managers can decide on the level of detail that helps them manage the project schedule.
Project WBS and Activities
Note: Please note the numbering system of the WBS. i,e: 1, 1.1, 1.2, etc.
To implement the same WBS in MS Project, you start by navigating Gantt Chart Format and then selecting Outline Numbers.
Start typing the WBS elements and activities in the Task Name window.
MS Project will automatically create a new WBS for each entry.
To change a WBS into an activity, select the activity, then click the Intent Task.
This is what the schedule looks like when all activities are entered:
Step 4: Estimate the Duration of Each Task
Now that we have the skeleton of the schedule, the next step is to estimate each activity’s duration. Please refer to this section from the planning article, where I explain the different methods of estimating the activity duration.
In our example, we assume the activity durations are resource-driven, hence are calculated based on the quantity, production rate and number of resources.
For instance, if the activity (1.2 Geotech Study) requires the drilling of 20 boreholes and the team only has one drilling rig that drills four bores/day, then the duration of this activity is (20 / 4) = 5 days.
We can apply the same concept to all other activities.
This is what the schedule looks like when the activity duration is estimated:
Step 5: Identify the Dependencies Between Tasks
In the planning article, we discussed the different types of activity relationships, including Finish-to-Start (FS) being the most common.
For our example, the planning logic is that the site investigation must be finished before the design can start; consequently, the design must be finished before construction can start.
A negative or positive lag can be introduced in the activity relation to show an overlap or a gap between the activities.
The idea is that project managers apply logic based on how they foresee the project being executed.
To implement these relations in MS Project, there are two methods:
Method one: select all (FS) activities using Ctrl and left-click, then click on the link icon 
Method two: right click on an activity, select information, select Predecessors, then enter the activity ID you want to link to, and then click Ok.
Please note the activity ID is the serial number of activities and not the WBS.
Note: you can use the Lag field to enter the lag days between the two activities.
If you use method two, you must do this for each activity.
Step 6: Create a Project Schedule
The most common method of creating the project schedule is called the Critical Path Method (CPM), which identifies and calculates the critical activities on the schedule. The remaining activities are considered non-critical.
To recap these definitions:
- Critical activities: are activities that have no float or slack, which means any delay to them would cause a delay to the schedule’s completion date.
- Non-Critical activities: are activities that have float or slack, which means they could be delayed for a specific duration without causing a delay to the overall completion date.
To use the CPM in MS Project, choose Gantt Chart Format, then select Critical Tasks.
The standard setting is the non-critical activities are shown with a blue colour, whereas the critical activities are shown with a red colour, but this can be changed.
See the screenshot below of the schedule. You will notice because all the activities are FS, all activities on this schedule are critical:
Step 7: Improve the Schedule Visualization
The final step in creating the schedule is to ensure the visualization is easy to follow.
This can be based on personal preference; however, by tweaking the appearance of the Gantt chart, you can use it predominantly to review and track the schedule.
Tip #1: Remove the relationship arrows between the activities. This might seem counterintuitive, but it is not, as you can still follow the relationship by looking at the Gantt chart or using the predecessor column in the main schedule.
To do this, Right click on the Gantt Chart area, select Layout, and then check the first box.
Tip #2: Add the activity name to the activity bar. To do this, right-click on the Gantt Chart area, select Bar Styles, select Critical from the Text box, select Right and choose Name from the drop-down menu.
Tip #3: Adjust the timeline to suit the schedule duration. To do this, right-click on the Gantt Chart top calendar section, click on Zoom, then Select Entire Project, or Select Custom and enter the total duration that you want to be shown in Gantt Chart.
This is what the final schedule looks like.
Conclusion:
By following the step-by-step process for creating a project schedule and incorporating the visualization tips mentioned above, you can produce a functional schedule that your project team can effectively use to plan and monitor the project’s progress.
