Schedule Management Plan
The schedule management plan is a component of the project management plan that establishes the criteria and activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule.
Explanation
The schedule management plan is the primary output of the Plan Schedule Management process. It serves as the guiding document for all schedule-related decisions throughout the project. This plan does not contain the actual schedule itself but rather defines the rules and approaches that will be used to create and manage it.
Key elements of the schedule management plan include the project schedule model development approach (such as critical path method or agile release planning), the level of accuracy required for activity duration estimates, units of measure (hours, days, weeks), organizational procedure links to the WBS, and the method for determining schedule performance using earned value metrics like Schedule Variance (SV) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI).
The schedule management plan also specifies control thresholds for schedule variance, reporting formats, and how schedule changes will be managed through integrated change control. It is a subsidiary plan of the overall project management plan and must be approved through the same governance processes.
Key Points
- •Subsidiary component of the project management plan
- •Defines the scheduling methodology and tools to be used
- •Specifies accuracy levels, units of measure, and control thresholds
- •Does not contain the actual schedule but governs how it is created and managed
Exam Tip
Do not confuse the schedule management plan with the project schedule or schedule baseline. The plan defines the approach; the baseline is the approved version of the schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Plan Schedule Management
Plan Schedule Management is the process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for planning, developing, managing, executing, and controlling the project schedule.
Schedule Baseline
The schedule baseline is the approved version of the schedule model that is used as a basis for comparison with actual results to determine if corrective or preventive action is needed.
Project Management Plan
The project management plan is the document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and closed.
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Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
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Earned Value Management (EVM) is a methodology that integrates scope, schedule, and cost data to assess project performance and progress objectively.
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