Thursday, January 17, 2008

Project Tools: Quantitatively-based Durations

If you had five lawns to mow and you knew it took you about an hour to mow one lawn, then how long would it take you to mow all five? Pretty simple, right? Well, that's how easy it is to use quantitatively-based durations to estimate project activity durations.

Quantitatively-based durations are often the simplest types of estimates to make, provided you have accurate activity information with which to work. The two types of activity information required to calculate quantitatively-based durations are quantities of work and productivity unit rates.
  • Quantities of work to be performed refers to work amounts. Some examples of quantities of work to be performed for each activity are number of graphics, meters of cable, and tons of sand.
  • Productivity unit rates refers to the length of time required to complete a fixed amount of work. Examples of productivity unit rates include hours per graphic, meters of cable per hour, and tons of sand per day.
Consider the example of a contractor who is building a new overpass as part of a highway project. Based on the size of the overpass, the project manager knows that she will require about 40 tons of concrete to complete the project. Since she will be working with a crew that she has worked with before, she knows it will take around five days to pour each ton of concrete.
In the example above, 40 tons of concrete represents the quantity of work, while the productivity unit rate for the project is five days per ton of concrete.

Understanding quantities of work to be performed for each activity and productivity unit rates provides useful information to project managers. This information is useful because it provides the data required to perform quantitatively-based duration calculations.

Quantitatively-based durations are calculated by multiplying the quantities of work to be performed for each activity by their productivity unit rates.

Remember, quantitatively-based durations can help you perform activity duration estimates, which can help you avoid surprises that could throw off your project schedule.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...


Tag: PM206A54. Let me share all of you about #5 Tips for Project Management Success,, I hope you enjoy it

1. Plan your day using time management techniques

As a project manager, time management skills are essential because you are dealing with a wide range of tasks that demand a quick turnaround time. Planning your day will go a long way in keeping you organized and increasing your productivity. Assist your task planning by using project management software which helps you track the work of you and your team.

If you are not very tech savvy, a simple to-do list can also be a great organizational tool. Prioritize your most important tasks by putting them at the top of the list and less important ones at the bottom. Having a visual plan of your daily tasks helps to keep you on track and aware of time.

Related post: Free ebook 104 secrets to become a great project manager

2. Include stakeholders in important project conversations

While you will have plenty of responsibilities regarding the project, don’t neglect your clients.

Good communication is essential is keeping both parties informed of project progression, curtailing scope creep, and apprised of changing requirements. Some clients may have different expectations when it comes to communication, so make sure to establish the frequency and type of communication (like emails, phone calls, and face-to-face conversations) at the beginning of your project.

Establishing communication expectations early helps alleviate stakeholder uncertainty about communication frequency and delivery.

3. Regularly communicate with your team

Daily team communication helps keep misunderstandings and unclear requirements under control. Keeping your team informed in every step of the project is essential to project management success.

For example, a study published by Procedia Technology found that good communication skills were the cornerstone of project management. The study examined over 300 “construction project managers, architects, construction managers, engineers and quantity surveyors” and their successes and failures on various construction projects.

4. Anticipate project setbacks

Even the best-laid plans often go awry.

Remember that even with a high amount of planning and attention to detail, your project may still encounter some challenges. Pay attention to complaints from stakeholders or colleagues, and other warning signs, like a missed deadline or cost overrun, that there may be a problem.

Preventing a crisis will keep your project running smoothly, save you a lot of time, and keep you, your team, and your stakeholders confident in progressing with the project.

Unfortunately not every complication can be avoided. Crisis management skills are essential for dealing with the unexpected. Project managers need to be flexible and pragmatic. Improvise and make sharp decisions when needed.

Related post: 92 free project management templates

5. Stay focused on the details

A common problem project managers encounter is having the project aims not aligned with the organization’s objectives. A great project manager will strategize a plan for the project to lead back to the overall success of the business.

Know your project’s scope by heart and avoid wandering outside of the project’s requirements. It’s too easy to get lost in minor details and forget what your focus is, so a well-planned project scope is essential for success.

And final, you should use KPI to measure effectiveness of the project, here are full list: 76 project management KPIs