Welcome to another weekly release of best practices in project management. This week, I'd like to visit project scheduling as one of the critical yet usually neglected areas in project management. Specifically, I'd like to highlight the disadvantages of relying on a spreadsheet to develop the schedule (a common practice) compared to using a dedicated project scheduling tool (a best practice) and how this shift in practice can minimise the risk of failure and deliver more value to the performing organisation and improve the effectiveness of the decision-making process. A simple example is listed to demonstrate the concept, and a group of dedicated project scheduling tools was created to guide you in choosing the right tool.
The basics:
Effective project management hinges on meticulous planning and execution, where each project phase is clearly outlined and accounted for. This is particularly crucial in developing many aspects of the project, especially the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and the subsequent transition to a detailed project schedule. In a previous article, I briefly discussed the 100% Rule in project management, which ensures that the WBS includes all the work required to create the project deliverables. This hierarchical structure will establish the foundation of the project schedule, and the transition from the WBS to a detailed schedule usually includes the application of the following processes:
Defining Tasks: Following the WBS, each element is broken down into manageable tasks that can be scheduled, assigned, and tracked.
Determining Dependencies: Identifying dependencies among tasks is crucial to determine the order of task execution.
Estimating Resources and Duration: Each task is analysed to estimate the resources required and duration.
Creating the Network Diagram and Developing the Gantt Chart: together, they will illustrate a comprehensive set of information about the project, including everything mentioned above and more.
Managing the Schedule: Ongoing schedule management involves adjusting for project changes, tracking progress, and recalibrating as necessary to align with project goals and timelines.
Over the last twenty years, I've seen countless templates meant to help project teams schedule their projects. I have also been involved in many projects where a spreadsheet was used in an attempt not only to develop the schedule but also to maintain the current status of the project activities. In most cases, the results were not favourable, and the list below summarises my observations.
What are some of the most critical disadvantages of relying on spreadsheets in project scheduling:
Error-Prone
One of the most significant drawbacks of using spreadsheets for project scheduling is their susceptibility to errors. Data in spreadsheets is often entered manually, which increases the risk of mistakes due to typos, formula errors, or incorrect data inputs. Additionally, spreadsheets lack the automated error-checking mechanisms that dedicated project management tools offer, which can lead to significant oversights in project timelines and resource allocations. A typical example is when a task or an important milestone is mistakenly scheduled without paying attention to the existing dependencies with other tasks. These errors are generally not automatically dedicated.
Limited Visualisation:
Visualising project timelines, dependencies, and progress through spreadsheets is often complex and less intuitive than using dedicated project management tools. While it is possible to create charts and graphs in spreadsheets, these visual aids are static and require manual updating. They do not provide the dynamic, interactive visualisations that can help stakeholders quickly understand project status and make informed decisions.
Limited Integration:
Spreadsheets generally have limited integration capabilities with other business and project management tools. This lack of integration can lead to silos of information and additional manual work to transfer data between systems, increasing the risk of errors and inefficiencies.
Absence of Advanced Scheduling Capabilities:
Unlike specialised scheduling tools, spreadsheets lack advanced features such as automatic scheduling adjustments, critical path analysis, and resource levelling. These features are crucial for effectively managing the complexities of modern projects and ensuring that project deliverables are met within the predetermined timelines and budgets. Another fatal consequence is the impact on the decision-making process, as the project schedule is one of the most important reporting mechanisms in any project.
Let us look at a simple example to highlight the issues without diving deeply into the technical aspect of the schedule (which is fascinating, by the way).
Example:
Consider the schedule below, which was developed using a spreadsheet. The table highlights the beginning and end of a project and its activities, along with the relationships between them. It is fair to say that the table reflects a solid structure. However, try to answer the following two questions by just relying on the information below:
What is the impact of a delay in starting Task 2 by three days?
What is the impact of a delay in finishing Task 3 by four days?
What is the impact of an extended duration in Task 2 (four days) combined with a delay in starting Task 3 by one day?
You have just experienced the process of attempting to update a schedule using a spreadsheet and can probably realise the level of difficulties and lack of confidence in determining the impact of these common slippages in a basic project (5 tasks). Keep in mind that updating the schedule is usually a weekly exercise, and decisions about the project and its deliverables are driven mainly by factors such as time.
How Can Dedicated Scheduling Tools Drive Success?
First and foremost, using a dedicated scheduling tool significantly enhances the accuracy of predicting the consequences of any potential or anticipated delays. For instance, the diagram below refers to the third question about delay impacts. In this scenario, I utilised Microsoft Project to automate the assessment process. With just a few clicks, I was able to determine that the primary impact was a two-day delay in the project's completion date.
Addressing this seemingly straightforward yet inherently complex question can be daunting without the aid of a specialised scheduling tool. Therefore, one of the key benefits of these tools is their ability to enable decision-makers to forecast and assess the effects of changes on project timelines. This capability is crucial for selecting and implementing effective project management strategies.
The previous example was developed to demonstrate some of the deficiencies in spreadsheets when used to develop and manage project schedules. However, the list of shortcomings and disadvantages goes indefinitely and largely depends on the nature of the project.
What are Some of the Scheduling Tools that I can utilise for My Project?
Besides the big names in project scheduling, such as Project (Microsoft) and Premivera (Oracle), today's PM landscape is rich with collaborative solutions that not only provide basic and advanced scheduling capabilities but also can offer them at a reasonable cost. The list below provides examples of some of the popular ones with links to their websites:
ZOHO Projects
I hope this brief has helped you highlight some of the deficiencies in a spreadsheet (without making the subject too technical). The bottom line is that spreadsheets' lack of automation, scalability, and collaborative features can lead to significant inefficiencies and increased risks. As such, investing in dedicated project management software is often a more effective solution for ensuring that managing the project schedule is an effective and reliable process.
Comments