Discussion 1

It is critical to develop a time-phased baseline to make sure the project is on track. Just looking at the project, it is easy to assume results, costs or needs but it should always be based on actuality not assumptions. With a time-phased baseline the project can be examined and the project manager can accurately determine where the project is in relativity to the schedule, is it behind, on time or ahead of schedule. It also helps determine where the budget is, is it over budget, under budget and why.

Once you have the baseline and are in the middle of the project it is important to look at the progress and decide if leveling is needed so non-critical activities can be delayed to push critical activities ahead. Using leveling creates a risk of losing flexibility and of also creating more critical activities because the slack has been reduced. In our project at work, we have leveled out some of the activities because they were deemed non-critical. The non-critical activity that we delayed was changing up one of our systems because it was deemed not necessary to accomplish the scope of the project, however it created technical issues that were unforeseen. By not changing the program in the way that we wanted to it made a ripple in the way work flows through the system. Now we are putting out fires with the system because not only is the project crashing, the current system that we are working in is crashing as well. Something that was thought to be unnecessary turned out to be critically important and has jeopardized the project.

That is the risk that we are taking because the project has time constraints imposed on it and because of that decisions are being made to ensure the project meets those deadlines knowing that there are going to be issues popping up that are considered acceptable as long as the work keeps flowing.

Discussion 2

Resource leveling is defined as, "a technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply", (Project Management). With every technique, there are always associated risks. As an example, my company is currently undergoing a project to engineer a new flow meter. This project involves the dedication and focus for the next year from our design engineers. At the same time, our customers are experiencing problems with flow meter x in the field. To help with the customers out in the field, flow meter x has been sent back to the facility for further evaluation. As the company tries utilizing the design engineers for the new flow meter and help evaluate flow meter x, they end up delaying a non-critical part of the new design project. The risk here is the company has now increased the demand of the design engineers and strayed them away from the initial project plan.

Crashing projects is defined as, "a technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources", (Project Management). At my company, we experience crashing projects on a monthly basis. For background knowledge, my company makes custom built flow meters. Some when order can take two weeks and others fourteen weeks. Most of the time a contractor will call us because they've forgotten to order the flow meter for their project that is installing about one week from today. The meter they order has a typical lead time of four to six weeks. Due to the contractor "dropping the ball" on the flow meter, they ask to expedite the meter. This expedite is possible however the risk for the contractor then becomes, a major increase on the cost of the meter and if the meter will make it on site at the exact time installation is occurring.

Developing a schedule is defined as, "the process of analyzing activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints to create the project schedule model", (Project Management). It is critical to develop a time-phased baseline because this will help plan the project schedule as well as the cost of the project. The time-phased baseline allows a project manager to see if items are on track and if they are not. Without this feature the project manager has nothing to base their accomplishments on or if they are within the project budget.