There are so many new challenges to face when doing a new project at work, like meeting deadlines, getting work done, dealing with new individuals, and utilizing various tools. Whether you’re dealing with a new client, introducing a new product, or coordinating an event, you always require a concrete and effective plan to make your project successful.

Proper planning before starting the project helps you and your team remain organized and updated. This scheduling includes various questions with clear answers such as who does what and when, and how everything fits together. Although project scheduling is a time-consuming process once you schedule, it helps your team to work better, keep everyone responsible, and make all things clear. Effective project scheduling becomes the reason for your boss’s happiness too! It saves you from stress and confusion. 

You might not be a project manager but when you lead the employee you become. So it is essential to accept this role! Having skills like a project manager helps you handle work more easily and deliver great results.

What is project scheduling in project management?

A project schedule is a plan that highlights the main jobs of the project. It consists of the answer to many queries such as 

• What needs to be done in a project
• Who should be given which task?
• When each task should happen

This schedule lists all main jobs, and names of the people who are responsible for each task. It helps everyone to see the project progress and keep everyone on the right track. 

Managers frequently make a project schedule using a work breakdown structure (WBS). A WBS is a type of chart that identifies one large task divided into smaller tasks/sub-tasks so they can be easily understood and organized in relationship to one another. The WBS provides guides for team members in terms of understanding the order of tasks/sub-tasks they need to complete to accomplish the larger scope of work. When managers make a project schedule using both the WBS and project schedule together, only then will the team likely accomplish the project on time and work efficiently together.

What are the 7 key steps to schedule a project?

Now the question is how to make an effective project schedule. Below we have mentioned the 7 key steps that help to make a clear plan about how to complete the project successfully. 

1. Define your project goals

Defining project goals means listing all-important steps that will help to finish your project well. Think in detail about how each step would prove beneficial for the whole project and fulfill your big goals. 

For example, if you lead the project of making a new app, you should follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Complete the primary application by the third quarter
• Test it with a small group of users in the fourth quarter
• Make it available to everyone by the first quarter of the following year

Each step confirms that your project is moving forward successfully and soon you have achieved your goal. Make sure every step is clear and plays a key role in project success.

2. Identity stakeholders

Note down the names of all the people who must be spoken with by the project team, even if it is only to get approval from them. Include inside people and outside people. Consider what you want each person to want, how much influence they have, and how much they need to be spoken with by you.

For instance, if you are developing a new website, you may have to speak with the marketing department, the ones responsible for developing the website, some significant customers who can provide feedback, and the finance department which will review the budget. Be certain that you do not leave anyone out who is significant to the project.

3. Decide the project’s final deadline

Choose the date when you must complete your project. Make sure in your plan there is some extra time included to complete the project. This spare time can be used in case of an emergency or when something goes wrong. Your plan also includes the reasons for delays such as when someone gets sick, things not arriving on time, or needing time to fix blunders. So, set your deadline early enough so you can handle these issues without rushing. For example, if you lead a charity event, it is essential to finish all your main tasks at least 2 weeks before the event starts. This way if you need to make changes instantly, then you still have time to do it properly. 

Oxford Training Centre provides a Project Scheduling and Cost Planning Training Course designed for Project Managers. We can help you deliver quality outcomes on all your projects with gainful skills to plan timelines, control expenditure and improve project delivery. 

4. List all individual tasks

Take the big steps and goals you laid down in the beginning, and break it down into smaller jobs. Simply make a list of everything you have to do that is a smaller part of the whole project. This way you can identify each part of the project and once you have finished it all, you will have completed the project.

For example, if your project is to write a book, your small jobs could include: writing each chapter, editing each chapter, making a cover, reading the book for any last edits, and preparing the book for sale or distribution. When you break it down like this it is much easier to make sure you do not miss anything and to see the project to completion.

5. Assign each task to the respective team member

Now assign each task to the respective team members and ensure that everyone knows their duties. Don’t overburden a single team member so divide each task properly to every member. Assign tasks to people according to their abilities and provide them with proper time to finish it. 

For instance, you can ask someone to speak with the moving company if your office is moving. Someone else can inform your suppliers and customers of the new address. In this manner, nobody is overworked and everyone is aware of what needs to be done. This kind of collaboration keeps the team satisfied and helps the project go smoothly.

6. Establish the duration of the task

Begin by examining the last deadline and work backward. Determine when every job should be completed. Consider how long every job will take. Record the beginning date and the completion date for every job. Keep in mind that sometimes things will take longer than anticipated. Certain jobs have to be accomplished before others may begin, so carefully plan the sequence.

For instance, if you are developing a new phone application, you can spend three weeks developing the appearance of the application, four weeks constructing the core components, and two weeks testing it so that it functions.

7. Organize and monitor

It is essential to keep all project essentials in one place so you can easily monitor every little thing. After making a project plan, it is key to place it in a place where everyone can access it. You can use a tool ‌to organize and share your plan with everyone. Update your plan with time and remove tasks that have been done. You can use the tools according to your needs. It facilitates job listing, job distribution, and progress tracking. Advanced project management tools are superior to Word or Excel because they allow for collaboration, quick updates, and centralized viewing. Time is saved, and your team produces better work as a result.

What are the 4 project scheduling techniques?

• Task lists are suitable for small tasks. Write out each task and who will perform it. Easy to do but difficult to follow in large projects. There are online applications that can assist
• Calendars display when tasks occur. You can spot when tasks conflict. But you can’t allocate tasks or identify which tasks rely on others
• Gantt charts are diagrams of the project. They indicate when tasks begin and conclude, and which tasks are dependent on others
• PERT assists in scheduling large, complex projects. It estimates how long tasks may take—shortest, longest, and most probable. It indicates which tasks are of primary importance

If you want to improve your project management skills then don’t waste time and enroll at Oxford Training Centre today! We offer various Project Management Training Courses intending to teach you practical techniques to improve project delivery, manage costs, and ensure success.