Planning & Scheduling

Effective planning is the foundation of successful project delivery. This section covers essential planning techniques from estimation through to schedule development and control.

The Planning Process

flowchart LR SC[Define\nScope] --> WBS[Create\nWBS] WBS --> EST[Estimate\nDurations] EST --> SEQ[Sequence\nActivities] SEQ --> CPM[Identify\nCritical Path] CPM --> SCH[Develop\nSchedule] SCH --> OPT[Optimise] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class SC,WBS,EST,SEQ,CPM,SCH,OPT blue

Planning Topics

Estimation Techniques

Learn different approaches to estimating project work, from expert judgement to team-based techniques.

  • Planning Poker and team estimation
  • T-shirt sizing for quick estimates
  • Three-point (PERT) estimation
  • Analogous and parametric methods
View Guide
Work Breakdown Structure

Decompose project scope into manageable components using hierarchical work breakdown structures.

  • WBS creation techniques
  • Deliverable vs activity-based WBS
  • Product Breakdown Structure (PBS)
  • WBS dictionary and coding
View Guide
Critical Path Method

Identify the longest path through your project to determine minimum duration and schedule flexibility.

  • Network diagram creation
  • Forward and backward pass
  • Float and slack calculation
  • Schedule compression techniques
View Guide
Gantt Charts

Visualise your project schedule using Gantt charts for effective communication and tracking.

  • Creating effective Gantt charts
  • Showing dependencies and milestones
  • Resource assignment and levelling
  • Progress tracking and baselines
View Guide

Planning Fundamentals

Why Planning Matters

Benefit Description
Direction Provides clear roadmap for the team
Coordination Enables resource allocation and dependency management
Communication Stakeholders understand timeline and milestones
Control Baseline for measuring progress and variance
Risk reduction Identifies issues before they occur

Planning Levels

Level Horizon Detail Owner
Strategic 1-5 years High-level milestones Portfolio/Programme
Release 3-12 months Features and deliverables Product Owner/PM
Iteration 2-4 weeks Tasks and activities Team
Daily 1 day Individual work items Team members

Planning Approaches

Predictive (Waterfall)

  • Detailed upfront planning
  • Full scope defined at start
  • Changes through formal control
  • Best for: stable requirements, fixed contracts

Adaptive (Agile)

  • Progressive elaboration
  • Rolling wave planning
  • Scope emerges over time
  • Best for: evolving requirements, innovation

Hybrid

  • Phase-level predictive planning
  • Iteration-level adaptive planning
  • Best for: governance needs with flexibility
Last updated: 13 January 2026