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Scheduling: Minimizing the input while
maximizing the output
Chris Ackerman, PMI-SP Rick Fox, PMP
SSOE Group SSOE Group

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Did you miss the mark?
• Is your schedule more than
just wallpaper?
• Is your schedule usable at all
stakeholder levels?
• Is your schedule easy to
maintain?
• Are your schedule reports
meaningful?

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• Utilization of Multiple Projects
• Benefits of Activity Steps
• High Level Resource Planning
• Primavera Reporting
Presentation Topics / Takeaways

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• Allows for simultaneous updating by
multiple users
• Allows project stakeholders (Responsible
Resources) the ability to focus on relevant
information
• Ease of baseline maintenance
Utilization of Multiple Projects

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• All information within the update window is
required before the update can be made

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• Allows for simultaneous updates by multiple users
• Each project can be updated independently
• Each project can be baselined independently

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• Allows for efficiency in re-baselining
• Keeps detailed history of project baselines
• Projects tracked against current approved scope
Maintain Baseline Assign Baseline

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• Keeping the detail while minimizing activities
• Less logic to manage
• Allows greater flexibility in activity sequencing
• Streamline schedule creation through the use
of templates
• Use steps to create checklist reports
Benefits of Activity Steps

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Creation and storage of step templates for future use
allows schedules to be created in minutes / hours
rather than days.

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Allows end users the ability to view and update project
status without having access to the software

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High Level Resource Planning
• Use discipline level resources with average
billing rates
• Resource assignment on WBS
Summary/LOE activity types
• Resource leveling through the use of curves

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High Level Resource (i.e. Job Classification or Department)
• Assigning and updating is more user friendly
• Less time consuming
• Easier to manage

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High level resources assigned to WBS
Summary activity

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Curves are
customizable into
21 segments

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Named Resource: Tracking
12 Resources

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Project Level Resource:
Tracking 350 Resources

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• Use of layouts to create reports
• Custom filters on activity codes, user defined
fields, existing fields
• Custom formatting for enhanced output
Primavera Reporting Output Solutions

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Request for a one page milestone report from a typical engineering
schedule at SSOE.

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• Filter
activity
table to
show
required
information
(WBS
Summary
activities
with Est.
Weight = 2).
• Select Tools
> Report
Wizard from
the menu
bar.
• Select Use
Current
Screen in
the Report
Wizard.

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Report created from layout with incorporation of UDF’s for spreadsheet
appearance, filtered to extract requested information, and custom
formatting to enhance presentation.

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Another example of custom filtering and formatting to
enhance report output and appearance.

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• Gained efficiency by minimizing schedule input
• Gained knowledge and visibility by maximizing
schedule output
• Enhanced communication by bridging the gap
between production and management
Conclusion
The methods mentioned above help to achieve
the following:

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Scheduling: Minimizing the input while
maximizing the output
Chris Ackerman, PMI-SP Rick Fox, PMP
SSOE Group SSOE Group
419.255.3830 x1758 419.255.3830 x1286
cackerman@ssoe.com rfox@ssoe.com
Questions?