An In-Depth Look at Your Project Schedule

IPA can evaluate the quality of your project schedule from a technical perspective. We examine the schedule logic and sequencing of activities in one or two identified scope areas. We also compare your project’s metrics (number of activities by each phase, resource-loaded activities, etc.) with Industry using the Scheduling Practices Metrics.

IPA research has shown that projects with better-defined project schedules at authorization have better cost and schedule outcomes. Our schedule evaluations help project teams identify problems and inconsistencies in their schedules that may adversely affect the project and drive poor results.

Typical evaluation elements include the following:

• Does the schedule have a good level of detail around each project phase?
• Does the schedule integrate all project phases?
• Is the schedule built around a work breakdown structure (WBS)?
• Is the schedule based on sound critical-path method (CPM) logic?
• What percentage of activities use constraints?
• Is the schedule well networked?
• What activities are on the critical path (are there any activities with negative float)?
• Is there an excessive number of activities on the near critical path?
• Are activity durations and float reasonable?
• Is the schedule resource loaded and, if so, what resources are loaded?
• What number of activities and project phases are resource loaded?
• What is the overall schedule definition?