The primary output of creating a schedule management plan is the schedule management plan itself. This plan then guides the development, management, execution, and control of the project schedule.
Here's a breakdown of what's typically included as an output (or at least, a direct result) of creating a schedule management plan:
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Schedule Management Plan Document: This is the core output. It outlines how the project schedule will be developed, managed, and controlled. It includes details on:
- Scheduling methodology: Which techniques will be used to create the schedule (e.g., critical path method, agile iterations).
- Scheduling tool: Which software will be used (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana, Jira).
- Levels of accuracy: The acceptable range of variation for schedule estimates.
- Units of measure: How time will be measured (e.g., hours, days, weeks).
- Control thresholds: The amount of variance allowed before corrective action is needed.
- Reporting formats: How schedule information will be communicated.
- Rules of performance measurement: Define metrics to assess how the project performs according to the schedule baseline.
- Release planning: Guidelines for managing iterations and product releases
- Configuration management: Processes for managing schedule changes and version control.
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Schedule Model Selection: The choice of the model used. It could be a critical path model, an agile burndown chart, or another appropriate representation. This model will be used to construct the project schedule.
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Earned Value Management (EVM) Integration: The plan will define how the project schedule will be used in conjunction with EVM techniques to track progress and identify variances. The outputs from EVM monitoring (e.g., Schedule Variance, Schedule Performance Index) provide data to inform necessary schedule adjustments.
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Refinement of Schedule Governance: The plan clarifies the roles and responsibilities related to schedule management, including who has authority to approve changes and who is responsible for monitoring progress.
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Updates to Other Project Management Plans: The schedule management plan often necessitates updates to other plans, such as the communication management plan (to ensure timely schedule updates) and the risk management plan (to address schedule-related risks).
While the project schedule itself is a result of implementing the schedule management plan, the plan directly governs how that schedule is created and maintained. Therefore, consider the schedule management plan document as the immediate output, which then facilitates the creation and control of the actual project schedule.
