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What is Planning and Scheduling (P&S)?

Planning and Scheduling (P&S) are the processes used to develop the plan and associated schedule.

P&S covers a single, coherent set of data which may be held in a single or a number of documents.

When information is held in several documents, there needs to be a means to ensure consistency and coherency throughout all the documentation.

This might be achieved by defining and implementing a configuration management strategy/process and/or by using a software tool that allows elements of the plan and schedule to be linked.

What is Planning?

Defining the products/ outcomes that will be delivered by the project or programme.
Defining quality requirements associated with the products.
Identifying activities needed to deliver the products.
Identifying dependencies that will affect the project or programme. This needs to include dependencies between activities within the project, as well as dependencies to/from activities outside the project.
Identifying and analysing the resources needed to carry out the activities.

What is Scheduling?

Developing the timing model, or schedule.
Estimating how long activities will take to complete.
Determining the sequence in which activities should be completed.

At the Programme Level P&S are brought together in the Programme Plan and associated schedule.

What should a Programme Plan cover?

A Programme Plan and schedule should cover:

Products
Activities
Resources
Dependencies
Timescales.

A number of control activities should be carried out at programme level. The plan or schedule should be:

Base lined
Subject to review and updates at appropriate intervals which will result in version control being required to ensure that only the most recent version is available
Subject to distribution / access control
Under change control
- Initiating changes
- Assessing proposed changes
- Authorising changes
- Implementing changes.

Are the Principles of Planning and Scheduling Different at Programme and Project Level?

The principles of good P&S are identical at both the programme and project level. The same procedures and processes should be carried out; with the same considerations paid to Risk, Issues, and assumptions.

The Programme and Project Plans are living documents. Ensuring the P&S information is presented in a consistent and uniform manner will enable:

Effective Monitoring
Efficient Control
Effective prioritisation
Informed decision making
Appropriate Reporting
Early benefits realisation.

They are an integral part of the Programme and Project and should be used, reviewed and updated at appropriate intervals.

Will Planning and Scheduling at the Programme level differ from that at Project level?

With Planning and Scheduling at the programme level, the focus of activities will be different from those in a project. The P&S lead within the PSF will direct that focus.

The PSF will:

Aggregate and analyse P&S information from all projects and DLoDs
Plan and schedule the management activities that need to take place at programme level

The PSF may also define a consistent approach in the way in which projects/DLoDs conduct or document their P&S by defining strategies or standards on:

Information management
Planning and Scheduling
Configuration management
Change control.

Will Planning and Scheduling at the Project level be affected by the existence of the Programme?

Planning and Scheduling at a project level will be affected by its inclusion into, or the introduction of a Programme.

Some project activities, including a number that the project office manage, may be transferred to and managed by the PSF.

In addition, the PSF may place some constraints on the way in which projects conduct or document their planning and scheduling activities.

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