QA Certificate in Resource Scheduling Best Practice

While there are no formal prerequisites for this course, it is assumed that attendees will have a working knowledge of scheduling practices, including network development, critical path determination and use of total and free float. This may be because of attending other project management related courses where scheduling is part of the course syllabus.

Pre-Course Reading

Delegates are not provided with any formal pre-reading before this course as such. It is recommended that candidates review the course workbook provided with the joining instructions or via the MyQA link.

On this course you will:

• Recap your understanding of requirements gathering and scope definition
• Understand techniques for defining and presenting the scope
• Enhance understanding of various resource estimating techniques, along with the advantages and disadvantages of these
• Enhance understanding of resource allocation and resource aggregation
• Understand resource schedule optimisation techniques, including resource levelling and smoothing, splitting activities and impact of resource calendar manipulation
• Understand the use of different reporting formats

This highly interactive workshop uses a short case-study to enable delegates to gain confidence in the use of proven techniques in the areas listed below. The course provides a solid foundation for further development of scheduling skills through self-reading, more advanced training and practical hands-on experience.

High-level recap and review of:

Planning

• Learners are introduced to the basic concept of planning and scheduling with a brief discussion on the purpose and application of the PMP

Requirements Management

• As in integral lead into defining the project scope, a review of this process provides the setting for effective scheduling.

Scope Management

• The captured requirements form the basis of defining the scope for the project. Delegates will recap on the use of various breakdown structures resulting in the RAM and scope baseline.

Schedule Management

• This module is the core of the content with a detailed investigation of network diagramming, logical relationships and critical path analysis. A solid understanding of the interpretation of the output from critical path analysis, taking into account the impact of constraints, calendars and methods of schedule optimisation.

Detailed coverage of:

Project Resource Estimating

• Various estimating techniques are investigated, along with discussion on typical estimating problems and how to enhance more effective estimating on the project.

Project Resource Scheduling

• Resource allocation, resource aggregation, cost determination and generation of planned spend curves – ‘S’-Curves

Resource Types and Resource Activity types

• Learners are introduced to resource types and examples of each, with appropriate means of determining allocation formats. A detailed investigation into effort driven and resource driven activities confirming understanding of the implications for these on project and activity durations.

Project Resource Schedule Optimisation

• Learners are introduced to the need for the project schedule to be optimised using Resource Levelling, Resource Smoothing, Activity Splitting and Resource Lag techniques.

Project Communications

• This module considers appropriate reporting formats – Gantt Charts, Resource Utilisation Charts and Planned Spend curves – along with various approaches to progress reporting from a resource utilisation perspective.

Project Closeout

• This final module considers the requirements for controlled closeout and the demobilisation of resources.

Certified Resource Scheduling Best Practice Exam

• Each learner will have the opportunity to prepare for and then take the QA Resource Scheduling Best Practice exam digitally.