History of the Program Evaluation and Review TechniqueThe PERT acronymstands for “Program Evaluation and Review Technique,” a program that has been in use by various organizations for over 50 years. Originally developed in 1958 for use by the U.S. Navy Special Projects Office, the PERT technique is a project management system designed to assist in planning large and complex projects. Starting with an overall program evaluation, it promotes in-depth analysis of any project before the kick-off date. It was used on the Polaris missile design as well as the 1968 Winter Olympic games held in Grenoble. While similar management concepts have been developed and refined since, PERT was the first technique of its kind. Show
How PERT project management worksAs mentioned above, PERT is designed to be implemented with projects that are highly complex, needing to be completed through sequential tasks and/or run in tandem with other projects. The overall goal of PERT is to get projects completed on time and on budget, as well as to accurately assess their overall scope during the scoping phase. Scoping your PERT projectScoping is a crucial part of PERT, as it’s where you create an action plan for your project. The technique makes allowances for things that could go wrong or taking longer than they should, as well as key ”milestones” throughout its life. Compared to your team’s regular scoping technique, PERT might seem extremely in-depth, calling on everything from resource management to individual performance. With its military roots, the PERT method is all about preparation, leaving no stone unturned. PERT terms for scopingA PERT scope will use the following terms to define key events, timings and resources: EventsPERT events serve as milestones in your process. They don’t require any resources in of themselves: instead a PERT event cannot be completed until every task leading up to it is complete.
ActivitiesPERT activities are the tasks which require resources:
TimePERT times are key to the technique and are designed to allow for optimized performance as well as setbacks:
ManagementSeveral other terms help define the importance, progress and time expectation of each event or activity:
Steps for PERT project planningNow that you know all the key terms, here’s how to put them into practice:
Planning tasks in PERTA PERT table will help you record your timings and activity sequence. This isn’t only useful in planning stages, it’s also a valuable timetable you can refer back to for the whole project. Below is a PERT table example: Making a PERT network diagramOnce your table is made, you can create a corresponding PERT chart. This works like a flow chart to give a clear visual indication to the project sequence. You may also wish to use a digital Gantt chart. Your diagram should consist of nodes, with each node describing an activity as well as its optimistic, pessimistic, and expected times. Here is an example of a full PERT network diagram. PERT technique: pros and consAs you can see, the PERT technique, even in the planning phases, is no small undertaking. You and your team should think carefully if this is the best management technique for your chosen project. Generally, the PERT approach isn’t very scalable to small projects. Plus, if you try to apply it to fairly straightforward projects, you may end up in a “too many cooks spoil the broth” situation. Consider the following pros and cons before going ahead with this method: Pros of the PERT technique
Cons of the PERT technique
Is the PERT technique right for you and your team?If your project involves a lot of people and a lot of tasks, having a PERT network diagram to act as a blueprint will give everyone a strong project management tool they can use as a foundation going forward. That said, if your project isn’t all that complicated, you may just muddy the waters and waste precious time on scoping something that doesn’t need such detail. What are the alternatives to PERT?If you think your team can take advantage of some of the concepts of PERT without fully adopting the method, try looking for tools that encompass the same mentality with a bit less paperwork. Dropbox offers task management tools that make it easy to stay on top of what your team is doing. With app integrations including Xero, Monday, and Trello, you can manage finances, team tasks, and tackle problems easily all from within Dropbox. Project managers may find that what a team really needs isn’t a complex planning technique so much as a clearly defined work process and the tools to achieve it. What is a scheduling diagram?Scheduling charts are used to indicate when things will happen, to make sure that there is no overlapping, or to coordinate multiple activities or resources. You could have activities or resources along the vertical axis.
Which is the correct order of project schedule management processes?These six processes are performed in chronological order and represent the 6-step process in developing a project schedule.. Step 1: Plan Schedule Management. ... . Step 2: Define Activities. ... . Step 3: Sequence Activities. ... . Step 4: Estimate Activity Resources. ... . Step 5: Estimate Activity Durations. ... . Step 6: Develop Schedule.. What is the purpose of a PERT Program Evaluation Review Technique chart quizlet?Developed by the US Navy, a PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) chart would help a project manager understand what aspect of a project? The project milestones and the order they are scheduled to be completed.
What are the steps in project planning and scheduling?What are the steps in the project scheduling process?. Plan schedule management. ... . Define the project activities. ... . Determine dependencies. ... . Sequence activities. ... . Estimate resources. ... . Estimate durations. ... . Develop the project schedule. ... . Monitor and control.. |