Steve got a project and a schedule for this project. He deals with some issues, so he calls Amanda for help.
Want to learn how Amanda helped him with his problems in his project? Come check the next video:
“Hey, Amanda!
I have a new project and a schedule for this project in MS Project!”
“That’s great, Steve! How is it going?”
“There are lots of tasks that need to be done.
I start the morning with 5 known tasks, and two hours later I have to deal with 5 new “fires” I need to extinguish.
I don’t know why, but it always feels like I’m losing control over my project.
I feel like I’m missing something hidden inside those hundreds upon hundreds of task lines in the schedule.
Am I the only one feeling like this or do you feel like that in your project’s too?”
“You are not alone, Steve!
In a project, there are a lot of hidden critical issues, much like an iceberg, where eight ninths of it is hidden under water.
Did you hear about the HCP method? It helps me gain control over my projects and their schedules.
The power of the HCP method is that its unique algorithmic approach reveals those hidden issues ahead of time, before they occur – so I can deal with them as early as possible!
What is the HCP method?
HCP stands for Hidden Critical Paths. You can analyze your project with HCP’s Software-as-a-Service, by installing the HCP-Go to your MS Project, and analyze your schedule immediately.
In a few clicks you will know:
If there are any schedule Integrity Issues in the schedule – that the software accepts but reality does not.
Some can be found manually. For example, tasks without successors.
But there are things that can only be found when searching for paths, for example, a subsequent activity that precedes its previous activity…
The great advantage of HCP-Go – not only does it detect if faults exist, it also maps them – and writes a list of activities that need to be fixed and what needs to be fixed.
This allows me to fine-tune my schedule and reach a reality-matched work plan!
So, what causes those malfunctions?
That can be one of two options:
(1) Human errors, which are quite obvious to occur, especially in schedules with hundreds of activities. They are also easy to fix.
(2) The other mistakes, they don’t “just” happen. There is a reason for each ‘glitch’ – and one should ask:
- What made you write like that?
- What made you think that?
The answers to these questions are fascinating and reveal differences in viewpoints between different parties involved in the project.”
“Do you really need to do that? Isn’t that a lot of work?
Maybe the problems will disappear alone? By themselves?”
“You’re right. It is some work, but it is worth it, since the problems never disappear.
They just get bigger and bigger…”
“What else can the HCP-Go do?”
“The second thing the HCP-Go does is – Mapping Project Paths and making a Project Histogram. For each path – it’s duration and duration slack is calculated.”
“What is the Duration Slack per path?”
The path’s duration slack (DS) is the difference in work days between the longest path in the network and the path’s duration. In the histogram you can see how many paths are there in your schedule per each duration slack.”
“Can you learn something from this histogram?”
“You’ll be surprised! If the histogram looks like a Gaussian curve – also called a bell curve or a normal curve or the beginning of it – this means that this is a good project!
It is not simple to execute, but it has a good chance of ending as planned! But, If it looks like EKG test results – then this is NOT good for your project…”
“Really? Does the HCP-Go have something more or that’s it?”
“I feel like an HCP agent here, I should charge them…
The fact is, there is one more interesting thing with the HCP-Go. It gives you a Project Success Expectation Map.”
“What is that? The HCP-Go predicts if the project will be a success or not?”
“Actually – yes. The HCP-Go gives an assessment of the extent of the project’s success – it’s likelihood of meeting deadlines, content execution and budget.”
“What? How do they do that?”
“Everything from mapping the schedule by paths, the HCP score and some more parameters. The most interesting part is that when I see my project’s Success Expectation Map – it shows what I feel about the project, but I couldn’t prove until now.
The best part is that it is so easy to understand. See for example, the map I received for one of my projects last month – this one is bad. I needed to dive deep into this project in order to save it. We made changes in the project in many ways, such as changing priorities, changing the order of tasks, deleting some, re-thinking about others, and this month, this is the map we got!”
“Really? Can I do it too?”
“Simple. Just download the HCP-Go to your MS Project – and click – Go – Run Analysis. Choose how you want to analyze – ….and voulla!”
Do you want to analyze your schedule too and learn about your schedule Integrity Issues, your paths’ histogram and your Project Success Expectation Map?
Go to www.hcp-consulting.com, download the HCP-Go, then click on “Go”
and “Run- Analysis”.
You can read about it on the site, in the ‘Body of Knowledge’ tab.
What’s really going on in your schedule?
HCP-Go analyzes your Gantt chart and uncovers critical insights in seconds.
No guesswork. Just clarity.
This Post Has 14 Comments
I am still trying to understand project management tools. What does 4SS mean
Hello Sheila,
4SS means –
The number is the ID line number. So 4 means task number 4.
SS is Start to Start connection.
I use the SF when I am building a schedule for multiple channels. Construction runs on a chronological timing, but Marketing only starts their work 20 weeks prior to Grand Opening – which I don’t know…and can change over the time of the construction – so I use the SF -100 to create the start date for them, based on the finish date for construction.
Just because the tasks get number in the order you enter them…doesn’t mean the # matches the chronological needs of the team or project.
Amy,
The use of SF means that you think from a later date to an earlier one. As you wrote it – “20 week prior to”.
To think from the future to the past – this is a flexible thinking – which is perfect! But unfortunately, we live only from now to the next minute, and we can’t go back.
Schedules should describe reality – so schedules should be created from the beginning to the end. There is no room for SF connection in a realistic schedule.
The answer to your Marketing task – is to define what really should be the trigger to start the Marketing activity. It should last for 20 weeks and then you can have the Grand Opening.
You’ve made some good points there. I looked on the web for
more info about the issue and found most individuals will go
along with your views on this website.
SF relationship is being criticised due to lack of reasonably good examples. I think aviation industry can use this relationship.
Let ‘Boarding of plane’ be predecessor activity
Let aerobridge door close represent Finish of the successor. This time is dictated by airport authorities since they have to coordinate many such landings and take offs.
Let’s presume the time to board is 45 minutes .
Here SF relationship with 45 minutes duration should be used.
Note FS relationship is not useful because that will mean only after all the passengers board the door can close which is not the case.
The door closure is not linked to completion of predecessor.
‘Hope I am clear
You are right, but please notice – you are thinking from the future to the past.
The future: Aerobridge door close
Before that: Boarding.
When you use flexible thinking – then you can think from the future to the past.
But, you can live only from the past to the future.
First – you need all the people to board, then, you can close the doors.
So, real life is boarding – FS – closing doors.
For calculating your project from the finish point to the start – you can write it as reversed project with SF. To perform it – you need the other way around. 😊
Thanks for your prompt feedback.
Hi, thanks for providing clarity on task dependencies. However , i did not understand the last part where in situation 1, you could have just given predecessor to activity ‘c’ as 1 right (activity a to ensure c doesn’t start before project date)? Why the mention of 1FS+4days?
Hi Sumanth,
The difference between writing 1 and 1FS+4 days is when ‘c’ can start.
If it is written “1” then the duration of task c could be longer, ‘c’ can start earlier and finish 2 days after b ends.
If it is written “1fs+4 days” this means task ‘c’ can only start 4 days from the end of task ‘a’, and if it will last more than 3 days – it will end later than 2 days from the end of ‘b’.
Please remember, all the links, when they are translated to the math behind them (in the software), they are not “=” but they are “>=”.
Is there a field in MS Project that I can open and view in the, say Entry table, that shows which tasks are FS, SF etc? I’m guessing no since multiple setups can exist for each task but thought I’d ask.
Please let me know.
Dan
Hello Dan,
Yes there is –
In ‘View’ go to ‘Split View’ and Mark ‘Details’ with V. Then, take the cursor to the grey area, right click on the mouse and choose ‘Predecessors and Successors’.
Per each task you’ll be on – you’ll see the Predecessors and Successors.
Did that help?
Tal.
I looked this up on Google and I must say that you made my understanding of FS and SF quite simple. Also, I got one key thing into my head, “to not use SF in scheduling”. Understanding these relationships requires a lot of flexibility in thinking. Thanks, Tal
Glad I could help. Thank you for sharing that with me! 😊