Patrick,

Your reply beat me to it, I was just responding because we had a similar question by email that I was answering.

The explanation can also be found in Section "07.1.1.3 - LEVELS OF SCHEDULES" in here in the Guild's Introduction to Planning & Scheduling http://www.planningplanet.com/guild/gpccar/introduction-to-managing-planning-and-scheduling where the guys have given an opinion from a CONTRACTOR perspective and also an EMPLOYER perspective.

I think that Pat Weavers paper was referenced heavily in that too :)

Jason - PP Admin Team

How do we develop a schedule from Level 1 to Level 2 to Level 3, what are the criterias/parameters/datas that has to be assumed, we have FEED dats and its a EPC project, so we have to start from engineering.

 

 Your different methods will help.

 

Regards

Frijo

Hi Mike

I know I am a bit late but PEO has gone BANG

Paid my membership fee last year, not updated on their web site members page

Phoned / emailed - no replys no refund

then read the article by Gary France

John,

You shall decide based on your own needs what each level means, the same goes for your clients. Different job types might require more or less levels, creating an all inclusive generic level definition might be too much, and this applies for your different Portfolios.

It is pretentious and technically wrong for others to force you to exclusively use their definition because theirs is better than yours as if the exclusive owners of all truth.

The solution is simple, maintain your jobs as per your own company standards and create a WBS for this purposes, then create additional WBS for the needs of your clients. If your software do not provide for multiple WBS I suggest you dump the “trompo toy” and get serious software.

I keep a WBS based on Area at a higher level and Function at a lower level, a WBS based on Function at a higher level and Area at a lower level, at rare times I keep an additional based on responsibility and of course, another for whatever the Client asks.

What if your Portfolio which include other jobs by other clients/owners is based on several WBS none of which is compatible with the caprices of a particular client/owner.  Calling for a single WBS functionality got to be called by its name “is stupid”.

Regards,

Rafael

Hi Anoon

We have had this disussion before.

I do not promote FS links with bottom up planning because I am adelay analyst but because it is the simplest and best manner of putting together a programme.

I have also said that if you can’t build it you cannot plan it.

Top down FF SS on global bars has - at some time - to be developed into a level 4 from 1 2 & 3.

When that happens the results will be different and then the temptation is there to squeeze or stretch the L4 tasks to fit.

It all makes work for me.

Best regards

Mike Testro.

Hi Mike,

I believe this is where your FS (finish-to-start) relationship will really work-out. At what level it can be used accordingly and effectively? I don’t believe it will work out in level one schedule.

cheers!

Correct - each planner refers to levels differently. Essentially it’s a level of detail as most seem to point to here.

Level 1 - I treat as milestones + major activities only

Level 2 - Summary level schedule - usually enough to identify the critical path & long lead items

Level 3 - Project master schedule - identifies all activities - level 2 shows a summary of this level is a good way to look at - if you are really clever you can color things at this level so you can kind of get clues how things fit together in a level 2 schedule.

Level 4 - detailed schedule - usually down to shifts etc... if your doing project planning this is normally a contractor level schedule - it details all the work to be done - is to a certain extent summarised by levels above it.

Level 5 - i find rarely use in project planning but would be particularly useful for shutdown planning + maintenance planning. never had to use this level to date. usually down to

While this isn’t an exact science - you will find most planners (in particular project planners) work very similarily to the above levels. some changes here and there.. but generally the same.

- Peter.

Hi John - I have always defined schedule ’Levels’ by their function: Level 1 = summary schedule (often a 1-pager) used for communiaction with the public, project investors etc. Level 2 = Master schedule, sufficient to demonstrate CP, critical interfaces and to load resources/quantities onto; usually developed during Feasibility Study stage. The Master schedule is used for what-if and risk analysis. It is of sufficient detail to be accurate and not too big to be swallowed! The Level 3 schedule = Management or Working Schedule where there is more detail than Level 2 and the schedule can be used for work control on a weekly/monthly basis. Level 4 = detail schedules, often external to the Maanagement Schedule and might be manufactures detail schedules, contractors low level schedule etc. There is no hard and fast rules about how many activities should be in any particular level and, frankly, if the whole notion ’gets in the way’, why not ignore it! A ’good’ schedule is a ’good’ schedule at whatever level!!,
Cheers,

Omar Grant