GAO IS WRONG:
Activities have hundreds of fields and many might still be active if you only change a few.
GAO Schedule Assessment Guide Best Practices for Project Schedules suggests keeping deleted activities and logic while setting duration to 0. See page 140 of 240.
Aegis Project Controls’ primary purpose is to support project management teams in their efforts to minimize the duration, risk and cost associated with their projects. While critical Path Method schedules are widely recognized for their ability to manage time on a project, they are often under-utilized as a cost-reduction tool.
The Specification is full of errors and is biased in favor of specific software.
Just take a look at a few sections, it is a disaster.
2.1 SOFTWARE - 2.1.2.2 Other Than Primavera - If the contractor chooses software other than Primavera P6, that is compliant with this specification, provide for the Government's use two licenses, two computers, and training for two Government employees in the use of the software. These computers will be stand-alone and not connected to Government network. Computers and licenses will be returned at project completion.
Title: "Construction CPM Network Requirements and Characteristics" by Zoltan Palffy Jr.
Abstract:
What Makes a Good Schedule? There are many things to consider when developing or reviewing a CPM schedule. What things should be incorporated into a schedule when developing or reviewing a schedule?
This paper will provide a guideline as well as the rationale for the user to follow when creating or reviewing CPM schedules for large scaled construction projects.
The central focus of construction project schedules is invariably on the build-out trajectory, or more specifically, the builder’s work and responsibilities. Despite design deliverables residing squarely within the critical path, they are seldom adequately represented in pre-construction schedules.
"Start at the Finish and Work Backwards Towards the Start to Get to Where You Want to Go" by Dan Patterson
"Surviving a Daubert Challenge: A CPM Expert’s Perspective" by Kenji P. Hoshino
This paper presents my opinions based on personal experience and research on the subject of procedural challenges to the admissibility of expert testimony, also known as Daubert challenges. The paper focuses specifically on the application of the Daubert case on opinions by forensic scheduling experts in the context of construction contract disputes. The reader should not consider the contents of this paper as legal advice.
"Basic CPM Calculations" by Patrick Weaver
Abstract:
This paper is to provide an overview of the usual Time Analysis calculations in a Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) Critical Path Method (CPM) network can be done in a number of different ways.
The purpose of this White Paper is to offer a standardised set of calculations and note areas where different software tools may produce different outcomes.
Introduction
It can be argued that in today’s environment more and more of the major projects in Australia and other countries are failing much more than they used to. Just look at Boeing with the extensive delays and overruns of the “Dream Liner aircraft and Lockheed Martin with the JSF, and not forgetting our own disasters such as Pluto, Desalination Plants in Sydney and Melbourne, the new trains in New South Wales.
As a scheduler within various industries, I have been asked “What is Schedule Quality?” In fact, if you pose this question to various project personnel, you may receive more than one answer per individual! Why? Some view “schedule quality” as a simple series of measures and techniques. I believe that the pursuit of schedule quality is a multi-front battle.