One of the key skills of a Project Manager should be to be able to vet the quality of schedules produced by his team. In this two-part White Paper we give important clues that allow to quickly assess whether the technical quality of the schedule is sufficient. In this particular White Paper 2016-01 (checks on schedule print-out) we discuss those clues that are already available on the print-out version, without even having to dive into the scheduling software. The next White Paper 2016-02 (checks on schedule source file) in turn will deal with checks done in the scheduling software itself.

The checks include schedule correctness checks

• Schedule Balance Between Functions
• reasonable Total Finish Float values
• Baseline shown against actual/forecast
• there is a critical path established in the schedule

Schedule realism checks include estimating realism and checks on resources (level and mobilization rates).

We are always astonished to be called in to review Projects only to find out that they have, for starters, a poor schedule. Poor in the sense of poorly linked, not representative of the work to be done, or unhealthily unbalanced between the types of activities that have to be performed.
Setting up an adequate route map at the onset of the Project should be the utmost priority of the Project Manager. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, either because of work overload or of a lack of competency from the Project Manager. This White Paper 2016-01 (checks on schedule print-out) provides Project Managers and other senior Project personnel with straightforward ways to challenge a schedule to get it improved to a point where it can be realistic and useful.
In all cases, before sailing away, make sure to have a proper map of the right quality in hand!