Scheduling — Don't Get Stuck on Senseless
By Kel Slone Mauldin, PMP, CPM

Imposed end dates. Deadlines. Mandatory finish dates.

No matter where I am in the travels of my job, I hear these same things. It is a reality that the world of business is moving at an excruciatingly quick pace. In a rush to meet time-to-market pressures there are more demands placed upon project managers to meet the time constraints of the business. So, I suppose it isn’t a shock that project managers have been beaten over the head so many times with business deadlines that they might get ‘stuck on senseless’ (an adaptation of General Honore’s famous phrase from 2005) when it comes to scheduling their projects.

Let me explain. Not too long ago I was asked by a student to take a look at a schedule she had built for a new project. It was quickly apparent that she had placed date constraint conditions on practically every task in her scheduling tool. I pointed this out to her explaining that she should let the tool calculate dates based upon the factors of dependencies as well as resource utilization and duration estimates.

“But, I can’t do that," she argued. “I have been given a mandatory end date for this project, and I have to make sure I will make the date.”

Confused by her explanation, I replied,“What does the business’ mandatory end date have to do with your method for building a sound schedule?” She looked at me like I was crazy.

“Because, I have to make that date,” she replied as if the answer should be obvious to anyone. “I don’t have the luxury of building my schedule that way.”

“So, if you’re using your scheduling tool just to match the picture that your sponsor wants to see, how does that help you know if you are really going to be able to make that end date?” I asked.

“Because, my team has no choice; we have to make the end date.”

“And, how do you know that you can make that date?” I asked again.

“Because, I have to make that date,” she said to me. It was through gritted teeth, I might add.

It was at this point that the lightning bolt hit me and I realized that a project schedule in a software scheduling tool didn’t mean the same thing for all project managers. For me, it was a tool to help me understand whether or not the business deadlines could realistically be achieved. For her, a scheduling tool was used to create a picture of what her leadership wanted to see and nothing more.

Now, I know I’m a little judgmental at times, but it seems to me that if a person’s main purpose in using a scheduling tool is to create a picture instead of using it to evaluate the very real risk of whether the mandatory end date can be achieved – well, that’s just stuck on senseless. It’s the equivalent of my jumping out of a plane knowing that I must be alive when I hit the ground, but I have no parachute. I have no idea how I will arrive alive. I just know that it’s mandatory, so I will ‘find a way, somehow’.

It is true that projects must achieve the business’ time objectives, but that doesn’t mean then that suddenly proper project scheduling is thrown out of the window. How can the business assess whether or not to continue with a project if they don’t have realistic information with which to make a decision?

It is also true that management may not always like the news that a proper schedule would tell them. Especially if the schedule shows that their business deadline can’t be achieved. But, is this a reason for a project manager to decide to show management what they want to see through building a picture instead of a true schedule?

It’s a tough position to be in as project managers because though we always want to be the ‘can do’ people for our management, sometimes we are given constraints that are beyond real capabilities. But, the goal is to be a provider of accurate information to our management, not just someone who is good at creating a picture of what our management wants to see. Our role is to not always be liked. Our job is to sometimes deliver hard news. Our position is an uncomfortable one, at times. But, it’s necessary for the health of the business.

So, the next time you are given a hard end date, document it. Write it down. Then forget it momentarily as you build a realistic schedule the right way. If you do that, you will have your parachute. You will have information that you can take back to your management to recommend alternatives, if needed. And, you will have your integrity.

Your project and the business are depending upon your sensibility in proper planning. Don’t get stuck on senseless.

Kel Mauldin was a trainer and coach with Project Management Leadership Group when this article was published in the PMLG newsletter. She is now a busy mom. But she can be reached atkelmauldin@gmail.com.

Filed under Schedule Management