PMP Certification: Plan Schedule Management (based on PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition)


  • WHAT Plan Schedule Management Is. Plan Schedule Management implies making clear how the project schedule will be developed, executed, and controlled, as well as how changes will be integrated into the project schedule.
  • WHY Plan Schedule Management Is Important. The schedule management plan guides the project manager and the project team by means of oversight, standardization, and best practices, ensuring that the project schedule is well developed, monitored, and controlled.
  • WHEN Plan Schedule Management Is Executed. A project manager should perform the Plan Schedule Management process before the other six processes of the Project Time Management Knowledge Area.
  • HOW Plan Schedule Management Operates.
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Plan Schedule Management 101

What Does Plan Schedule Management Involve and When Do You Perform It in a Project Life Cycle?


  • WHAT Plan Schedule Management Is. Plan Schedule Management implies making clear how the project schedule will be developed, executed, and controlled, as well as how changes will be integrated into the project schedule.
  • WHY Plan Schedule Management Is Important. The schedule management plan guides the project manager and the project team by means of oversight, standardization, and best practices, ensuring that the project schedule is well developed, monitored, and controlled.
  • WHEN Plan Schedule Management Is Executed. A project manager should perform the Plan Schedule Management process before the other six processes of the Project Schedule Management Knowledge Area.
  • HOW Plan Schedule Management Operates.
InputsTools and techniquesOutputs
  1. Project charter
  2. Project management plan
    • Scope management plan
    • Development approach
  3. Enterprise environmental factors
  4. Organizational process assets
  1. Expert judgment
  2. Data analysis
  3. Meetings
  1. Schedule management plan

Source: PMBOK® Guide, 6th ed., Chapter 6, section 6.1, p. 179.

Plan Schedule Management Key Terms

What Are the Key Terms to Fully Understand the Process of  Planning Schedule Management?


  • Accuracy Levels. The rounding used when deriving activity duration estimates for different life cycle phases.
  • Control Thresholds. The level of variance the schedule can experience before taking action, typically expressed as a percentage of time.
  • Project Schedule Model Development. The methodologies and tools used to develop the schedule, along with the data they contain.
  • Schedule Management Plan. A component of the project management plan that describes how to estimate the project work, track the project progress, and report on it.
  • Units of Measure. The rules for how estimates should be stated, such as staff hours, days, materials tons, and cubic yards.

Plan Schedule Management Tips

What Are the Best Tips to Answer Correctly the PMP Certification Exam Questions on Plan Schedule Management Process?


  • Schedule Management Plan Vs. Schedule. The project’s schedule management plan describes how the project’s schedule will be developed, managed and controlled. The project’s schedule describes the planned starting and finishing dates for project activities.

Click here for a detailed analysis of each project management process group and knowledge area.

SOURCES: Project Management Institute (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). 6th ed. Newtown Square: Project Management Institute.

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