skills/implementation-planning/references/scheduling-and-resourcing.md

# Scheduling, capacity, and recovery

## Schedule from dependencies

For each material activity identify output, duration basis, predecessor, dependency type, resource requirement, and acceptance criterion. Start-to-start, finish-to-finish, waiting periods, calendars, and approval windows may matter; do not force all work into a simple finish-to-start sequence.

Calculate the longest feasible dependency path with consistent calendars and lags. State assumptions about parallel work and resource availability. A dependency-based critical path can change after resource leveling. Float is schedule flexibility relative to the modeled finish date, not permission to consume scarce capacity without consequence.

Use available scheduling or calculation tools for nontrivial plans. Validate acyclic dependencies, missing predecessors, impossible dates, and end dates. Show uncertainty as a duration range or risk-linked allowance; avoid automatically adding the same contingency to each task and again to the whole program.

## Resource and cost math

Separate headcount, FTE allocation, effort, and elapsed time. Two sequential phases using two FTE each do not imply four simultaneous FTE. For a comparable workweek, effort in person-weeks is allocation × weeks. Sum effort across phases; compute peak simultaneous allocation separately.

Build a time-phased view for scarce roles. Deduct BAU commitments, leave, training, and other programs from available capacity. Check named people across workstreams rather than only checking each stream independently. If the plan overallocates a person, sequence the work, change scope, extend the date, or propose additional resources with explicit approval status.

Cost effort with a defined rate basis, add distinct external and operating costs, and reconcile to the funding envelope. Do not mix billable rates and employment cost, or add overhead already included in a loaded rate. Separate approved funds, estimate, spent, committed, and forecast remaining cost.

## Benefits and gates

Trace each benefit to an operational change, required adoption or capacity, measurement definition, baseline, expected timing, and owner. Avoid adding both gross productivity and cash savings from the same work. Define what evidence permits scaling and what would require pausing or reversing a rollout.

For a plan with legal, operational, or contract gates, identify the actual authority and prerequisite. Draft later work provisionally without treating it as approved. State residual risk and accepted open items at each transition.

## Recovery

Diagnose the source of variance: scope, productivity, estimate error, waiting, dependencies, resource shortage, or rework. Reconcile progress to completed deliverables and remaining effort; a percent complete without a measurement basis is not a forecast.

Compare feasible recovery options by finish date, incremental cost, quality and continuity risk, and burden on client teams. Adding people may not accelerate sequential work and can increase coordination. Show the trade-off and recommend a reset only with the relevant authority. Preserve the original baseline for accountability and track approved changes separately.