Steps in P3e

I have used it and I found it very helpful. You can use it as further layers of WBS but I used them more as note (or log in P3). The good thing is that you can write all the notes you want and also progress it and show its effect on parent activity if you wished. I started adding steps as the works progressed and started seeing some more steps. (And I did not want to add the activity).

I use steps when i dont whant (or need) to detail more an activty with links, resources, codes etc.

Best regards.

Steps are particularly usefull when doing large chunks of work where the tasks do not need to be done in sequence.

I know some WPMs who used then for serial production. The main inconvenient I see in this practice is that, we cannot see the impact on schedule if one step is delayed.
Moreover, it is not easely possible to get some Output Milestones (deliveries) linked to the related activity.

By the way, the WPM who schedules this way must perfectly know the methodology of schedule update ; I often see to many neglects.
I would recommend this practice for stabilized serial production schedules only.

I use steps when i don’t need to detail activities any more (gantt chart) but want to guit it an advance criteria.

I use steps to progress activities to avoid cluttering up the gantt chart for example when producing drawings over a period of time. Step 1 Task started 10% Step 2,3,4,5 and 6 Production of drawing 11% - 60% Step 7 Internal check of drawing Step 8 Incorporate internal comments onto drawing Step 9 Client comments incorporated onto drawing Step 10 Approved document

Hello Roger,

How do you proceed ? Is your progress for each step based on a excel file for instance, that follows the progress of each drawing to be produced and validated ? And then, for each step, you do regularly the ratio between the total drawings & the actual nb realized ?

Kindest regards.
Patricia

Patricia
Use the experience of the drawing office people to give a duration for the complete production and approval of the drawing (always takes longer than expected)and break it into ten steps as in my example. It gives the planner at least a chance to progress the activity without waiting for the final drawing to be produced. Senior managers will then be able to see at least something is happening