CASE STUDIES IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 1
Workshop: The Jogging Line in Action
Dragan Z. Milosevic, Peerasit Patanakul, and Sabin Srivannaboon
I. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
Problem: Can we consider the Jogging Line approach as an effective schedule control tool? What
are its benefits and drawbacks that could help determine the extent of its effectiveness?
II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ball Inc. is a widely known consulting firm for advice in management, coaching, and
project specialist. One of its respectable senior consultants was Konrad Cerni, certified as a Project
Management Professional and Program Management Professional. In a workshop to be led by him,
he decided to teach a technique that for him is essential and precise since there was a limited time
to discuss all tools that comprised of more than fifty. He decided to pick only the necessary tools
and that includes the Jogging Line. By definition, the Jogging Line is one of the widely used
schedule control tools that indicate the amount of time each project activity is ahead or behind
schedule. Hence, it is used to predict the project completion date and map counteractive actions
necessary to exterminate any potential delay. According to Cerni, this Jogging Line is usually used
as an informal tool. Its results are not recorded and all you need are a chart and a marker.
III. BRIEF HISTORY
Konrad Cerni, a Program and Project Management Professional with expertise in project
management tools and metrics, was one of the prominent senior consultants of Ball, Inc. which is
a local management consulting firm that is widely known for its assistance in organizational
change management; development of coaching skills; and technology, project, and operations
management improvements. Konrad was assigned to lead a workshop at the client’s premises that
would talk about the project management tools and was expecting more than 30 project and
program managers in the workshop. The project management consisted of more than fifty tools
however, it was not feasible to discuss all since there was a limited time of nine hours, starting
from eight in the morning up to five in the afternoon having only a one-hour lunch break. Thus,
Konrad opt to select the significant tools only, and the “Jogging Line” was one of the critical tools.
Konrad explained to the managers that the jogging line is one of the critical and widely
used schedule control tools that shows or indicates the amount of time each project activity is
ahead or behind schedule. He also added that the line point out the fraction of accomplishment for
each activity to its left, and to its right is what remains or still needs to be completed. It is beneficial
since the amount of time each activity is advanced or delayed, it could help in predicting the project
completion date and map corrective actions necessary to eradicate any potential delay.
Furthermore, Konrad stated that a jogging line is an informal tool whereas the outcomes are not
documented since the required materials are chart and marker only. He also explained that there
are three rules when using the jogging line, which include: (1) Rule of the past is everything to the
left of the jogging line is done. (2) Rule of the present means that everything on the jogging line
is at this moment. (3) Rule of proactive management, which is the most important, means that
everything to the right of the jogging line remains to be done.
Workshop: The Jogging Line in Action
Dragan Z. Milosevic, Peerasit Patanakul, and Sabin Srivannaboon
I. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
Problem: Can we consider the Jogging Line approach as an effective schedule control tool? What
are its benefits and drawbacks that could help determine the extent of its effectiveness?
II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ball Inc. is a widely known consulting firm for advice in management, coaching, and
project specialist. One of its respectable senior consultants was Konrad Cerni, certified as a Project
Management Professional and Program Management Professional. In a workshop to be led by him,
he decided to teach a technique that for him is essential and precise since there was a limited time
to discuss all tools that comprised of more than fifty. He decided to pick only the necessary tools
and that includes the Jogging Line. By definition, the Jogging Line is one of the widely used
schedule control tools that indicate the amount of time each project activity is ahead or behind
schedule. Hence, it is used to predict the project completion date and map counteractive actions
necessary to exterminate any potential delay. According to Cerni, this Jogging Line is usually used
as an informal tool. Its results are not recorded and all you need are a chart and a marker.
III. BRIEF HISTORY
Konrad Cerni, a Program and Project Management Professional with expertise in project
management tools and metrics, was one of the prominent senior consultants of Ball, Inc. which is
a local management consulting firm that is widely known for its assistance in organizational
change management; development of coaching skills; and technology, project, and operations
management improvements. Konrad was assigned to lead a workshop at the client’s premises that
would talk about the project management tools and was expecting more than 30 project and
program managers in the workshop. The project management consisted of more than fifty tools
however, it was not feasible to discuss all since there was a limited time of nine hours, starting
from eight in the morning up to five in the afternoon having only a one-hour lunch break. Thus,
Konrad opt to select the significant tools only, and the “Jogging Line” was one of the critical tools.
Konrad explained to the managers that the jogging line is one of the critical and widely
used schedule control tools that shows or indicates the amount of time each project activity is
ahead or behind schedule. He also added that the line point out the fraction of accomplishment for
each activity to its left, and to its right is what remains or still needs to be completed. It is beneficial
since the amount of time each activity is advanced or delayed, it could help in predicting the project
completion date and map corrective actions necessary to eradicate any potential delay.
Furthermore, Konrad stated that a jogging line is an informal tool whereas the outcomes are not
documented since the required materials are chart and marker only. He also explained that there
are three rules when using the jogging line, which include: (1) Rule of the past is everything to the
left of the jogging line is done. (2) Rule of the present means that everything on the jogging line
is at this moment. (3) Rule of proactive management, which is the most important, means that
everything to the right of the jogging line remains to be done.
