The Right Schedule Format Matches the Level of Detail the Project and Owner Need at Each Stage
Project scheduling is a fundamental project management skill, and the ARE PjM exam tests candidates on how project schedules are created, read, and used to manage design and construction processes. Not every project needs the same type of schedule, and not every project phase is managed at the same level of scheduling detail. Selecting the appropriate schedule format - a simple milestone list for a pre-design meeting, a bar chart for schematic design planning, a full CPM network for construction - is a judgment that reflects the project manager's understanding of what level of schedule detail is necessary and useful at each stage. Over-scheduling small projects wastes effort; under-scheduling large projects allows problems to develop invisibly.
Bar Charts (Gantt Charts)
A bar chart, also called a Gantt chart (after Henry Gantt, who popularized the format in the 1910s), represents project activities as horizontal bars on a timeline. Each bar's length represents the duration of the activity; bars are stacked vertically by activity, creating a visual representation of when each task starts and ends and how tasks overlap. Bar charts are simple to create and read, making them the most commonly used schedule format for architecture project management. Limitations: bar charts do not show dependencies between tasks explicitly - it is not clear from the chart alone why Activity B cannot start until Activity A is complete, and a delay in Activity A does not automatically recalculate B's start. For design phase scheduling (SD, DD, CD, CA), bar charts with manually managed dependencies are typically sufficient.
Critical Path Method (CPM)
CPM scheduling represents the project as a network of activities with defined dependencies (Activity B cannot start until Activity A is complete; Activity D can start as soon as either Activity B or C is done). From the network, a forward pass calculates the early start and early finish of every activity; a backward pass calculates the late start and late finish. The difference between early start and late start (or early finish and late finish) is the float - the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project completion. Activities with zero float form the critical path - any delay to a critical path activity delays the project. Construction contracts typically require the contractor to submit a CPM schedule; claims for time extensions must demonstrate impact to the critical path to be valid.
Milestone Schedules
A milestone schedule is a high-level list of key project events with target dates: schematic design start, SD owner review, SD approval, DD start, permit application, etc. Milestone schedules are appropriate for initial project planning, owner communication, and executive-level project tracking. They communicate the structure of the project timeline without the detail of a full bar chart or CPM. Every project should have a milestone schedule from the beginning of the engagement; this schedule is embedded in the Owner-Architect Agreement and becomes the baseline for schedule performance monitoring.
Key Exam Points
- Bar chart (Gantt): activities as horizontal bars; simple and readable; shows duration and overlap; does not show dependencies automatically.
- CPM: network of activities with dependencies; float calculated; critical path identified; required for construction contracts and time extension claims.
- Milestone schedule: high-level key dates; appropriate for planning and owner communication.
- Float: time an activity can be delayed without delaying project completion; zero float = critical path.
- Critical path delay → project delay; non-critical path delay ≤ float → no project delay.
AREprep's PjM project management content covers all three schedule types, how they are created and interpreted, critical path analysis, and how schedule management is used during both design and construction phases - giving ARE PjM candidates the scheduling knowledge the exam tests in scenario-based questions about project schedule management, delay claims, and time extension evaluation.
Study PjM on AREprep
AREprep's PjM flashcards and practice exams are built around the actual NCARB exam guide - so every study session targets what the exam tests.