What is schedule compression?

Schedule compression is a set of project management techniques aimed at reducing the overall project duration without changing its scope. The main techniques include:

• Fast tracking: performing tasks in parallel that are usually done sequentially, which can increase risks and require additional control.
• Crashing: adding extra resources to speed up task completion, which usually increases costs.

Applying schedule compression helps meet deadlines when a project is behind schedule or deadlines are tight, but it requires careful risk and cost analysis.