What is the primary focus of schedule development methods in project management?

The primary focus of schedule development methods in project management is to provide structured approaches to creating a project schedule that defines when project tasks will be completed. These methods include techniques such as critical path method (CPM), program evaluation review technique (PERT), and Gantt charts, among others. These tools help project managers determine the sequence of activities, estimate the duration of each task, and ultimately create a timeline that guides the project from initiation to completion.

The other options, while important components of project management, do not center specifically on schedule development. Establishing a budget involves financial planning and resource allocation, identifying risks focuses on assessing potential issues that could affect the project, and managing stakeholder engagement is about communication and collaboration with those invested in the project's outcome. None of these elements directly address the creation of the project’s schedule, making the correct answer focused solely on methods for developing a schedule.