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Questions and Answers
What is the primary assumption of the Critical Path Method?
What is the purpose of identifying critical activities in a project?
What is the longest path through a project network called?
What happens when a critical activity is delayed?
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What is the primary reason for scheduling a project?
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What is a potential pitfall of using the Critical Path Method?
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What is the primary benefit of identifying the critical path in a project?
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What is the effect of having individuals work on multiple projects, according to experience?
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What is the characteristic of a critical activity or event?
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What is the purpose of CPM in project management?
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What is an event in a project network?
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What is the primary difference between an activity and an event in a project network?
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What is the primary concern of the manager when his staff wants to create schedules with 26-week task durations?
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What is the recommended maximum duration for a task to prevent back-end loading?
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What is the benefit of breaking down a 26-week task into smaller subtasks?
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What is the approach of starting at the end and working back to the beginning when developing a schedule?
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Why does the staff member in the example keep delaying the start of the task?
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What is the purpose of iterating through the scheduling process multiple times?
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What is the major consequence of a network with logical errors?
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What is the primary characteristic of a correct network diagram?
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Why is it important to consider the individual who will be doing the task when making time estimates?
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What is the main purpose of creating a network diagram for a project?
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What is the relationship between the order of tasks in a network diagram and logical correctness?
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What is the basis for making time estimates for each task in a network?
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What is the primary reason for scheduling according to what is logically possible?
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Why is it important to keep all times in the same increments when scheduling?
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What is the benefit of diagramming a schedule before considering resource limitations?
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What is the main purpose of the cleanup phase in the yard project?
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Why is it recommended to draw the network on paper before entering it into a computer scheduling program?
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What is the primary advantage of having a helper for the yard project?
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Study Notes
Critical Path Method (CPM)
- Developed in the late 1950s to reduce time and cost of a project
- Algorithm used for planning, scheduling, coordination, and control of activities in a project
- Assumes activity duration is fixed and certain
- Computes earliest and latest possible start time for each activity
- Differentiates between critical and non-critical activities to reduce time and avoid queues
Critical Activities
- Critical activities have no slack and must be completed as scheduled, or the end date will be delayed
- Delay in critical activities will cause the whole process to suffer
- Identification of critical activities helps guide project management and decision-making
Scheduling
- Primary reason for scheduling a project is to ensure deadline is met
- Scheduling helps identify which activities will determine the end date
- Knowing the critical path allows for determination of impact on the project due to scope or priority changes
Network Terms
- Activity: Consumes time and may consume resources (e.g., paperwork, labor, machinery operations)
- Critical: Activity or event that must be achieved by a certain time, with no latitude or slack
- Critical Path: Longest path through a network, determining the earliest completion of project work
- Events: Beginning and ending points of activities (denoted by a circle)
Developing a Schedule
- Two methods: starting at the end and working back, or starting at the beginning
- Break down tasks into smaller subtasks to avoid back-end loading
- Rule of thumb: no task should have a duration greater than 4-6 weeks
- Develop a schedule based on what is logically possible, then deal with resource limitations
Drawing a Network Diagram
- Start with what can be done first, and work through the sequence
- Draw tasks side by side if they can start simultaneously
- The diagram should be logical and consistent, with no single right solution
- Avoid overcomplicating the diagram, focusing on the gist of the work
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Description
Test your understanding of the Critical Path Method (CPM), an algorithm used for planning, scheduling, coordination, and control of activities in a project. Learn how CPM helps reduce project time and cost by identifying critical and non-critical activities.
