Project Scheduling Chapter 9 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What are the early start and late finish times associated with this hammock activity?

11, 24

7, 36 (correct)

11, 30

7, 24

What are the early start and late finish times associated with this hammock activity?

13, 36 (correct)

13, 24

24, 36

7, 36

The amount of time an activity may be delayed from its early start without delaying the finish of the project is the:

Float (correct)

Late finish

Late start

Delay

The least amount of float is found:

On the critical path Signup and view all the answers

What is the slack time for Activity B given the activity times and precedence requirements?

9 Signup and view all the answers

What is the slack time for Activity D given the activity times and precedence requirements?

0 Signup and view all the answers

What is the float start time for Activity C given the activity times and precedence requirements?

2 Signup and view all the answers

What is the slack time for Activity B?

4 days Signup and view all the answers

What is the slack time for activity E?

2 days Signup and view all the answers

What is the slack time for activity D?

0 Signup and view all the answers

Float is always measured in exactly the same way as slack.

False Signup and view all the answers

Negative float exists when a project's critical path has been completed more quickly than anticipated.

False Signup and view all the answers

Activity float is the difference between the late finish and early finish for the activity in question.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is the probability that the project is completed in 31 days?

0.055 Signup and view all the answers

What is the probability that the project takes more than 34 days?

0.788 Signup and view all the answers

The PERT technique assumes that durations are more deterministic.

False Signup and view all the answers

What are the late start and early finish times of the hammock activity?

6, 26 Signup and view all the answers

Which is a legitimate hammock activity for this project?

Combine activities B, E, H Signup and view all the answers

What are the duration and the early start time associated with this hammock activity?

13, 36 Signup and view all the answers

One approach to reducing project length would be to:

Eliminate tasks on the critical path Signup and view all the answers

A project's duration can be reduced by:

Shortening the duration of critical path tasks Signup and view all the answers

The BEST candidate activities for shortening the overall project are:

The longest tasks Signup and view all the answers

Which technique would accelerate the completion of a project?

Bursting Signup and view all the answers

In order to reduce the length of a project, it would be wise to shorten:

The critical path activity that can be sped up by the greatest amount Signup and view all the answers

In general, the better candidates for shortening are:

Early tasks opposed to later tasks Signup and view all the answers

The term ordered activity means:

Tasks must either precede or follow other tasks in project planning and management. Signup and view all the answers

A sequence of activities defined by the project network logic is a(n):

Path Signup and view all the answers

One of the defining points of a network, a junction point joined to some or all of the others by dependency lines, is called a(n):

Node Signup and view all the answers

These can be located by doing a backward pass through a network:

Critical paths Signup and view all the answers

Another name for an activity is a(n):

Work package Signup and view all the answers

Serial activities are those that:

Flow from one to the next in sequence. Signup and view all the answers

Concurrent activities are:

Activities that can be performed at the same time. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these statements about this network is BEST?

Activity D is a merge activity. Signup and view all the answers

A backward pass is performed when it is necessary to undo some work that has been performed in order to complete it properly.

True Signup and view all the answers

Network logic suggests that:

Activities A, B and C must be complete before Activity D can be done. Signup and view all the answers

Based on the activity network pictured, what is the BEST statement?

Before starting Activity D, Activity A and Activity B need to be completed. Signup and view all the answers

Based on the activity network pictured, what is the BEST statement?

Activity C is a burst activity. Signup and view all the answers

In order to depict this in an activity network:

Laddering could be used to redraw the network. Signup and view all the answers

The overall effect of laddering activities is to:

Streamline the linkage and sequencing between activities and keep project resources fully employed. Signup and view all the answers

Summaries for some subsets of the activities identified in the overall project network are called:

Hammock activities Signup and view all the answers

Hammock activities allow:

The project manager to identify float more quickly and leverage it more successfully for the overall success of the project. Signup and view all the answers

Activities C, D, and E in the project represented by the network are to be hammocked. What is the activity length of the hammock activity?

20 Signup and view all the answers

Activities C, D, and E in the project represented by the network are to be hammocked. What are the early start and late finish times of the hammock activity?

6, 26 Signup and view all the answers

Preceding activities are those that must occur before others can be done.

True Signup and view all the answers

A merge activity has two or more immediate predecessors.

True Signup and view all the answers

Burst activities are those with two or more successor activities.

False Signup and view all the answers

At a merge point in a forward pass, the largest preceding early finish becomes the early start for that node.

True Signup and view all the answers

At a burst point in a backward pass, the largest succeeding late start becomes the late finish for that node.

False Signup and view all the answers

Prior to creating a network, it is important to:

Understand the activity precedence. Signup and view all the answers

The length of time expected to complete an activity assuming that its development proceeds normally is called the:

Normal duration. Signup and view all the answers

Ray's shipment of materials hit every red light and traffic jam. Which statement accurately reflects the project activity of Material Delivery?

Had a much higher variance than anticipated. Signup and view all the answers

The variance of an activity is given by:

[1/6(b-a)]^2 Signup and view all the answers

An activity has an optimistic time estimate of 25 days, a most likely estimate of 29 days, and a pessimistic estimate of 34 days. What is the expected duration of the activity?

Less than 31 days but greater than or equal to 29 days Signup and view all the answers

An activity has an optimistic time estimate of 17 days, a most likely estimate of 23 days, and a pessimistic estimate of 37 days. What is the variance of the activity?

9.99 Signup and view all the answers

An activity has an optimistic time estimate of 17 days, a most likely estimate of 22 days, and a pessimistic estimate of 32 days. What is the expected duration of the activity?

22.83 days Signup and view all the answers

An activity has an optimistic time estimate of 12 days, a most likely estimate of 16 days, and a pessimistic estimate of 22 days. What is the expected standard deviation of the activity?

Between 1 and 2 days Signup and view all the answers

An activity has a pessimistic time that is four times as long as its most likely time and six times as long as its optimistic time. If the activity variance is 12, what is the expected time?

About 9 days Signup and view all the answers

Activity Z has estimates a = 5, b = 12, m = 7; which statement is BEST?

Activity X has a higher standard deviation than Activity Z. Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected completion time of the laddered project?

38 Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected completion time of the laddered project? (Repeat question)

38 Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected completion time of the project?

33 days Signup and view all the answers

What is the standard deviation of the project's critical path?

1.33 days Signup and view all the answers

You must know the mean of an activity in order to determine its standard deviation.

True Signup and view all the answers

In assigning a value for the most pessimistic (b) duration, the project manager should estimate the duration of the activity to have a 99% likelihood that it will take b or less amount of time.

True Signup and view all the answers

The late start time should be calculated using a forward pass through the network.

False Signup and view all the answers

Laddering is a technique that allows the project manager to redraw the network to more closely sequence project subtasks to make the overall network sequence more efficient.

True Signup and view all the answers

Hammock activities break a task into greater levels of detail so that each task is represented as two or more subtasks that each have their own duration and precedence requirements.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the earliest that Activity D can begin if Activity A takes 3 days, Activity B takes 5 days, and Activity C takes 7 days?

Day 7 Signup and view all the answers

What is the early start time for Activity D given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table?

9 Signup and view all the answers

What is the late start time for Activity B given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table?

9 Signup and view all the answers

What is the late start time for Activity E given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table?

15 Signup and view all the answers

What is the late finish time for Activity D given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table?

13 Signup and view all the answers

What is the early start time for Activity G given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table?

21 Signup and view all the answers

What is the early finish time for Activity F given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table?

19 Signup and view all the answers

Use the information in the table to determine the late start time for Activity E.

Day 26 Signup and view all the answers

Use the information in the table to determine the early start time for Activity B.

Day 8 Signup and view all the answers

Use the information in the table to determine the early finish time for Activity D.

Day 29 Signup and view all the answers

Use the information in the table to determine the late finish time for Activity B.

Day 23 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the early start time for activity D.

8 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the late start time for activity F.

24 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the early finish time for activity G.

26 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the late finish time for activity C.

15 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the early start time for activity D.

8 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the late finish time for activity D.

14 Signup and view all the answers

Use the network diagram and activity lengths in the nodes to determine the early finish time for activity G.

26 Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference in the late start time for activity C in the original project and activity C1 in the laddered project?

3 Signup and view all the answers

What is the late finish for the Plant Posts activity?

20.83 days Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Project Scheduling Concepts

Ordered activity in project management implies tasks must follow specific precedence or sequence.
Sequence of activities defined by project network logic is termed a "Path."
A "Node" refers to a junction point in a network, connecting various activities through dependency lines.
Critical paths can be identified using backward passes in a project network.
An activity can also be referred to as a "Work package," which has an expected duration and cost.

Activity Types

Serial activities flow one after the other, while concurrent activities can be performed simultaneously.
Merge activities have two or more immediate predecessors, whereas burst activities have two or more successor activities.

Network Logic and Activity Sequencing

A network diagram helps understand the necessary order of activities; for instance, Activity A must be complete before Activity B starts.
Laddering is a technique used to improve the sequence of tasks, keeping project resources employed efficiently.

Time Estimates and Variance

An activity's expected duration is calculated using optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic estimates.
Variance of an activity helps in understanding the uncertainty in time estimates, calculated by the formula [1/6(b-a)]².
The expected duration formula is derived from the weighted average of time estimates.

Activities and Their Timing

Hammock activities summarize multiple subsets of activities and can streamline project management by combining activities efficiently.
The early start and late finish times ensure the project runs on schedule, and calculations can be derived from the network diagram.

Float and Slack Time

Float represents the amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project deadline. It is crucial for resource allocation and scheduling.
Slack time is indicative of the flexibility available in the project schedule, allowing adjustments as necessary.

Analytical Techniques

Understanding the critical path method (CPM) is essential for managing project timelines and identifying activities that directly affect project completion.
Use of diagrams and tables to depict activities, durations, and precedence requirements facilitates better visualization of the project status.

Summary of Key Points

Understanding different types of activities (serial, concurrent, merge, burst) helps in effective project scheduling.
Calculation methods for time estimates and variances guide project managers in estimating activity durations realistically.
Techniques like laddering and the identification of hammock activities increase efficiency in project planning.
Regular calculation of float and slack enhances project flexibility, allowing for timely adjustments.### Slack Time and Float
Slack time for an activity denotes the total time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the project.
Float and slack are measured in the same manner, indicating flexibility in the project schedule.
Negative float occurs when the critical path is completed faster than planned.

Activity Float

Activity float is calculated as the difference between the late finish and early finish times of that activity.

Project Management Techniques

PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) assumes that project durations are deterministic rather than probabilistic.
Hammock activities are used to combine multiple activities and represent them as a single task in project management.

Probability in Project Duration

The likelihood of project completion in a specific timeframe can be assessed using statistical methods based on multiple time estimates for tasks.
A high probability value indicates that it is more likely the project will take longer than the specified period.

Strategies for Reducing Project Length

Projects can be shortened by eliminating tasks on the critical path and shortening the duration of critical path tasks.
Candidates for shortening are generally those tasks that can expedite the overall project timeline, especially critical path activities.
Early tasks are often better candidates for shortening, as they could significantly affect subsequent tasks.

Techniques for Accelerating Projects

Laddering is a technique that can accelerate project completion by overlapping activities.
Bursting refers to breaking apart a project schedule to allow for more concurrent tasks, enhancing efficiency.

Task Selection for Shortening Projects

When selecting tasks to shorten, focus on critical path activities that offer the greatest potential for speeding up the project.
Criteria for selecting activities can include both duration and cost considerations, with emphasis placed on tasks that have the highest impact on the overall timeline.

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Description

Test your understanding of project scheduling concepts with these flashcards from Chapter 9. Explore key terms like ordered activities and how they influence task management in project planning. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their knowledge in project management.