PTT Week 4 Chat Q's PDF

1\. Which of the following best defines the Critical Path Method (CPM)? \- A) The shortest path through the project network diagram \- B) The longest path that determines the minimum project duration \- C) The path with the most float or slack \- D) A method to identify the most cost-effective p...

1\. Which of the following best defines the Critical Path Method (CPM)? \- A) The shortest path through the project network diagram \- B) The longest path that determines the minimum project duration \- C) The path with the most float or slack \- D) A method to identify the most cost-effective project schedule Answer: B) The longest path that determines the minimum project duration 2\. In project scheduling, what does \'float\' represent? \- A) The time an activity can be delayed without impacting the project completion date \- B) The total time required to complete a project \- C) The budget allocated for risk management \- D) The buffer time added to each task duration Answer: A) The time an activity can be delayed without impacting the project completion date 3\. Which dependency type is created by the nature of the work and cannot be changed? \- A) Discretionary \- B) External \- C) Mandatory \- D) Internal Answer: C) Mandatory 4\. What is the main difference between \'free float\' and \'total float\'? \- A) Free float considers only start dates, while total float includes finish dates \- B) Free float is the time an activity can be delayed without delaying any successor, while total float is the time it can be delayed without delaying the project \- C) Total float is always larger than free float \- D) Free float applies only to critical path activities Answer: B) Free float is the time an activity can be delayed without delaying any successor, while total float is the time it can be delayed without delaying the project 5\. In the Forward-Backward Pass method, what does the \'Late Finish\' (LF) represent? \- A) The earliest time an activity can start without delaying the project \- B) The latest time an activity can finish without delaying the project \- C) The expected duration of the entire project \- D) The total amount of float available Answer: B) The latest time an activity can finish without delaying the project 6\. What is a primary drawback of using fast-tracking as a schedule compression technique? \- A) It increases the project cost significantly \- B) It often requires a complete project re-planning \- C) It increases the risk of rework due to overlapping tasks \- D) It eliminates the critical path Answer: C) It increases the risk of rework due to overlapping tasks 7\. In project scheduling, what does a Gantt chart primarily display? \- A) The project's financial budget breakdown \- B) The network diagram with dependencies \- C) The timeline of activities and their dependencies \- D) The risk assessment plan Answer: C) The timeline of activities and their dependencies 8\. Which scheduling technique involves adding extra resources to reduce the duration of critical path activities? \- A) Fast-tracking \- B) Crashing \- C) Resource leveling \- D) Parametric Estimating Answer: B) Crashing 9\. Why is it important to identify the critical path in project scheduling? \- A) It helps determine the project's total cost \- B) It identifies the activities with the most float \- C) It determines the shortest possible project duration \- D) It highlights the tasks that can be delayed without consequence Answer: C) It determines the shortest possible project duration 10\. What does \'resource leveling\' primarily aim to address? \- A) Optimizing the project timeline by changing dependencies \- B) Ensuring that resource usage does not exceed availability \- C) Reducing the overall project scope \- D) Increasing project float by adjusting task durations Answer: B) Ensuring that resource usage does not exceed availability 1\. You discover that a critical path activity has been delayed by two days. What is the likely impact on the project schedule? \- A) No impact, as float will absorb the delay \- B) The project completion date will be delayed by two days \- C) The duration of the activity will be reduced automatically \- D) The next activity will start early to compensate Answer: B) The project completion date will be delayed by two days 2\. Your project schedule shows several activities with negative float. What does this indicate? \- A) The project is ahead of schedule \- B) There are resource conflicts that need resolution \- C) The project schedule cannot meet the imposed deadline without adjustments \- D) The activities have excessive contingency time Answer: C) The project schedule cannot meet the imposed deadline without adjustments 3\. A project sponsor requests that you shorten the project duration by two weeks. Which technique would be most appropriate to consider first? \- A) Crashing the entire project \- B) Re-evaluating the critical path and applying fast-tracking where possible \- C) Reducing the scope of all non-critical activities \- D) Adding additional milestones to the schedule Answer: B) Re-evaluating the critical path and applying fast-tracking where possible 4\. During a review meeting, a stakeholder points out that several tasks are overallocated in the resource calendar. What is your best immediate action? \- A) Increase the project budget to hire more resources \- B) Implement resource leveling to adjust the schedule \- C) Ignore the issue as the tasks are not on the critical path \- D) Extend the project timeline to reduce the workload Answer: B) Implement resource leveling to adjust the schedule 5\. You are using a project scheduling tool that shows an indicator of resource overallocation. What is the potential impact on your project? \- A) The project timeline may be shortened \- B) The project may face delays due to resource conflicts \- C) The critical path will be eliminated \- D) The float of non-critical activities will increase Answer: B) The project may face delays due to resource conflicts 6\. You have used fast-tracking to overlap tasks on the critical path, but a team member warns about potential rework. What should you do next? \- A) Ignore the warning, as fast-tracking reduces project duration without additional risks \- B) Re-evaluate the risks and consider reverting some tasks to their original sequence \- C) Proceed with crashing the project instead of fast-tracking \- D) Extend the project timeline to avoid any potential issues Answer: B) Re-evaluate the risks and consider reverting some tasks to their original sequence 7\. While performing a backward pass, you find that one activity has a Late Start (LS) date earlier than its Early Start (ES) date. What does this indicate? \- A) The activity has excessive float \- B) There is a logical error in the network diagram \- C) The project schedule is highly flexible \- D) The activity can be delayed without impact Answer: B) There is a logical error in the network diagram 8\. A stakeholder demands an aggressive deadline that significantly shortens the project timeline. Which scheduling technique would best help assess the feasibility of this request? \- A) Parametric Estimating \- B) Schedule Compression (Fast-tracking and Crashing) \- C) Monte Carlo Simulation \- D) Bottom-up Estimating Answer: B) Schedule Compression (Fast-tracking and Crashing) 9\. Your project is nearing completion, but a critical task is delayed due to an unavailable resource. What is the best course of action to avoid project delays? \- A) Increase the contingency reserve to cover the delay \- B) Use resource smoothing to adjust the schedule without impacting the critical path \- C) Reassign the task to an available resource or consider crashing \- D) Ignore the delay if the project has already met its baseline targets Answer: C) Reassign the task to an available resource or consider crashing 10\. You are reviewing a Gantt chart and notice a lag of 5 days added between two critical path activities. What could be the reason for this lag? \- A) To account for resource availability issues \- B) To reduce the total float of the project \- C) To increase the project's contingency reserve \- D) To ensure that the project finishes ahead of schedule Answer: A) To account for resource availability issues 11\. During a project review, you find that one task has both positive total float and negative free float. What does this indicate? \- A) The task is on the critical path \- B) The task can be delayed without affecting any successor activities \- C) The task is delayed and causing a bottleneck for its successor \- D) The project duration will increase if this task is delayed Answer: C) The task is delayed and causing a bottleneck for its successor 12\. Your project uses MS Project for scheduling. After running a resource leveling analysis, you notice that the project duration has increased. What is the most likely reason for this change? \- A) The critical path has been shortened \- B) Non-critical tasks were moved to avoid resource overallocation \- C) The total float of the project was reduced \- D) The project scope was increased during the analysis Answer: B) Non-critical tasks were moved to avoid resource overallocation 13\. A team member suggests adding contingency to every task on the critical path. What would be the impact of this approach? \- A) It would increase the overall project duration unnecessarily \- B) It would decrease the likelihood of delays \- C) It would reduce the total cost of the project \- D) It would eliminate the need for a separate schedule contingency Answer: A) It would increase the overall project duration unnecessarily 14\. You have identified a new critical path after making changes to the project schedule. What is your immediate next step? \- A) Inform the project sponsor of the new critical path \- B) Adjust the project budget to reflect the changes \- C) Update the project schedule and communicate the changes to the team \- D) Ignore the change, as it will not impact project delivery Answer: C) Update the project schedule and communicate the changes to the team 15\. You are applying crashing to reduce the project duration, but the project costs are increasing significantly. What should you consider before continuing? \- A) Whether the increased costs still meet the project's cost-benefit analysis \- B) The potential impact on stakeholder satisfaction \- C) If the crashing could lead to a new critical path \- D) How the additional resources affect the total float Answer: A) Whether the increased costs still meet the project's cost-benefit analysis 16\. A project milestone is approaching, but the associated tasks are running behind schedule. What is the most appropriate technique to use in this situation? \- A) Add more resources and crash the schedule \- B) Add additional float to the delayed tasks \- C) Fast-track the tasks if dependencies allow it \- D) Request an extension for the milestone Answer: C) Fast-track the tasks if dependencies allow it 17\. You find that one of your critical path activities has zero float but is not progressing as planned. What is the best immediate response? \- A) Re-baseline the project to add float \- B) Prioritize this activity and allocate additional resources \- C) Delay the start of successor activities \- D) Increase the task duration to reflect actual progress Answer: B) Prioritize this activity and allocate additional resources 18\. Your project schedule indicates a high level of resource overallocation in the final phase. Which action would be most effective in addressing this issue? \- A) Extend the project timeline to distribute the workload evenly \- B) Apply resource smoothing to utilize available float \- C) Reduce the project scope to lessen the workload \- D) Increase the number of milestones to track progress Answer: B) Apply resource smoothing to utilize available float 19\. You are conducting a critical path analysis and discover a secondary critical path with minimal float. How should you proceed? \- A) Ignore the secondary critical path if it has any float \- B) Monitor both critical paths closely as either could impact the project duration \- C) Adjust the schedule to eliminate the secondary critical path \- D) Increase the contingency reserves for the activities on the secondary path Answer: B) Monitor both critical paths closely as either could impact the project duration 20\. You need to shorten the project duration, but further crashing is not cost-effective. What alternative should you consider? \- A) Reallocate resources from non-critical tasks to critical path tasks \- B) Extend the project duration by adding more float \- C) Use Monte Carlo simulation to identify new schedule risks \- D) Delay the start of the project to re-plan the tasks Answer: A) Reallocate resources from non-critical tasks to critical path tasks 21\. The project schedule baseline is approved, but frequent changes in task sequencing are being requested by stakeholders. What is your best course of action? \- A) Update the baseline with every change request \- B) Implement a strict change control process for schedule adjustments \- C) Allow stakeholders to make changes freely \- D) Ignore minor changes if they don't impact the critical path Answer: B) Implement a strict change control process for schedule adjustments 22\. A delay in an external dependency is impacting your project schedule. How should you address this issue? \- A) Crash the internal tasks to compensate for the delay \- B) Negotiate with the external party to expedite their work \- C) Extend the project timeline and update stakeholders \- D) Use fast-tracking to overlap subsequent tasks Answer: B) Negotiate with the external party to expedite their work 23\. You discover that the critical path duration is longer than the contractual project deadline. What is the most appropriate response? \- A) Add additional tasks to increase the project scope \- B) Reassess the task dependencies and apply schedule compression techniques \- C) Increase the budget to account for penalties \- D) Notify the client about the unavoidable delay Answer: B) Reassess the task dependencies and apply schedule compression techniques 24\. Your project schedule has been adjusted multiple times. What is a potential risk of frequent schedule changes? \- A) Reduced resource utilization \- B) Increased stakeholder trust \- C) Loss of schedule baseline integrity \- D) Enhanced schedule flexibility Answer: C) Loss of schedule baseline integrity 25\. The project team has identified a potential new critical path after implementing resource leveling. What should you prioritize? - - - - Answer: B) Conducting a detailed analysis of the new critical path activities 11\. What does \'lead time\' allow for in project scheduling? \- A) Delaying the start of a successor activity \- B) Overlapping tasks so a successor can begin before the predecessor finishes \- C) Adding extra time between tasks to mitigate risks \- D) Extending the project duration to accommodate delays Answer: B) Overlapping tasks so a successor can begin before the predecessor finishes 12\. Which type of dependency is most commonly influenced by project management decisions rather than inherent project requirements? \- A) Mandatory dependency \- B) Discretionary dependency \- C) External dependency \- D) Internal dependency Answer: B) Discretionary dependency 13\. In project scheduling, what is the primary purpose of using a milestone? \- A) To allocate additional resources \- B) To mark significant events or completion points in the project \- C) To extend the project deadline \- D) To identify high-risk tasks Answer: B) To mark significant events or completion points in the project 14\. What is a key characteristic of a Finish-to-Start (FS) dependency? \- A) The successor activity cannot start until the predecessor activity finishes \- B) The predecessor activity must start before the successor activity starts \- C) Both activities can start simultaneously \- D) The successor activity can only start after a lead time is applied Answer: A) The successor activity cannot start until the predecessor activity finishes 15\. Which scheduling technique adjusts task start and finish dates based on resource constraints? \- A) Critical Path Method (CPM) \- B) Resource Leveling \- C) Fast-Tracking \- D) Parametric Estimating Answer: B) Resource Leveling 16\. When would you use a \'Monte Carlo simulation\' in scheduling? \- A) To create a detailed network diagram \- B) To predict the probability of meeting the project schedule based on risk analysis \- C) To determine the critical path \- D) To allocate contingency reserves Answer: B) To predict the probability of meeting the project schedule based on risk analysis 17\. What is the primary purpose of \'lag time\' in a project schedule? \- A) To allow time for risk mitigation activities \- B) To create a delay between the finish of one activity and the start of another \- C) To fast-track the project schedule \- D) To reduce the duration of the project Answer: B) To create a delay between the finish of one activity and the start of another 18\. Which tool is most commonly used to display the project schedule and show task dependencies? \- A) Gantt Chart \- B) Pareto Chart \- C) Risk Matrix \- D) Histogram Answer: A) Gantt Chart 19\. In the context of scheduling, what is a \'hammock activity\'? \- A) A summary activity that spans multiple tasks \- B) A critical path activity with zero float \- C) An activity that is performed during the project's downtime \- D) An activity used to buffer against risks Answer: A) A summary activity that spans multiple tasks 20\. If an activity on the critical path is delayed, what is the immediate impact on the project? \- A) It will increase the project's total float \- B) It will delay the project's completion date \- C) It will have no impact on the project schedule \- D) It will reduce the number of project milestones Answer: B) It will delay the project's completion date 21\. Which scheduling technique is used when project tasks are performed in parallel to reduce the total duration? \- A) Resource Leveling \- B) Fast-Tracking \- C) Crashing \- D) Critical Chain Method Answer: B) Fast-Tracking 22\. What is the primary disadvantage of crashing a project schedule? \- A) It always increases the quality of the project \- B) It typically increases project costs due to additional resources \- C) It eliminates all float in the project schedule \- D) It reduces the need for stakeholder engagement Answer: B) It typically increases project costs due to additional resources 23\. In project scheduling, what does \'slack time\' (or float) represent? \- A) The total time needed to complete the project \- B) The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project's end date \- C) The time required for risk management activities \- D) The time allocated for quality assurance Answer: B) The amount of time an activity can be delayed without affecting the project's end date 24\. When is a \'Finish-to-Finish\' (FF) relationship typically used in scheduling? \- A) When one task must finish before another task can start \- B) When two tasks must finish at the same time \- C) When one task can start before the other task finishes \- D) When both tasks can be performed simultaneously without dependencies Answer: B) When two tasks must finish at the same time 25\. What is the main purpose of using \'baseline schedules\' in project management? \- A) To create a flexible schedule that changes frequently \- B) To provide a reference point for measuring actual performance against planned performance \- C) To eliminate the need for risk management \- D) To increase the overall project budget Answer: B) To provide a reference point for measuring actual performance against planned performance