Exam 9: Project Scheduling: Networks, Duration Estimation, and Critical Path

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.

An activity has an expected duration and an expected cost.Another name for an activity is a(n):

What is the late finish time for Activity D given the activity times and precedence requirements shown in the table? Activity Time Predecessor A 5 -- B 7 -- 8 A 7 A 4 8 , , 7

Consider a project composed of activities X and Y having equal length and performed in that order.Both activities can be laddered such that the first half of each activity is the predecessor for its own second half,so X1 precedes X2 and Y1 precedes Y2.The first half of X1 is also the predecessor for Y1.If the laddering procedure were performed again activities X and Y would be divided in four parts each,with precedence working as it did in the first split.Derive an expression for the minimum length of the project as laddering increases.

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.

The least amount of float is found:

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.

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?

Discuss any five approaches to reducing the critical path.Which is the most effective and which is the most difficult to achieve? Why?

A project has the precedence requirements and activity durations shown in the table.After he draws the network,the project manager decides that activities H and I can be represented by a hammock activity.What are the early start and late finish times associated with this hammock activity? Tirne Predecessor 7 B 8 13 8 7 6 11 12 14 ,,

Draw a network of any size that has at least one of each of the following features: merge activity,burst activity,hammock activity,ladder activity,critical path,serial activities,concurrent activities,and float.Mark these features on your network.

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

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

The term network logic means:

Activity Z has estimates a = 5,b = 12,m = 7;activity X has estimates a = 5,b = 11,m = 6;and activity Y has estimates a = 3,b = 11,m = 8.Which of the following statements is BEST?

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

Use the values in the table to calculate activity durations and variances for the project.What is the likelihood of finishing this project within 47 days? Activity Predecessor Optimistic Likely Pessimistic - 5 8 11 15 20 25 7 9 12 12 16 20 , 3 11 15 13 17 22 , 8 9 10

What are hammock activities and when should they be used?

A gentleman farmer maniacally works on academic projects to raise funds for his true passion,farming.He has identified seven tasks and developed three time estimates (all in days)of the next big project on the farm,replacing the fence at the comedy pasture.Tasks,precedence requirements,and time estimates are shown in the table.What is the late finish for the Plant Posts activity? Optimistic Most Likely Pessimistic Activity time time time Predecessor Corner Posts 4 5 6 - String Line 7 8 9 -- Dig Holes 10 12 14 Corner Posts Plant Posts 11 14 17 String Line Weld Top Bar 8 11 14 String Line Dig Holes, Plant Paint 9 11 13 Posts Tack Wire 9 12 16 Weld Top Bar

What is the underlying theory to the three time estimates approach? What data distribution should be applied in this case and what confidence should a project manager place in the calculations associated with this technique?