CH6 CPIS334

Question 1

What is Schedule Management?

Answer 1

It’s the process of defining project tasks, durations, dependencies, and resources to complete a project on time.

Question 2

Why is time a common source of conflict in projects?

Answer 2

Because time is easy to measure and has the least flexibility—it passes regardless of what happens.

Question 3

Name one benefit of effective project scheduling.

Answer 3

It leads to project success, reduced cost, and increased customer satisfaction.

Question 4

What is the first step in Project Time Management?

Answer 4

Plan Schedule Management.

Question 5

What does “Defining Activities” mean?

Answer 5

Identifying specific tasks that need to be done to deliver the project.

Question 6

What is “Sequencing Activities”?

Answer 6

Identifying and documenting relationships between tasks.

Question 7

What tool is used for sequencing activities?

Answer 7

Network Diagram.

Question 8

What is “Estimating Activity Resources”?

Answer 8

Estimating how many resources are needed for each task.

Question 9

What is “Estimating Activity Durations”?

Answer 9

Determining the number of work periods required to finish activities.

Question 10

What tool helps estimate activity durations?

Answer 10

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique).

Question 11

What is “Developing the Schedule”?

Answer 11

Creating a detailed timeline based on activity sequences, durations, and resources.

Question 12

Name three tools for scheduling.

Answer 12

Gantt Charts, Network Diagrams, Critical Path Method (CPM).

Question 13

What is “Controlling the Schedule”?

Answer 13

Monitoring and managing changes to the project timeline.

Question 14

What is the main goal of project scheduling?

Answer 14

To provide a realistic and trackable project timeline.

Question 15

What is a Gantt Chart?

Answer 15

A visual representation of a project schedule over time.

Question 16

What does a Network Diagram show?

Answer 16

Logical relationships and sequencing of project activities.

Question 17

What does PDM stand for?

Answer 17

Precedence Diagramming Method.

Question 18

What does AOA stand for?

Answer 18

Activity-On-Arrow diagram.

Question 19

What is a “Node” in a network diagram?

Answer 19

It marks the start or end of an activity.

Question 20

What is the difference between AOA and PDM?

Answer 20

AOA uses arrows for activities, PDM uses boxes.

Question 21

What is a “Finish-to-Start” dependency?

Answer 21

A successor activity can’t start until its predecessor finishes.

Question 22

What is a “Start-to-Start” dependency?

Answer 22

Successor activity can start when the predecessor starts.

Question 23

What is a “Finish-to-Finish” dependency?

Answer 23

Successor activity finishes only when the predecessor finishes.

Question 24

What is a “Start-to-Finish” dependency?

Answer 24

Successor cannot finish before the predecessor starts.

Question 25

What are the types of dependencies?

Answer 25

Mandatory, Discretionary, and External.

Question 26

What is a three-point estimate?

Answer 26

It includes Optimistic, Most Likely, and Pessimistic durations.

Question 27

Formula for PERT weighted average?

Answer 27

(Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic) ÷ 6.

Question 28

Example: optimistic=8, most likely=10, pessimistic=24. What’s the PERT average?

Answer 28

(8 + 4×10 + 24) ÷ 6 = 12 days.

Question 29

What is the output of duration estimating?

Answer 29

Activity duration estimates, basis of estimates, and document updates.

Question 30

What is a critical path?

Answer 30

The longest path through a network with the least slack, determining the project duration.

Question 31

Why is the critical path important?

Answer 31

Any delay in its tasks delays the entire project.

Question 32

What is Slack or Float?

Answer 32

Time an activity can be delayed without affecting project finish.

Question 33

What does zero slack mean?

Answer 33

The activity is critical.

Question 34

Can a project have more than one critical path?

Answer 34

Yes, if multiple paths have the same longest duration.

Question 35

What is a Forward Pass?

Answer 35

Calculates earliest start (ES) and finish (EF) times.

Question 36

What is a Backward Pass?

Answer 36

Calculates latest start (LS) and finish (LF) times.

Question 37

ES formula?

Answer 37

ES = Largest EF of predecessors.

Question 38

EF formula?

Answer 38

EF = ES + duration.

Question 39

LS formula?

Answer 39

LS = LF - duration.

Question 40

LF formula?

Answer 40

LF = Smallest LS of successors.

Question 41

What happens if an activity on the critical path is delayed?

Answer 41

The entire project is delayed unless corrective action is taken.

Question 42

What does it mean when LS = ES?

Answer 42

The activity is on the critical path.

Question 43

What if the LF and EF are equal?

Answer 43

The activity has no slack; it’s critical.

Question 44

In the backward pass, how is the LF for the last activity determined?

Answer 44

It is set to the EF of that last activity.

Question 45

What are the steps to find the critical path?

Answer 45

Create network diagram, calculate all paths’ durations, identify longest path with zero slack.

Question 46

What is the purpose of schedule trade-offs?

Answer 46

To manage constraints and balance resources, time, and costs.

Question 47

What does the critical chain scheduling focus on?

Answer 47

Managing resource availability and buffers to protect the project schedule.

Question 48

What are buffers in critical chain scheduling?

Answer 48

Extra time added to protect critical tasks from delays.

Question 49

Which scheduling method is used when uncertainty is high?

Answer 49

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique).

Question 50

What is the purpose of the project calendar?

Answer 50

It defines working days and non-working days for project scheduling.

Question 51

What are project management plan updates in scheduling?

Answer 51

Adjustments made to reflect changes in scope, time, or resources.

Question 52

What is the output of the “Develop Schedule” process?

Answer 52

Project schedule, calendars, and schedule data.

Question 53

What do schedule data include?

Answer 53

Activity attributes, assumptions, constraints, and milestones.

Question 54

What’s the significance of the longest path in a network?

Answer 54

It defines the shortest time to complete the project (critical path).

Question 55

What is early start (ES)?

Answer 55

The soonest an activity can start based on its dependencies.

Question 56

What is early finish (EF)?

Answer 56

The earliest an activity can be completed.

Question 57

What is late start (LS)?

Answer 57

The latest an activity can begin without delaying the project.

Question 58

What is late finish (LF)?

Answer 58

The latest an activity can finish without affecting the project deadline.

Question 59

What is the formula for slack time?

Answer 59

Slack = LS - ES or Slack = LF - EF.

Question 60

What does zero slack time indicate?

Answer 60

The activity is on the critical path.

Question 61

In an activity list: A=2d, B=3d, C after A, D after B. What is the ES of C?

Answer 61

2 days.

Question 62

In the same list, what is the EF of D if B’s EF is 3 and D is 4 days?

Answer 62

7 days.

Question 63

If activity G has predecessors D and E with EF of 7 and 8, what’s G’s ES?

Answer 63

8 (the larger EF).

Question 64

If F starts after C and takes 3 days, and C finishes at day 4, when does F finish?

Answer 64

Day 7.

Question 65

Which activity has slack if LS > ES?

Answer 65

Any non-critical activity.

Question 66

Path 1: A-B-C-D = 10d, Path 2: E-F-G = 12d. Which is critical?

Answer 66

Path 2, as it’s longer.

Question 67

What is a milestone in scheduling?

Answer 67

A significant point or event in a project.

Question 68

Example of mandatory dependency?

Answer 68

Code must be written before testing can begin.

Question 69

Example of discretionary dependency?

Answer 69

Choosing to write documentation after development, even if it could start earlier.

Question 70

What’s an external dependency?

Answer 70

A dependency outside the project team’s control, like a vendor delivery.

Question 71

What is a resource histogram?

Answer 71

A bar chart showing resource usage over time.

Question 72

What’s the first step to converting WBS to a network diagram?

Answer 72

Arrange tasks in sequence based on dependencies.

Question 73

What is the role of nodes in AOA diagrams?

Answer 73

Represent start/end of activities.

Question 74

What is the role of arrows in AOA?

Answer 74

Represent activities.

Question 75

What is a project deliverable?

Answer 75

A tangible or intangible product or result from the project.

Question 76

What makes a schedule realistic?

Answer 76

It reflects actual durations, resource availability, and dependencies.

Question 77

What is one use of critical path analysis?

Answer 77

Identify tasks that cannot be delayed.

Question 78

What is float in project management?

Answer 78

Synonym for slack—time a task can slip.

Question 79

What is a work period?

Answer 79

A unit of time, such as a day or week, during which work is performed.

Question 80

What do you calculate after estimating activity durations?

Answer 80

The project schedule.

Question 81

What does a Precedence Network Diagram show?

Answer 81

The sequence and dependencies of project activities.

Question 82

What does CPM stand for?

Answer 82

Critical Path Method.

Question 83

What does a CPM diagram help predict?

Answer 83

Total project duration.

Question 84

Why is it important to calculate all paths in a network?

Answer 84

To find the critical path and understand which tasks can be delayed.

Question 85

What is the longest path through a network called?

Answer 85

The critical path.

Question 86

What’s the formula to calculate EF?

Answer 86

EF = ES + Duration.

Question 87

What’s the formula to calculate LS?

Answer 87

LS = LF - Duration.

Question 88

What do you do if there are multiple critical paths?

Answer 88

Monitor all of them carefully as any delay can affect the project.

Question 89

What’s the significance of zero slack in scheduling?

Answer 89

Indicates a task is critical with no room for delay.

Question 90

What does a three-point estimate improve?

Answer 90

The accuracy of duration predictions by considering uncertainty.

Question 91

In PERT, what kind of time estimates are used?

Answer 91

Probabilistic: optimistic, most likely, pessimistic.

Question 92

What is the purpose of activity sequencing?

Answer 92

To identify the logical order of tasks and their dependencies.

Question 93

What is included in the “Plan Schedule Management” process?

Answer 93

Policies, procedures, and documentation for managing the schedule.

Question 94

What is a project calendar?

Answer 94

A timetable showing working and non-working days.

Question 95

How does project scheduling affect cost?

Answer 95

Efficient scheduling reduces overall project costs.

Question 96

What is a scheduling constraint?

Answer 96

A limitation that affects when an activity can start or finish.

Question 97

What tool visually displays activity start/end times?

Answer 97

A Gantt chart.

Question 98

What is the final goal of controlling the schedule?

Answer 98

Ensuring the project is completed on time.

Question 99

What does “update project documents” involve in time management?

Answer 99

Adjusting plans and data based on new schedule information.

Question 100

What are the 7 main processes in Project Time Management?

Answer 100

Plan schedule, define activities, sequence, estimate resources, estimate durations, develop schedule, control schedule.