Chp 6 - Schedule Management

Question 1

Schedule Management Process

Answer 1

Plan Schedule Management
Define Activities
Sequence Activities
Estimate Activity Durations
Develop Schedule
Control Schedule

Question 2

Precedence Diagramming Method

Answer 2

Finish to Start FS - Most common, activity must finish before the next can start
Start to Start SS - Activity must start before the next can start
Finish to Finish FF - Activity must finish before the next can finish
Start to Finish SF - Rarely used, activity must start before the next can finish

Question 3

Dependencies Determination

Answer 3

Mandatory dependency (hard logic) - inherent in the nature of the work or by contract
Discretionary (preferred, or soft logic) may choose to have work performed
External dependency - outside the project
Internal dependency - based on the needs of the project and project team may control

Question 4

Leads and Lags

Answer 4

Lead - activity can start before its predecessor activity is completed
Lag - waiting time inserted between activities…wait 3 days after pouring concrete before starting construction

Question 5

Estimating

Answer 5

Analogous - Expert Judgement and Historical info
Parametric - mathematical equation from Historical info
Three Point - Optimistic, Pessimistic, Most Likely
Triangular Distribution (Simple Average) - (P+M+O)/3
Beta Distribution (Weighted average) - (P+4M+O)/6
Bottom-Up - Detailed estimates for each activity

Question 6

Data Analysis

Answer 6

Alternatives Analysis - Close look at variables, in-house or outsource, manual test or software test
Reserve Analysis - Contingency/Management to deal with risk. Contingency is schedule based, Management is time and cost based and to handle unknow unknowns. Still require a change request

Question 7

Critical Path Methods

Answer 7

Critical Path-longest duration path
Near-Critical Path - closest in duration to the critical path
Float-aka Slack-Total, amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project tor milestone., Free, amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of its successor, Project or positive total float, time a project can be delayed without delaying the externally imposed project completion dated

Question 8

Float

Answer 8

Critical path has 0 float
Early Start, Late Start
Early Finish, Late Finish
Always start late for formula
Start Formula (LS-ES)
Finish Formula (LF=EF)

Question 9

Schedule Compression

Answer 9

Fast Tracking - doing items in parallel that were scheduled in series. Rework, risk, more attention to communication.
Crashing - adding or adjusting resources in order to compress the schedule. Always results in increased costs, may increase risk
Reduce Scope - save cost, resources, time. May negatively impact customer satisfaction
Cut Quality - may save cost, resources, time, risk. Requires good metrics, may negatively impact customer satisfaction

Question 10

Monte Carlo Analysis

Answer 10

Computer simulation of outcome based on three point estimates (OPM). simulates completion day, cost, critical path, risk

Question 11

Resource Optimization

Answer 11

Resource Leveling - deals with limited resources or varying durations based on limited resources.
Resource Smoothing - resources are leveled only within the limits of their float.