Module 05

Question 1

Project Consists of Two Main Components. What components?

Answer 1

The project work that needs to be performed

The schedule to perform the work

Question 2

What makes up the the Project Work (Scope)

Answer 2

The Project Charter
The Scope Statement
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Question 3

What makes up the the Project Schedule

Answer 3

What activities need to be performed
Who will perform them
When will the activities be performed

Question 4

Output of Activity Definition?

Answer 4

Activity List
Activity Attributes
Milestone List and Requested Changes to WBS

Question 5

What is an Activity List

Answer 5

All activities necessary and sufficient to produce the product deliverables

Defined in sufficient detail to promote understanding by project team

Question 6

How do we identify activities?

Answer 6

Select systems development life cycle model (SLCM)

Map life cycle process activities to SLCM using available standards and guidelines

Question 7

What is Activity Sequencing

Answer 7

Identifies the dependencies among the schedule activities and orders the activities accordingly

Tasks may have dependencies because they require the same resource

Question 8

Precedence Relationships?

Answer 8

Finish to Start
-Initiation of the successor activity depends upon completion of the predecessor activity

Finish to Finish
-The completion of the successor activity depends upon the completion of the predecessor activity

Start to start
-The initiation of the successor activity depends upon the initiation of the predecessor activity

Start to finish
-The completion of the successor activity depends upon the initiation of the predecessor activity

Question 9

Three Types of Dependencies, what are they?

Answer 9

Mandatory Dependencies

Discretionary Dependencies

External Dependencies

Question 10

Mandatory Dependencies

Answer 10

Inherent to the schedule activities (e.g. software must be developed before it can be tested)

Question 11

Discretionary Dependencies

Answer 11

Dependencies at the discretion of the project team (e.g. acceptance test with marketing before accounting)

Question 12

External Dependencies

Answer 12

Involves a relationship between a project activity and a non-project activity (e.g. Windows Vista Delivered)

Question 13

Critical Path

Answer 13

The longest path (sequence of activities) in a project schedule network

Question 14

Early Start

Answer 14

The earliest an activity can start. It is the largest early finish time of all its immediate predecessors.

Question 15

Early Finish

Answer 15

The earliest an activity can finish if all its preceding activities are finished by their early finish times

Question 16

Late Start

Answer 16

The latest an activity can start and not delay a succeeding activity

Question 17

Late Finish

Answer 17

The latest an activity can finish and not delay a succeeding activity

Question 18

Float Time (Slack)

Answer 18

Time an activity can be delayed and not become critical

Question 19

Project Network Calculations

Answer 19

Early Start and Early Finish
-Forward Pass Through the Network
Late Start and Late Finish
-Backward Pass through the Network
Slack or Float
-Late Start – Early Start

Question 20

Critical Path Method? (Schedule Network Analysis)

Answer 20

Used to identify the schedule flexibility

The critical path is the longest path (sequence of activities) in a project schedule network diagram

Determines the length of the project

Question 21

Resource Leveling (Schedule Network Analysis)

Answer 21

Involves taking a part of the resources from one activity and assigning it to another

Change the durations and possible the critical path

Question 22

Crashing (Schedule Compression)

Answer 22

Used to decrease the project duration with minimal additional cost

A number of alternatives are considered, including adding additional resources

Question 23

Fast Tracking (Schedule Compression)

Answer 23

Decrease project duration by performing project phases or some schedule activities within a phase in parallel that would normally be performed in sequence

Question 24

Schedule Development Output

Answer 24

Project Schedule Network Diagram
Gantt Chart
Milestone Chart
Schedule Baseline

Question 25

How are project schedule represented?

Answer 25

The Gantt chart

Question 26

What is a Gantt chart

Answer 26

The Gantt chart shows tasks, dependencies and milestones using different shapes

Question 27

Schedule Development Concerns

Answer 27

Actual start date

Uncertainty on the availability of resources
Identification and preparation for activities on the critical path

Risks involved or “what if” scenarios

The hard start/finish dates for activities or for the project that came down the pipeline from important stakeholders