Schedule Flashcards
You’ve been assigned a project that is in the early stages of estimating. At this point, you only have a high-level understanding of the requirements and the WBS is decomposed only to level two. You have previously done this type of project before and the project sponsor is asking for an initial timeline along with milestone dates and minimal detail. Which of the following techniques should provide you the duration estimate?
a. Analogous estimating
b. Parametric estimating
c. Three-point risk analysis
d. Monte Carlo simulation
A. Analogous estimating is used for projects during the early phases when there aren’t a lot of details.
Which of the following techniques is a form of progressive elaboration, in which the work accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, whereas work further in the future is planned at a higher level?
a. Progressive detailing
b. Rolling wave planning
c. Schedule development
d. Parsing the data
B. Work can exist at various levels of detail depending on where it is in the project life cycle. During early strategic planning when information is less defined, work packages may be decomposed to the known level of detail. As more is known about the upcoming events in the near term, work packages can be further decomposed into activities.
A milestone list identifies all project milestones and indicates whether the milestone is mandatory, such as those required by contract, or optional, such as those based on historical information. Which of the following best describes a milestone?
a. A summary of the project schedule
b. A list of project constraints
c. Documented assumptions
d. A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio
D. By definition, a milestone is a significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio.
navigate. Based on some schedule revisions you made, Joe is now working 65 hours during Week 1, 12 hours during Week 2, and 30 hours during Week 3. What technique should you use to allocate Joe’s time better?
a. Crashing
b. Fast-tracking
c. What-if scenario analysis
d. Resource optimization
D. Use resource optimization to even out Joe’s schedule.
There is an issue with your project schedule. As the project manager, you need to determine whether you need to initiate a change request, take corrective action, or implement a preventive action. From the following options, select the answer that led you to believe there was an issue with the schedule.
a. Activity resources
b. Earned Value
c. Planned value
d. Schedule data
The best answer choice is D because it is the only option that is an input to the Control Schedule process
A technique used to estimate costs or durations by applying an average or weighted average of optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic values when there is a high degree of uncertainty with the individual activity estimates is called:
a. Analogous estimating
b. Three-point estimating
c. Parametric estimating
d. Statistical estimating
B. When a lot of uncertainty, risk, or unknowns surround an activity or a work package, you can use three-point estimating to give you a range and an expected duration.
navigate. What are the four inputs to plan schedule management?
a. Project management plan, project charter, EEFs, organizational process assets
b. Project charter, WBS, SOW, EEFs
c. SOW, product scope, requirements documents, acceptance criteria
d. Project management plan, project charter, project assumptions, project constraints
A. The four inputs are the project management plan, the project charter, the enterprise environmental factors (EEFs), and the organizational process assets
On your construction project, you’ve scheduled the “frame house” activity to immediately follow the “pour foundation” task. By definition, this is an example of what type of scheduling relationship?
a. Finish-to-start
b. Start-to-start
c. Finish-to-finish
d. Cannot be determined at this point
A. The start of the framing is dependent upon completion of the pour foundation task.
navigate. Brenda is working on a network diagram for her project schedule on a project management textbook her company is publishing. Her writers are working on the text and she wants to get the available drafts to her editors as soon as possible. She has determined that it is not necessary for the writers to complete the entire draft before the editors begin. How should Brenda show this relationship on her network diagram?
a. FS
b. SS
c. FS + 1
d. SF
B. The best answer choice is B. Although Brenda can supply her editors with the partial manuscript and have them begin editing before the manuscript is complete, this should be shown as a Start-to-Start relationship because the editors cannot begin their work before the writers have started their work. If Brenda wished to wait until the manuscript was complete before giving it to her editors, this would be shown as a Finish-to-Start relationship
navigate. Your project sponsor has asked you what the impact on the schedule would be if one of the resources on your team was pulled off and put on another project. What technique should you use to determine the impact?
a. Variance analysis
b. What-if scenario analysis
c. Fast-tracking
d. Resource leveling
B. A what-if scenario analysis will show how the schedule will be affected by losing the resources
Plan Schedule Management is the process of establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for the planning, development, management, execution, and controlling of the project schedule. The key inputs to this process include each of the following EXCEPT:
a. The project charter
b. The scope management plan
c. The development approach
d. The schedule management plan
D. The schedule management plan is an output to the process, not an input.
An analytical technique used to determine the essential features and relationships of components in the project management plan to establish a reserve for the schedule duration, budget, estimated cost, or funds for a project is called:
a. Reserve analysis
b. Contingency planning
c. Cost/benefit analysis
d. Scope padding
A. Reserve analysis is an analytical technique to determine the essential features and relationships of components in the project management plan to establish a reserve for the schedule duration, budget, estimated cost, or funds for a project.
navigate. Which of the following allows the project team to place buffers on any project schedule path to allow for limited resources?
a. Critical Path Method
b. Critical Chain Method
c. Fast-tracking
d. Resource leveling
The best answer choice is B. The critical chain method uses buffers to allow for project uncertainties.
navigate. The technique of compressing a project schedule resulting in an incremental cost increase defines which of the following techniques?
a. Fast tracking
b. Crashing
c. Resource leveling
d. All of the above
The best answer choice is B because crashing can provide schedule compression but typically results in increased project costs.
The PMO at your organization requires project managers to use the Critical Path Method to create their project schedules. Which of the following best describes this requirement?
a. Enterprise environmental factor
b. Organizational process asset
c. Project scheduling methodology
d. Projectized organizational structure
The best answer choice is C because the Critical Path Method represents a project scheduling methodology.
I can’t start the installation of the roof shingles until after the roof frame is complete.” This is an example of which type of dependency?
a. Discretionary
b. Mandatory
c. Finish-to-finish
d. Start-to-start
B. A mandatory dependency is a relationship that is contractually required or inherent in the nature of the work
Which of the following are outputs of the Control Schedule process?
a. Schedule forecasts
b. Work performance data
c. Project calendars
d. Schedule data
The best answer choice is A because all of the other choices are inputs to the Control Schedule process.
Which of the following choices best defines the sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project and determines the shortest possible duration?
a. Earned Value calculation
b. Critical chain
c. Critical path
d. WBS
The best answer choice is C because critical path is the term described in the question.
Xavier is concerned with the project schedule and needs to perform some analysis. Which of the following tools and techniques should he consider for his analysis?
a. CPI and CV
b. SV and SPI
c. EV and PV
d. AC and BAC
The best answer choice is B. Tools used in the variance analysis activity for the Control Schedule process include Schedule Variance (SV) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI).
Variance analysis is conducted periodically throughout the project. In addition to identifying variances, a variance analysis should also address which of the following?
a. The cost of taking corrective action
b. The root cause of the variance
c. How best to communicate the variance to a client
d. Who should be held responsible for the variance
B. Variance analysis shouldn’t just identify variances; it should also address the root cause of the variance and whether corrective or preventive actions are desired or even possible.
Activities are the actions needed to create the deliverables. Activity attributes can include which of the following?
a. Constraints and assumptions
b. Milestones
c. Certification requirements
d. Cost estimates
A. Multiple activity attributes can be associated with each scheduled activity that may be included within the activity list. Activity attributes include activity identifier or code (usually an extension from the WBS numbering scheme); activity description; predecessor and successor activities; logical relationships; leads and lags; imposed dates; constraints; assumptions; required resources and skill levels; geographic location of performance; and the type of effort.
You are developing duration estimates for your schedule. What input would you use to identify the working days and shifts upon which each specific resource is available?
a. The project management plan
b. A precedence diagram
c. A network diagram
d. A resource calendar
D. A resource calendar can be quite complex. Information you might compile for a resource calendar includes the skill levels of human resources, the geographic location of work, resource availability, the corporate calendar, and constraints on the number of hours per day a resource can be used
If you need to reduce schedule duration and you want to overlap activities, you would:
a. Crash and schedule
b. Add more resources
c. Fast-track
d. Work overtime
C. Fast-tracking is doing activities in parallel that would normally be done sequentially.
Tom is working in a weak matrix organization and is managing a new project. He is experiencing some issues with resource availability coinciding with his resource requirements at specific times in the project execution. After considering his options, and realizing he does not have any additional budget to use for acquiring more human resources, Tom has decided to optimize the resources he has. Which of the following methods would be most appropriate based on this scenario?
a. Crashing
b. Update schedule baseline
c. Resource leveling
d. Update project budget
The best answer choice is C. Because resource availability is typically low in a weak matrix organization, resource leveling is Tom’s best option because critical resources are only available at certain times.
navigate. What is a schedule change?
a. A modification to the schedule data that does not impact the baseline schedule
b. A modification to the schedule based on entering the information regarding the project’s progress
c. An unapproved modification of the schedule implemented outside the Perform Integrated Change Control process
d. A modification of the schedule that has been through the Perform Integrated Change Control process and has been approved.
D. A schedule change is an approved modification of the schedule that has been through the Perform Integrated Change Control process
You are evaluating ways to compress your project schedule. In doing so, you determine that you can overlap part of the development phase with part of the testing phase. What technique are you using to compress the schedule?
a. Fast-tracking
b. Crashing
c. Resource leveling
d. Contract renegotiation
A. Per the PMBOK® Guide definition, fast-tracking is a schedule compression technique in which activities or phases normally done in sequence are performed in parallel for at least a portion of their duration.
navigate. Pamela is working on her project schedule. She is including all of the work packages from the WBS and developing a network diagram. She has determined the longest path through the project resulting in the shortest duration. What has she determined?
a. The critical chain
b. The critical path
c. The milestone list
d. The free float and total float
The best answer choice is B. The critical path is the sequence of activities representing the longest path through the project, which determines the shortest duration.
______is the sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration.
a. Forward pass
b. Critical path
c. Backward pass
d. Float
B. Critical path is the sequence of activities that represents the longest path through a project, which determines the shortest possible duration.
A technique used to shorten the schedule duration for the least incremental cost by adding resources is called:
a. Schedule compression
b. Crashing the schedule
c. Fast-tracking the schedule
d. Floating the schedule
B. Bringing in more resources, working overtime, and paying to expedite deliverables are all ways to crash the schedule
A component of the project or program management plan that establishes the criteria and activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule is called:
a. The performance criteria
b. The schedule management plan
c. Milestone management
d. Exception reports
B. The schedule management plan can be high level with only a few paragraphs, or it can be quite detailed as necessary. It is up to the project manager and project team to appropriately scale it to the size and needs of the project or program.
“I cannot continue the next part of my project until a vendor shipment arrives onsite.” This statement best describes which of the following relationship types?
a. Reliant relationship
b. External dependency
c. Discretionary dependency
d. Mandatory dependency
B. Per the PMBOK® Guide definition, an external dependency is a relationship between project activities and non-project activities.
Which of the following statements about developing a schedule is true?
a. The schedule is frequently accepted as long as the activity, resource, and duration estimates are accurate.
b. The schedule is often progressively elaborated using rolling wave planning.
c. A schedule can be developed using only the duration estimates.
d. The baseline schedule is used to track and manage the day to day work
B. Rolling wave planning allows more detail to be added to the schedule as it becomes known. Often on long term projects the details of upcoming work are not known until 60-90 days prior to the work starting.
navigate. Clarence is monitoring the progress of his project. The Planned value of the project at this point is $480,000. However, when checking the actual performance, the Earned Value is $320,000. Clarence needs to determine the variance of the to-date performance. From the following list, select the formula Clarence should use to determine the difference between the work completed to a point in time and the work planned to be completed at that same point.
a. VAC = BAC – EAC
b. SV = EV – PV
c. SPI = EV / PV
d. CPI = EV / AC
The best answer choice is B. The Schedule Variance (SV) represents the amount by which the project is ahead or behind the planned delivery date.
navigate. Valerie is busy determining the activity durations on her project. One of her team members has been assigned the work package involving the printing of a three-part sequential mailing to potential prospects for their client’s photographic services. The team member informs Valerie that she estimates the time required to be four days. However, if her work load changes, the time could expand to six days. It is possible that she could get the work done in two days if everything goes as planned and there are no glitches with the mailing lists. If Valerie uses the three-point estimating technique. She has decided to use both the triangular distribution and the beta distribution methods. What results will Valeria come up with by using these two methods?
a. Beta: 4. Triangular: 3
b. Beta: 4. Triangular: 4
c. Beta: 3. Triangular: 4
The best answer choice is B. Both methods result in the same answer.
Schedule network analysis is the overarching technique used to generate the project schedule model. It employs several techniques, including each of the following, with the exception of which technique?
a. Process analysis
b. Critical path method
c. Resource optimization
d. What-if scenario analysis
A. In practice, schedule network analysis is an iterative process that is employed until a viable schedule model is developed. Process analysis is used to improve a process, not develop a schedule.
As the project manager for a software development project, you are in the process of estimating the activity durations for the coding portion. The project requirements specify that the software coding is targeted at 1,000 lines of code. The person responsible for the coding informs you that she is usually capable of writing 1,000 lines of code in approximately 9 days. If she is busy with other projects, it could take up to 12 days to write the same amount of code. If things are going great with no interruptions, she can accomplish the same production level in only 6 days. Based on her estimates, and using the beta distribution or PERT model of three-point estimating, what is the activity duration for writing 1,000 lines of code?
a. 8 days
b. 16 days
c. 12 days
d. 9 days
The best answer choice is D. The formula for beta distribution in three-point estimating is tE = (tO + 4tM + tP) / 6, which equates to [6 + (4 × 9) + 12] / 6 or (6 + 36 + 12) / 6 = 9
You’ve been assigned a project that is in the concept phase. You have a high-level understanding of the requirements, and the WBS is decomposed only to Level 2. You have done this type of project before. The sponsor wants an initial timeline: nothing detailed, just milestone dates. What technique should you use to provide the duration estimate?
a. Analogous estimating
b. Parametric estimating
c. Three-point estimating
d. Monte Carlo simulation
Analogous estimating is used for projects during the early phases when there aren’t a lot of details.
navigate. Paul is working on scheduling his project. He is in the early stage and will perform a progressive elaboration later in the week as more information becomes available. At this point, he is only interested in the planned dates of the major deliverables. Which of the following is Paul creating?
a. PERT
b. Critical Chain Method
c. Critical Path Method
d. Milestone schedule
The best answer choice is D because a milestone schedule presents milestones with planned dates.
Which of the variance analysis tools and techniques listed below are included in the Control Schedule process?
a. EV and AC
b. SV and SPI
c. RAM and RBS
d. CV and CPI
The best answer choice is B. Schedule Variance (SV) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI) are both schedule variance analysis tools and techniques used in the Control Schedule process.
Which method of estimating activity duration is best for projects that have a lot of uncertainty or risk?
a. Analogous estimating
b. Parametric estimating
c. Three-point estimates
d. Statistical estimates
C. When a lot of uncertainty, risk, or unknowns surround an activity or a work package, you can use three-point estimating to give you a range and an expected duration.
Critical path and Agile are two terms related to
a. Scheduling tool
b. Schedule data
c. Scheduling methodology
d. Schedule model
C. Scheduling methodology refers to the method used to build a schedule. Critical path and critical chain are two common methodologies.
navigate. Clara is trying to determine whether her project will finish on time. She is trying to determine whether she is ahead or behind schedule at this point in time. Which of the following calculations should Clara perform?
a. EV
b. TCPI
c. CPI
d. SV
The best answer choice is D. Clara is calculating the Schedule Variance (SV), which measure the amount by which the project is ahead or behind the planned delivery date.
A critical path method for calculating the late start and late finish dates by working backward through the schedule model from the project end date is called:
a. Backwards scheduling
b. Backwards planning
c. Backward pass
d. Float calculations
C. The forward pass of the critical path method is used to calculate the early dates in the schedule model; the backward pass is used to calculate the late dates.
The collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule is called:
a. Schedule model
b. Scheduling methodology
c. Schedule data
d. Scheduling tool
C. Schedule data is the collection of information for describing and controlling the schedule.
navigate. Joan is managing a new project tasked with creating, developing, and launching a new social media site on the Internet. There is a lot to do, and it appears to be an overwhelming task with multiple phases of work and deliverables. In order to get a better idea of the overall scope, Joan has decided to concentrate on the work that needs to be accomplished in the near term, plan that work out in detail, and develop a lesser degree of detail for the work that will be accomplished in the future. What type of iterative planning technique is Joan using?
a. Monte Carlo simulation
b. Rolling stone planning
c. Progressive iteration
d. Rolling wave planning
The best answer choice is D. Joan is using an Iterative process and a form of progressive elaboration known as rolling wave planning, in which the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while the work in the future is planned at a higher level.
The unanticipated absence of a key project team member is threatening to put your project behind schedule. From the following choices, select the one that is the best method for maintaining your project schedule baseline without increasing costs.
a. Schedule baseline revision
b. Resource leveling
c. Crashing the project
d. SPI
The best answer choice is B because resource leveling is the best choice for maintaining the project schedule baseline without increasing cost.
navigate. Your project sponsor is considering pulling a resource off your project and has asked that you determine what the impact to the schedule would be. Which of the following techniques would you use to determine this impact?
a. Variance analysis
b. Fast-tracking
c. Resource leveling
d. What-if scenario analysis
D
In a project to produce a concert, the activities of publicity and ticket sales are arranged so that as soon as Bill begins publicizing the concert, the tickets can go on sale. This is an example of what kind of relationship?
a. Start-to-Finish
b. Finish-to-Finish
c. Finish-to-Start
d. Start-to-Start
D. The start of the ticket sales is dependent on the start of the publicity.
navigate. When the agile approach is used, conducting retrospectives is for correcting and improving, if required. Which of the following best describes the activity “conducting retrospectives”?
a. Scheduled reviews to record lessons learned
b. Reprioritizing the remaining work
c. Determining the rate at which deliverables are produced
d. Managing actual changes as they occur
A. Conducting retrospectives are scheduled reviews to record lessons learned and are performed for the purpose of correcting processes and improving, if necessary.
Inputs required to develop the project schedule include the schedule management plan, activity list, attributes and durations, resource calendars, and a resource breakdown structure, along with which of the following planning tools?
a. A Statement of Work
b. Cost estimates
c. Risk analysis
d. Project schedule network diagram
D. A project schedule network diagram is a graphical representation of the logical relationships among the project schedule activities. To develop a schedule, all the schedule data is combined into a scheduling tool
Based on the current schedule forecast, Mary is overallocated in week 3 of the project. To fix this by better allocating Mary’s time in the project, what technique would you use?
a. Fast-tracking
b. Resource optimization
c. What-if analysis
d. Crashing
B. Per the PMBOK® Guide definition, resource optimization is a technique in which activity start and finish dates are adjusted to balance demand for resources with the available supply. Resource optimization includes resource leveling and resource smoothing.
The process of identifying and documenting relationships among project activities is called:
a. Define Activities
b. Sequence Activities
c. Resource loading
d. Activity definition
B. The process defines the logical sequence of work to obtain the greatest efficiency, given all project constraints
Sharon is managing a new project and has just completed her calculations for SV and SPI. Both calculations have resulted in numbers greater than 1.0. Based on this result, what is the status or Sharon’s project at the present time?
a. Ahead of schedule
b. Behind schedule
c. On schedule
d. Over budget
The best answer choice is A. When calculating Schedule Variance (SV) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI) a resulting number greater than one indicates the project is ahead of schedule. 1.0 means it is on schedule. A number less than 1.0 indicates behind schedule.
You decide to test two software components at the same time instead of sequentially. In addition, you’re changing the dependencies on some other tasks from a finish-to-start to a finish-to-finish with a lag. What type of technique are you using?
a. Crashing
b. Fast-tracking
c. Resource leveling
d. What-if scenario analysis
B. Doing activities in parallel instead of sequentially is an example of fast-tracking.
What is a milestone?
a. A summary of the project schedule
b. A list of project constraints
c. A significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio
d. Documentation of the defined activities
C. Milestones are the significant points or events in a project, program, or portfolio.
Which of the following should be included in the project charter?
a. The communication plan
b. The business need the project will address
c. The unidentified risks
d. The stakeholder management plan
The best answer choice is B. The project begins with a business need, which should be included in the project charter.
The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint is called:
a. Total float
b. Free float
c. Schedule compression
d. Lag time
B. Per the PMBOK® Guide definition, free float is the amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor or violating a schedule constraint.
navigate. Inputs for developing a schedule include the schedule management plan; activity list, attributes and duration; resource calendars, resource breakdown structure, and
a. Network diagram
b. Project charter
c. Statement of work
d. Cost estimates
A. To develop a schedule, all the schedule data is combined into a scheduling tool. To begin this process, you take outputs from all the previous scheduling processes: schedule management plan, activity list, activity attributes, activity resource requirements, resource calendars, activity duration estimates, resource breakdown structure, and network diagrams
When a predecessor activity must finish before the successor can begin, this is known as what type of logical relationship?
a. Finish-to-Finish
b. Start-to-Start
c. Finish-to-Start (FS)
d. Start-to-Finish
C. Finsh-to-start is the most common type of logical relationship. The predecessor activity must finish before the successor can begin.
Bringing in more resources, working overtime, and paying to expedite deliverables are all ways of accomplishing
a. Forward passing
b. Crashing
c. Fast tracking
d. Resource optimization
B. Crashing looks for cost/schedule trade-offs to get the most schedule compression for the least amount of money. Some common ways of accomplishing this include bringing in more resources, working overtime, and paying to expedite deliverables.
