Schedule Management Knowledge Area

Question 1

Define Project Scheduling

Answer 1

represents how and when the project will deliver services, products and resulted defined in the project scope and aids with performance reporting and communications

Question 2

How do schedule considerations differ in an agile/ adaptive framework?

Answer 2

often short cycles are used to start work allowing for rapid feedback and manifest as on-demand (such as Kanban) and iterative schedules (with a backlog)

Question 3

Define Project Schedule Network Diagram

Answer 3

a graphical depiction of the relationships among project activities

Question 4

Define Precedence Diagramming Method

Answer 4

a network diagramming method using rectangles (nodes) to represent activities and arrows to show logical relationships between the activities; AKA Activity-on-Node

Question 5

What are the (4) types of Dependencies

Answer 5

Finish to Start
Finish to Finish
Start to Start
Start to Finish

Question 6

Define Lead

Answer 6

Starting an activity prior to completion of the preceding activity; getting a head-start on an activity

Question 7

Define Lag

Answer 7

Delaying the start of an activity after the completion of a preceding activity; delaying an activity

Question 8

Define Bottom-Up Estimating

Answer 8

breaking a project or activity down in smaller components that are easier to estimate, then aggregating those costs or durations

Question 9

Define Analogous Estimating

Answer 9

using a previous project or activity as a starting point to estimate activity costs or activity durations

Question 10

Define Parametric Estimating

Answer 10

using statistical relationship to calculate cost or duration; typically involves multiplying the number of units by a cost or duration per unit

Question 11

3 Point Estimating

Answer 11

a weighted average method used to increase estimation accuracy; uses Optimistic, Pessimistic and Most Likely estimates to calculate the estimated activity cost or duration

Beta Distribution Formula (PERT) and Triangular

Question 12

What is the Beta Distribution Formula?

Answer 12

AKA PERT

(O+4*ML+P)/6

Question 13

What is the Triangular Distribution Formula?

Answer 13

(O+ML+P)/3

Question 14

Define Reserve Analysis

Answer 14

contingency reserves used to account for schedule or cost uncertainty (risks)

Question 15

Define Critical Path

Answer 15

the path of activities along which any delays will cause the project to be delayed; the longest duration path through the schedule network diagram; the chain of tasks which all have the least amount of float (normally zero)

Question 16

Define Total Float (Slack)

Answer 16

the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project completion date

Question 17

Define Free Float

Answer 17

the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the earliest following (successor) activity

Question 18

Define Critical Path Method

Answer 18

a schedule analysis method calculating the shortest path for the project, float for each activity, and possible start and finish dates for each activity

Question 19

What are (2) schedule compression techniques?

Answer 19

Crashing: add resources, results in higher costs

Fast tracking: doing activities in parallel, which increases risk

Question 20

Define resource leveling

Answer 20

used to adjust the resource schedule when resources have been over-allocated; often lets the schedule slip in order to level out resource utilization; a histogram (bar chart) is the tool used to do this

Question 21

Define resource smoothing

Answer 21

used to adjust the activities within the schedule to keep resources from exceeding limits; with resource smoothing, the completion date is not delayed

Question 22

Define schedule baseline

Answer 22

the accepted and approved version of the project schedule

Question 23

Inputs, T&Ts, Outputs of Plan Schedule Management

Answer 23

Inputs: Project charter, project management plan, EEF/OPAs

T&Ts: expert judgment, data analysis, meetings

Outputs: schedule management plan

Question 24

Inputs, T&Ts, Outputs of Define Activities

Answer 24

Inputs: Project management plan, EEF/OPAs

T&Ts: Expert judgment, decomposition, rolling wave planning, meetings

Outputs: Activity list, activity attributes, milestone list, change requests, project management plan updates

Question 25

Inputs, T&Ts, Outputs of Sequence Activites

Answer 25

Inputs: project management plan, project documents, EEF/OPAs

T&Ts: precedence diagramming method (PDM), dependency determination and integration, leads and lags, project management information system

Outputs: project schedule network diagrams, project documents

Question 26

Inputs, T&Ts, Outputs of Estimate Activity Durations

Answer 26

Inputs: Project management plan, project documents, EEF/OPAs

T&Ts: expert judgment, analogous estimating, parametric estimating, three-point estimating, bottom-up estimating, data analysis, decision making, meetings

Outputs: Duration estimate, Basis of estimates, project documents updates

Question 27

Inputs, T&Ts, Outputs of Develop Schedule

Answer 27

Inputs: Project management plan, project documents, Agreements, EEF/OPAs

T&Ts: schedule network analysis, critical path method, resource optimization, data analysis, leads and lags, schedule compression, project management information system, agile release planning

Outputs: schedule baseline, project schedule, schedule data, project calendars, change requests, project management plan updates, project documents updates

Question 28

Inputs, T&Ts, Outputs of Control Schedule

Answer 28

Inputs: Project management plan, project documents, work performance data, OPA

T&Ts: data analysis, critical path method, project management information system, resource optimization, leads and lags, schedule compression

Outputs: work performance information, schedule forecasts, change requests, project management plan updates, project documents updates

Question 29

What refers to the most recent schedule with notations to indicate updates, completed activities, and started activities as of the indicated data date?

Answer 29

Project Schedule