This assignment covers text chapters 9 and 10. Some questions are adapted from D

Question

This assignment covers text chapters 9 and 10. Some questions are adapted from Discussion Questions in the text. Be sure you complete all questions. Your answers should be well-documented and include detailed references to the readings and other sources of information.

Define each of the following terms: (a) path, (b) activity, (c) early start, (d) early finish, (e) late start, (f) late finish, (g) forward pass (h) backward pass, (i) node, (j) AON, (k) float, (l) critical path, (m) PERT [MO5.1]

Distinguish between serial activities and concurrent activities. Why do we seek to use concurrent activities as a way to shorten the project's length? [MO5.1, 5.2]

List three methods of deriving duration estimates for project activities. What are the strengths and weaknesses associated with each method? [MO5.2]

What are the advantages in the use of Gantt charts over PERT diagrams?In what ways might PERT diagrams be advantageous? [MO5.3]

Under what circumstances might you wish to crash a project? [MO5.4]

Explanation / Answer

a. Path :Path defines to the way to get the things done. It depends on forward and backward direction to finish the work. Path may not be straight waleas in a process. It can be of different types like matrix, in the form of U shape etc . Time and resource are the two major factors that drives the path.

b. Activity is the set of task in a particular path. Activity can have predecessor as well. Waiting time will be there if one acitivity depends on other activity to get completed.

c. Early start: here dates of the project starts early to the projected or scheduled date. The early start of each of every activities without at least one predecessor will always have an early start which is equal to the declared project start date.

d. Early FInish:Early finish = Early start + Duration-1. Early finish can happen due to over productivity and poor estimation of the work.

e.Late start :Late start happen due to dependency of some other activity and lack of resource available Late start may leads to late finish if the resource couldnt pick up the speed on the right time

f. Late finish: Thoush the start happened on time, in between due to some mishappening and poor productivity finish of that particular task will get late.

g. Forward pass:It is the attempt to understand or determine the early start and early finish dates for all of the uncompleted set of work for all network related activities.

h. Backward pass: THE  backward pass tends to give a negative indication, as it implies lateness. In this area of project management it deals with calculation of late finish date and late start date.

i.) Node: It is a connecting path between two task. It is a convergent point for many task.

j.)AON :Activity on Node. Deals with precedensing diagram method comprise of boxes and arrows from beginning to end to show the connectivity between two task

k. Float: It gives indication about number of days a project can be delayed without affecting delay to further task and project completion date.

l.Critical path:It gives the most efficient path with minimum time and resource

m.PERT: Program evaluation and review technique. used for analyse and presnting the task in a systematic way.It helps in forecasting the project activity and monitor the current activity.

Distinguish between serial activities and concurrent activities. Why do we seek to use concurrent activities as a way to shorten the project's length?

Concurrent activities allow more than one activity to perform at a time. It has the flewibility for multi tasking while serial activities allow only one task at a time. Consurrent activity is more adavnced in terms of resourcee optimisation and time management. Concurrent allows independecy and to complet in a faster pace.

List three methods of deriving duration estimates for project activities. What are the strengths and weaknesses associated with each method?

1. Past or previous Experience: Limitation is we cannot co-relate evvery experience to another.

2. Opinion from expert: Potential inadequacy for identifying the persons with that kind of skills

3.Mathematical Derivation: Shortcoming is very complex and idfficult to understand and prone to mistakes

What are the advantages in the use of Gantt charts over PERT diagrams?In what ways might PERT diagrams be advantageous?

At the same time PERT gives more details aboput project management and is more accurate.

Under what circumstances might you wish to crash a project?

If there is no way to continue the project as the scopes got collapsed or outdated, management totally denied the project to continue and stakeholders are not interested to take this project forward. So in a long run if the project has no relevance it is better to crash the project so we can save money and resources.If no proper co-ordination can be generated between project members that results to frequent scuffles and debate, then again crashing is one kind of solution to come out of the dilemma.

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