Deck 7: Scheduling Activities

Question 1

A Gantt chart is a tool that can be used to communicate a project schedule.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

There is often terrific pressure to complete a project as quickly as possible. To confront this pressure,a project manager should quickly promise to meet the deadlines requested by the sponsor and then assemble a team to create the corresponding schedule.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The "start-to-start" logical relationship used in activity sequencing applies to the case where initiation of the successor activity depends upon initiation of the predecessor activity.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The first process in developing a project schedule is to identify all the resources available to work on the project.

Question 5

Even small delays on "near-critical" activities can change the critical path of a project.

Question 6

If a project manager delays the start of an activity on the critical path,then the expected completion date of the project will occur at a later date than originally planned.

Question 7

The critical path is the sequence of activities that form the shortest path through the project network and determine the duration of the project.

Question 8

The most common type of logical dependency to determine the sequence of project activities is "finish-to-finish".

Question 9

In order for activities to be useful as schedule building blocks,they should have tangible output that can be verified.

Question 10

PERT refers to the Program Evaluation and Review Technique which was developed to better understand how variability in the duration of individual activities impacts the expected project duration.

Question 11

The length of time to perform an activity is often dependent upon who will do that work.

Question 12

Except in rare circumstances,project teams should not attempt to decompose work packages into project activities because work packages provide sufficient detail to develop a project schedule.

Question 13

While the lowest level of decomposition in a Work Breakdown Structure is the work package,work packages can still be decomposed further into project activities.

Question 14

GANTT refers to the Generalized Activity Network Tracking Technique which was developed to better understand how variability in the duration of individual activities impacts the expected project duration.

Question 15

Prioritizing projects and carefully authorizing the start of non-critical activities can serve as remedies for multi-tasking.

Question 16

A successor activity follows a predecessor activity based on their logical relationship.

Question 17

When developing a project schedule,float (or slack)refers to the time between the start and the finish of a planned activity.

Question 18

Monte Carlo Analysis is a technique that computes activity durations based on three time estimates: one optimistic,one pessimistic and one most likely.

Question 19

The primary advantage of PERT is that it removes uncertainty from the estimates of activity durations,thereby increasing confidence in the reliability of a project schedule.

Question 20

The enumeration method of determining the critical path relies upon identification of all paths through the project network.

Question 21

Figure 7-3 System Integration Project
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided,what is the expected duration of this project?

A) 15 days
B) 16 days
C) 17 days
D) 30 days

Question 22

Estimating the number of work periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities characterizes which of the following time management processes?

A) Define activities
B) Sequence activities
C) Estimate activity duration
D) Create WBS

Question 23

Figure 7-2 Research Project
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the late start date for activity A - "Plan Research"?

A) Day 0
B) Day 2
C) Day 4
D) Day 10

Question 24

Milestones are important points in a project schedule that can serve as check points for project managers and sponsors. All of the following reasons might justify the decision to establish a milestone EXCEPT:

A) completion of a major deliverable
B) a pending decision to commit a large amount of money
C) a merging point where multiple activities must be completed before progress can continue
D) updating status reports

Question 25

All of the following strategies can help a project team to develop realistic time estimates for project activities EXCEPT:

A) adding a significant buffer to each activity
B) be sure to consider learning curves, interruptions and competing priorities
C) adjust estimates from previous projects to account for differences
D) verify the time estimates with the people doing the work

Question 26

The total amount of time a schedule activity may be delayed from its early start date without delaying the project finish date is known as:

A) reserve
B) total float
C) contingency
D) lead

Question 27

Faced with significant schedule challenges,the project manager has several responsibilities. All of the following are among the project manager's responsibilities EXCEPT:

A) willingly accept end dates dictated by customers or sponsors
B) persuade all stakeholders that the schedule makes sense
C) deliver the project according to the agreed-upon schedule
D) determine a feasible schedule

Question 28

Figure 7-2 Research Project
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the slack associated with activity C - "Review Reports"?

A) 0 days
B) 1 day
C) 2 days
D) 4 days

Question 29

Figure 7-1 Assembly Project
Consider the Assembly Project depicted in Figure 7-1. Based on the information provided,what is the early start date for activity D - "Attach Modules 1 & 2"?

A) Day 0
B) Day 3
C) Day 4
D) Day 5

Question 30

The sequencing of activities is often based upon dependencies between the activities. The dependencies that should guide activity sequencing can be either:

A) mandatory or discretionary
B) arbitrary or capricious
C) logical or illogical
D) interior or exterior

Question 31

Which of the following remedies may reduce the likelihood of omissions when developing activity duration estimates?

A) staggered project start dates
B) resource buffers
C) checklists, templates, WBS
D) staggered project end dates

Question 32

The total number of work periods (not including holidays or other non-work time)required to complete a schedule activity is known as:

A) effort
B) elapsed time
C) duration
D) resource days

Question 33

All of the following problems contribute to difficulty in estimating activity durations accurately EXCEPT:

A) merging - the case of multiple predecessors
B) omissions - leaving out key activities
C) general uncertainty in the estimate
D) fixed price estimates for work packages to be outsourced

Question 34

A scheduled activity that determines when a logical successor activity can begin and end is known as:

A) a catalyst activity
B) a predecessor activity
C) a leader activity
D) a lag activity

Question 35

Which of the following responses identifies a common type of logical dependency used to sequence project activities?

A) first-in; first-out
B) last-in; last-out
C) finish-to-start
D) last-in; first-out

Question 36

Creating a realistic schedule is often an iterative process because several factors can limit how fast a project can be completed. All of the following factors can limit how fast a project can be scheduled and completed EXCEPT:

A) logical order
B) imposed dates
C) resource availability
D) quality control

Question 37

All of the following items can provide useful assistance to a project team to define the activities of a project EXCEPT:

A) the work packages from the Work Breakdown Structure
B) quality management plan
C) checklists for projects of the same type
D) schedules from similar projects that are already completed

Question 38

Figure 7-2 Research Project
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,what is the late start date for activity C - "Review Reports"?

A) Day 0
B) Day 2
C) Day 4
D) Day 10

Question 39

Figure 7-2 Research Project
Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided,which activity can you delay by one day without impacting the expected completion date for the project?

A) Activity A
B) Activity B
C) Activity C
D) Activity D

Question 40

Which of the following statements correctly describes the critical path?

A) It is the shortest sequence of activities through the project network.
B) It determines the latest possible end date of the project.
C) It consists only of activities with zero float (slack).
D) It consists only of activities with lag times

Question 41

Figure 7-6 Network Scheduling Data
Consider the network scheduling data provided in Figure 7-6. Which activities constitute the critical path for this project network?

A) A-D-F-I
B) A-C-E-H-I
C) A-B-E-H-I
D) A-B-E-G-I

Question 42

Describe how you would use the members of your project team to develop and execute a project schedule.

Question 43

Figure 7-4 Lab Experiment Project
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided,identify the critical path(s)for this project?

A) A-C-F only
B) A-B-D-F only
C) A-B-E-F only
D) Both A-B-D-F and A-B-E-F are critical paths

Question 44

Figure 7-5 Duration Estimates
Consider the activity duration estimates presented in Figure 7-5. Based on the information provided and adopting the PERT conventions to calculate expected activity durations,what is the expected duration of Activity D - "Package Item"?

A) 9 days
B) 9.5 days
C) 10 days
D) 12 days

Question 45

Projects are often completed late. Describe the techniques you would use as a project manager to improve the accuracy and reliability of your project schedule.

Question 46

Figure 7-4 Lab Experiment Project
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided,how many days can you delay the calibration of the instrumentation (Activity B),without impacting the expected project completion date?

A) 0 days
B) 1 day
C) 2 days
D) 4 days

Question 47

Figure 7-3 System Integration Project
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided,which activities can be delayed one day without impacting the expected project completion date?

A) Activity E - Install Software and Activity F - Test System
B) Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity E - Install Software
C) Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity D - Prepare Test Plan
D) none of these

Question 48

Figure 7-4 Lab Experiment Project
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided,what is the expected duration of this project?

A) 22 days
B) 24 days
C) 26 days
D) 28 days

Question 49

Figure 7-6 Network Scheduling Data
Consider the network scheduling data provided in Figure 7-6. What is the expected duration of this project?

A) 97 days
B) 102 days
C) 107 days
D) 112 days

Question 50

Figure 7-3 System Integration Project
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided,which activities constitute the critical path for this project?

A) A-B-E-F
B) A-C-E-F
C) A-D-E-F
D) A-D-F

Question 51

Describe "slack" and how you can use slack to your advantage in managing a project.

Question 52

Figure 7-4 Lab Experiment Project
Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided,which activity can be delayed one day without impacting the expected project completion date?

A) Activity B - Calibrate Instruments
B) Activity C - Review Studies
C) Activity D - Monitor Instruments
D) Activity E - Test Samples

Question 53

Figure 7-6 Network Scheduling Data
Consider the network scheduling data presented in Figure 7-6. How many days of slack are associated with activity F?

A) 0
B) 15
C) 80
D) 107

Question 54

Figure 7-3 System Integration Project
Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided,how many days can you delay the purchase of software (Activity C),without impacting the expected project completion date?

A) 0 days
B) 1 day
C) 2 days
D) 4 days

Question 55

Despite the insights that PERT provides,there are still practical limitations that impact its usefulness. All of the following difficulties are associated with the use of PERT EXCEPT:

A) It often requires more effort to generate three estimates than one.
B) It highlights uncertainty in project duration
C) It does not accurately address the case when two activities both need to be accomplished before a third can begin.
D) There is no assurance that three estimates are any more accurate than one

Question 56

All of the following statements correctly describe an advantage or disadvantage associated with the use of Monte Carlo Analysis EXCEPT:

A) The flexibility of Monte Carlo Analysis allows for more realistic estimates.
B) Monte Carlo simulation aids in the identification of near-critical paths.
C) Monte Carlo simulations typically require the use of special software and skills.
D) Monte Carlo simulations do not consider risks