Chapter 8: Project Management

Scheduling

What does A schedule is the conversion of a project action plan into an operating timetable. mean?
The basic process in creating a schedule is to identify all tasks and sequential relationships between them. A
schedule is important because each project is unique.
Give at least 3 benefits of scheduling.
1. It is a consistent framework for planning, scheduling, and controlling the project.
2. It can be used to determine a start and end date for every project task.
3. It identifies so-called critical activities that, if delayed will delay the project completion.

Identify the 2 Network Scheduling Techniques.

PERT (ADM) - Program Evaluation and Review Technique CPM (PDM)- Critical Path Method

1. Associated with R & D projects 1. Associated with construction projects

2. Uses probabilistic techniques to determine task durations 2. Relies on a single duration estimate for each task

3. Identify the critical path (tasks that cannot be delayed without delaying the project) and associated float or slack in the
schedule

4. Arrow Diagram Method 4. Precedence Diagramming Method

5. Not much used today 5. Commonly used today

List the common terminologies used in PERT and CPM.

1. Activity A specific task or set of tasks that have a start and end, and consume resources.
2. Event The result of completing one or more activities. Events dont use resources.
3. Network Arrangement of all activities and events in their logical sequence represented by arcs and nodes.
4. Path The series of connected activities between any two events in a network.
5. Critical activities - Events or paths which, if delayed, will delay the completion of the project.
6. Sequential Activities-One activity must be completed before the next one can begin
7. Parallel Activities-The activities can take place at the same time
8. Immediate Predecessor-That activity that must be completed just before a particular activity can begin
List the types of activities in PERT/CPM Networks
1. Activity on Node (AON) used in PDM/CPM. The arrows in between the nodes depict the
predecessor/successor relationships among the activities.
2. Activity on Arrow (AOA)- used in ADM/PERT. The nodes represent events and the arrows represent the actual
activities.
How do we Construct a Network
1. Begin with START Activity
2. Add activities without precedences as nodes
3. Add activities that have those activities as precedences
4. Continue
What are Gantt (Bar) Charts?