05 - PMP Lesson 5 Quiz

You are in the process of developing your project schedule. You determine that you are able to leverage a one day lead for activity 7.2.9. Which statement is least accurate A. The successor activity can start one day before the predecessor activity is completed B. The precedent activity can start one day before the subsequent activity C. The predecessor/successor activities have a finish-to-start relationship D. There is a preferred relationship between the predecessor/successor activities

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #1 Answer: B Only finish-to-start discretionary (AKA preferred, preferential, or soft logic) relationships can leverage lead. Using a lead, the successor activity can begin one day before ther predecessor activity has been completed. This will "overlap" the activities by one day, saving one day on the total duration. Lead means overlap tasks

The critical chain method: A. Modifies the schedule to account for limited resources B. Is an alternative to the critical path method C. Manages the total float of network paths D. Does not take into account resource availability

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #2 Answer: A The critical chain method, used after determining the critical path, modifies the schedule to account for limited resources. It is not an alternative to critical path, as the critical path must be determined prior to using the critical chain. Critical chain leverages time buffers.

The PERT estimate is nine hours. The best-case estimate is four hours and the worst-case estimate is 18 hours. What is the most-likely duration estimate? A. 11 hours B. 9 hours C. 8 hours D. 5 hours

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #3 Answer: C The question provides the PERT (3-point) estimate and the optimistic and pessimistic estimates. You need to solve for the most likely using the PERT formula (O + 4M + P) / 6. 9 + (4 + 4M + 18) / 6 54 + 4 + 4M + 18 54 + 22 + 4M 32 = 4M 8 = M

As PM, you are working with your team leads and you realize that you have a scheduling problem that will result in a delay of the project. What is the first thing you should do? A. Crash activities on your critical path B. Reducing project scope in order to bring the project in on time C. Fast-track activities on your critical path D. Out-source to a more appropriate team that can deliver the project in a timely manner

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #4 Answer: C The first option is to fast-track activities (take activities that were going to be done sequentially and do them in parallel). This allows the project to be shortened without increasing the costs or limiting the scope. De-scoping and outsourcing would only be considered if fast-tracking and crashing did not result in the needed compression.

When crashing a task, the project team needs to focus on: A. Non-critical tasks B. As many tasks as possible C. Accelerating performance of those tasks on the critical path D. Accelerating performance by minimizing costs

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #5 Answer: C Crashing accelerates the performance of activities/tasks on the critical path by increasing costs. Crashing would focus on critical activities first as crashing non-critical activities would simply result in more float and would not offer any true compression.

The "fast-tracking" method of schedule compression involves: A. The use of industrial engineering techniques to improve productivity, thereby finishing the project earlier than originally planned B. Performing activities in parallel, thereby increasing risk C. Going on a "mandatory overtime schedule" in order to complete the project earlier D. Assigning "dedicated teams" to the critical path activities

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #6 Answer: B Fast-tracking takes activities that were going to be done sequentially and instead performs them in parallel. In order to fast-track, the activities must have a discretionary dependency. Violating the dependency does imply that there is increased risk. Overtime or dedicated teams would be examples of crashing.

The critical path is established by calculating the following dates: A. Start-to-start, start-to-finish, finish-to-finish, finish-to-start B. Early start, early finish, later start, later finish C. Predecessor-to-successor, predecessor-to-predecessor, successor-to-successor D. Primary-to-secondary, primary-to-finish, secondary-to-secondary, finish-to-finish

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #7 Answer: B The critical path method (CPM) determines the critical path of the schedule network by determining the early start (ES) and early finish (EF) of activities via a forward pass and the late start (LS) and late finish (LF) via a backward pass.

The precedence diagramming method provides project managers with knowledge of: A. All levels of the work breakdown structure B. Activities likely to be involved in the project integration an resource allocation functions C. A graphical representation of interdependencies of activities D. The project completion date

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 44, #8 Answer: C The precedence diagramming method (PDM) diagrams the activity relationships, with nodes representing the activities and the arrows indicating the types of relationships. The diagram itself will not provide the project completion date.

Analogous duration estimating is: A. Bottom-up estimating B. Frequently used to estimate project duration when there is a limited amount of detailed information C. Similar to multiple duration estimating D. Deductive estimating

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 45, #10 Answer: B Analogous estimating, also known as top-down estimating, is frequently used when there is not a lot of detailed information about the current project. As such, the PM will leverage a past similar project as the basis of the estimate.

When is the total duration of the project? ADD IMAGE Activity_____Duration_____Float ____1_______________4______________0 ____2______________7______________0 ____3______________3______________0 ____4______________9______________1 ____5______________16_____________0 ____6______________8______________8 ____7______________5______________2 ____8______________6______________0 A. Unable to determine B. 36 days C. 25 days D. 58 days

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 45, #11 Answer: B As there are no predecessor relationships defined in the table, the duration cannot be determined by a CPM diagram. As such, you can assume a singular critical path. To determine total duration, you would not include any activities with float, as float indicates that the particular activity is happening concurrently with another activity. Including the duration of those activities with float would be "double" counting.

The ES of the activity is day seven and the duration is six days. If the LF on the activity is 15, what statement is most accurate: A. The activity is on the critical path B. If the activity gets delayed by two days, the project will be delayed by one day C. The activity is not on the critical path D. If the activity gets delayed, there will be an impact on the project

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 45, #12 Answer: C Using CPM: ES of 7 + 6 duration - 1 + EF of 12. If the EF is 12 and the LF is 15, the activity has 3 days of float. As such, the activity is not a critical activity. If it gets delayed by two days, there would be no impact as the activity has 3 days of float.

Activity 9.2.1 has 7 days of free float. The early start of the successor activity, 9.2.2 is day 29. If activity 9.2.1 is delayed by 12 days, what is the adjusted early start of activity 9.2.2? A. 42 B. 22 C. 29 D. 34

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 45, #13 Answer: D Free float indicates the amount of time an activity can be delayed before it delays the early start (ES) of the successor activity. If the activity only has seven days of free float and it's delayed by 12 days, it is a difference of five days. The successor activity will be delayed by 5 days, changing the ES of the successor to day 34.

A schedule compression technique to determine how to obtain the greatest amount of compression for the least incremental cost is called: A. Crashing B. PERT C. Precedence diagramming method D. Fast tracking

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 45, #9 Answer: A The two scheduling compression techniques are fast-tracking and crashing. Crashing evaluates potential candidate activities for acceleration based on the lowest incremental crashing cost. Fast-tracking incurs no additional cost.

Based on the following information, which statement is most accurate? INSERT IMAGE Activity_______________Duration_______________Float_______________Cost ____1_________________________10_______________________0_________________$125 ____2_________________________8_______________________0_________________$75 ____3________________________15_______________________0_________________$200 ____4________________________12_______________________3_________________$150 ____5________________________16_______________________0_________________$110 ____6_________________________4_______________________2_________________$50 ____7________________________10_______________________2_________________$90 ____8_________________________9_______________________0_________________$175 A. The total duration is 85 days and the cost is $975 B. The total duration is 58 days and the cost is $685 C. The total duration is 58 days and the cost is $975 D. The total duration is 84 days and the cost is $685

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 46, #14 Answer: C To determine duration, only those activities that are critical would be included (zero float). The activities with float are occurring concurrently with other activities and as such, the duration would be double-counted if included. That would bring the duration to 58 days. However, all activities, critical or not, will cost money, so all activity costs will be summed to $975.

Activity 7.1 is 5 days, Activity 7.2 is 9 days, Activity 7.3 is 4 days, Activity 7.4 is 11 days, and Activity 7.5 is 6 days. The predecessor for Activity 7.2 is Activity 7.1. The predecessor for Activity 7.3 is Activity 7.2. The predecessor for Activity 7.4 and 7.5 is Activity 7.3. What statement is the most accurate? A. The total duration is 35 days B. Activity 7.5 is a critical activity C. The total duration is 29 days D. If activity 7.2 gets delayed 3 days, there will be a 5 day delay on the project

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 46, #15 Answer: C Activities 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 are occurring sequentially. Activities 7.4 and 7.5 are happening concurrently. Critical path is 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4. Activity 7.5 has 5 days of float. The total duration is 29 days. Activity 7.2 is critical, so if it were to be delayed by 3 days, the project would be delayed by 3 days. ****************************************************************** Add image from page 52

Vocabulary: A schedule network analysis technique that modifies the project schedule to account for limited resources

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #1 Answer: Critical chain metod

Vocabulary: A significant point or event in the project

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #10 Answer: Milestone

Vocabulary: The amount of calendar time it will take to complete an activity or component

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #11 Answer: Elapsed time

Vocabulary: The point in a schedule network diagram where more than one path has a shared successor activity with another path or paths

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #12 Answer: Path convergence

Vocabulary: A delay of the successor activity

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #2 Answer: Lag

Vocabulary: An acceleration of the successor activity

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #3 Answer: Lead

Vocabulary: The amount of time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any immediately following schedule activities

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #4 Answer: Free float

Vocabulary: A group of related schedule activities aggregated at some summary level, and displayed/reported as a single activity at that summary level

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #5 Answer: Hammock activity

Vocabulary: An ongoing process that establishes a reserve for the budget or schedule of a project based upon the remaining level of project uncertainty

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #6 Answer: Reserve analysis

Vocabulary: The number of labor units required to complete a schedule activity or work breakdown structure component

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #7 Answer: Effort

Vocabulary: A component of work performed during the course of a project

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #8 Answer: Activity

Vocabulary: Any schedule activity on a critical path in a project schedule

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 48, #9 Answer: Critical activity

Vocabulary: A list of schedule activities that shows the activity description, activity identifier, and a description of the activity

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #13 Answer: Activity list

Vocabulary: A specific project schedule compression technique that changes network logic to overlap activities that would normally be done in sequence

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #14 Answer: Fast-tracking

Vocabulary: An analytical technique that uses three estimates to represent the optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic scenarios to calculate a weighted average

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #15 Answer: Three-point estimate

Vocabulary: A diagram that shows the sequencing of the project activities

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #16 Answer: Project schedule network diagram

Vocabulary: A method of constructing a project schedule network diagram where the nodes or boxes represent activities and the arrows depict dependencies

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #17 Answer: Precedence diagramming method

Vocabulary: A form of progressive elaboration where the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail while the work further in the future is planned at a relatively high level

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #18 Answer: Rolling wave planning

Vocabulary: An estimating technique that uses a statistical relationship between historical data and other variables to calculate an estimate for the cost or duration of an activity

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #19 Answer: Parametric estimating

Vocabulary: The longest path through the schedule with zero or negative total float

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #20 Answer: Critical path

Vocabulary: The amount of time that a schedule activity may be delayed without delaying the project finish date

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #21 Answer: Total float

Vocabulary: Any form of schedule network analysis in which scheduling decisions (start and finish dates) are driven by resources constraints

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #22 Answer: Resource leveling

Vocabulary: A specific type of project schedule compression technique performed by taking action to decrease the total project schedule duration using those activities that provide the most compression at the least incremental cost

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #23 Answer: Crashing

Vocabulary: Various descriptions or requirements associated with each schedule activity that can be included within the activity list

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #24 Answer: Activity attributes

Vocabulary: An estimating technique that uses values from a previous, similar project as the basis for estimating the current project

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #25 Answer: Analogous estimating

Vocabulary: The total number of work periods to complete an activity, such as work days or work weeks

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #26 Answer: Duration

Vocabulary: The point in a schedule network diagram where a single predecessor activity has more than one successor activity

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #27 Answer: Path divergence

Vocabulary: An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #28 Answer: Predecessor activity

Vocabulary: A critical path method technique for calculating the early start and early finish dates by working forward through the schedule model from the project start date or a given point in time

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #29 Answer: Forward pass

Vocabulary: In a critical path method, the earliest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the data date, and any schedule constraints

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #30 Answer: Early finish date

Vocabulary: A component of the project management plan that establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #31 Answer: Schedule management plan

Vocabulary: A schedule activity that has low total float

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 49, #32 Answer: Near-critical activity

Vocabulary: A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has finished

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #33 Answer: Finish-to-finish

Vocabulary: In the critical path method, the earliest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can start based on the schedule network logic, the data date, and any schedule constraints

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #34 Answer: Early start date

Vocabulary: In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can finish based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #35 Answer: Late finish date

Vocabulary: A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has started

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #36 Answer: Start-to-start

Vocabulary: A dependent activity that logically comes after another activity in a schedule

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #37 Answer: Successor activity

Vocabulary: In the critical path method, the latest possible point in time when the uncompleted portions of a schedule activity can start based on the schedule network logic, the project completion date, and any schedule constraints

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #38 Answer: Late start date

Vocabulary: Ongoing use of a number of techniques to analyze the current status of the project schedule and likelihood of achieving the schedule objectives

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #39 Answer: Schedule network analysis

Vocabulary: A logic relationship in which a successor activity cannot start until a predecessor activity has finished

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #40 Answer: Finish-to-start

Vocabulary: A critical path method technique for calculating the late start and late finish dates by working backward through the schedule model from the project end date

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #41 Answer: Backward pass

Vocabulary: A logical relationship in which a successor activity cannot finish until a predecessor activity has started

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #42 Answer: Start-to-finish

Vocabulary: A method used to estimate the minimum project duration and determine the amount of scheduling flexibility on the logical network paths within the schedule model

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #43 Answer: Critical path method

Vocabulary: Techniques used to shorten the schedule duration without reducing the project scope

Workbook, Lesson 5, page 50, #44 Answer: Schedule compression