CH 5

A schedule that delays each activity as long as possible without delaying the overall project completion is known as _____. a late start schedule slack time an early start schedule critical path

a late start schedule

The time-cost model attempts to delay the start of a project. develop a minimum-cost schedule. start activities ahead of schedule. control expenditures.

develop a minimum-cost schedule. control expenditures.

When three time estimates are used to estimate the activity time, critical path calculation should use the _______________ completion time for each activity. When three time estimates are used to estimate the activity time, critical path calculation should use the completion time for each activity.

expected

When a project is housed within a functional division, such as manufacturing, it is called a ________ project. matrix process functional pure

functional

An activity has the following costs and durations. Calculate the crash cost per day. Normal Cost - $1,000 Crash Cost - $1,200 Normal Duration - 5 days Crash Duration - 3 days $100 per day $1,000 per day $1,200 per day $200 per day

$100 per day

True or false: Earned value management (EVM) can only evaluate the success of a project at the end of the project.

False

True or false: There are relatively few project management software options for practitioners.

False

True or false: Typically, a task is performed by multiple groups or organizations.

False

To show the amount of time associated with an activity, as well as the sequence of activities, a project manager could use a ____________________ chart. To show the amount of time associated with an activity, as well as the sequence of activities, a project manager could use a chart.

Gantt

A specific event that should be reached at a certain point in time is often referred to as? Functional project Project milestone Work package Task

Project milestone

What term best describes the written description of the objectives to be achieved in a project? Work breakdown structure Work package Project milestones Statement of work

Statement of work

What term best describes the written description of the objectives to be achieved in a project? Work package Work breakdown structure Project milestones Statement of work

Statement of work

The costs associated with sustaining a project are referred to as normal costs. indirect costs. crashing costs. direct costs.

indirect costs.

True or false: The process change area of projects accommodates activities such as new equipment purchases or upgrading current process.

True

When a single time estimate of an activity completion time is not reliable, you should use your best guess. the average of the most likely and minimum times. the most likely time estimate. three time estimates.

three time estimates.

Extending the critical path model to consider the trade-off between activity time and activity cost is known as the trade-off model. activity extension. time-cost model. cost of crashing model.

time-cost model.

When calculating the expected completion time, the most likely time is weighted ____ times more than the optimistic and pessimistic times. 6 2 4 3

4

Which of the following is not a form of a matrix project? Balanced Major Weak Strong

Major

Activity D will take 3 weeks to complete and has two predecessors, B and C. Activity B has an early finish time of 12 weeks. Activity C has an early finish of 10 weeks. What is the early start time of Activity D? 15 13 10 12

12

A work package includes which of the following elements? Starting and completion times for a group of activities The projects currently active at the firm Description of what is to be done Performance measures

Starting and completion times for a group of activities Description of what is to be done Performance measures

Alliance & Partnership during project execution involves activities such as outsourcing major activities. technology upgrades. selecting carriers. selecting new partners.

outsourcing major activities. selecting carriers. selecting new partners.

The number of companies offering project management software is over 100. under 50. currently only two. under 75.

over 100.

The crash-cost per day (or other time unit) is calculated using which of the following formulas? (NC - CC) / (NT - CT) (CC - NC) / (NT - CT) (NC - CC) / (CT - NT) (CC - NC) / (CT - NT)

(CC - NC) / (NT - CT)

Which of the following is a general type of project? Permanent Platform Derivative Breakthrough

Platform Derivative Breakthrough

In the following identification of Activity C, the number represents which of the following? C(4) The predecessor The sequence of activities The activity number The expected duration

The expected duration

The early finish time of a task is calculated by _____. adding the early start and expected duration. adding the late finish and expected duration. adding the late start and expected duration. subtracting the expected duration from the late finish.

adding the early start and expected duration.

When calculating the probability of project completion, you use the sum of variances of ___________ in the denominator. all activities on the critical path all activities expected times for all project activities non-critical activities

all activities on the critical path

A statement of work (SOW) should include: Work to be completed and proposed schedule Completion steps or milestones Budget performance measures The number of employees that will be required

Work to be completed and proposed schedule Completion steps or milestones Budget performance measures

You have estimated the following times for an activity a (optimistic time) = 2 days b (pessimistic time) = 12 days m (most likely time) = 4 days What is the expected time (ET) for this activity? 4 days 6 days 8 days 5 days

5 days

Which of the following are features of an earned value management (EVM) implementation? A project plan that identifies activities to be accomplished A valuation of each activity Subjective descriptions of project completion Predefined metrics that quantify the accomplishment of work

A project plan that identifies activities to be accomplished A valuation of each activity Predefined metrics that quantify the accomplishment of work

Which of the following attributes are used to define a project? A series of related jobs Directed toward some major output Requires a significant time period to perform Has no specific beginning or end

A series of related jobs Directed toward some major output Requires a significant time period to perform

Which of the following is a term used to refer to pieces of work that consume time? Bundle Package Activity Target

Activity

Gantt charts show which of the following? Amount of time Resources Project budget Sequence of activities

Amount of time Sequence of activities

Which of the following is not a step in the critical path method (CPM)? Identify all the activities in the project. Calculate the shortest path. Calculate the critical path. Determine the sequence of activities.

Calculate the shortest path.

A schedule that lists all activities by their early start times is a(n)? Gantt chart Late start schedule The critical path Early start schedule

Early start schedule

Which technique combines measures of scope, schedule and cost for evaluating project progress? Project management Earned value management Project milestones Time-cost models

Earned value management

Activities that need to be completed immediately before an activity are? Immediate successors Eventual successors Present activities Immediate predecessors

Immediate predecessors

Which of the following is NOT a major project category? Research and development Inventory control Product change Process change

Inventory control

A project has how many critical paths? It is possible to have multiple critical paths. There are always two. One and only one. The critical path isn't necessary for every project.

It is possible to have multiple critical paths.

Which project organization structure uses team members who are assigned from the functional units and has a dedicated project manager? Functional project Pure project Matrix project

Matrix project

Which of the following is needed to calculate the expected time (ET) of an activity? Desired time (d) Optimistic time (a) Pessimistic time (b) Most likely time (m)

Optimistic time (a) Pessimistic time (b) Most likely time (m)

Which of the following is not a direct activity cost? Overtime work Penalty fees Support facilities Leasing equipment

Penalty fees

Identify the type of project that primarily involves fundamental improvements to existing products. Breakthrough project Derivative project Platform project Innovative project

Platform project

Which of the following is not a motivation for using a late start schedule? Postponing costs until necessary Postponing the purchase of materials Postponing use of labor Postponing the start of the entire project

Postponing the start of the entire project

All of the following are types of project organization structures except: Matrix Functional Process Pure

Process

Milestones for a project can include: Production of a prototype Prototype testing Completion of design Chart that displays project tasks

Production of a prototype Prototype testing Completion of design

Which of the following is defined as a series of jobs usually directed toward some major output and requires a significant period of time to perform? Project management Crashing Pure project Project

Project

True or false: A benefit of using three time estimates is that it allows you to estimate whether or not a project will be done by a certain date.

True

True or false: One advantage of the pure project structure is that the project manager has full authority over the project.

True

True or false: When all the activities are completed, the project is finished.

True

What term describes the group of activities assigned to a single organizational unit? Project milestone Work breakdown structure Work package Activity list

Work package

A firm should have a mix of projects that best support the operations manager's vision. choosing the project that requires the least amount of time to complete. a company's strategic strategy. HR policies for hiring new employees.

a company's strategic strategy.

When calculating the critical path for a three time estimate project, you use the ______________ as the activity duration time. most likely time pessimistic time expected time optimistic time

expected time

In a _______________ project structure, team members do not report to a dedicated manager, but remain part of their functional units. In a project structure, team members do not report to a dedicated manager, but remain part of their functional units.

functional

One advantage of the _______________ project structure is that team members can work on several projects without having to report to multiple project managers. One advantage of the project structure is that team members can work on several projects without having to report to multiple project managers.

functional

In a network diagram, the activities that need to be completed directly before another activity are known as _______________ predecessors. In a network diagram, the activities that need to be completed directly before another activity are known as predecessors.

immediate

If a delay of an activity delays the entire project, then this activity is on the critical path. has an incorrect relationship defined in the project. will not affect the overall project. is normal.

is on the critical path.

The _______________ project structure minimizes the duplication of resources? The project structure minimizes the duplication of resources?

matrix

The benefits of using project management software are scheduling tasks and allocating resources. controlling costs. producing presentation ready reports and graphs. ensuring the original plan is maintained throughout the project.

scheduling tasks and allocating resources. controlling costs. producing presentation ready reports and graphs.

A schedule that completes the project and all its activities as soon as possible is known as an early _______________ or early _______________ schedule. A schedule that completes the project and all its activities as soon as possible is known as an early or early schedule.

start; finish

The variance of an activity's completion time requires knowledge of the activity's predecessors. the optimistic time (a). the pessimistic time (b). the most likely time (m).

the optimistic time (a). the pessimistic time (b).

When breaking down a project into smaller elements, what terms are used to describe the subdivisions? Task and menial tasks Task and subtasks Activity and tasks Activity and Gantt charts

Task and subtasks

When calculating activity variance, what is X in the following calculation? [(X/6)2] When calculating activity variance, what is X in the following calculation? (X6)2X62 Optimistic time (a) - Most likely time (m) Optimistic time (a) - Pessimistic time (b) Pessimistic time (b) - Optimistic time (a) Pessimistic time (b) - Most likely time (m)

Pessimistic time (b) - Optimistic time (a)

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the pure project structure? Project team members may be worried about their employment after the project is completed. Team commitment is high. Lines of communication are shortened and project decisions can be made quickly. Project team members report to one boss.

Project team members may be worried about their employment after the project is completed.

A project where all members of the team work on the project full time is an example of which project organizational structure? Functional Matrix Process Pure

Pure

If you are part of a self-contained project team working full time on a project, you are most likely experiencing the _______________ project structure. If you are part of a self-contained project team working full time on a project, you are most likely experiencing the project structure.

Pure

Rank the steps in the critical path method (CPM) from first to last. Instructions

1. Identify each activity and its duration. 2. Construct a network showing the precedence relationship among activities. 3. Determine the critical path. 4. Determine the early start/early finish and late start/late finish schedule.

If the optimistic estimate of an activity's completion is 3 days and the pessimistic estimate is 15 days, what is the estimated variance (σ2) of the activity's completion time? 2 days 3 days 5 days 4 days

4 days

Disadvantages of a functional project include: Project tasks are often shortchanged over functional area tasks. Motivation is normally weak, focus is placed on unit tasks or other projects. Responses to client needs are slow. Team members can be assigned to multiple projects.

Project tasks are often shortchanged over functional area tasks. Motivation is normally weak, focus is placed on unit tasks or other projects. Responses to client needs are slow.

Which project organization structure uses a self-contained team working full time on a single project? Matrix project Pure project Functional project

Pure project

Earned value management, when properly applied, provides: a method for evaluating the success of a project. a comprehensive list of all activities and resources that are required for the project. management with all work breakdown structures that the employees will need to complete during the project.

a method for evaluating the success of a project.

In the _______________ process of a project, the duration of an activity is reduced.

crashing

Shortening the duration of an activity is known as crashing. activity completion. due-date management. speeding.

crashing