MQM 227 Ch.4

When calculating the expected completion time for an activity using the formula based on the beta statistical distribution, the most likely time is weighted ____ times more than the optimistic and pessimistic times.

4

The expected completion time is computed as (a+Xm+b)/Y. What are the values of X and Y respectively.

4,6

What is the major assumption when determining the cost per unit of time to expedite each activity.

A linear relationship between time and cost

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

A. (CC - NC) / (NT - CT)

_____ is based on the assumptions that project activity times can be estimated accurately and that they do not vary.

CPM

_____ refers to the compression or shortening of the time to complete the project.

Crashing

Which project organizational structure minimizes the duplication of resources?

Matrix

How many immediate predecessors does A have?

None

How many immediate predecessors does C have? Multiple choice question.

One

Which of the following is not a direct activity cost?

Overhead

____ was developed to handle uncertain time estimates

PERT

The procedure for project crashing consists of the following five steps. Place them in the correct order. Determine the cost per unit of time to expedite each activity Compute the critical path Plot project direct, indirect, and total-cost curves and find the minimum-cost schedule Shorten the critical path at the least cost Prepare a CPM-type network diagram

Prepare a CPM-type network diagram Determine the cost per unit of time to expedite each activity Compute the critical path Plot project direct, indirect, and total-cost curves and find the minimum-cost schedule Shorten the critical path at the least cost

Which of the following is not a major development project category?

Product development

A specific event that should be reached at a certain point in time are often referred to as?

Project milestone

True or false: A firm should have a mix of projects that best supports it's strategy. True false question.

True

True or false: Typically, a task is performed by one group or organization.

True

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

True

Place the following project terms in order from longest to shortest. Task Work package Subtask Work breakdown structure Milestone

Work breakdown structure Task Subtask Work package Milestone

In a project, which of the following has the shortest duration?

Work package

What term describes the group of activities assigned to a single organizational unit?

Work package

Time-cost models attempt to develop a minimum-_____ schedule for an entire project.

cost

Project managers are as much concerned with the _____ to complete a project as with the _____ to complete the project.

cost time

A schedule that lists all activities by their early start times is a(n) Multiple choice question.

early start schedule.

The _____ activity time is calculated using a weighted average of a minimum, maximum, and most likely time estimate.

estimated

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

functional

The assumption needed to make this probability estimate is that the activity duration times are ______ random variables.

independent

The costs associated with sustaining a project are referred to as

indirect costs

When calculating the slack time of an activity, it is the difference between an activity's

late start and early start times

A project _____ is a specific event in a project.

milestone

The central limit theorem says that the sum of a group of independent, identically distributed random variables approaches a _____ distribution as the number of random variables increases. Listen to the complete question

normal

When crashing a project, the first activity your crash should be

on the critical path with the lowest crash cost per day.

The three-time-estimate approach introduces the ability to consider the ____ that a project will be completed within a particular amount of time.

probability

Crashing creates a _____ project that costs _____.

shorter, more

For some activities in a project there may be some leeway in when an activity can start and finish. This is called the

slack time

The work breakdown structure is further subdivided into ____.

tasks

When a single time estimate of an activity completion time is not reliable, you should use

three time estimates

The extension of the critical path model that considers trade-offs between activity times and costs is often referred to as

time-cost models.

Which of the following are disadvantages of the functional project organizational structure? Check all that apply. A. Aspects of the project unrelated to the functional area get shortchanged. B. Motivation of team members is often weak. C. Needs of the client are secondary and are responded to slowly. D. Organizational goals and policies are ignored. E. Duplication of resources. F. It is doomed to failure unless the project manager has strong negotiating skills.

A. Aspects of the project unrelated to the functional area get shortchanged. B. Motivation of team members is often weak. C. Needs of the client are secondary and are responded to slowly.

Which of the following types of projects represents the least amount of change? A. Derivative projects B. Platform projects C. Breakthrough projects

A. Derivative projects

What are the points in time that we need to calculate for each activity in the project? Select all that apply. A. Early start time B. Early finish time C. Critical path D. Late start time E. Slack time F. Duration G. Late finish time

A. Early start time B. Early finish time D. Late start time G. Late finish time

Identify the three main forms of project. Select all that apply. A. Functional project B. Expansion project C. Matrix project D. Pure project

A. Functional project C. Matrix project D. Pure project

Which of the following is not a form of a matrix project? A. Major B. Weak C. Strong D. Balanced

A. Major

Which of the following are advantages of the functional project organizational structure? Check all that apply. A. The functional area is a home after the project is completed. B. Technical expertise is maintained within the functional area. C. Communication between functional divisions is enhanced. D. Team members report to one boss. E. A team member can work on several projects. F. The project manager has full authority over the project. G. Functional-area experts creates synergistic solutions to technical problems.

A. The functional area is a home after the project is completed. B. Technical expertise is maintained within the functional area. E. A team member can work on several projects. G. Functional-area experts creates synergistic solutions to technical problems.

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

Activity

Gantt charts show which of the following?

Amount of time and sequence of activities

In the following identification of Activity C, the number represents which of the following? C(4)

The expected duration

Which of the following is not a step in CPM? A. Calculate the critical path B. Calculate the shortest path C. Identify all the activities in the project D. Determine the sequence of activities

B. Calculate the shortest path

Which of the following are advantages of the matrix form of project organization? Check all that apply. A. Technical expertise is maintained within the functional area. B. Communication between functional divisions is enhanced. C. Team members have a functional "home" after project completion. D. Duplication of resources is minimized. E. A project manager is held responsible for successful completion of the project. F. A critical mass of experts creates synergistic solutions to a project's technical problems. G. Policies of the parent organization are followed H. The project manager has full authority over the project.

B. Communication between functional divisions is enhanced. C. Team members have a functional "home" after project completion. D. Duplication of resources is minimized. E. A project manager is held responsible for successful completion of the project. G. Policies of the parent organization are followed

Which of the following are required for a project? Check all that apply. A. Using project management software B. Having a major output C. Series of related jobs D. Requiring a significant period of time E. Taking at least six months

B. Having a major output C. Series of related jobs D. Requiring a significant period of time

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? A. Crashing B. Project C. Project management D. Pure project

B. Project

Which of the following can be part of a statement of work? Check all that apply. A. Cost B. Proposed schedule C. Performance measures D. Objectives to be achieved E. Who will be assigned to the project F. Work to be done

B. Proposed schedule C. Performance measures D. Objectives to be achieved F. Work to be done

A Gantt chart is sometimes referred to as what?

Bar chart

At what point in the project planning process is the organizational structure of the project decided?

Before the project begins

How is the variance for a project found?

By summing the variance along the critical path.

Which of the following types of projects represents the most amount of change? A. Derivative projects B. Platform projects C. Breakthrough projects

C. Breakthrough projects

Which of the following are disadvantages of the matrix form of project organization? Check all that apply. A. Team members worry about life-after-the-project and project termination is delayed. B. Needs of the client are secondary and are responded to slowly. C. It is doomed to failure unless the project manager has strong negotiating skills. D. There are two bosses. E. Suboptimization is a danger. F. Duplication of resources.

C. It is doomed to failure unless the project manager has strong negotiating skills. D. There are two bosses. E. Suboptimization is a danger.

All of the following are types of project organizational structures except: A. Functional B. Pure C. Process D. Matrix

C. Process

When working on time-cost trade-off projects, which of the following pieces of information is not required?

Expected time

True or false: A benefit of a pure project is that you share equipment and people across projects.

False

CPM techniques owe their development to the ____ chart.

Gantt

A _____ _____ shows in a graphic manner the amount of time involved and the sequence in which activities can be performed.

Gantt chart

For the critical path method (CPM), place the following steps in order from the first one completed to the last one completed. Identify each activity to be done in the project and estimate how long it will take to complete each activity Determine the critical path Determine the early start/finish and late start/finish schedule Determine the required sequence of activities and construct a network reflecting the precedence relationships

Identify each activity to be done in the project and estimate how long it will take to complete each activity Determine the required sequence of activities and construct a network reflecting the precedence relationships Determine the critical path Determine the early start/finish and late start/finish schedule

How many immediate predecessors does an activity have?

It depends

How many milestones does a project have?

It depends on the project

What term best describes the written description of the objectives to be achieved in a project?

Statement of work

When breaking down a project, what term is used to describe these subdivisions?

Task and subtasks