PM Chapter 6 LearnSmart

What is a horizontal bar chart showing activities/tasks with duration and timing? -A network diagram. -A responsibility matrix. -A Gantt Chart. -A work breakdown structure.

A Gantt Chart.

What is a project network? -A graphical representation of the project in flow chart form. -A group of team members connected through digital communications. -A representation of activities with horizontal bars showing time to completion and relationship to the project. -The reporting structure within a project team.

A graphical representation of the project in flow chart form.

All are the reasons that most project networks "fail" or are never completed in practice, except for: -Activities include more than one work package. -Different people define the work packages and network activities. -The work breakdown structure is poorly constructed.

Activities include more than one work package.

How does total slack relate to a project network's critical path? -Slack has no relationship to the critical path -Activities cannot have zero slack when critical path is achieved. -Activities with the minimum amount of slack make up the critical path. -Activities with the most slack are a critical path.

Activities with the minimum amount of slack make up the critical path.

For project managers, this is an element of the project that requires time. It may or may not require resources. -Parallel activities -Critical Path -Path -Merge Activity -Activity -Burst Activity

Activity

These usually represent one or more tasks from a work package. -Parallel activities -Critical path -Merge activity -Activity -Burst activity -Path

Activity

True or false: A project network with activity time estimates has no links to planning, scheduling and controlling of projects.

False

__________ _______ basically breaks activities into smaller segments so that work can be done in parallel and the project expedited.

Fast; tracking

All statements are correct about an activity that consumes all of its slack, except for: -If it was not on the critical path before, it is now. -It will cause the project end date to be later. -Other activities may have some of their slack consumed.

It will cause the project end date to be later.

In a backward pass, __________-___________ = LS.

LF; DUR

The activities within a project network are taken from a work breakdown structure. Which statement about network activities is correct? -Networks consist of all activities that contain one or more work packages. -Networks consist only of individual work packages. -Networks only show activities on the critical path.

Networks consist of all activities that contain one or more work packages.

Another name for this relationship is concurrent relationship. -Critical activities -Predecessor activities -Successor activities -Parallel relationship

Parallel relationship

All network analysis may be completed only after completing both the forward and backward passes, except for: -Project schedule. -Critical Path determination. -Project sensitivity.

Project schedule.

Which is a key benefit of using lags with finish to start relationships? -Reduction of total project cost. -Proper accounting of resource cost. -Reduction of total project duration.

Proper accounting of resource cost.

What is the goal of numbering activities in a project network? -To be able to apply task expenses to cost control accounts. -To establish predecessor relationships. -To define network paths, locate specific activities, and troubleshoot.

To define network paths, locate specific activities, and troubleshoot.

All statements are reasons why the finish to start relationship may not be the "best" approach in a project network, except for: -Using all finish to start relationships will develop the longest project duration. -Using all finish to start relationships is the most risky approach to project timing. -Not all tasks have to wait for a predecessor to complete.

Using all finish to start relationships is the most risky approach to project timing.

In a forward pass, as you trace along the path, you ___________ the activity times.

add

In a forward pass, you __________ activity times along each path in the network.

add

The hammock activity duration is determined _____________ the network plan is drawn.

after

Which best describes the precedence relationship of activities within a project network? An activity cannot begin until ___. -all activities in the network before it are complete. -all activities immediately before it are complete.

all activities immediately before it are complete.

The dependencies among activities are depicted by _______________ between the rectangles (boxes) on the AON network.

arrows

CP stands for _________ __________

critical path

______________ paths give the impression that the project does not have a clear beginning or ending.

dangler

If an activity on the critical path is delayed, the project is __________

delayed

If an activity on the critical path is delayed, the project is ______________

delayed

Activities can be broken into segments and the network drawn using a _____________ approach so the following activity can begin sooner and not delay the work.

laddering

To constrain the start and finish of an activity __________ can be used.

lags

In a forward pass, you carry the EF to the next activity. Assuming that activity is a merge activity, you select the ____________ early finish number (EF) of all its immediate predecessor activities.

largest

Free slack occurs at the __________ activity in a chain of activities

last

___________ is an attempt by the planner to return to an earlier activity.

looping

The ___________ is the framework for the project information system that will be used by the project managers to make decisions concerning project time, cost, and performance.

network

Networks are built using ___________ and ___________

nodes; arrows

____________ is a function of the number of critical or near-critical paths.

sensitivity

Most computer programs will assign calender dates automatically after you identify _____. (Choose 3) -start dates -end dates -time units -non-working days -working days

start dates time units non-working days

The critical path is the path with _____. -the shortest duration through the network -the longest duration through the network.

the longest duration through the network.

Use of _________ __________ must be coordinated with all participants in the activities that follow in the chain.

total slack

When constructing a project network for a project with 25 - 100 tasks, a common industry practice is to _____. -utilize the "yellow sticky" approach -loop common activities -develop a responsibility matrix first. -enter and organize tasks directly into project software

utilize the "yellow sticky" approach

All of the following are key benefits of using lags with start to start relationships, except for: -Reduction of network detail -Reduction of project delay -Reduction of total project cost

Reduction of total project cost

____________ statements are not allowed in project networks.

conditional

____________-to-start lags are frequently used when ordering materials.

finish

Each activity needs a unique _________ code.

identification

Each activity should have a unique identification _____________

number

In the forward pass, activity times are added as one proceeds along the network. In the backward pass, activity times are ___. -also added -subtracted

subtracted

How many tasks you include in each activity sets the level of ___________

detail

What is the meaning of the term "lag" in a project network? -An amount of time to delay a successor activity after the predecessor starts. -An amount of time to delay a predecessor activity after the successor ends. -Almost finishing a project but not quite there.

An amount of time to delay a successor activity after the predecessor starts.

All of the following are needed when using the yellow sticky approach to constructing a project network, except for: -An assigned project manager. -One yellow sticker for each activity. -Erasable whiteboard with marker pen. -Project team members and a facilitator.

An assigned project manager.

Which is a key benefit of using a hammock activity in a project network? -Shortening the overall project duration. -Simplify the creation of the project network. -Assignment and control of indirect costs.

Assignment and control of indirect costs.

What are the benefits of prohibiting dangler paths in a multiple project network? (Choose 2) -Different start dates for each project can be achieved. -Prevents looping statements. -Total planning period of projects can be identified. -Prevents employing a proper numbering system.

Different start dates for each project can be achieved. Total planning period of projects can be identified.

What key pieces of activity related information are obtained after completing both the forward and backward passes? -Overall project cost -Activity durations -Early and Late Start dates -Slack durations

Early and Late Start dates Slack durations

Project networks modeled in project management software are extremely useful for doing all of these analysis, except for: -Evaluating project status. -Calculating forward and backward pass information. -Running "what if" analysis.

Evaluating project status.

Which of the following statements is true of the level of detail for activities? -Only one activity per major deliverable is needed for a network plan. -Only one activity per project milestone is needed for a network plan. -In some cases, it is possible to end up with too much information to manage. -It is not necessary to reduce the level of detail as more detail indicates more accuracy.

In some cases, it is possible to end up with too much information to manage.

What is the difference in the information between the work package and network activity? -Nothing, they are the same thing. -Networks include timing whereas work packages do not. -Work packages include timing whereas networks do not.

Networks include timing whereas work packages do not.

When should a project utilize the "project network" tool? -When planning, scheduling, and control are important. -For short duration projects. -For projects considered "trivial." -When a responsibility matrix is appropriate.

When planning, scheduling, and control are important.

All of the following statements are true about laddering a series of activities in a project network, except for: -When one activity has a long duration and overlaps the start of another. -Large activities can be segmented so that the following activities can begin sooner and not delay the work. -Where a predecessor must be 100% complete before starting the next activity.

Where a predecessor must be 100% complete before starting the next activity.

Ultimately you will want to assign _________ dates to your project activities.

calendar

The flow of activities and the logic behind their organization requires that network creation prohibit all of the following, except for: -"if statements", i.e. if this happens, then do that, or do something else. -the use of more than one predecessor in a network diagram. -"looping", i.e. do these steps, then go back and start again as needed until done.

the use of more than one predecessor in a network diagram.

What term is used to describe the likelihood (probability) that a project network's original critical path will change over the course of executing the project? -Stability -Reliability -Accuracy -Sensitivity

sensitivity

Total slack relates to the project end date, while free slack relates to the ___. -prior activity start date. -amount of total slack. -successor (next) activity start date. -project start date.

successor (next) activity start date.

All information is needed to build a project network, except for: -Technical knowledge of deliverables -Planned activity start times -List of work packages -Work package duration

Planned activity start times

When a project Activity on Node (AON) network includes time and resource estimates, it may be used for which project management function(s)? -Planning -Scheduling -Controlling -Planning and Scheduling -Scheduling and Controlling -Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling

Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling

Which two precedence relationship methods are the most common application of lags in project networks? (Choose 2) -Finish to Start. -Start to Start. -Finish to Finish. -Start to Finish.

Start to Start. Finish to Finish.

All are the definition of the term "slack" or "float" in a project network, except for: -The time an activity can be delayed before it becomes critical. -The difference between the early and late start of an activity. -The difference between an activity duration and its original time estimate. -The difference between the early and late finish of an activity.

The difference between an activity duration and its original time estimate

Which are correct statements regarding the forward pass calculations and its algorithms? -The late finish date is "passed" to the successor activities. -The early finish date is "passed" to the successor activities. -Duration is added to the early start to calculate the early finish. -Duration is added to the early start to calculate the late start.

The early finish date is "passed" to the successor activities. Duration is added to the early start to calculate the early finish.

Which statement best explains a "finish to start" precedent relationship? -Finish to start relationships may not be used with merge activities. -The predecessor must complete before the successor may start. -The successor must complete before the predecessor may start. -Finish to start relationships may not be used with burst activities.

The predecessor must complete before the successor may start.

Which statements are true about using a finish to finish precedence relationship? -The successor activity may start at any time. -This is the only commonly used precedence relationship. -Finish to finish is really the same as a finish to start with a lag. -The finish of one activity is dependent on the finish of another activity.

The successor activity may start at any time. The finish of one activity is dependent on the finish of another activity.

All elements are included in a project network, except for: -Work packages within a work breakdown structure. -The sequence of activities to complete the project. -The team organizational structure. -Inter-dependencies of activities.

The team organizational structure.

In an AON diagram, what are the means of the length and slope of the arrow? -Larger slopes mean the tasks are more difficult -While the slope has no meaning, longer arrows mean longer task times -A positive slope indicates a burst activity while a negative slope indicates a merge activity -They are completely arbitrary

They are completely arbitrary

All statements are true about using a start to finish precedence relationships, except for: -Lags should be used with this type of relationship. -This is a commonly used precedence relationship. -The successor activity may start at any time.

This is a commonly used precedence relationship.

If nodes in a project network diagram contain activity duration, what type of information can be determined? (Choose 5) -Time an activity start may be delayed. -Early start dates. -Project duration. -Late start deadlines. -Total cost of the project. -Project priorities. -Critical Path.

Time an activity start may be delayed. Early start dates. Project duration. Late start deadlines. Critical Path.