SCMA 350 Chapter 7

Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, which activities constitute the critical path for this project? a. A-B-E-F b. A-C-E-F c. A-D-E-F d. A-D-F

a. A-B-E-F

Faced with significant schedule challenges, the project manager has several responsibilities. All of the following are among the project manager's responsibilities EXCEPT: a. willingly accept end dates dictated by customers or sponsors b. persuade all stakeholders that the schedule makes sense c. deliver the project according to the agreed-upon schedule d. determine a schedule that is possible to achieve

a. willingly accept end dates dictated by customers or sponsors

Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, which activity can you delay by one day without impacting the expected completion date for the project? a. Activity A b. Activity B c. Activity C d. Activity D

c. Activity C

Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, what is the late start date for activity C - "Review Reports"? a. Day 0 b. Day 2 c. Day 4 d. Day 10

c. Day 4

The total number of work periods (not including holidays or other non-work periods) required to complete a schedule activity is known as: a. effort b. elapsed time c. duration d. resource days

c. duration

The sequencing of activities is often based upon dependencies between the activities. The dependencies that should guide activity sequencing can be either: a. critical or non-critical b. opportunities or threats c. mandatory or discretionary d. interior or exterior

c. mandatory or discretionary

Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, how many days can you delay the calibration of the instrumentation (Activity B), without impacting the expected project completion date? a. 0 days b. 1 day c. 2 days d. 4 days

a. 0 days

Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, what is the late start date for activity A - "Plan Research"? a. Day 0 b. Day 2 c. Day 4 d. Day 10

a. Day 0

All of the following strategies can help a project team to develop realistic time estimates for project activities EXCEPT: a. adding a significant buffer to each activity b. be sure to consider learning curves, interruptions and competing priorities c. estimate times of completion without initial reference to a calendar d. verify the time estimates with the people doing the work

a. adding a significant buffer to each activity

Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, how many days can you delay the purchase of software (Activity C), without impacting the expected project completion date? a. 0 days b. 1 day c. 2 days d. 4 days

b. 1 day

Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, what is the expected duration of this project? a. 22 days b. 24 days c. 26 days d. 28 days

b. 24 days

Consider the activity duration estimates presented in Figure 7-5. Based on the information provided and adopting the PERT conventions to calculate expected activity durations, what is the expected duration of Activity D - "Package Item"? a. 9 days b. 9.5 days c. 10 days d. 12 days

b. 9.5 days

Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, which activity can be delayed one day without impacting the expected project completion date? a. Activity B - Calibrate Instruments b. Activity C - Review Studies c. Activity D - Monitor Instruments d. Activity E - Test Samples

b. Activity C - Review Studies

Despite the insights that PERT provides, there are still practical limitations that impact its usefulness. All of the following difficulties are associated with the use of PERT EXCEPT: a. It often requires more effort to generate three estimates than one. b. It highlights uncertainty in project duration c. It does not accurately address the case when two activities both need to be accomplished before a third can begin. d. There is no assurance that three estimates are any more accurate than one

b. It highlights uncertainty in project duration

The amount of time a schedule activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor is known as: a. reserve b. free float c. contingency d. lead

b. free float

All of the following items can provide useful assistance to a project team to define the activities of a project EXCEPT: a. the work packages from the Work Breakdown Structure b. issue logs c. checklists for projects of the same type d. schedules from similar projects that are already completed

b. issue logs

An activity that logically comes before a dependent activity in a schedule is called a ___: a. leader activity b. predecessor activity c. successor activity d. mandatory activity

b. predecessor activity

Consider the network scheduling data provided in Figure 7-6. What is the expected duration of this project? a. 97 days b. 102 days c. 107 days d. 112 days

c. 107 days

Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, what is the expected duration of this project? a. 15 days b. 16 days c. 17 days d. 30 days

c. 17 days

Consider the Research Project depicted in Figure 7-2. Based on the information provided, what is the slack associated with activity C - "Review Reports"? a. 0 days b. 1 day c. 2 days d. 4 days

c. 2 days

Consider the network scheduling data presented in Figure 7-6. How many days of slack are associated with activity F? a. 0 b. 15 c. 80 d. 107

c. 80

Consider the System Integration Project depicted in Figure 7-3. Based on the information provided, which activities can be delayed one day without impacting the expected project completion date? a. Activity E - Install Software and Activity F - Test System b. Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity E - Install Software c. Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity D - Prepare Test Plan d. none of these

c. Activity C - Purchase Software and Activity D - Prepare Test Plan

Estimating the number of work periods that will be needed to complete individual schedule activities characterizes which of the following time management processes? a. Define activities b. Sequence activities c. Estimate activity duration d. Create WBS

c. Estimate activity duration

Which of the following statements correctly describes the critical path? a. The sequence of activities that represents the shortest path through the project network. b. It determines the latest possible end date of the project. c. It consists only of activities with zero float (slack). d. It consists only of activities with lag times

c. It consists only of activities with zero float (slack).

Which of the following responses identifies a common type of logical dependency used to sequence project activities? a. first-in; first-out b. last-in; last-out c. finish-to-start d. last-in; first-out

c. finish-to-start

Which of the following remedies may reduce the likelihood of omissions when developing activity duration estimates? a. lessons learned b. resource buffers c. learning curve d. staggering project start dates

c. learning curve

Consider the network scheduling data provided in Figure 7-6. Which activities constitute the critical path for this project network? a. A-D-F-I b. A-C-E-H-I c. A-B-E-H-I d. A-B-E-G-I

d. A-B-E-G-I

Consider the Lab Experiment Project depicted in Figure 7-4. Based on the information provided, identify the critical path(s) for this project? a. A-C-F only b. A-B-D-F only c. A-B-E-F only d. Both A-B-D-F and A-B-E-F are critical paths

d. Both A-B-D-F and A-B-E-F are critical paths

Consider the Assembly Project depicted in Figure 7-1. Based on the information provided, what is the early start date for activity D - "Attach Modules 1 & 2"? a. Day 0 b. Day 3 c. Day 4 d. Day 5

d. Day 5

All of the following statements correctly describe an advantage or disadvantage associated with the use of Monte Carlo Analysis EXCEPT: a. The flexibility of Monte Carlo Analysis allows for more realistic estimates. b. Monte Carlo simulation aids in the identification of near-critical paths. c. Monte Carlo simulations typically require the use of special software and skills. d. Monte Carlo simulations do not consider risks

d. Monte Carlo simulations do not consider risks

All of the following problems contribute to difficulty in estimating activity durations accurately EXCEPT: a. merging - multiple predecessors b. omissions - leaving out key activities c. general uncertainty in the estimate d. poor vendor selection

d. poor vendor selection

Creating a realistic schedule is often an iterative process because several factors can limit how fast a project can be completed. All of the following factors can limit how fast a project can be scheduled and completed EXCEPT: a. logical order b. imposed dates c. resource availability d. quality metrics

d. quality metrics

Milestones are important points in a project schedule that can serve as check points for project managers and sponsors. All of the following reasons might justify the decision to establish a milestone EXCEPT: a. completion of a major deliverable b. the time right before a large amount of money needs to be committed c. a merging point where multiple activities must be completed before progress can continue d. scheduling team status meetings

d. scheduling team status meetings