CPM & PERT Schedule Development Flashcards
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Read the first 7 CPM & PERT Schedule Development flashcards as text
When converting an Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) network to a Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM) network, dummy activities are:
Answer: Eliminated because PDM uses node-based logic to capture dependencies directly
PDM places activities on nodes and uses dependency arrows with relationship types, making ADM's dummy activities unnecessary.
A project manager wants to compress the schedule by overlapping phases. Which CPM technique involves starting a successor activity before its predecessor is fully complete?
Answer: Fast-tracking
Fast-tracking overlaps activities that would normally be done sequentially, introducing parallel work and potential rework risk.
In PERT, if the optimistic estimate is 6 days, pessimistic is 18 days, and most likely is 9 days, what is the PERT expected duration?
Answer: 10 days
PERT expected duration = (6 + 4×9 + 18) / 6 = (6 + 36 + 18) / 6 = 60 / 6 = 10 days.
Which statement about the Critical Path Method is TRUE regarding resource constraints?
Answer: CPM assumes unlimited resources and does not factor resource constraints into float calculations
Traditional CPM is a pure logic-based technique that assumes resources are always available; resource constraints are handled separately through leveling.
A 'near-critical path' in a CPM network is significant because:
Answer: It may become critical if activities on it experience delays, creating schedule risk
Near-critical paths with small total float are vulnerable to becoming critical if minor delays occur, representing a key schedule risk.
When 'crashing' a schedule in CPM, a scheduler should prioritize crashing activities that:
Answer: Are on the critical path and have the lowest cost-slope
Crashing the critical path activity with the lowest cost per day saved maximizes schedule compression per dollar spent.
In CPM network analysis, an 'open end' in the schedule logic (an activity with no successor other than the project end) is problematic because:
Answer: It may mask float and make the schedule difficult to control and analyze
Open ends create dangling logic that can artificially inflate or hide float, making the schedule unreliable for analysis.