Larson & Gray - Project Management - Blue Zuma Part 1
1. When is the project estimated to be completed? How long will the project take?
The project is estimated to be completed on Friday 19/12/08, and will take 250 days.
2. What is the critical path for the project?
2 --> 3 --> 5 --> 8 --> 9 --> 10 --> 12 --> 13 --> 14
3. Which activity has the greatest amount of slack?
Activity 6 - Detailed Marketing Plan (159 days slack)
4. How sensitive is this network?
Not very, as there is only one critical path, and the non-critical activities have a significant amount of slack.
5. Identify two sensible milestones and explain your choices.
1. ID: 5 - Product Design Selection - Wed 02/04/08
Should be a milestone, as it is both a Merge and Burst Activity on the critical path that signifies the beginning of product development and marketing after having chosen a product design from a selection of multiple product designs.
2. ID: 10 - Finalised Product Design - Thur 14/08/08
Should be a milestone, as it is both a Merge and Burst activity on the critical path that signifies the creation of a successful prototype test product and the completion of all stages in product design.
1
6. Compare the advantages/disadvantages of displaying the schedule as a network versus a Gantt chart.
A network shows dependancies/predecessors very well compared to a Gantt chart
(which, traditionally, does not show dependancies at all).
Also, being essentially a flow chat, it is useful as a communication skill - information is very clearly laid out and simple.
However, a network does not give an accurate indication of time - as opposed to a Gantt chart, which has a clearly defined time
The project is estimated to be completed on Friday 19/12/08, and will take 250 days.
2. What is the critical path for the project?
2 --> 3 --> 5 --> 8 --> 9 --> 10 --> 12 --> 13 --> 14
3. Which activity has the greatest amount of slack?
Activity 6 - Detailed Marketing Plan (159 days slack)
4. How sensitive is this network?
Not very, as there is only one critical path, and the non-critical activities have a significant amount of slack.
5. Identify two sensible milestones and explain your choices.
1. ID: 5 - Product Design Selection - Wed 02/04/08
Should be a milestone, as it is both a Merge and Burst Activity on the critical path that signifies the beginning of product development and marketing after having chosen a product design from a selection of multiple product designs.
2. ID: 10 - Finalised Product Design - Thur 14/08/08
Should be a milestone, as it is both a Merge and Burst activity on the critical path that signifies the creation of a successful prototype test product and the completion of all stages in product design.
1
6. Compare the advantages/disadvantages of displaying the schedule as a network versus a Gantt chart.
A network shows dependancies/predecessors very well compared to a Gantt chart
(which, traditionally, does not show dependancies at all).
Also, being essentially a flow chat, it is useful as a communication skill - information is very clearly laid out and simple.
However, a network does not give an accurate indication of time - as opposed to a Gantt chart, which has a clearly defined time