Project Management Questions In Class

COMM 225: Production & Operations Management
TOPIC: PROJECT MANAGEMENT – QUESTIONS (To be solved in class)
Q1 (Ref: Q. 17-7, p658 of textbook): Three recent university graduates have formed a partnership and have opened an advertising firm. Their first project consists of activities listed in the following table.
(a) Draw the precedence network.
(b) What is the probability that the project can be completed in 24 days or less? In 21 days or less?
(c) Suppose that now is the end of the seventh day and that activities a & b have been completed while activity d is 50 percent completed. Three-point estimates for the remaining duration of activity d are now 5, 6, and 7 days.
Activities c and h are ready to begin. Determine the probability of finishing the project by the end of (a) day 24 and (b) day 21.
Duration in Days
Activity

Precedes

Optimistic

Most Likely

Pessimistic

a b c d e f g h i

c h e f End g End i End

5
8
6
9
5
5
2
4
5

6
8
8
12
6
6
3
4
7

7
11
11
15
9
7
7
5
8

Q2 (Ref: Q. 17-13, p660 of textbook): The project manager of the construction of a domed stadium had hoped to be able to complete the construction prior to the start of the next season. After activity duration estimates, it now appears that a certain amount of crashing will be needed to ensure project completion before the season opener.
Given the following information, determine the minimum-cost crashing schedule that will shave five weeks off the project length.
Crashing Costs
Activity

Precedes

Normal Duration (weeks)

First Week

Second Week

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
M
N
P

B
K
D, E, F
G
H
I
M
N, P
J
P
End
End
End
End

12
14
10
17
18
12
15
8
7
12
9
3
11
8

$15,000
10,000
5,000
20,000
16,000
12,000
24,000
—
30,000
25,000
10,000
—
40,000
20,000

$20,000
10,000
5,000
21,000
18,000
15,000
24,000
—
—
25,000
10,000
—
—
20,000

Q3(Ref: Q. 17-18, p663 of textbook): Consider the construction of a research building for Eli Lilly & Co., a pharmaceutical company, a few years ago. This 550,000 ft2. 4-story