Executing the project

Subject - Executing the Project

Required Text(s):

Pinto, J.K. (2019). Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage (5thed). Boston: Pearson.

Course Name - BADM 635-01 Executing the Project

Assigned Readings

Attached Files:

·  Chapter 10. Project Scheduling Lagging, Crashing, and Activity Networks.pptx (4.228 MB)

·  Chapter 9. Project Scheduling Networks, Duration Estimation, and Critical Path.pptx (2.973 MB)

Chapter 9: Project Scheduling: Networks, Duration Estimation, and Critical Path

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the importance of project scheduling techniques.

2. Understand and apply key scheduling terminology.

3. Develop an activity network using Activity-on-Node (A O N) technique.

4. Perform activity duration estimation based on the use of probabilistic estimating techniques.

5. Construct the critical path for a project schedule network using forward and backward passes, determine project slack, and calculate the probability of finishing on time.

Chapter 10: Project Scheduling: Lagging, Crashing, and Activity Networks 

Learning Objectives

1.  Apply lag relationships to project activities.

2. Construct and comprehend Gantt charts.

3. Recognize alternative means to accelerate projects, including their benefits and drawbacks.

4. Develop activity networks using Activity-on-Arrow techniques.

5. Understand some of the important controversies in the use of project networks.

Reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Identify what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding.

Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions:

Consider a project such as moving to a new neighborhood, completing a long-term school assignment, or even cleaning your bedroom. Develop a set of activities necessary to accomplish that project, and then order them in a precedence manner to create sequential logic. Explain and defend the number of steps you identified and the order in which you placed those steps for best completion of the project.

In crashing a project, we routinely focus on those activities that lie on the critical path, not activities with slack time. Explain why this is the case.

Identify and discuss some of the problems or dangers in using project networks. Under what circumstances can they be beneficial, and when can they be dangerous?

Respond to the post of at least two peers, using 100 words minimum each.

[Your initial post should be based upon the assigned reading for the week, so the textbook should be a source listed in your reference section and cited within the body of the text. Other sources are not required but feel free to use them if they aid in your discussion].

[Your initial post should be at least 450+ words and in APA format (including Times New Roman with font size 12 and double spaced). Post the actual body of your paper in the discussion thread then attach a Word version of the paper for APA review]

Assignment 2 below.

Activity 5

Activity I - Your university is holding a fund-raiser and will be hiring a band to entertain spectators.  You have been selected to serve as the event project manager and have created a Work Breakdown Structure and duration estimates for the activities involved in site preparation for the event. Construct a network activity diagram based on the following information:

Activity	Description	Predecessors	Duration (Days)
A	Site selection	None	4
B	Buy concessions	A	4
C	Rent facilities	A	2
D	Build stands	A	5
E	Generator & wiring installation	C	2
F	Security	B	4
G	Lighting installation	E	2
H	Sound system installation	E, F	2
I	Stage construction	D	3
J	Tear down	G, H, I	4

1. Conduct both a forward and backward pass using AON notation.  What is the estimated total duration for the project?

2. Identify all paths through the network.  Which is the critical path?

3. Which activities have slack time?

4. Identify all burst activities and merge activities.

Activity II  - Given the following information, answer the questions about this project:

Activity	Expected Duration	Predecessors
A	4 days	—
B	9 days	A
C	11 days	A
D	5 days	B
E	3 days	B
F	7 days	C
G	3 days	D, F
H	2 days	E, G
I	1 day	H

1. Draw the network as a Gantt chart.

2. What is the critical path?  Which activities have slack time?

3. What would happen if activities B and D each took 5 extra days to complete instead of the expected duration?  How would the critical path change?

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