project management

 

Product Development. Consider the simplified set of activities in the Table below for the development of a consumer product from initiation through the market test phase. 

Activity

Symbol

Immediate predecessors

Time estimate (weeks)

Investigate demand

A

3

Develop pricing strategy

B

1

Design product

C

5

Conduct promotional cost analysis

D

A

1

Manufacture prototype models

E

C

6

Perform product cost analysis

F

E

1

Perform final pricing analysis

G

B,D,F

2

Conduct market test

H

G

8

1. Draw the AOA network for this project.
2. Calculate total slacks and free slacks, and interpret their meaning. .
3. Determine the critical path and interpret its meaning.
4. Construct a Gantt chart and mark the latest start times for each activity.