1.       How does the WBS differ from the project network?

2.       How are WBS and project networks linked?

3.       Why bother creating a WBS? Why not go straight to a project network and forget the WBS?

4.       Why is slack important to the project manager?

5.       What is the difference between free slack and total slack?

6.       Why are lags used in developing project networks?

7.       What is a hammock activity, and when is it used?

8.       Here is a partial work breakdown structure for a wedding. Use the method described in the Snapshot from Practice 6.2: The Yellow Sticky Approach to create a network for this project.

Note: Do not include summary tasks in the network (i.e., 1.3, Ceremony, is a summary task; 1.2, Marriage license, is not a summary task). Do not consider who would be doing the task in building the network. For example, do not arrange “hiring a band” to occur after “florist” because the same person is responsible for doing both tasks. Focus only on technical dependencies between tasks.

Hint: Start with the last activity (wedding reception), and work your way back to the start of the project. Build the logical sequence of tasks by asking the following question: In order to have or do this, what must be accomplished immediately before this? Once completed, check forward in time by asking this question: Is this task(s) the only thing that is needed immediately before the start of the next task?

Draw a project network from the following information. What activity(s) is a burst activity? What activity(s) is a merge activity.

Draw a project network from the following information. What activity(s) is a burst activity? What activity(s) is a merge activity

                Draw a project network from the following information. What activity(s) is a burst activity?          What activity(s) is a merge activity?

                From the following information, develop an AON project network. Complete the forward and   backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path. How many days will the    project take?

                The project information for the custom order project of the Air Control Company is presented here. Draw a project network for this project. Compute the early and late activity times and          the slack times. Identify the critical path

8.       You have signed a contract to build a garage for the Simpsons. You will receive a $500 bonus for completing the project within 7 working days. The contract also contains a penalty clause in which you will lose $100 for each day the project takes longer than 7 working days.

Draw a project network given the information below. Complete the forward and backward pass, compute the activity slack, and identify the critical path. Do you expect to receive a bonus or a penalty on this project?

9.    You are creating a customer database for the Hillsboro Hops minor league baseball team. Draw a project network given the information below. Complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path.

How long will this project take? How sensitive is the network schedule? Calculate the free slack and total slack for all noncritical activities.

10.  K. Nelson project manager of Print Software, Inc., wants you to prepare a project network; compute the early, late, and slack activity times; determine the planned project duration; and identify the critical path. His assistant has collected the following information for the Color Printer Drivers Software Project:

11.  A large southeast city is requesting federal funding for a park-and-ride project. One of the requirements in the request application is a network plan for the design phase of the project. Sophie Kim, the chief engineer, wants you to develop a project network plan to meet this requirement. She has gathered the activity time estimates and their dependencies shown here. Show your project network with the activity early, late, and slack times. Mark the critical path.

12.  You are creating a customer database for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs minor league baseball team. Draw a project network given the information below. Complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path.

How long will this project take? How sensitive is the network schedule? Calculate the free slack and total slack for all noncritical activities.

13.  You are completing a group term paper. Given the project network that follows, complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path. Use this information to create a Gantt chart for the project. Be sure to show slack for noncritical activities.

14.  You are managing a product upgrade project for Bangkokagogo. Given the project network that follows, complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path. Use this information to create a Gantt chart for the project. Be sure to show slack for noncritical activities.

15.  You are creating a database for the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Basketball team. Given the project network that follows, complete the forward and backward pass, compute activity slack, and identify the critical path. Use this information to create a Gantt chart for the project.

16.  The planning department of an electronics firm has set up the activities for developing and production of a new phone. Given the information below, develop a project network using Microsoft Project. Assume a five-day workweek and the project starts on January 4, 2017.

17.  Using Microsoft Project, set up the network and determine the critical path for Stage 1 of the Whistler Ski Resort Project described below. The project workweek will be 5 days (M-F).

(Refer to textbook. Problem too long to include here.)

Assignment:

1. Identify the critical path on your network.

2. Can the project be completed by October 1?

18.  The optical disk project team has started gathering the information necessary to develop the project network—predecessor activities and activity times in weeks. The results of their meeting are found in the following table.

19.          From the following information, compute the early, late, and slack times for each activity. Identify the critical path

20.  Given the following information, compute the early, late, and slack times for the project network. Which activities on the critical path have only the start or finish of the activity on the critical path?

21.  Given the information in the following lag exercises, compute the early, late, and slack times for the project network. Which activities on the critical path have only the start or finish of the activity on the critical path?

22. Given the network below, compute the early, late, and slack time for each activity. Clearly identify the critical path.

23.  The CyClon project team has started gathering information necessary to develop a project network—predecessor activities and activity time in days. The results of their meeting are found in the following table:

Part A. Create a network based on the above information. How long will the project take? What is the critical path?

Part B. Upon further review the team recognizes that they missed three finish-to-start lags. Procure prototype parts will involve only 2 days of work but it will take 8 days for the parts to be delivered. Likewise, Order stock components will take 2 days of work and 8 days for delivery and Order custom components 2 days of work and 13 days for delivery.

Reconfigure the CyClon schedule by entering the three finish-to-start lags. What impact did these lags have on the original schedule? On the amount of work required to complete the project?

Part C. Management is not happy with the schedule and wants the project completed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they are not willing to approve additional resources. One team member pointed out that the network contained only finish-to-start relationships and that it might be possible to reduce project duration by creating start-to-start lags. After much deliberation the team concluded that the following relationships could be converted into start-to-start lags:

•          Procure prototype parts could start 6 days after the start of Design.

•          Fabricate parts could start 9 days after the start of Design.

•          Laboratory test could begin 1 day after the start of Assemble prototype.

•          Field test could start 5 days after the start of Laboratory test.

•          Adjust design could begin 7 days after the start of Field test.

•          Order stock and Order custom components could begin 5 days after Adjust design.

•          Test unit could begin 9 days after the start of Assemble test production unit.

•          Document results could start 3 days after the start of Test unit.

Reconfigure the CyClon schedule by entering all nine start-to-start lags. What impact did these lags have on the original schedule (Part A)? How long will the project take? Is there a change in the critical path? Is there a change in the sensitivity of the network? Why would management like this solution?

Brian Smith, network administrator at Advanced Energy Technology (AET), has been given the responsibility of implementing the migration of a large data center to a new office location. Careful planning is needed because AET operates in the highly competitive petroleum industry. AET is one of five national software companies that provide an accounting and business management package for oil jobbers and gasoline distributors. A few years ago, AET jumped into the “application service provider” world. Their large data center provides clients with remote access to AET’s complete suite of application software systems. Traditionally, one of AET’s primary competitive advantages has been the company’s trademark IT reliability. Due to the complexity of this project, Brian will have to use a parallel method of implementation. Although this will increase project costs, a parallel approach is essential if reliability is not to be compromised.

(Rest of case not shown due to length.)

Teaching Note: We recommend pointing out to students that this is a very sensitive schedule with multiple critical paths. Students should recognize that a delay in any one of the Switchover Meetings will not only extend the duration of the project but alter the critical path configuration.

1.    Generate a priority matrix for AET’s system move.

2.    Develop a WBS for Brian’s project. Include duration (days) and predecessors.

3.    Using a project planning tool, generate a network diagram for this project.

The G&E Company is preparing a bid to build the new 47,000-seat Shoreline baseball stadium. The construction must start on July 3, 2017, and be completed in time for the start of the 2020 season. A penalty clause of $250,000 per day of delay beyond April 3 is written into the contract.

(Rest of case not shown due to length.)

1.    Will the project be able to be completed by the April 3rd deadline? How long will it take?

2.    What is the critical path for the project?

3.    Based on the schedule would you recommend that G&E pursue this contract? Why? Include a one-page Gantt chart for the stadium schedule.