Deck 8: Modifying Project Schedules to Accommodate Time and Resource Constraints

Question 1

In critical chain terminology, removing some of the time buffer from individual activity estimates and moving them collectively to the end of the project is an example of:

A) Inserting a project buffer
B) Inserting a feeding buffer
C) Inserting a resource buffer
D) Inserting float
E) Inserting a critical path

Answer 1

Inserting a project buffer

Question 2

Using the following figures, what is the incremental crash cost for this project activity?
Normal time = 6 months, Crash time = 4 months
Normal cost = $27,000, Crash cost = $35,000

A) $16,000 per month
B) $8,000 per month
C) $4,000 per month
D) $6,000 per month
E) None of the above

Answer 2

$4,000 per month

Question 3

The next three questions relate to the following scenario: Erica is planning a large surprise party for her best friend. She has developed the plan below which includes estimates of the time in hours) and cost necessary to perform each of the activities required.
$$\begin{array} { | l | c | c | c | c | c | } \hline \text { Activity } & \text { Predeces sor } & \begin{array} { c } \text { Normal } \\\text { Time } \\\text { (hrs) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Crash } \\\text { Time } \\\text { (hrs) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Norm al } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Crash } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} \\\hline \text { A. Create Guest List } & - - & 8 & 4 & \$ 200 & \$ 310 \\\hline \text { B. Send Invitations } & \text { A } & 2 & 1 & \$ 125 & \$ 150 \\\hline \text { C. Plan Decorations } & \text { A } & 8 & 6 & \$ 300 & \$ 370 \\\hline \text { D. Plan Menu } & \text { A } & 3 & 2 & \$ 150 & \$ 210 \\\hline \text { E. Shop } & \text { D } & 4 & 2 & \$ 475 & \$ 550 \\\hline \text { F. Prepare Food } & \text { E } & 5 & 3 & \$ 225 & \$ 475 \\\hline\end{array}$$


-To reduce the time for Activity F, Prepare Food, Erica can purchase some of the food from a caterer rather than cook it herself. As shown in the table above, this can reduce the time for Activity F by one or two hours, depending on how much catered food she purchases. What is the crash cost per hour for this activity?

A) $225
B) $475
C) $250
D) $125
E) $83.33
F) None of these, the answer is: ____________________

Answer 3

$125

Question 4

Which of the following would NOT be considered a direct activity cost?

A) Rework expenses
B) overhead costs
C) overtime salaries
D) costs to rent or purchase additional equipment
E) costs associated with increased coordination

Question 5

Ganesh has been asked to create a project team for a major web development effort. He and the project sponsor have discussed team size and they are debating two options:
-Perform the project in 12 months with a team of 15 people
-Crash the project and complete it in 6 months with a team of 34 people
Which of the following will be true about the contrast between these two options?

A) Option II is likely to require more coordination than Option I.
B) Option I is likely to be more expensive than Option II.
C) Option II will require more than five times as many communication channels as Option I.
D) a and c only.
E) b and c only.

Question 6

Which of the following characteristics would make an activity an unattractive candidate for crashing?

A) it is in a bottleneck position
B) it has a long duration
C) employees required to do the job have highly specialized skills
D) it is on the critical path
E) it is labor intensive and employees can be added easily

Question 7

The next three questions are related to the project schedule shown below, which has been adjusted to accommodate resource constraints.



-Given the way the schedule shown above is currently planned, what sequence of activities comprises the critical chain? Dashed lines = float.)

A) A-B-C-F-H-J
B) A-B-D-J
C) A-B-D-G-I-J
D) A-B-C-G-I-J
E) ABEGIJ
F) A-E-J

Question 8

In evaluating time-cost tradeoffs, we start by crashing the activity on the critical path that:

A) has the lowest crash cost per unit time.
B) has the lowest total crash cost.
C) can be reduced the most.
D) is the longest.
E) none of the above.

Question 9

What is the critical chain in the schedule below?

A) A-B-D-F-G
B) A-C-E-G
C) A-B-D-E-G
D) A-B-D-E-F-G
E) ABDFG
F) None of the above

Question 10

The next three questions relate to the following scenario: Erica is planning a large surprise party for her best friend. She has developed the plan below which includes estimates of the time in hours) and cost necessary to perform each of the activities required.
$$\begin{array} { | l | c | c | c | c | c | } \hline \text { Activity } & \text { Predeces sor } & \begin{array} { c } \text { Normal } \\\text { Time } \\\text { (hrs) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Crash } \\\text { Time } \\\text { (hrs) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Norm al } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Crash } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} \\\hline \text { A. Create Guest List } & - - & 8 & 4 & \$ 200 & \$ 310 \\\hline \text { B. Send Invitations } & \text { A } & 2 & 1 & \$ 125 & \$ 150 \\\hline \text { C. Plan Decorations } & \text { A } & 8 & 6 & \$ 300 & \$ 370 \\\hline \text { D. Plan Menu } & \text { A } & 3 & 2 & \$ 150 & \$ 210 \\\hline \text { E. Shop } & \text { D } & 4 & 2 & \$ 475 & \$ 550 \\\hline \text { F. Prepare Food } & \text { E } & 5 & 3 & \$ 225 & \$ 475 \\\hline\end{array}$$


-Based on critical chain concepts, which of the following is true of a resource buffer?

A) A resource buffer involves information sharing between sequentially-linked tasks on the critical chain.
B) A resource buffer collects time at the end of the project.
C) A resource buffer specifies a minimum amount of free float to protect the critical chain from the effects of potential delays in non-critical chain activities.
D) A resource buffer adds extra human or financial resources to the critical chain to account for potential uncertainties in task times.
E) A and B only.

Question 11

Which of the following is most associated with fast tracking?

A) A waterfall-type schedule
B) Project activities are delayed to accommodate resource conflicts
C) Finish-to-start precedence logic
D) Start-to-start precedence logic
E) Paying incentives for faster work

Question 12

When is crashing beneficial to a project?

A) When the cost of crashing by one day is less than the project's daily overhead cost
B) When the cost of crashing by one day is more than the project's daily overhead cost.
C) When there are no delay penalties
D) When the task to be crashed is not on the critical path
E) A and C

Question 13

Fast tracking is defined as:

A) adding resources to reduce the time required for selected project activities.
B) eliminating tasks or deliverables from the WBS.
C) compressing a project schedule to meet market demands.
D) increasing the efficiency of the employees performing the task.
E) rescheduling sequential tasks to take place simultaneously.

Question 14

The next three questions are related to the project schedule shown below, which has been adjusted to accommodate resource constraints.



-In the network shown above, given the current placement of float, where would a feeding buffer be most appropriate from among the options below?

A) Between A and B
B) Between D and J
C) Between E and G
D) Between F and H
E) Between E and I

Question 15

The next three questions relate to the following scenario: Erica is planning a large surprise party for her best friend. She has developed the plan below which includes estimates of the time in hours) and cost necessary to perform each of the activities required.
$$\begin{array} { | l | c | c | c | c | c | } \hline \text { Activity } & \text { Predeces sor } & \begin{array} { c } \text { Normal } \\\text { Time } \\\text { (hrs) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Crash } \\\text { Time } \\\text { (hrs) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Norm al } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Crash } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} \\\hline \text { A. Create Guest List } & - - & 8 & 4 & \$ 200 & \$ 310 \\\hline \text { B. Send Invitations } & \text { A } & 2 & 1 & \$ 125 & \$ 150 \\\hline \text { C. Plan Decorations } & \text { A } & 8 & 6 & \$ 300 & \$ 370 \\\hline \text { D. Plan Menu } & \text { A } & 3 & 2 & \$ 150 & \$ 210 \\\hline \text { E. Shop } & \text { D } & 4 & 2 & \$ 475 & \$ 550 \\\hline \text { F. Prepare Food } & \text { E } & 5 & 3 & \$ 225 & \$ 475 \\\hline\end{array}$$


-Erica's internet-based business pays her about $40 per hour. Therefore, for every hour she works on this party project, she will experience a lost opportunity cost of $40. She would initially like to test the idea of reducing project duration by one hour. Which activity should she crash first?

A) A
B) D
C) C
D) E
E) B

Question 16

Research has shown that multitasking has been linked with:

A) Enhanced efficiency.
B) Expanded brain function.
C) Increased short-term memory capacity.
D) Reduced stress.
E) All of the above.
F) None of the above.

Question 17

What is the difference between the critical path and the critical chain?

A) The critical path considers resource availability and the critical chain does not
B) The critical chain considers resource availability and the critical path does not
C) There is no difference - they are exactly the same
D) It is possible to crash activities on the critical path, but activities on the critical chain have already been reduced to their shortest feasible durations.
E) None of the above

Question 18

The next three questions are related to the project schedule shown below, which has been adjusted to accommodate resource constraints.



-In the network shown above, where would a resource buffer be most appropriate from among the options below?

A) Between H and J
B) Between A and C
C) Between B and C
D) Between C and F
E) Between D and J