Project Scheduling and CPM

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and processes related to project scheduling and CPM as presented in the lecture notes.

What is the main objective of the Critical Path Method (CPM)?

To systematically allocate resources among activities to achieve the greatest reduction in project duration at the least cost.

What does 'activity crashing' refer to in project scheduling?

It is the process of shortening the project completion time by applying extra resources to critical tasks.

What is a critical path in project management?

The sequence of tasks that determine the minimum project duration, where any delay in these tasks directly affects the project completion time.

What happens when a task on the critical path is shortened?

The overall project finish is affected, as it directly impacts the critical path duration.

How is the earliest finish time (EF) calculated in CPM?

EF is calculated by adding the earliest start time (ES) to the task duration (t) of a job.

What is the slack time for a task?

Slack time is the amount of time that a task can be delayed without affecting the project completion time.

What do you do if a project is behind schedule and you want to speed it up?

Options include working overtime, adding more resources to critical tasks, or parallelizing tasks.

What is the significance of defining milestones in project scheduling?

Milestones help track progress and achievement of specific goals within the project timeline.

What can result in tasks shifting from non-critical to critical status?

Lengthening of non-critical tasks or changes in project scheduling may result in this shift.

What is the purpose of a network diagram in project management?

To visualize the sequence of tasks and their dependencies to aid in scheduling and resource allocation.