DNSC 261 Introduction to Project Management

Scheduling Homework

This document is two pages long. Make sure you read the entire
second page.

A radar project is in the processes of being authorized, and you have

been requested to develop a schedule. Assume that the start date is 1
January 2007 with a normal schedule (i.e., five-day work weeks) and
no holidays (five-day work weeks). An activity defined as a 5 week
activity requires 5 work weeks x 5 work days per work week = 25 work
days. However, when calculating a completion date, a 5 week activity
equates to 5 calendar weeks x 7 calendar days per calendar week =
35 calendar days.

Without using any computer-based scheduling tools, provide the

following scheduling diagrams and information for the project listed
below.

1. (30 points) AON (Activity on Node) Network diagram using

the most likely duration from the table below. The network
should only use and show defined precedence relationships.
Indicate the critical path and calculate the duration of the
project (first page). The AON diagram should show the task
predecessors and the ES, EF, LS, LF times in a manner similar to
Figure 8-16 on page 349 [M&M, 7th Edition]. Note, however, that
you are requested to draw the diagram with Most Likely
Durations, and thus you may omit the expected time and
variance shown inside each box in the text’s figure. Also note
that network diagrams show durations, not calendar days.

2. (30 points) Gantt schedule chart (a bar chart of the

schedule) using the most likely duration (second page). In
contrast to the previous display, calendar time should be
represented on the time axis of a Gantt chart.

The graphic part of the Gantt chart to be at a level of detail

similar to the chart shown in Figure 8-20 on page 354 of the text
[M&M, 7th Edition). You do not need to provide the columns
(duration, start, finish, etc.) seen on the left part of the figure.
The Y axis should only list the task names or ids corresponding
to the bars on the Gantt chart. The time axis can be shown in
months to fit the Gantt chart on one a page.

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 3. (10 points) A table with calendar dates for start and end of
each activity and the project completion date using the most
likely duration (third page).

4. (25 points) Calculate the expected time, the variance and

the standard deviation for each task on the critical path (third or
fourth page).

5. (25 points) Using the project completion from 3 as the

desired completion, calculate the likelihood that the project will
complete by that date (fourth page).

All Durations Are In Weeks.

No Task Name Optimis Most Pessimis Predecess
. tic Likely tic ors

Radar Project
1 0 0 0
Authorized
2 Antenna Design 3 5 5 1 FS
2 SS + 5
3 Antenna H/W Design 6 8 10
(lag)
2 FS + 5
4 Antenna S/W Design 12 15 20
(lag)
Radar Interface Unit 10 FS, 9FS,
5 4 5 6
Design 4FS, 3 FS
Radar Interface H/W
6 5 7 7 5 FS
Design
Radar Interface S/W
7 12 14 16 5 FS
Design
8 Receiver Design 3 5 7 1 FS
Receiver Hardware
9 5 7 9 8 FS
Design
Receiver Software
10 6 8 10 8 SS
Design
11 Design Review 3 4 6 6 FS, 7FS
Radar Material
12 8 10 12 11 FS
Acquisition
Prototype
13 6 9 12 12 FS
Manufacturing

You may draw by hand or draw with software such as MS Word, Visio
or PowerPoint. You are not allowed to use scheduling software and are
limited to a total of four pages.

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Please submit an electronic copy in PDF format, however you produce
it (i.e., with word-processing software or a scanned copy of a hand-
drawn diagram); there is a link to a free PDF conversion utility in
Blackboard’s “Introductory Material” section. Check the final
document to make sure that what you submit is identical to what you
have drawn!

Soft copies that require opening a specific software package other

than the Acrobat Reader (e.g., Word) will not be accepted.

Submit your assignment via Blackboard.

Note Well: Partial credit will be given for the right approach so please
do show your work in getting to the answer.

You are encouraged, as always, to discuss these general concepts with

your class colleagues and with the instructor and the teaching
assistant. Please refrain, however, from discussing how to obtain
specific numerical answers to specific questions. Focus on
understanding, and the right answers will follow.

The assignment must be posted by 7pm, 16 October (i.e., Friday

night).