Chapter 9

REDUCING PROJECT DURATION

Chapter Outline

1. Rationale for Reducing Project Duration

2. Options for Accelerating Project Completion

A. Options When Resources Are Not Constrained

i. Adding Resources

ii. Outsourcing Project Work

iii. Scheduling Overtime

iv. Establish a Core Project Team

v. Do It Twice—Fast and Correctly

B. Options When Resources Are Constrained

i. Fast-Tracking

ii. Critical-Chain

iii. Reducing Project Scope

 iv. Compromise Quality

3. Project Cost-Duration Graph

4. Constructing a Project Cost-Duration Graph

A. Determining the Activities to Shorten

B. A Simplified Example

5. Practical Considerations

A. Using the Project Cost-Duration Graph

B. Crash Times

C. Linearity Assumption

D. Choice of Activities to Crash Revisited

E. Time Reduction Decisions and Sensitivity

6. What if Cost, Not Time, Is the Issue?

A. Reduce Project Scope

B. Have Owner Take on More Responsibility

C. Outsourcing Project Activities or Even the Entire Project

D. Brainstorming Cost Savings Options

7. Summary

8. Key Terms

9. Review Questions

10. Exercises

11. Case: International Capital, Inc.—Part B

12. Case: Whitbread World Sailboat Race

13. Case: Nightingale Project—A

14. Case: Nightingale Project—B

15. Case: The “Now” Wedding—Part A

16. Case: The “Now” Wedding—Part B