TIME (DAYS)

ACTIVITY   DESCRIPTION PREDECESSOR  

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION PREDECESSOR aa m b

a Excavation, pour footers — 3 4  6
b Lay foundation a 2 3  5
c Frame and roof b 2 4  5
d Lay drain tiles b 1 2  4
e Sewer (floor) drains b 1 2  3
f Install insulation c 2 4  5
g Pour basement floor e 2 3  5
h Rough plumbing, pipes e 2 4  7
i Install windows f 1 3  4
j Rough electrical wiring f 1 2  4
k Install furnace, air conditioner c, g 3 5  8
l Exterior brickwork i 5 6 10
m Install plasterboard, mud, plaster j, h, k 6 8 12
n Roof shingles, flashing l 2 3  6
o Attach gutter, downspouts n 1 2  5
p Grading d, o 2 3  7
q Lay subflooring m 3 4  6
r Lay driveway, walks, landscape p 4 6 10
s Finish carpentry q 3 5 12
t Kitchen cabinetry, sink, and appliances q 2 4  8
u Bathroom cabinetry, fixtures q 2 3  6
v Painting (interior and exterior) t, u 4 6 10
w Finish wood floors, lay carpet v, s 2 5  8
x Final electrical, light fixtures v 1 3  4
 1.   Develop a CPM/PERT network for Moore House Contractors and
determine the probability that the contractors can complete a house
within 45 days. Does it appear that the Moores might need to increase
their bid to compensate for potential penalties?

R
B
B

P
B
B

D
B
B

A B C F I L N O
B B B

B
B B B
B B B B
B B

J
E B
B

B
B

G U
B
B
K B
B

B
B

H Q S W
B
M S
V
B B
S
S

PROBABILITY ANALYSIS
Formula: z = (X - μ) / σ
45-45.83/2.41 = -.3443 The z-score is -3.443 and when you look the z-
score up on a z-score chart you receive a cumulative probability of .36531.
This means that the probability of Moore Housing Contractors being able
to build a home within 45 days is 36.53%.

2.  Indicate which project activities Moore Contractors should be particularly

diligent to keep on schedule by making sure workers and materials are always
available. Also indicate which activities the company might shift workers from
as the need arises.

(Answer)

First of all, they must keep the key path elements of the home building on

schedule. Excavation, foundation, basement floor, and other items stated

above must not be delayed; otherwise, this project will not be completed on

time.

Second, there appears to be an area of opportunity where Moore may shift

labor from a slack activity to a critical path activity. This deviation may allow a

vital path task to be done on time or even ahead of schedule. Action D is one of

the items with a lot of slack.

Laying drain tiles is Action D, which has a slack of 26  days. Because

this is a projected 8-day completion with a six-day optimistic

completion window, directing those labor resources to action M,

which involves installing plasterboard, mud, and plaster, makes the

most sense. Tile-laying work abilities will be more suitable with plaster

than any of the previous actions leading up to action M. A worker assigned

with laying tile is unlikely to be competent for tasks such as electrical,

plumbing, or air handler installation. Since the EF time of action M is 26 days

and the ES time for action P, which has a predecessor of action D from

which we are pulling labor, is thirty days there should be no conflict or

delay in the start of action P as the pessimistic forecast for action D is

four days. If this shift in labor could lead to completion time of 44.833

days we increase our chances of making target to 47.24% which gives

Moore a good shot of reducing their penalty by one house. Looking at the

rest of the activities with slack it would seem there are no further

reasonable opportunities to shift labor.