Chapter 6 Project Schedule Management

True / False 1. An activity is an element of work that has an expected duration, cost, and resource requirements. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: An activity or task is an element of work normally found on the work breakdown structure (WBS) that has expected duration, cost, and resource requirements. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.244 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.39 - LO: 6-1 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: The Importance of Project Schedules KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 2. In project schedule management, the primary output of defining activities is a schedule management plan. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: In project schedule management, the main output of defining activities are an activity list, activity attributes, a milestone list, and project management plan updates. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.245 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.39 - LO: 6-1 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: The Importance of Project Schedules Bloom's: Comprehension KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 3. In project schedule management, the next step after sequencing activities is to define these activities. a. True b. False ANSWER: RATIONALE: False Feedback: Estimating activity durations involves estimating how many resources— people, equipment, and materials—a project team should use to perform project activities. In project time management, this process follows after sequencing activities. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.245 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.39 - LO: 6-1 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: The Importance of Project Schedules KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 4. Project schedules grow out of basic documents such as the project charter. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: Project schedules grow out of the basic documents that initiate a project. The project charter often mentions planned project start and end dates, which serve as the starting points for a more detailed schedule. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.244 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.40 - LO: 6-2 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: o Reflective Thinking - BUSPROG: Analytic skills: Statistics and Management Science TOPICS: Planning Schedule Management KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 5. A schedule management plan includes information which describes the format and frequency of schedule reports required for the project. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: A schedule management plan includes information on reporting formats. This information describes the format and frequency of schedule reports required for the project. In addition, it also includes information on process descriptions and describes how all of the schedule management processes will be performed. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.246 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.40 - LO: 6-2 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Planning Schedule Management Bloom's: Knowledge KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 6. To define activities, the project team should start with reviewing the schedule management plan, scope baseline, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational processes. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: Defining activities involves identifying the specific actions that will produce the project deliverables in enough detail to determine resource and schedule estimates. The project team reviews the schedule management plan, scope baseline, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets to begin defining activities. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.246 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.41 - LO: 6-3 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Defining Activities KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 7. It is important for the activity list and activity attributes to be in agreement with the work breakdown structure. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: The activity list and activity attributes should be in agreement with the work breakdown structure. Information is added to the activity attributes as it becomes available; this information includes logical relationships and resource requirements that are determined in later processes. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.246 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.41 - LO: 6-3 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Defining Activities Bloom's: Knowledge KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 8. Milestones are easy to achieve and are always achieved through one main activity. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: A milestone on a project is a significant event that normally has no duration. It often takes several activities and a lot of work to complete a milestone, but the milestone itself is like a marker to help in identifying necessary activities. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.246 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.41 - LO: 6-3 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Defining Activities KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 9. After defining project activities, the next step in project schedule management is developing the schedule. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: After defining project activities, the next step in project time management is sequencing them or determining their dependencies. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.248 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Sequencing Activities Bloom's: Comprehension KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 10. A dependency pertains to the sequencing of project activities or tasks. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: A dependency or relationship pertains to the sequencing of project activities or tasks. Determining these relationships or dependencies among activities has a significant impact on developing and managing a project schedule. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.248-249 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: o Reflective Thinking - BUSPROG: Analytic skills: Statistics and Management Science TOPICS: Sequencing Activities KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 11. Network diagrams are the preferred technique for showing activity sequencing. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: Network diagrams are the preferred technique for showing activity sequencing. A network diagram is a schematic display of the logical relationships among project activities and their sequencing. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.249 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Sequencing Activities Bloom's: Knowledge KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 12. The arrows in a network diagram represent missed milestones in a project. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: A network diagram is a schematic display of the logical relationships among project activities and their sequencing. The arrows in a network diagram represent the activity sequencing or relationships between tasks. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.249 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: - Comprehension TOPICS: Sequencing Activities KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 13. In a network diagram, it is mandatory for every item on the WBS to be shown instead of only those activities with dependencies. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: The network diagram represents activities that must be done to complete the project. Not every item on the WBS needs to be shown on the network diagram; only activities with dependencies need to be shown. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.249-250 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: - Comprehension TOPICS: Sequencing Activities KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 14. A merge occurs when one node precedes multiple nodes. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: A merge occurs when two or more nodes precede a single node. On the other hand, bursts occur when two or more activities follow a single node. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.250 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Sequencing Activities Bloom's: Knowledge KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 15. Start-to-finish relationships are the most frequently used dependencies between activities. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: One of the four types of dependencies or relationships between activities is the start-to-finish dependency. This is a relationship in which the “from” activity must start before the “to” activity can be finished. This type of relationship is rarely used, but it is appropriate in some cases. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.252 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Sequencing Activities KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 16. A drawback of the precedence diagramming method is that it cannot be used unless dummy activities are employed. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: The precedence diagramming method offers a number of advantages over the AOA technique. One advantage is that using this method avoids the need to use dummy activities. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.252 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.42 - LO: 6-4 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Sequencing Activities Bloom's: Comprehension KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 17. In a Gantt chart, thick black bars represent milestones achieved in a project. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: Gantt charts provide a standard format for displaying project schedule information by listing project activities and their corresponding start and finish dates in calendar form. In a Gantt chart, a black diamond symbol represents a milestone. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.255 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 18. A Tracking Gantt chart is based on the percentage of work completed for project tasks or the actual start and finish dates. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: A Tracking Gantt chart is based on the percentage of work completed for project tasks or the actual start and finish dates. It allows the project manager to monitor schedule progress on individual tasks and the whole project. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.258 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 19. A disadvantage of using Gantt charts is that they do not provide a standard format for displaying planned project schedule information. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: The main advantage of using Gantt charts is that they provide a standard format for displaying planned and actual project schedule information. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.259 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule Bloom's: Comprehension KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 20. In a critical path analysis, the shortest path is what drives the completion date for the project. a. True b. False ANSWER: RATIONALE: False Feedback: In a critical path analysis, several tasks are done in parallel on projects, and most projects have multiple paths through a network diagram. The longest path or the path that contains the critical tasks is what drives the completion date for the project. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.259 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 21. The critical path on a project can change as the project progresses. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: The critical path represents the shortest time required to complete a project. The critical path on a project can change as the project progresses. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.261 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 22. A backward pass through the network diagram determines the early start and early finish dates for each activity. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: A backward pass through the network diagram determines the late start and late finish dates for each activity. In contrast, a forward pass determines the early start and early finish dates for each activity. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.262 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule Bloom's: Knowledge KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 23. Knowing the amount of float allows project managers to know whether a project schedule is flexible. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: Knowing the amount of float or slack allows project managers to know whether the schedule is flexible and how flexible it might be. A fast and easy way to determine early and late start and finish dates and free and total slack amounts for activities is by using project management software. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.263 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 24. The main disadvantage of crashing is that it lengthens the time needed to finish a project. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: The main advantage of crashing is that it shortens the time needed to finish a project. The main disadvantage is that it often increases total project costs. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.264 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 25. The technique of fast tracking can result in lengthening the project schedule. a. True b. False ANSWER: True RATIONALE: Feedback: The main disadvantage of fast tracking is that it can lengthen the project schedule because starting some tasks too soon often increases project risk and results in rework. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.264 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 26. Critical chain scheduling assumes that resources multitask and maximizes multitasking. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: Critical chain scheduling is a method that considers limited resources when creating a project schedule and includes buffers to protect the project completion date. It assumes that resources do not multitask or at least minimize multitasking. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.265-266 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: Developing the Schedule Bloom's: Comprehension 27. One of PERT’s main disadvantages is that it does not address the risk associated with duration estimates. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: PERT’s main disadvantages are that it involves more work than CPM because it requires several duration estimates, and there are better probabilistic methods for assessing schedule risk. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate REFERENCES: p.269 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.44 - LO: 6-7 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Developing the Schedule KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 28. The final process in project schedule management is developing the schedule. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: The final process in project time management is controlling the schedule, Like scope control, schedule control is a portion of the integrated change control process under project integration management. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.272 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.45 - LO: 6-8 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Controlling the Schedule Bloom's: Knowledge KEYWORDS: DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: 29. A drawback of the project management software is that it does not have the capacity to calculate the critical path(s) for a project. a. True b. False ANSWER: False RATIONALE: Feedback: A project management software can be used to draw network diagrams, determine the critical path for a project, create Gantt charts, and report, view, and filter specific project time management information. POINTS: 1 DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy REFERENCES: p.250 QUESTION TYPE: True / False HAS VARIABLES: False LEARNING OBJECTIVES: INFO.SCHW.14.46 - LO: 6-9 NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic TOPICS: Using Software to Assist in Project Time Management KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge DATE CREATED: DATE MODIFIED: